5 Ways to Improve Homeowners' Energy Efficiency Outdoors

When most people think about ways to save energy in their home, their minds first go to insulation. It makes sense that homeowners would want to focus on insulation—after all, when you minimize air leaks, you can cut down on your use of central heating and cooling units, resulting in tangible savings on the next utility bill.



However, insulating a home’s interior isn’t the only way to provide great energy savings. As a home energy professional, you should talk to homeowners about exterior methods of saving energy that they may not have considered yet. Here are a few subjects to bring up.



Energy-efficient windows. If the homeowner you’re working with lives in an older house, they may want to completely replace their windows in favor of something with a higher energy rating. New windows can be strategically placed to maximize solar heating in the winter and minimize it in the summer. Homeowners should work with a professional and use a site plan to determine where their windows will be most effective. In regions with a long cooling season, homeowners can also add a highly-reflective film to east- and west-facing windows in order to block some of the sun’s heat.



Overhangs. One exterior window treatment that homeowners often overlook is the roof overhang. Overhangs work best over south-facing windows because they can help block the sun during the summer and, if oriented properly, let in sunlight during the winter. Overhangs work best for houses that are currently under construction or undergoing major renovations, as a number of passive solar design factors (including latitude, window size, and illumination levels) will need to be taken into account. Existing homes may still benefit from awnings or lattice-type panels, however.



Geothermal heat pumps. This type of heat pump uses underground pipes to capture ground heat—which remains fairly consistent year round—in order to warm the house in the winter and cool it in the summer. One thing you’ll need to be sure to explain to homeowners about this project is that there’s a relatively high up-front cost: because of all the piping that needs to be buried deep in the ground, homeowners can expect to pay $15,000 to $20,000 for the installation. However, a geothermal heat pump can make up for it relatively quickly by saving anywhere between 30 and 70% on home heating and cooling bills.



Exterior doors. While caulking and weatherstripping can help reduce air leaks for exterior doors in older homes, some homeowners may find it’s a better investment simply to replace their doors with newer, more energy-efficient ones. Talk to homeowners about choosing a door with a steel skin, polyurethane foam insulation core, and magnetic stripping as weather stripping. This is one of the most energy-efficient types of exterior doors and, if installed correctly, it won’t require any additional weatherstripping.



Cool roofs. Homeowners in regions with long cooling seasons can benefit from a cool roof, which will reflect sunlight and absorb less heat in order to reduce air conditioning needs. The good news for homeowners is that they don’t necessarily need to replace their entire roof to get these benefits; while some people do choose to install new reflective tiles or shingles, it’s also possible to use a reflective paint on an existing roof. When talking to homeowners, be sure to mention that the benefits of a cool roof extend beyond savings on their cooling bill; because the roof is retaining less heat, it is likely to have a longer life and fewer repair needs.



There are, of course, many ways that homeowners can save energy inside their home as well, but don’t neglect to discuss the exterior features that will help reduce energy usage. Energy saving needs to take the entire house—inside and out—into account.



Source: http://www.homeenergy.org/show/blog/id/609/nav/blog



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How to Cut Residential Energy Use

Recent Efforts by Utilities Offer a Glimpse at What Programs Work Best With Consumers







It's a nearly universal maxim in the energy world: Efficiency is a vast, barely tapped resource that can be unlocked with the right policies and incentives.



The trick is finding the key.



Some efficiency programs have failed to get the desired effects, at least as cheaply as their proponents had hoped. Some even backfire, causing people to use more energy.



"Not all energy-efficiency programs deliver," says Lucas Davis, an associate professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. "But for me, this means that we need to design them better."



The payoff could be billions of dollars in energy savings. A recent report by McKinsey & Co. says that up to 20% of U.S. residential energy use can be cut by a few changes in consumer behavior, from slight changes in thermostat adjustments to shorter showers. "There are lots of attractive options for efficiency" that wouldn't greatly inconvenience consumers but that aren't being widely adopted, says Humayun Tai, a senior partner and a leader of McKinsey's energy practice.



