Category Archives: insulation

Saving Money And Energy In Your Own Home – New site.

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Here are 10 of the several dozen energy saving tips from this cool new site.

http://www.fypower.org/res/tools/energy_tips.html

Free and Low Cost Recommendations

Replace Light Bulbs

  • Replace standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and save 75% off lighting costs.

Unplug Electronics

  • Unplug electronics, battery chargers and other equipment when not in use. Taken together, these small items can use as much power as your refrigerator.

Save Water

  • Installing faucet aerators and low-flow shower heads will cut water heating costs by 50% and save up to $300 per year. It will also cut water use by up to 50%. As much as 19% of California electricity is used to pump, transport and treat water.

Adjust Your Thermostat

  • Setting your air conditioner 5° higher will save up to 20% on cooling costs.

Buy Energy Efficient Appliances

  • Always buy ENERGY STAR qualified appliances and equipment – they’re up to 40% more efficient. Find rebates and incentives in your area using our rebate finder.

Adjust Your Water Heater

  • Turn your water heater down to 120° or the “Normal” setting when home, and to the lowest setting when away. Water heating accounts for about 13% of home energy costs.

Keep Cool With Ceiling Fans

  • Reduce air conditioning costs by using fans, keeping windows and doors shut and closing shades during the day. Most ceiling fans use less energy than a light bulb.

Be Smart About Lighting

  • Turn off unnecessary lighting and use task or desktop lamps with CFLs instead of overhead lights.

Power Down Your Computer

  • Enable “power management” on all computers and make sure to turn them off at night. A laptop computer uses up to 90% less energy than bigger desktop models.

Wash Clothes in Cold Water

When possible, wash clothes in cold water. About 90% of the energy used in a clothes washer goes to water heating

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Over the last couple of days these guys asked for complimentary links:

http://www.fiddlewiddle.com/

http://www.aessolar.com

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Energy Efficient Doors – They save year round

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http://www.homedoctor.net/doors-windows/residential-doors/energy-efficient-doors

Energy Efficient Doors

If you live in a cold climate, chances are that your home is equipped with a variety of defenses against the frigid air outside. A sufficient amount of insulation and storm windows throughout the home are just a few ways to keep the interior of the home warm and cozy. But because a third of heat loss typically occurs through windows and doors, energy efficient doors are among the best defenses against heat loss.

Making Your Current Doors Energy Efficient

Energy efficient doors are insulated and sealed tightly to prevent cold from entering and warm air from leaking out. Regular doors can also become energy efficient doors by adding a few simple weatherproofing accessories, including bottom sweeps, typically made from vinyl, and magnetic weatherstripping.

Energy Efficient Material of Choice: Wood

Energy efficient doors are made from a variety of materials, but wood is considered an excellent insulator. According to professionals, wood is 2,000 times more efficient as an insulator than aluminum, 415 times more efficient than steel, and 16 times more efficient then concrete. For additional energy efficiency, storm doors may be added as well. Storm doors work by trapping air between the main door and the storm door.

High-Quality Materials for Energy Efficient Doors

A good energy efficient door will have high quality hardware. It will also have the best weatherstripping, which offers the best seal. When choosing a door made of materials other than wood, make sure it has a finish that won’t rust. If you are purchasing weatherstripping or replacing your existing hardware, choose the highest quality products you can find. High quality products will not only provide the best seal, but they will also last much longer than lower quality products.

Energy Efficient Doors and Savings

Energy efficient doors provide a wide variety of benefits. Because they keep warm air in and cold air out, you will use less artificial heat; the same is true for the warm summer months. Instead of running the air conditioning all day, you will use it less as more cold air will stay inside.

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More tomorrow.

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Rubber Roofs – An alternative roofing material with a bounce

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We return to alternative roofs again this week. Rubber roofs last a long time BUT when they fail…they fail all at once..

http://www.flatroofsolutions.com/

*We are looking for wholesale distributors and stocking stores for our new Multi-Surface Patch Kits* click here

EPDM Rubber Roofing – The Flat Roof Solution

Due to inflexibility, weathering and failing joints, sooner or later conventional flat roofing methods will leak. If you have been struggling with a flat roof leak, or you have a flat or gently sloping roof project, you’ll be excited to discover EPDM rubber roofing. With billions of square feet installed, EPDM has been proven to give many years of leak free service. Best of all, it is simple to install yourself.

