Before I weigh in on the question of windows and energy efficiency, let me first say that there are plenty of great reasons to upgrade your windows. Aesthetics would be high on the list, along with improved function and definitely resale value. It’s a no-brainer that all things being equal, you would choose house A [...]
Posts Tagged Efficient energy use
Following up on a previous post regarding the stimulus money SMUD has received for energy retrofitting homes in it’s service area. A crucial part of building performance has always been the initial diagnostic assessment or energy audit. This provides important information to the home performance contractor allowing them to tailor a plan that fits the individual [...]
The new Energy Standards take the subject of lighting controls and there effect on energy performance more seriously than ever before. There are basically four types of lighting controls recognized in the Standards. An Energy Management Control System (EMCS), that controls on/off times, duration and dimming levels by means of a computer. A programmable wall [...]
The Walmart Sustainability Index: A Win for Consumers or Just Another Way to Dominate the Market?
Feb 17
Last fall Walmart rolled out a three phase plan to create a label for it’s 100,000 plus products to inform consumers of the environmental impacts of each of those products. Imagine something like the nutrition labels required on food by the FDA except instead of listing calories, fat and protein, it might list the green [...]
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District was awarded $36 million in federal stimulus grants on Thursday, according to an article released yesterday by the Sacramento Business Journal. The Department of Energy grant funds are to help SMUD customers improve their home’s energy efficiency, which in turn will help the utility reduce demand on its system and help [...]
According to an article today in the Sacramento Business Journal Sacramento County has received $16.5 million in state funds to start their AB811 energy efficient loan program. If you haven’t read my previous posts on the subject, AB811 was a bill enacted last year to allow California cities and counties to set up special assessment districts [...]
Virtual Energy Forum
Feb 11
The Virtual Energy Forum is a free conference that brings together stakeholders in the energy industry with potential customers, policy makers, and investors. The event, which meets twice a year and features live video presentations, real-time Q & A and a virtual exhibit floor, answers the need to better understand how to implement renewable and cost-saving [...]
According to the Building Performance Institute, building performance is a systematic approach to improving the comfort, health, safety, energy efficiency and durability of our customers homes and places of work. Comfort is improved by treating the building as a system of processes…
On Friday of last week we were finally able after months of hard work to submit our package of paperwork to HUD for review. This has been the culmination of an extraordinary effort led by Sacramento architect Michael Malinowski AIA and his staff at Applied Architecture Inc. Worthy of particular credit is Nitisha Gilra LEED AP a member of…
There is a new program working it’s way through congress right now and hopefully will be part of the upcoming jobs bill. It’s called HOMESTAR or as it’s been called in the media “Cash for Caulkers”.
I thought I’d share some details of the program and how it could be a benefit to our local economy.
HOME STAR was originally proposed by a coalition of….
What exactly does the code mean when it says “high efficacy or low efficacy fixture”? First a couple definitions: The code doesn’t use the term fixture. They use the lighting industry term “luminaire“. This is the housing, lamp holder and ballast if present. Neither does it use the term bulb. It is referred to as a ”lamp”. Efficacy [...]
On January 12th of this year the Sacramento City Council adopted a resolution to join the CaliforniaFirst program to provide financing for renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements to property owners. CaliforniaFIRST is a statewide program instituted by…
A little background on Sacramento’s involvement in AB811. In the summer of 2008 City Council member Kevin McCarty requested City staff research the creation of a voluntary property assessment district to fund energy improvements and solar installations for City property owners. As a result the City formed a regional collaborative with Sac County, Yolo County, cities within those counties, SMUD and Valley Vision to pursue developing an AB811 program.
I’m going over the new state energy code standards for lighting for a project I’m going to start in the spring. I thought I’d provide an overview of the lightig requirements in the 2008 energy code for those of you who haven’t had a chance to get up to speed.