So what are the best ways to get consumers on board? A pair of approaches have shown they can deliver results.



We're in This Together

One fairly modest new technique has proved remarkably effective: telling consumers how their energy use compares with that of their neighbors.



Several times a year, households in one program receive a two-page sheet that compares their energy use with that of similar homes and "efficient" homes in the area. It also includes tips for saving energy, such as turning off the water heater while on vacation.



The program, run by Opower Inc. of Arlington, Va., for more than 90 utilities, has reduced energy use for participating utilities by 1.8% to 3%. That's not a huge amount, but the results are consistent, and they come at little cost—about three cents for each kilowatt-hour saved. (The cost is crucial, because utilities see efficiency in part as a way to meet future energy demand at a lower cost than building new plants.)



"You can have a program that has small effects but that's not very costly," says Hunt Allcott, an assistant professor of economics at New York University who has conducted several studies of the Opower program. "It's a lot easier to implement and cheaper to implement" than some other programs.



The approach works, Dr. Allcott says, because "it makes people feel like part of a community. If you have a program that guilted people into conserving, you probably wouldn't want to run that program."



Make It Easier

Rebates are another way to get people to save energy, by encouraging them to purchase energy-efficient appliances or light bulbs, which typically are more expensive than less efficient options.



But the hassle of rebates, which often involve clipping a coupon and waiting for a check, is enough to keep many people from considering more-efficient products.



So some efficiency programs are making it easier for consumers—giving them discounts directly and letting retailers or distributors handle the rebate paperwork.



Efficiency Vermont, an arm of the nonprofit Vermont Energy Investment Corp., offers technical advice and incentives aimed at getting consumers and businesses to reduce their energy use. It has run a rebate program in Vermont for energy-efficient light bulbs since 2000, with funding from an energy-efficiency surcharge on electric bills in the state.



For most of that time, it offered traditional mail-in rebates that covered about half the cost of the bulbs.



Beginning in 2012, Efficiency Vermont did away with those mail-in rebates. Consumers and businesses now simply pay a discounted price for energy-efficient bulbs, and Efficiency Vermont pays retailers or distributors who file for rebates for the difference between that price and the full price.



The results are dramatic: Sales of LED bulbs to consumers jumped to about 117,000 in 2013 from about 5,000 in 2012. Sales to commercial customers rose to about 96,000 in 2013 from about 74,000 in 2012 and 18,000 in 2011.



Efficiency Vermont says its portfolio of programs spent 4.1 cents per kilowatt-hour saved in 2013, compared with an electricity supply cost in the state of 8.4 cents per kilowatt-hour.



What Not to Do

There's also something to be learned from programs that haven't worked. In 2009, Mexico adopted an ambitious "cash for coolers" program, which gave nearly two million households subsidies to help them replace older refrigerators and air conditioners with new, more efficient models.



Over the two years of the program, according to a study of utility bills by Berkeley's Mr. Davis and others, refrigerator replacement reduced electricity consumption for the participating households by about 8%—a significant amount, but only a quarter of the savings predicted before the program started.



One reason was that the original estimates assumed households would replace much older, much less efficient models. In fact, most of the replaced refrigerators were less than 12 years old and already were somewhat more efficient than older models. Consumers also took advantage of the program to trade up to refrigerators that were somewhat larger and had more features.



Worse, the air-conditioner program resulted in higher energy use. People used the new air conditioners more, partly because they were willing to keep their houses cooler since they knew the new models used less energy—what economists call the "rebound" effect.



So, while the program reached an enormous number of households and produced large overall savings, the reduction in energy use was far smaller than expected and came at a large cost: about 29 cents a kilowatt-hour for the energy saved. By comparison, energy-efficiency programs by U.S. electric utilities spend an average of about 3.3 cents per kilowatt-hour saved.



Mr. Davis says a few changes in the program could have made it more effective.



It could have excluded air conditioners, which don't offer the same potential efficiency gains that refrigerators do and are more vulnerable to the rebound effect. It also could have required replacement refrigerators to be even more efficient. The result would have been a smaller program, with lower overall savings. But the cost of cutting each ton of carbon-dioxide emissions would have been lower.