Flatroofsolutions.com is the only company dedicated to Do It Yourself residential and smaller commercial applications of EPDM roofing. Since our start in 1993, we have helped thousands of customers solve their flat roof problems. We sell

 Roof-Top® EPDM and adhesives and accessories. Everything needed for application, including a installation DVD that takes you step by step through the installation process. We even have EPDM for your RV rubber roof.  Our friendly, knowledgeable sales staff is available to answer any question and help you with your materials purchase.

Click Here for Estimate Guide 		If you would like to learn more about EPDM rubber membrane, please click on About EPDM at above left. If you would like to know more about the installation process, please click here.

For pricing and ordering information, click Prices & Ordering

If you would like to place an order or contact our sales staff, please call (866) 630-7660 or email

 sales@flatroofsolutions.com

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More tomorrow.

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Residential Energy Efficiency Can Start With The Roof

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But even with the subsidies and incentives it will cost you double. So you have to ask yourself, is buying the last roof I ever will purchase worth it.

http://www.metalroofing.com

MRA
September 20, 2010

Don’t Miss Out On The $1500 Tax Credit!

Tax CreditThe $1500 tax credit for energy efficient upgrades to homes is still available. Homeowners who make energy efficient updates to their home, including the installation of a painted or coated Energy Star® labeled metal roof before December 31, 2010, may be eligible for a tax credit worth 30 percent of the installation costs (materials only), up to $1,500 per home.

To Receive The Tax Credit:

  1. Find a Contractor near you to discuss a new metal roof for your home.
  2. Confirm that the metal roof you select is a prepainted or coated Energy Star-labeled metal roof with pigmented coating/paint film specifically designed to reduce heat gain, and obtain certification from your contractor or the manufacturer
  3. Have the metal roof installed on your principal residence between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. For further information on the requirements for tax credit eligibility click here and/or consult with your tax advisor.
  4. Fill out IRS Form 5695 Residential Energy Credits when filing your taxes for 2009 and/or 2010.

Find a metal roofing contractor in your area today to take advantage of this great opportunity for savings before it’s too late. Visit MetalRoofing.com for more information or contact Alli@MetalRoofing.com for questions about the tax credit.

Why Metal? Tell Us Your Metal Roofing Story and Win

For the past decade we have been telling homeowners and contractors about the many benefits of residential metal roofs. Now, we’re turning the tables, and asking you to tell us why you chose metal in our “Tell Us Your Metal Roofing Story” Facebook contest.

All you have to do is tell us why you chose metal and submit a photo of your beautiful roof via our application on the MRA’s Facebook contest page. Get 10 people to “Like” it via Facebook and you are entered in the contest. The lucky winner will be rewarded with a $500 gift card to Home Depot. Plus, we will be making a donation in the winner’s name to their local Habitat for Humanity chapter and the contractor that installed the winning metal roof will receive a free Silver Level Metal Roofing Alliance membership or $1,000 towards a Gold level membership.
Ask the Experts Photo Gallery Tax Credit
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MRA - Metal Roofing AllianceMetalRoofing.com is an online metal roofing information resource provided to homeowners and metal roofing contractors and manufacturers by The Metal Roofing Alliance. The Metal Roofing Alliance is committed to protecting your privacy.

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More tomorrow

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Renters And Energy Conservation – Talking to your landlord

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I know it sounds sorta dumb but if you talk to the landlord about your interest in saving energy…you may find out that he shares your beliefs or is at least neutral about it. If on the other hand he makes rude comments or says something like, “I ain no treehugger”, then you need to drop it. If he seems neutral or somewhat interested. DO NOT ask him to DO anything right away. Follow the tips I have posted here and that are widely available on the web. Then you should causally mentions some of the things that you have done. Look for things that might interest him. Just as an example if you have access to the water heater and he pays the bills…tell him you turned it down and ask if he notice any savings….

http://e-conserve.blogspot.com/2009/04/renters-delight-low-energy-bill.html

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Exploring ways to save energy, money and the environment

Join Dominion in sharing ideas about how to save energy and money while helping the environment. Learn more about energy conservation from our Energy Experts.

