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tag: energy efficiency
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Water Heater that's also an AC! ATI66 Heat Pump Water Heater Review
I like Heat Pump Water Heaters, they heat water and they throw off cool & dehumidified air! Seems like the perfect product to have inside our Hot Texas homes. See my full review of the AirGenerate ATI 66 gallon HPWH.
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The "Lexus" HVAC system - Variable Refrigerant Flow Technology
1 commentAir Conditioners are sized for the Hottest day of the year. This results in rather uncomfortable AC about 70% of the time, as well as electric bills that are needlessly high. Enter Variable Refrigerant Flow Technology. This allows your AC to run at any capacity from 15% up to 100%. Join me for a system overview
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Southern HVAC Best Practice Videos
This is my collection of my 9 best HVAC related videos. Most will be relevant no matter your climate but many speak specifically to best practice for the Southern US.
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Nest Review - Builder Perspective
3 commentsThe Nest thermostat has a ton of buzz, but is it worth the price? In this review you'll hear my perspective as a builder.
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Energy-Efficient San Francisco Remodel
1 commentThe Kumar Residence, nestled in the hills of Belmont, CA is an 1100 square foot addition and remodel of an existing 1950′s mid-century modern ranch house that needed updating, and more living...
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Texas Deep-Energy Retrofit Remodel
When you hear about a deep energy retrofit project most people think of the snowy North Eastern US. I can tell you that the strategy for a Northern remodel with energy efficiency in mind is very different that our strategy for Hot/Humid Texas. In this video I'll show you 6 things we are doing to making a dramatic difference in this 1950's slab on grade house's energy bills.
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Getting Green without Going Broke
1 commentBy planning, being patient and paying as you go, this nine-step plan for a deep energy retrofit can put you on the green path--without guilt or crushing debt.
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Wood Siding - Best Practice Installation Method
You don't see much real wood siding on houses anymore, but wood can be a durable (and beautiful) option if we take the care to install it correctly. In this video I'll show you the tricks to a wood siding installation that will set you up for decades of beauty for your home.
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Design & Daylight
2 commentsThe first of a two-part introduction to a thematic blog on daylighting strategies used in residential design.
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How to Stay Cool With a Metal Roof
2 commentsDavid 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?
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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.
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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...
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Weatherization's Home-Stretch Recovery
1 commentEven though the expanded Weatherization Assistance Program struggled out of the gate – and can always be improved – it has produced encouraging, credible results
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Researching Retrofit Technology in the Northwest
Using two identical, side-by-side homes as their laboratory, DOE researchers aim to measure the effectiveness of a variety of energy efficiency improvements
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A Senate Bill That Values Energy Efficiency
Proposed legislation would require home appraisals to reflect expected energy costs, allow homeowners to recover investments in upgrades, and even create jobs in the retrofit and construction sectors
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Green Jobs' Growing Share of Construction
1 commentA McGraw-Hill Construction study indicates green jobs comprise about one third of the design-and-construction workforce
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In S.F., Factoring Green into Pricing
The city contemplates a “green grade” certification program to help market homes built or retrofitted to be energy efficient
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Recalling Green Building's Struggle for Legitimacy
Eugene, Oregon, is now regarded as extremely accommodating to eco-friendly builders, but at least a couple of them remember when it wasn’t easy being green
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Remodeling's Brightening Prospects, Part 5 of 5
Compared to the 2000s, the coming decade for remodelers is expected to feature more stability, and more spending in two key emerging markets, the Joint Center for Housing Studies says
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Remodeling's Brightening Prospects, Part 4 of 5
As housing prices near stability in some metropolitan markets, spending on remodeling in those markets is expected to recover at a healthy rate
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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