"It is challenging to design these programs so that they're cost-effective," Mr. Davis says. "Free riders are going to be a problem. The rebound effect, though not as big as some critics say, is real. And the savings are going to be less than predicted."



Source: http://online.wsj.com/articles/how-to-cut-residential-energy-use-1411937802



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What’s the greenest way to keep my fireplace burning?

Q. We are adding a fireplace insert to a small cabin. Should we use wood or propane (natural gas is not available) for the best fuel in terms of environmentally friendliness and energy efficiency?



A. Dearest John,



It’s that time of year, isn’t it? That time of year when people start thinking about turning on the heat again, and therefore wondering if it isn’t time for an eco-upgrade to the whole heating system. This year I’m working on training my cat to sit on my lap on command — imagine, a heated blanket that runs on tuna!



Your home improvement project sounds a touch more realistic, John, and more than a touch more sustainable, as you’re getting rid of an energy-wasting fireplace. Inserts are designed to be vastly more efficient — 80 or 90 percent efficiency versus a dismal 10 percent for the old-fashioned hearth — though equally cheerful. Kudos to you for making this smart switch.



Inserts (basically a stove made to fit right inside an existing fireplace) come in several varieties, of which you’ve noted three, John: natural gas, propane, and wood. Let me add a few more to that list: pellet and electric. And here you thought I’d be helping you narrow your choices, not expanding them — but I think each deserves a look.



Let’s start with the two options available to you: wood and gas. Wood-burning inserts are nice because they run on a renewable resource, and one that’s often easy to source locally. Burning sustainably harvested wood is also considered carbon neutral because you’re only releasing the carbon that the tree sequestered in its lifetime; it’s part of the carbon cycle in a way that underground fossil fuels are not. Plus, an EPA-certified stove or insert (really the only kind you should be thinking about) is built to burn cleaner and more efficiently, dramatically reducing fine particle emissions and pollution over older models. And of course, wood fires have that snap-crackle-pop ambience going for them.



Now for the however: Even the cleanest wood fireplace inserts release some nasty stuff into the air, including lung-clogging particulates and volatile organic compounds. And you live in Washington, where smoke is one of the biggest polluters, especially in winter; That’s one reason your state’s stove standards are even stricter than the EPA’s.



Propane gas, on the other hand, burns much cleaner. And gas stove inserts are easier to deal with — just flip a switch, no careful fire-tending needed. But we can’t get around the fact that propane and natural gas are fossil fuels, nonrenewable, and increasingly obtained via environmentally dubious fracking (propane is derived from natural gas or oil).



Clearly, neither option is perfect. So let’s look at those alternatives I mentioned before. Wood pellet inserts and stoves are nifty contraptions that burn ultracompressed wood and other biomass (such as switchgrass, olive pits, corn, and cherry pits) that might otherwise have been landfilled. Pellets are super-dry, which makes them burn cleaner and more efficiently than wood. Pellet stoves do require some electricity to run, and they tend to be a bit more expensive up-front, but a pellet stove could be just the ticket for you, John, especially if you feel you just have to burn something. Head over here for a lot more on the topic.



And finally, there’s the electric fireplace insert — a bit like a space heater, really. These don’t produce any smoke or emissions on site, and while they’re not the most efficient way to heat a big home, one might work for a small space like your cabin. I bring this one up specifically because of your zip code: Most of the electricity in Washington comes from clean hydropower, so you wouldn’t be committing pollution by proxy. The coziness factor of an electric fire is somewhat debatable, true, but its virtues may outweigh its vices in your case.



As with any home improvement projects, John, the best choice for you will depend on your budget, your house specs, fuel availability, and other factors. But I do hope you think outside of the wood-gas box while planning for the cozy evenings ’round the fireplace insert that await.