Authors

Alison Kaufmann Alison Kaufmann Energy Conservation Specialist
Tom Jewell Tom Jewell
Energy Conservation Coordina

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Renter’s Delight, low energy bill

Even while renting, you have more control over your resources than you think.

  • Buy a water filter and use reusable water bottles instead of buying plastic water bottles.
  • Use CFLs in your light fixtures
  • Stop the junk mail by visiting http://www.donotmail.org/
  • Control your thermostat setting
  • Ask your landlord about making energy efficient improvements for all rental properties
  • Get a green shower curtain, made of organic cotton, like these
  • Use a low flow shower head

Let us know what you do in your place to conserve and don’t forget to share this page with others.

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More tomorrow

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Britain Wants “Warm Homes Greener Homes” – Hands out road map to get there

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Tomorrow I will do a piece on the ECOBuild Conference where this was announced in Britain but first the policy.

http://www.herefordshirenewleaf.org.uk/warm-homes-greener-homes-governments-strategy-household-energy-management

Warm Homes, Greener Homes: The Government’s strategy for Household Energy Management

Submitted by ali on Thu, 04/03/2010 – 11:53am

The Government has today published its Household Energy Management Strategy Warm Homes, Greener Homes, setting out its plans for meeting its target for a reduction of 29% in carbon emissions from the household sector. The strategy responds to the consultation conducted on Heat and Energy Saving last year.

The vision:

  • the intention is for every home where it is practical to have loft and cavity wall insulation by 2015;
  • every home in Britain to have a smart meter and display to help them better manage their energy use;
  • up to 7 million households to have had an eco-upgrade which would include advanced measures such as solid wall insulation or heat pumps alongside smart meters and more basic measures;
  • people living in rented accommodation to enjoy higher levels of energy efficiency as landlords – private and social – take action to improve the fabric of properties;
  • wider take up of district heating in urban areas, such as in blocks of flats, in new build and social housing, and in commercial and public sector buildings;
  • a core of up to 65,000 people employed in the new industry of energy efficiency, and potentially several times more down supply chains. Jobs will include installing and manufacturing energy saving measures or providing home energy advice.

Elements of the strategy:

  • New community partnerships and an enhanced role for local authorities, including from 2013, following CERT, a requirement on energy companies to consult with local authorities to deliver local area based programmes; and support for district heating. Where a local authority has a Local Carbon Framework covering household energy efficiency, companies will be obliged to agree with the local authority that their plans are in line with this framework before acting. Some local authorities may provide their own incentives, such as council tax rebates. The ambition in the longer term is that all authorities will take on responsibility for saving carbon from energy use in the homes in their area.

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Please read the rest of the article and go to these links to learn more:

To read the press release click here: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn2010_037/pn2010_037.aspx

For more details and to download the Strategy click here: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/consumers/saving_energy…

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More tomorrow

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Waste Heat To Electricity Through Silicon Nanowires

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It’s Jam Band Friday – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RupUECcyVow

What ever happend to a great innovative idea. In Early 2008 everyone was a twitter about this story. Why?  Because half to one third of the energy we generate is wasted. Then:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=4173214&page=1

Scientists Claim Energy Breakthrough

Simple Device Converts Heat Directly to Electricity, Which May Mean No More Batteries

By LEE DYE
Jan. 23, 2008

Scientists are developing a new device that could have a profound impact on global energy supplies by converting wasted heat into electricity. It could potentially have an impact on everything from power plants to cell phones, and it came about because of a serendipitous discovery that had eluded scientists for half a century.

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley, have found a way to use ordinary silicon to convert heat to electricity. The technique could mean that some day you will be able to recharge your cell phone with electricity produced by your own body heat, and enormous amounts of energy that is now wasted could be recycled.

“We feel that this is a breakthrough,” said Arun Majumdar, a mechanical engineer and materials scientist with joint appointments at the Berkeley lab and UC Berkeley. “I’m very excited about this.”

