After kind of a slow start last fall, the SMUD Home performance program part of the Energy Upgrade California program has been going in full swing for a few months now. I thought it would be interesting to share some results of the program by profiling a recent project I completed in Fair Oaks. In [...]
Archive for category Building Science
Here’s a good article and graphic from Fine Homebuilding by Martin Holladay, Senior Editor of GreenBuildingAdvisor.com. It outlines a 10 step program that’s guaranteed to reduce your utility costs. It’s along the lines of the page found on this site, but includes a pyramid shaped graphic that’s kinda cool. As always the first step is a [...]
When I first moved to Sacramento in the summer of 1987, one of the first things I had to get used to was working in construction in 100 degree heat for days on end. Coming from the cool and foggy Bay Area, it took me about 3 years and a million gallons of water before [...]
Here’s a great graphic of the impact that the 285,000,000 new computers that will be sold this year will have on the environment. For instance, the fossil fuels required to manufacture those computers will be more than the annual consumption by the entire state of Iowa. The water required could fill 65 olympic sized swimming [...]
The next crucial step in our energy audit is combustion safety. What is combustion safety? Any condition in the combustion appliance zone (CAZ) that could be considered a health and safety problem. High ambient carbon monoxide levels or in flue gases, electrical or fire hazards and gas leaks all fall into this category. The CAZ The CAZ [...]
We have completed our client interview and are armed with a list of issues based on that conversation and our analysis of the homes energy usage patterns from the last 12 months utility bills. I use a data collection form I put together which is part checklist and part list of prompts that I use as [...]
Dr. Joe Lstiburek Ph.D. of the Building Science Corporation is considered by many to be the godfather of the building science industry. An internationally recognized expert and author on moisture related building issues and indoor air quality, he is one of the world’s foremost authorities on energy efficient construction techniques. All that aside, he also has [...]
When contemplating improving our home’s performance it helps to have a general guideline or ordering of priorities when making the decisions that provide the most benefit for our investment. It’s important to look at the house as a system where each part interacts and ideally works together with the rest. If we ignore this interaction and focus our attention on single source solutions, at best we miss opportunities to leverage our decisions and in the worse case cause unintentionally negative results.
The last post in this series discussed the benefits of a comprehensive energy audit as a starting point for any serious energy improvements. Not only will the information gathered assist in putting together an effective game plan, it will be required for most incentive programs including SMUD‘s Home Performance Program and Home Star. The [...]
With the emphasis on energy efficiency and upcoming local opportunities like SMUD’s Home Performance Program and AB811 funding, I thought it might be helpful to provide some information on what you can expect during an energy audit. Part of the reason being an audit will be required to take advantage of the larger incentive levels in most [...]
First lets look at some ways a remodel can affect your whole house. You might be planning to do a simple kitchen or bath remodel. You would never think that it could affect the other areas of the your home that aren’t included in the remodel scope of work. Many of the neighborhoods I [...]
Many families experience comfort and health issues in there homes and don’t realize that there are solutions to those problems. You shouldn’t have to freeze in winter or broil in summer because the comfort systems in your home don’t operate correctly or cost a fortune in utility bills. You shouldn’t have to deal with drafty [...]
Infrared Thermal Imaging
May 3
Originally developed by the U.S. military as an advanced weapon sighting technology FLIR or Forward Looking Infra Red thermal imagers were eventually adapted by firefighters to aid in identifying hidden fires in walls and looking for victims in low-visibility smoke environments. Unlike x-ray technology infrared does not see through a material but graphically measures subtle [...]
Ductwork Testing
Apr 29
Based on field testing conducted statewide over a number of years, the California Energy Commission estimates the average duct leakage in California homes regardless of size and vintage to be 30%.
This translates into an increase in heating and cooling costs of approximately 20% for the average home.