Source: http://grist.org/living/can-we-keep-our-cabin-cozy-and-sleep-with-a-clear-conscience/



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from energyhouse http://energyhouse.livejournal.com/29286.html

FAQs about Hot Tubs

It is difficult to deny the relaxing and recuperative powers of a hot tub or spa. A soak in a hot tub is one of the best ways to release the tension from a long day at work. Hot spas also soothe sore muscles after a long run or day of yard work.



Frequently Asked Questions:



Is it true that there are health benefits to hot tubs?



The hydrotherapy jets of a hot tub can massage away all the tension from your muscles. The warm spa water helps lower your heart rate and loosen your stiff joints. Studies have shown how 15 minutes in a hot tub every evening (about 90 minutes before bedtime) can help you have deeper, more restful sleep without the side effects of other sleep aides.



What is hot tub maintenance like?



With just a little care, your home spa will last for years, bringing you relaxation and fun the whole time. Advancements in hot tub technology have made them easier than ever to maintain, and you'll want to pick up spa maintenance supplies, such as chlorine or bromine, while you are online shopping. Most portable spas have a filter that can be rinsed clean and reused many times. Be sure to get a cover for your hot tub to protect it from leaves and other debris, as well as from sun damage.



Do I need to do anything to the exterior of the hot tub?



Occasionally, you'll need to do some exterior care. If your hot tub has a wood cabinet, you'll want to keep it stained and sealed just like a deck or fence. Most hot tub cabinets are made out of some sort of synthetic material; you can usually just hose these off to keep them clean. If the cover for your hot tub is made out of vinyl, you may want to use a vinyl conditioner on it a few times a year to prevent cracking.



Are there any hazards I should be concerned about?



There are a few things to be aware of. Like any pool or tub, there is a risk of drowning. Additionally, it is not recommended that pregnant women, very young children or people with certain health conditions (such as heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes) use hot tubs. The heat of hot tubs can lead to dizziness, but this can generally be avoided if the time spent in a hot tub is limited to 30 to 45 minutes and if alcohol is not consumed while in a hot tub. Many people are also concerned that the warm, wet environment of hot tubs creates the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, but this can be avoided by cleaning and maintaining your hot tub properly. All hot tub hazards can be avoided with common sense, including the supervision of children and conscientious cleaning.



Will shipping cost more when I buy a large item, such as a hot tub, from Overstock.com?



No, you still get our low shipping rate, no matter how large of an item -- or how many items -- you are buying. However, you will want to read our Oversized Item Delivery Policy, as there may be restrictions as to where we can deliver hot tubs.



What should I do with my hot tub during winter?



Get in. There is no better time to enjoy your hot tub than when it is cold outside. Sitting in the hot water watching the snow falling only to melt in the steam rising off your hot tub is an experience that shouldn't be avoided. Just be sure to have some flip-flops and bath sheets waiting for you when you get out.



Can I winterize my hot tub?



Yes, if you don't want to use your hot tub during the winter, you can drain and winterize your hot tub. Follow manufacturer instructions when winterizing your hot tub; but keep in mind, continuing to use your hot tub during the winter is the best way to avoid problems that can occur during the colder months.



Source: http://www.overstock.com/guides/faqs-about-hot-tubs



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from energyhouse http://energyhouse.livejournal.com/28953.html

Portable Stove: If Campfire Just Isn't Enough

Campers take note: Next time you’re afield and a campfire just won’t do the trick, this portable outdoor stove can tremendously up your glamping ante.



Kidding aside, the makers of the Fältovn portable camp stove take their product seriously.



“If it is hard for you to understand that a fire is hot and green wood does not burn, you might need more tutoring. Or maybe the Fältovn is just not the right product for you. The Fältovn is only for outdoor use,” reports the company in its user’s manual.



Ok, I think I like these guys.






The Fältovn by Dutch company Leenders definitely does have some practical applications as a heater in canvas, army style tents popular with hunters and large group camps. It would certainly make a nice addition to a backyard gathering area, farmstead or campsite and has the added bonus of being a functional cooking surface.







At 22 pounds, don’t plan on loading it in your backpack unless your name is Paul Bunyan.