Astonishingly, Majumdar and his colleagues didn’t set out to achieve what they have done.

“It was serendipitous,” he said. “We never planned for it.”

And perhaps even more surprising, they did it with a material that most scientists thought would never work for this purpose — ordinary silicon, a cheap, abundant material that is the foundation for the multibillion-dollar semiconductor industry.

Majumdar and his fellow researchers, including chemist Peidong Yang, a noted leader in the rapidly growing field of technology at the incredibly small “nano” scale, reported on their work in the Jan. 10 issue of the journal Nature. It’s not clear yet why the device they have created works.

“We don’t have all the answers at this point,” Majumdar said. But laboratory experiments show that it does, indeed, work. At least on a small scale. The device, placed between a hot plate and a cold plate, produced enough electricity to power a light bulb, although they didn’t do that demonstration. Instead, they measured the current flowing from the hot plate toward the cold plate, and it was sufficient to claim success, he said.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PenutnCkyx8&feature=related

or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAF-cEThNWU&feature=related

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NoW:

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/silicon-heat-cheap-energy-gets-1-million/

News |  Energy Efficiency

Michael Kanellos: May 3, 2010

‘Silicon + Heat = Cheap Energy’ Gets $1 Million

Exotic waste heat startup Alphabet Energy gets more fun

Alphabet Energy, which says it can make electricity for around $1 a watt out of waste heat in factories or data centers, has raised $1 million from Claremont Creek Ventures and the CalCef Clean Energy Fund.

Waste heat — which is one of our favorites sources of energy here — essentially revolves around capturing heat from engines and machinery and using it to run things like water heaters or converting it into electricity. The U.S. consumes around 100 quads (100 quadrillion BTUs) of energy a year, and 55 to 60 quads get dissipated as waste heat, according to Arun Majumdar, the UC Berkeley professor who came up with a lot of the technology behind Alphabet (he now runs ARPA-E, the advanced projects group inside the Department of Energy). Thus, there is a lot of waste heat out there and it could be cheaper than solar. Alphabet estimates it could be a $200 billion market.

Heat-to-electricity can be accomplished in two ways. Companies such as Recycled Energy Development (RED) and Ormat have successfully retrofitted factories to capture waste heat, but these systems largely rely on mechanical engineering. Heat is captured and then channeled into productive uses. One of RED’s showcase projects — coming next year — is a system at West Virginia Alloys, a silicon manufacturer, that will generate 45 megawatts of electrical power from the waste heat generated by factory operations. The company uses 120 megawatts at the current time, but the waste heat system will effectively allow Alloys to recover about one-third of the power it now buys but wastes. Fuel cells can also be used to harvest waste heat.

Semiconductors could potentially be the next wave for the industry, and this is where Alphabet comes in. Traditional waste heat chips — heat goes in one side, electricity comes out the other — cost around $20 a watt and are made out of bismuth telluride. Alphabet won’t say what its semiconductor is made from, but sources say the chief material is silicon nanowires.

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More next week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nTcDU73gLs&feature=related

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Carbon Neutral Is Different Than Energy Neutral – The difference is subtle but real

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Energy Neutral is different from Carbon Neutral. Energy Neutral means it produces as much energy as it consumes. Carbon Neutral takes into account all carbon used to make the place and its usage.

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2008/02/lighthouse-uks.html

Lighthouse, UK’s First Zero-Emission, Carbon Neutral Home

Lighthouseuk

In England, a handful of efficient demonstration homes have been built on the grounds of the Building Research Establishment Ltd, including “The Lighthouse,” which is the first net zero carbon house in the UK.  The house is also the first to attain level six in the Code for Sustainable Homes, which indicates that it is carbon neutral. The two-bedroom house is only 93.3 square meters (barely over 1000 sq. ft.) in a 2-1/2 story building.  The building has solar panels and evacuated solar tubes on its roof, as well as making use of passive measures with ventilation chimneys.  It also incorporates rainwater catchment as part of the building design.

The materials used include highly insulated, airtight building fabric which has been designed to provide generous daylight levels and includes effective solar control, together with integrated building services based around a platform of renewable and sustainable technologies. These include water efficiency techniques, renewable energy technologies, passive cooling and ventilation, as well as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR).

