All How-To Topics
tag: energy efficiency
Subscribe to RSS feed
How to Stay Cool With a Metal Roof
David Martin is thinking about a new roof, and he likes the idea of a standing-seam metal roof. The roofing is durable, recyclable and may actually cut his energy bill. Or will it?
view details
Smart Design Advice for Hot & Humid Climates (i.e. The South)
Architect Peter Pfeiffer talks about how to utilize smart design for a house in a hot climate zone. His green building advice is practical and following his advice will result in a house that's well designed for the rigors of a hot climate. If you want a comfortable, efficient, durable house and you live in the South then this video will give you tons to think about.
view details
A Case for Resilient Design
2 commentsAlex Wilson, founder and executive editor of BuildingGreen, begins this article by recounting the unusually severe weather events that occurred in the United States in 2011. He ties this to climate change and shares his expectation that such events will become more frequent.
view details
Off-The-Grid Straw Bale Getaway
An architecture firm known for ecologically sensitive design creates an off-the-grid cabin in the woods of California
view details
The Professor's House
A University of Oregon professor designed her family home to respect its steep, natural setting.
view details
How to Live with Radiant-Floor Heat
2 commentsRadiant-floor heating systems often include concrete slab floors, a combination that should produce steady temperatures without the frequent ups and downs of forced-air systems. But there's a catch: because the slab is slower to respond to changes in temperature, whether to turn down the thermostat at night becomes more than a simple question.
view details
A New Roof is an Opportunity to Add More Insulation
A homeowner in Baltimore needs to replace the built-up asphalt roof on his house, and wonders how to insulate it effectively at the same time
view details
What's the Best Way to Install Rainscreen Siding?
A builder planning a new house plans to include a rainscreen, an exterior detail that separates the sheathing from the finish cladding with furring strips. He'd like to install the furring horizontally instead of in the more typical vertical orientation. Is that a problem?
view details
How to Store Solar Energy Under a Concrete Slab
1 commentSome builders have successfully experimented with storing heat in a thick layer of sand under a slab and using the insulated thermal mass for heat. But skeptics still think the idea is mostly hot air.
view details
Pier & Beam vs Slab Foundations
In the South there are two main foundation types. Concrete Piers with Wooden beams that elevate the house above the ground, and concrete slab foundations that sit on the ground. In this video I'm discussion the merits of these two options with Building Science expert Mark LaLiberte.
view details
Protecting a SIPs Roof From Decay
2 commentsStructural insulated panels do an excellent job of keeping energy losses to a minimum, but they're also susceptible to moisture damage unless detailed correctly
view details
Should Rafters be Encapsulated by Spray-Foam?
1 commentEven experts continue to be confused about the permissible thickness of foam insulation sprayed onto the underside of a roof deck
view details
CT Zero Energy Challenge Announces 2010-11 Winners
1 commentPrizes honor projects for energy efficiency, affordability, and low projected operating costs
view details
Weighing the Merits of Spray-Foam Insulation
A homeowner looking to upgrade the insulation in his 90-year-old Cape is thinking about contracting for spray-in foam. But he's got conflicting advice from installers and wonders whether closed-cell or open-cell foam is the way to go.
view details
CT Zero Energy Challenge Announces 2010-11 Winners
2 commentsZEC prizes honor projects for energy efficiency, affordability, and low projected operating costs
view details
House Crashers and EnvironmentalLights.com Transform Fourth Home Renovation Together
EnvironmentalLights.com featured in its fourth episode of House Crashers, a hit TV show on the DIY Network EnvironmentalLights.com, a leading source for high-quality, energy-efficient LED lighting...
view details
The Smart Meter's Contentious Opponents
5 commentsThey still remain very much in the minority, but anti-smart-meter groups are prompting investigations and continue to voice concerns about security and safety
view details
Does Super-Insulation Make Sense in New Orleans?
3 commentsA winning design for an energy-efficient house in the Deep South sparks a conversation on whether high R-values can make a house harder to cool.
view details
Canada's Solar and NZE Power Play
A solar simulator and a research initiative at Concordia University in Montreal focus on solar energy applications and strategies for bringing building performance to net zero energy
view details
|
|
|
|
-
How to Paint Fiber-Cement Siding
Painter Jim Lacey shares some tips for caulking and painting fiber-cement siding. read more