Used with a 45º elbow chimney adapter or an isolation pipe that goes through a hole in your tent, I’m guessing this little stove would heat a fairly large tent in no time.



For outdoor use, the company says the stove has the advantage over campfires of controlling the fire with oxygen regulation as well as reducing the chance of starting a wildfire.



Stoves are generally much more efficient than open fires or even fireplaces in houses, so it makes sense that they would also be efficient outdoors. Once a fire is burning strongly, an internal heat shield can be placed to guide energy to the top layer of the stove for cooking or boiling water. The metal mass will also heat up, reducing heat lost directly into the sky.



The Fältovn is not cheap, ringing in at $712 plus delivery. However, the company claims durability and replaceable parts make this a long-lasting stove that could heat your back yard party or hunting tent for years.



For portability, the feet of the Fältovn fold flat and the pipes are detachable, fitting inside the stove for transportation.



So if an open fire just won’t cut it — be it in a tent, backyard or the great outdoors, the Fältovn just might be up your alley. Just remember, fire’s hot and green wood doesn’t burn!



Source: http://gearjunkie.com/portable-wood-burning-stove



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from energyhouse http://energyhouse.livejournal.com/28673.html

Nicki Minaj to wed in hot tub?

Nicki Minaj wants to get married in a hot tub.



The 'Starships' hitmaker is engaged to boyfriend and assistant Safaree Samuels and is pulling out all the stops to make sure she has an extravagant ceremony including ''fire breathers'' and ''naked performers'' on the big day.



A source said to heat magazine: ''She wants to arrive by elephant, and to get soaking wet by jumping into either a pool or a hot tub for the ceremony.



''She's talking fire breathers, naked performers and actually exchanging vows in the hot tub. She wants it to be the most beautiful and outlandish do of all time.''



Nicki is considering hosting the ceremony in her native Caribbean in a bid to remember her roots.



A source added: ''Nicki really wants to get married in the Caribbean, as she was born in Trinidad and wants to celebrate that part of her heritage. She's talking about renting a private island and hosting a three-day party - she wants the whole thing to be unforgettable.''



Although the wedding day itself isn't the most conventional, the 31-year-old singer wants to be every bit the blushing bride in the traditional sense, with a beautiful gown and classic make-up.



The source explained: ''She wants to look like a traditional bride, with classic make-up and a couture gown. What she does in the gown will be the wild part.''



Source: http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/272079-nicki-minaj-to-wed-in-hot-tub/



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from energyhouse http://energyhouse.livejournal.com/28506.html

Residential wood heat incentives trending

In New York and Massachusetts, residential wood heating incentives are on a roll, and the industry is beginning to see trends, according to John Ackerly, president of the Alliance for Green Heat.



Residential wood heat has risen dramatically in recent years, Ackerly said during an Aug. 6 Biomass Thermal Energy Council webinar, especially in Northeast and Great Lakes states. “In some cases, by 100 percent… incentive programs are guiding consumer purchasing and steering people to cleaner and more efficient appliances.”



And it’s finally being recognized that wood heat is a real opportunity for incentives that help reduce fossil fuel use. “Historically, all of that money and attention has gone into solar and geothermal, and now wood is starting to be included,” Ackerly said.



During an overview of federal and state level incentives available for residential wood heating, Ackerly discussed different programs and their purposes. The federal tax credit, which began in 2009 at $1,500, was reduced to $300 for next few years and is now unavailable, wasn’t hugely successful, he said. “Congress didn’t give much guidance, and the IRS didn’t issue anything specific, so as a result, everything became eligible.”



As a result of lessons learned from the federal tax credit, states aren’t using this as a model. Rather, they are crafting their own incentives, which achieve different goals according to state. “Some help launch technology that is not cost-competitive on its own,” Ackerly said, giving the example of automated wood pellet boilers, which Northeastern states are leaning toward. Other incentives in Montana, Arizona and New York reduce pollution by replacing existing, uncertified devices, and others focus on steering customers to the cleanest and most efficient models, such as in Oregon and New York, or reduce fossil fuel use.