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http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/11/25/how-to-build-a-carbon-neutral-home/

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How To Build A Carbon Neutral Home

Written by Reenita Malhotra
Published on November 25th, 2008

Is it possible to build a carbon neutral home? Apparently so says the Australian Home Lifestyle TV show. Watch this segment about green building construction.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/08/japans-carbon-neutral-hom_n_111519.html

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Japan’s Carbon-Neutral Home: Leave Your Carbon Footprint At The Door

Wall Street Journal:

As leaders of the world’s most powerful nations discuss climate change at the Group of Eight summit in northern Japan, Japan’s big tech companies are displaying some of their most cutting-edge solutions in a nearby “zero emissions house.”

The single-story, 2,152-square-foot house generates all the energy required for a family of four, therefore eliminating carbon-dioxide emissions, according to the Japanese government. Products inside, many already on sale in Japan, include a washer that requires no water and an air conditioner that senses where people are in a room and automatically sends cool air in their direction rather than cooling empty space. Yet the eco-friendly products also carry a steeper price tag than traditional appliances.

The house uses a wind-turbine generator and a photovoltaic generation system, which directly converts light into electricity, to produce about 15 kilowatts of energy a day, nearly five times the amount used by a regular household. The government has presented the house as one of its contributions toward helping the world cut greenhouse emissions in half by 2050.

Read the whole story: Wall Street Journal

As leaders of the world’s most powerful nations discuss climate change at the Group of Eight summit in northern Japan, Japan’s big tech companies are displaying some of their most cutting-edge solutio…
As leaders of the world’s most powerful nations discuss climate change at the Group of Eight summit in northern Japan, Japan’s big tech companies are displaying some of their most cutting-edge solutio…

Filed by Dave Burdick |  Report Corrections

More in Green…

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More tomorrow.

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Cash For Caulkers Bill – Houston Neal explains it all

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OK I am burned out on the Gulf Oil Spill. Houston Neal offered to let me post his piece on the Cash For Caulkers Bill. Normally such offers are from scammer links and such. Houston is involved with a software company so it is clear that he has advertising intents BUT it is such a damn fine article that I will post part of it so you can see for yourself and then you can go there and read it for yourself.

http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/construction/cash-for-caulkers-the-definitive-guide-to-the-home-star-bill-1061110/

Houston Neal close Houston info gravatar Houston Neal

Director of Marketing at Software Advice
(512) 364-0117 LinkedIn
houston@softwareadvice.com v-card

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Cash for Caulkers – The Definitive Guide To The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010

Posted on June 11, 2010 at 11:41 am

“Cash for Caulkers” is nearly here. Last month the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5019 – also known as the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 or “Cash for Caulkers” – to kick-start construction, create jobs and cut back carbon emissions. While the bill still needs to clear the Senate, supporters predict it will pass this summer.

This is great news for homeowners and contractors alike. The bill provisions $6 billion for energy-efficient or “green” retrofits. It is expected to fund renovations for 3 million families, create 168,000 new jobs and save consumers $9.2 billion on energy bills over the next 10 years.

But in order to cash in on upcoming rebates, homeowners and contractors will need to do their homework. There are 13 types of retrofits eligible for funding. Each retrofit has unique eligibility requirements and set rebate amounts. You can read the full text here.

We made it really easy to wade through the legalese. Below is a table that breaks down the 13 retrofits of the bill, along with the requirements and rebate amount for each. In addition to the requirements we listed, each retrofit must comply with Building Performance Institute (BPI) standards or other procedures to be approved by the Secretary of Energy.

