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The Deans of Green
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A Conversation with Tedd Benson About the Road from Fine Carpenter to Fine Businessman
2 commentsTedd Benson, one of the most celebrated homebuilders in America, has been a leader in reintroducing the art of timber framing, and has continued to develop it using modern technology to create structures of lasting beauty and high efficiency. He also built a successful business, stalwart enough to sail through the Great Recession and expand. I recently had the opportunity talk with Tedd Benson and learn about his background, his business, and his plans for the future.
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Vapor Barriers Are a Good Thing, Right?
18 commentsBuilders once routinely stapled up sheets of polyethylene plastic on interior walls before the drywall went up to stop the flow of moisture-laden air into exterior walls. With moisture stopped in its...
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The Goldilocks Approach to Tight Houses: Is There A 'Just-Right' For Leakiness?
Many say "Tight houses need to breathe." To which, tight house advocates say "Where should I poke the hole, and how big should it be?"
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Q&A Spotlight: Can Solar Heat Be Stored for Next Winter?
4 commentsSolar collectors crank out plenty of hot water during the summer, and can even make some contribution to space heating in winter. But conventional solar systems can’t store enough heat to make...
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Q&A Spotlight: How Do I Choose the Best Energy-Efficient Window?
1 commentThere was a time when opening, closing, and letting in light was all that any good window had to do. Nowadays, windows are anything but simple.
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Q&A Spotlight: How Green Are Tankless Water Heaters?
If your super-efficient tankless system gives you an endless supply of hot water, you might actually be more likely to waste energy and water.
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Does Rigid Foam Insulation Trap Moisture in the Walls?
9 commentsYou can seriously cut your home's demand for energy by adding rigid insulation, but will wrapping your home with foam cause the walls to rot?
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Flushing Out the Ultra Water-Efficient Stealth Toilet
9 commentsNew vacuum-assist flush technology creates a super-quiet toilet that uses very little water.
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Estimating an Energy Efficiency Upgrade From Your Desktop Computer
A session at the 2010 NAHB showcased a new web-based software can help you price out an energy retrofit without leaving your desktop
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10 Ways to Cut Utility Bills
1 commentModeled on the ‘food pyramid,’ the conservation pyramid provides a step-by-step guide for energy retrofit work
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Green Building Myth #1: It's More Expensive
1 commentThe first of a multi-part myth-busting series. Simple strategies for building green can cost no more than regular building; many actually reduce costs.
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Understanding R-Value
2 commentsR-value measures heat transfer by conduction, convection, and radiation.
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Is the EnergyStar Program Flawed?
1 commentAccording to recent news reports, the EnergyStar program may not be as diligent as it should be when it comes to vetting products.
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What a damp basement can do to brick
Some science-savy builders help an editor understand what's causing the base of an old chimney to deteriorate.
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Sustainable Energy Conference Comes to Boston
Over 150 exhibitors and plenty of workshops are keeping our editor-at-large busy, entertained, and enlightened.
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Air Conditioning Basics
1 commentEverything you wanted to know about air conditioning, but were afraid to ask
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Have You Considered Vinyl Siding, Lately?
3 commentsConsidering advances in product quality, energy efficiency, and improved manufacturing, it pays to take a second (or third) look at vinyl siding.
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IBS 2010: Green Builder Donates 1,000 Homes to Haitians
5 commentsNew building technology firm, InnoVida™, donates 1,000 homes to Haiti using Fiber Composite Structural Insulated panels introduced at IBS.
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How to Paint Fiber-Cement Siding
Painter Jim Lacey shares some tips for caulking and painting fiber-cement siding. read more