Western states have the most experience with incentivizing wood stoves and pellet stoves, and only during the last few years have New England states stepped up. “Maine, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York have come onto the scene,” Ackerly said. “But they are very different programs, mainly focused on promoting automated pellet appliances.”



Nationwide, Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Montana, New York and Oregon have ongoing, statewide wood stove incentive programs, all of which have different motivations, Ackerly pointed out, adding that Alabama’s 100 percent tax deduction is a “head scratcher. I called retailers down there, and they didn’t even know their state had a tax deduction for stoves to replace electricity, propane or gas.”



Arizona has a $500 tax credit focused on placing fireplaces out of commission, and Idaho, the only state that doesn’t offer a solar incentive, has one of the most generous, longstanding programs in the country, a 400 percent tax deduction for every wood stove on the market, according to Ackerly.



In Maine, there is a small rebate, but it entails quite a few requirements and is not very robust. “They might have to increase rebate size if they want people to take advantage,” he said.



Maryland has a new program that’s been very successful, with about 750 rebates given so far, and it only applies to people who don’t have access to natural gas.



In Montana, replacing an old stove qualifies for a $500 tax credit.



Ackerly described Oregon’s program as being “very complicated, and the only state that uses an efficiency measure to determine the tax credit level. If you get a stove that has a real efficiency number, not a default number, you’ll get a much higher tax credit—up to $1,000.”



New York’s newly announced program http://www.biomassmagazine.com/articles/10717/n-y-announces-biomass-thermal-incentives-rps-solicitation focuses on low-income homeowners, providing residential incentives of $1,000, or up to $1,500, to income-qualified homeowners for the installation of wood pellet stoves.



And though the list is shorter, several states—New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont— also have residential and commercial boiler incentives. “The rebate amounts are quite high, and they’re all very new programs with the goal of getting technology off the ground—a business model where trucks delivery pellets in bulk.”



Ackerly touched on some problems with incentive programs, which includes “free riders,” or people who would make the purchase anyway, too many people using the incentive, a budget that rubs out quickly, excessive administration burdens, people finding loopholes, and finding ways to make programs relevant to low-income populations. “The good news is that there is a trend toward including wood and pellet stoves in state renewable incentive programs,” Ackerly continued. “I think this trend is more interest in technology neutrality, not just picking and choosing, and finding a way to measure the impact of each one and giving it an appropriate-level incentive. This is what’s happening with state RPS programs, at least in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.”



Ackerly added that he sees programs requiring professional installations and home energy audits as additional new trends.



Also speaking during the webinar was Adam Sherman, executive director of the Biomass Energy Resource Center, who discussed commercial wood appliance incentives, legislative and financial policies, and Ryan Moore of NYSERDA, who detailed the state’s new renewable heat initiative incentives.



Source: http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/10798/residential-wood-heat-incentives-trending



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Bristol to host pop-up Hot Tub Cinema next month

Hundreds of people will pack dozens of hot tubs clutching beers, pop corn and hot dogs as Bristol hosts the travelling Hot Tub Cinema. Having already made a splash in London and New York the unusual event is arriving at the Paintworks for four dates in October.



And its creator, who has spent time living in Bristol, is confident the city will take to the bizarre formula.



“They are two things people love: hot tubs and watching films,” said Asher Charman. “If you can find a better night out in Bristol this October, I’ll eat my Speedos.”



Started as a private party for friends in Exeter in 2006, the Hot Tub Cinema was eventually launched as a public event in Hackney, London, in July 2012.



Having also triumphed in New York, the new Bristol shows are the first anywhere else in the world.



An initial four-night run in Bristol, starting on October 9, sold out within 24 hours. Organisers have added another date, October 8, tickets for which were due to go on sale todayMON.



With 20 hot tubs, 120 guests, a licensed bar and tub-side waiter service they claim it will be “one of the most memorable nights out this year”.



As with previous locations, the cinema will be screening pop classics including Ghostbusters, Grease, The Lion King and Hot Tub Time Machine.