Retrofit Requirements Rebate Amount
Air sealing Rebate covers both interior and exterior sealing and includes use of the following products: sealants, caulks, insulating foams, gaskets, weather-stripping, mastics, and other building materials. $1,500
Attic insulation Must meet the attic portions of the Department of Energy (DOE) or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) thermal bypass checklist. You must add at least R–19 insulation to existing insulation, and it must result in at least R–38 insulation in DOE climate zones 1 through 4 and at least R–49 insulation in DOE climate zones 5 through 8. Finally, it must cover at least 100 percent of an accessible attic or 75 percent of the total conditioned footprint of the house. $1,000
Duct replacement and sealing Sealing must be installed in accordance with BPI standards or other procedures approved by the Secretary of Energy. For duct replacement, you must replace and seal at least 50 percent of a distribution system of the home. $1,000
Wall insulation Insulation must be installed to full-stud thickness or add at least R–10 of continuous insulation. It must covers at least 75 percent of the total external wall area of the home. $1,500
Crawl space or basement insulation Insulation must cover at least 500 square feet of crawl space or basement wall and add at least R–19 of cavity insulation or R–15 of continuous insulation to existing crawl space insulation; or R–13 of cavity insulation or R–10 of continuous insulation to basement walls. For rim joist insulation, you must fully cover the rim joist with at least R–10 of new continuous or R–13 of cavity insulation. $250 for rim joist insulation
Window replacement Must replace at least 8 exterior windows, or 75 percent of the exterior windows in a home, whichever is less, with windows that are certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council. Must comply with criteria applicable to windows under section 25(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or, in areas above 5,000 feet elevation, have a U-factor of at least 0.35 when replacing windows that are single-glazed or double-glazed with an internal air space of 1/4 inch or less. $1,000
Door or skylight replacement Must replace at least 1 exterior door or skylight with doors or skylights that comply with the 2010 Energy Star specification for doors or skylights. $125 per door or skylight with a limit of 2 doors and 2 skylights
Heating system replacement See second table below $1,000
Air-source air conditioner or heat pump installation Must be installed in accordance with ANSI/ACCA Standard 5 QI–2007. The air-source air conditioner must meet or exceed SEER 16 and EER 13; or SEER 18 and EER 15. The air-source heat pump must meet or exceed SEER 15, EER 12.5, and HSPF 8.5. $1,500
Geothermal heat pump installation Must be an Energy Star qualified geothermal heat pump that meets Tier 2 efficiency requirements and that is installed in accordance with ANSI/ACCA Standard 5 QI–2007. $1,000
Water heater replacement See third table below $1,000
Storm windows or doors installation Must be installed on at least 5 existing doors or existing single-glazed windows. Must comply with any procedures that the Secretary of Energy may set for storm windows or doors and their installation. $50 for each window or door with a minimum of 5 windows or doors and a maximum of 12
Window film installation Window film that is installed on at least 8 exterior windows, doors, or skylights, or 75 percent of the total exterior square footage of glass in a home, whichever is more, with window films that are certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council. Must have a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.43 or less with a visible light-to-solar heat gain coefficient of at least 1.1 for installations in 2009 International Energy Conservation Code climate zones 1–3; or a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.43 or less with a visible light light-to-solar heat gain coefficient of at least 1.1 and a U-factor of 0.40 or less as installed in 2009 International Energy Conservation Code climate zones 4–8. $500

We also decided to combine these retrofits into three packages that will help homeowners get the best bang for their buck. But first, let’s review the program details.

Who is Eligible and How to Qualify?
The Home Star bill offers two rebate programs, the “Silver Star” program and “Gold Star” program. Here are details for each:

  • Silver Star – Unless another amount is specified in the “Rebate Amount” column above, homeowners will receive a $1,000 rebate for each retrofit listed in our table. The maximum amount of rebates paid out will be $3,000 or 50% of the total cost, whichever is lower. For example, if a homeowner spends a total of $4,000 on eligible retrofits, they will get $2,000 or 50% back as a rebate. If they spend $8,000 on eligible retrofits, they would only receive $3,000 in rebates instead of $4,000 (which would be 50% of the cost).
  • Gold Star – To qualify for the Gold Star program, homeowners must reduce their total home energy consumption by 20%. A $3,000 rebate will be rewarded for this reduction. Homeowners can receive an additional $1,000 for each additional 5% reduction, up to a total rebate of $8,000 or 50% of the total retrofit cost. Rebates may be provided for any of the retrofits listed under the Silver Star program, or for any other energy-saving measure, including: home energy management systems, high-efficiency appliances, highly reflective roofing, awnings, canopies, and similar external fenestration (window) attachments, automatic boiler water temperature controllers, energy-efficient wood products, insulated vinyl siding, and mechanical air circulation and heat exchangers in a passiv

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Please go to this article and read the rest of it….Conservation is in the air.

