Simply put, yes it can. Traditionally, wood framed structures supplied needed ventilation and moisture control by infiltration through the building’s shell. This worked well except there was a trade off: excessive heat loss and cold drafts. Even with the addition of insulation, excessive air infiltration across fiberglass batts renders them ineffective at preventing heat loss. Fast forward a few years. In [...]
Posts Tagged energy efficiency
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 [...]
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 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 [...]
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…
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.
As promised at the end of my last post, a little info on the project. The building is two-story wood framed construction, originally built in the late seventies. As I mentioned, it is an 100% occupied HUD subsidized facility complete with a large dining room, two commercial kitchens and numerous common areas for recreational activities including [...]
I explained in my last post the basics of the an AB811 type assessment program and how it might work. The question is how would our local governments come up with the money to lend property owners? Have any other cities or counties been successful in implementation of this type of program? One of the [...]
For those of you that haven’t heard yet, the state legislature passed assembly bill AB811 in July 2008. The Contractual Assessments for Energy Efficiency Improvements bill would allow local governments to establish tax assessment districts to help property owners finance the installation of renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements to their homes.
Last November I was approached to do some consultant work for a local architectural firm on a rehab to a 78 unit senior residential facility in Sacramento. The facility was one of a number nationwide to be awarded a grant from HUD under their new Green Retrofit Program. The scope of work is fairly comprehensive [...]