Asher, 29, came up with the idea during his university days in Exeter studying geography, when he and his housemates projected films onto a bed sheet viewed from their tub in their garden.



After graduating he lived in Bishopston, working as a waiter and installing light and heating control systems in people’s homes.



He said finally bringing the project to Bristol was an obvious move.



“During my time in Bristol my hot tub project was on the back burner while I was living in a flat without a garden,” he said. “But I got a good feeling for what the city was about and realised there is a lot of demand for unique events. The city really did have an influence on me.



“Bristol is without question the most creative and inspiring city in the UK.



“I was always inspired by the diverse and bold events on offer, such as Carnyville and Banksy’s take over of the Bristol City Museum.



“The early drive and passion to start Hot Tub Cinema as a concept owes a lot to these creative Bristol endeavours.”



Nick Pahl, hospitality director, said: “The Hot Tub Cinema parties have got bigger and bigger since we started.



“It’s one of those mad ideas. We always worried ‘would it really work and would it really sell?’



“But it has and we think Bristolians will take to it because of the city’s natural acceptance of irreverence and fun.”



In a final sign-off, Hot Tub Cinema said: “So, in the best old Bristolian accent we can muster… ‘come on me babbers – find some gert lush swimmers, take off yer daps an’ dive in to Hot Tub Cinema’.”



Source: http://www.southwestbusiness.co.uk/news/08092014072912-come-on-in----bristol-to-host-pop-up-hot-tub-cinema-next-month/



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from energyhouse http://energyhouse.livejournal.com/27984.html

Passive House Standard Results in Energy and Cost Savings

While typical homes of a comparable size require families to spend several thousand dollars each year on heat alone, my family of four in Midcoast Maine spent less than $120 a month last winter on of all our utilities, including heat and hot water. On cold, windy days, our home has no drafts. During sunny winter days, our home is heated exclusively by solar gains, and the heating system doesn’t turn on for many hours. Despite having no air conditioning, our home is comfortable throughout the summer. The secret is that we live in a home at Belfast Cohousing & Ecovillage, a 36-unit community constructed to the Passive House standard (although it was not certified).



Homes built to the Passive House standard use a mere 10 percent of the energy for heating and cooling that a code-built home does. For every $1 our neighbors pay to heat their homes, we pay only 10 cents. Generous quantities of insulation in the foundation, walls and roof; a solar orientation; exceptional ventilation; triple-pane windows and doors; an airtight envelope; lots of southern glazing; and thermal mass in the slab have resulted in exceptional comfort and very low utility bills.



The super energy efficient features of our home begin in the foundation, with a layer of rigid foam between the cement slab and the ground. The slab stores passive solar heat during winter days and slowly releases it into the home at night (when the ambient temperature is lower). The walls are constructed with a layer of SIPs (structural insulated panels), which contain a foam core, resulting in continuous insulation that prevents heat from leaking out. Blown-in cellulose is added to the walls and ceiling, and we have a standing seam metal roof, a durable and energy-efficient alternative to roof shingles.



Such a home would not have healthy indoor air if it weren’t for our Zehnder heat recovery ventilation (HRV) system. In our house, stale air is removed from the kitchen and bathroom, with fresh air supplied to the bedrooms. This prevents moisture issues and boosts air quality without compromising efficiency. At the same time, heat is transferred from the outgoing air to the incoming air, preventing heat loss. Zehnder’s HRV systems are up to 95 percent efficient.



As a result, our home does not have bathroom exhaust fans or a vented hood over the range because these would vent warm air out of the house without capturing the heat. If we wish to remove odors, fumes, smoke from cooking or condensation after showering, we can temporarily boost the HRV system.



Triple-pane Unilux windows and doors complement the HRV system and the super insulation. Even with subzero temperatures on windy nights, I felt no drafts when sitting in front of the windows, partly because of the airtight seal. The windows can swing inward on two hinges or tilt inward to open at the top. The latter offers draft-free ventilation, prevents rain from entering the home and is safe for children.



