Contributors

January 01, 2015

A version of this article appears in the January/February 2015 issue of Home Energy Magazine.

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Danielle Sass Byrnett

This month’s article about DOE’s Better Buildings Residential Program Solution Center proved challenging to write for Danielle Sass Byrnett. “Capturing the essence of many hundreds of pages of content isn’t easy,” Byrnett says. Luckily for our readers, the online resource is full of helpful information. Byrnett’s advice? “If you have questions about how to do something, look in the Solution Center first.”

What you didn’t know about her: “I am an avid downhill skier and once spent a winter working minimum wage at a resort in Lake Tahoe just so I could get a free season pass.”

Terry Nordbye

“Sequential Energy Upgrades”

While working on this month’s article about achieving Passive House slowly and affordably, Terry Nordbye learned how to be a better editor. “I am getting better at being a better editor, or I am more good now at editing than I used to be,” he jokes. In addition to displaying his quality editing skills, Nordbye’s article ties into the way he views home performance: “I see home performance knowledge and practices funneling down into the Passive House principles.” With these principles guiding the way, Nordbye tells readers how any homeowner can turn any home into a Passive House.

What you didn’t know about him: “I like to sit and watch the movement of water.”

Taylor Jantz-Sell

“The Energy Star LED Difference"

“In summarizing the results of our LED challenge, I was reminded of how amazing it was to achieve the cooperation of so many retailers in helping track their sales and educate their customers about lighting,” says author Taylor Jantz-Sell. Having so many organizations working toward a common goal is extremely beneficial for homeowners. “At the end of the day, consumers don’t have to worry about all the techy details.”

What you didn’t know about her: “Ninety-nine percent of the lighting in my home is still made up of old Energy Star-certified CFLs.”

Ian Shapiro

“V-Strip Weather Strip Update: Two Years Later”

If there’s one takeaway to Ian Shapiro’s article this month, it’s that manufacturers of V-strip weather strip need to step up their product quality control. “One failure mode of self-adhesive V-strip weather strip appears to be a manufacturing defect,” Shapiro says. “The adhesive is coming off the V-strip itself, even while the V-strip is sticking just fine to the window frame. We just cannot afford installed products failing due to manufacturing defects.”

What you didn’t know about him: “I love playing soccer, and as readers read this issue, I hope to be in Las Vegas at the annual King Cup tournament, playing on an over-48 team from Ithaca.”