Comfort to the Maxx
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In the September/October issue of Home Energy, which includes the Home Performance Contractor’s Business Development Guide, David Butler makes an important point about home performance contracting (p. 6): “The home performance industry ... [continue reading]
BPI Exam Prep
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Steve Mann is a HERS rater, Green Point rater, LEED AP, Certified Energy Analyst, serial remodeler, and long-time software engineer. Experienced HERS raters and BPI-certified technicians know that there is a huge difference between passing ... [continue reading]
Data Logging Primer
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There are many reasons to measure things in the building science world. For instance, you may need to commission a commercial building to guarantee temperatures, air flows, or other comfort parameters. You may need to ... [continue reading]
California's Advanced Homes Program
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California is slowly moving toward net zero energy construction, defined as building structures that produce as much energy on-site as they consume. The Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan of the California Public Utilities Commission (... [continue reading]
Energy Star for Homes 3.0
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Energy Star is probably the most widely recognized energy efficiency brand in North America. A recent study cited it as the second-most trusted consumer brand, right behind the Good Housekeeping seal. Critics of that study ... [continue reading]
HomeGauge
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As a longtime writer about software for Home Energy, I get asked one question more often than any other: What software do you recommend for companies involved in energy auditing, weatherization, or residential retrofitting? The ... [continue reading]
Passive House Gets Active
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The 2010 North American Passive House Conference covered topics including the building science behind the Passive House standard, applying Passive House principles to various building types (new construction and retrofits, residential and commercial), the certification process, and lots of case studies. [continue reading]
CalGreen: California's Building Code
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At the Passive House conference held in Portland, Oregon, last fall, one European Passive House expert stated that the best way globally to reduce humanity’s carbon footprint worldwide is to legislate stricter building ... [continue reading]
ACI's Energy Upgrade California
Steve Mann
ACI's Energy Upgrade California, held January 10-11 in Los Angeles, presented a pretty good picture of how the Energy Upgrade California program will roll out across California. Currently an investor-owned utility (IOU) pilot program, it offers modest rebates for whole house improvements. There are a variety of rules and regulations, and paperwork, and processes that were all laid out pretty clearly at the conference. In addition, the local municipalities talked about their related programs ... [continue reading]
Book Review: Measured Home Performance
Steve Mann
Measured Home Performance, by Rick Chitwood and Lew Harriman, is subtitled a “Guide to Best Practices for Home Energy Retrofits in California.” The market for this book is even smaller than the subtitle implies—it focuses on middle income housing with forced air systems. Even more specifically, it features homes with air conditioning. The audience for this book is California-based home performance contractors, almost guaranteeing that it will never be found on ... [continue reading]
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