More tomorrow.

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Earth Day’s Coming Up – Energy conservation, we have come a long way

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But we have so far to go. I can remember the days when R13 was over the top in terms of insulation. Nobody would ever need that much. Now we are are encouraging R60 in the attic. But we have so far to go. Don’t get me started on other parts of the world. There is no way we can supply decent housing to 7 billion people, but they will all want televisions.

http://www.homeenergy.org/article_full.php?id=699

March/April 2010
House of Pressure

by Anthony Cox and Melissa Byrd

A Model of Energy Efficiency

The New River Center for Energy Research and Training (NRCERT) in Christiansburg, Virginia, is a division of Community Housing Partners (CHP), a nonprofit development corporation that serves the needs of low-wealth and low-income residents in the Southeast. NRCERT was established in 1999 to provide training to emerging professionals in the fields of in weatherization and whole-house performance skills. NRCERT also performs research for leaders in the field. This research has resulted in significant technical advancements for the weatherization and building performance industries.

NRCERT’s training emphasizes a whole-house approach to home performance, using detailed curricula and innovative models to support these training efforts. Its goal is to create homes (both new construction and retrofit) that are good for people, good for the environment, and good for business. Technicians are taught to reduce energy consumption, address the health and safety of occupants, and assess how the building envelope, appliances, and occupants interact with one another.

One of the teaching tools is the House of Pressure, which Anthony designed in 1995 for himself. He designed this tool to help visually demonstrate to his peers the complicated science of air pressure. At the time, Anthony was a weatherization crew member with New River Community Action.

Not Your Typical Dollhouse

The House of Pressure visually demonstrates pressure and air flow dynamics within a residence, using pressure diagnostics. It is a model of a single-family home, made of a clear, high-strength plastic laminate called Lexan that can be written on with a dry-erase marker. The interior of the House can be viewed from all four sides. It gives the instructor the ability to create and control air flow with working scale reproductions of the mechanical air distribution systems that are found in most homes.

The House features an operable forced air duct system, a clothes dryer, a bathroom fan, a fireplace, and a water heater. There are smoke generators in the water heater and the fireplace to demonstrate the dangers of backdrafting; and a smoke generator in an exhaust pipe in the garage to show the danger of CO infiltration from a garage into conditioned space. (The menacing theme of Jaws plays when backdrafting occurs, as a warning that smoke is coming back into the House!)

An automated performance testing (APT) device from the Energy Conservatory measures the air pressure levels in eight different locations in the House. It uses Microsoft Excel to project those pressure levels onto an LCD screen, so that audiences can view the pressure levels and the direction of air flow in every room. It’s like having eight manometers going at the same time, so when you make changes to one part of the House, you can see how they affect every other part, with immediate feedback from the APT.

Testing the Model Is the Same as Testing a Real House

To get accurate results, it’s important to understand how to set up and use diagnostic equipment—and the House of Pressure is no exception. An illustrated laminated sheet with instructions comes along with the model. The instructions show how to set up the measuring equipment to perform various tests on the model, and also how to use the equipment in the field. It even has color-coded hose hookups for using the digital manometer.

The House of Pressure can be used to

  • demonstrate blower door testing, using a digital manometer and a Minneapolis Duct Blaster;
  • demonstrate zonal and pressure pan testing;
  • show how duct leakage diminishes health and safety, comfort, durability, and energy efficiency by creating leaks in the supply ducts and/or the return ducts;
  • demonstrate the effect of thermal bypasses;
  • show pressure and thermal boundaries; and
  • simulate backdrafting conditions.

There are operable doors from the bedroom and bathroom to the central living area that show how air flow takes place in a house with a central return duct system. Pressure relief methods can be shown and discussed. Combustion appliance zone testing can be shown by following a worst-case test procedure using a digital manometer.

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Please read the magazine every month…as Yoda says…do not try…do

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