Passive House builders go to great lengths to air-seal the homes, caulking and taping the SIPs together and applying housewrap to the exterior. The result is a virtually airtight home. A blower door test was performed on all Belfast Cohousing & Ecovillage homes, with all of them showing below 0.60 air exchanges per hour at 50 Pascal pressure, as specified in the Passive House standard. This is a measure of how many air changes take place in the house in one hour, so a lower number indicates that a home is more sealed to the outside. Because our home is virtually airtight, an HRV system is necessary to ensure high-quality air and avoid moisture problems in our cold climate.



The southern glazing on the home allows the heat of the sun to gradually warm our home. We are diligent to not block the winter sun with curtains or foliage. If we set our thermostat to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, the home will often reach the upper 70s on a sunny day without the heating system turning on. The southern windows also bring lots of natural light into our home, helping to prevent winter doldrums and providing scenic views.



When the home heats up, warmth is stored in the cement slab. When the indoor temperature starts to drop, the heat from the slab is slowly released, helping to stabilize the temperature. On many sunny winter days, our heating system didn’t turn on until well into the night.



During a five-day power outage last December, we had a chance to really see how our home would perform. Would we need to stay with friends or in a hotel until it passed? Despite below-freezing temperatures and mostly overcast weather throughout, our home lost only 2 degrees a day. When my husband and kids did jumping jacks, they could warm a room by a couple of degrees.



The North American Passive House Network 2014 Conference & Expo is coming up on Sept. 22 and 23 in Portland, Maine. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about high-performance buildings and the tools and methodologies behind them.



Source: http://www.triplepundit.com/2014/09/passive-house-standard-results-energy-cost-savings/



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from energyhouse http://energyhouse.livejournal.com/27731.html

Senator: Affordable wood stove heat in peril

RATHDRUM - A pair of Idaho lawmakers are among those proposing legislation aimed to protect wood stove manufactures facing proposed regulations that tighten emission standards.

Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch introduced the Secret Science Reform Act, which would prohibit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from proposing or finalizing regulations based on science that is not made publicly available and that is not reproducible.



A similar measure has been introduced in the U.S. House.

Crapo on Monday toured the Kuma Stoves manufacturing facility north of Coeur d'Alene and discussed the new regulations and their possible effect on consumers.

"Many Idahoans and Northwest residents heat their homes with wood and wood stoves, but that affordable heating source may soon become complicated because of newly proposed federal regulations," a press release issued by Crapo's office states.

"Wood stove manufacturers are under pressure yet again to lower federal emission standards, this time to a level that may not be attainable financially or technologically for consumers or the wood stove industry."

Kuma Stoves President Mark Freeman said, before the hearth industry worked to develop new technologies, older stoves in the mid-1980s would emit an average of 60 grams per hour of particulates.

In 1988, the EPA worked with the hearth industry to lower emissions to 7.5 grams per hour for all new stoves.

The newly-proposed regulations would lower that again to 4.5 grams per hour by the end of next year, and possibly to 1.3 grams per hour by 2020.

"We are making stoves that are efficient and affordable, but these new regulations may change that," Freeman said. "The ironic part is that these changes will raise prices and cause consumers to not upgrade their old units, meaning the air will get dirtier instead of cleaner.

"We just want some fairness in this process and for the EPA to hear the industry's concerns, especially that of small businesses like ours, regarding both the benefits and costs of the new emission targets."

Crapo is a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which has jurisdiction over the EPA.

"(Monday's meeting was) a call to action for consumers and industry alike to let the EPA know that public health and jobs are at issue with how far we go with these new regulations," Crapo said. "Worse yet, the EPA has unfortunately fallen into a pattern that uses non-public data and undisclosed models with the science the agency uses to craft regulations.

"We need the light of day on this issue and others and we are asking Idahoans to weigh in."

An EPA spokesman couldn't be reached for comment Monday.



Source: http://www.cdapress.com/news/political/article_1f96623a-56b2-5f88-8d12-5d39f081ae97.html



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from energyhouse http://energyhouse.livejournal.com/27452.html