- Error
{Re}habitat
Learn how adaptive reuse and upcycling can add hip design to your home, apartment, or yard with the Go Green channel's {Re}habitat series. Follow host Rachael Ranney as she shows you how to repurpose salvaged and found materials, adding fun and function to your space without breaking your budget.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a by-product of human respiration. Each time we exhale, CO2 is released into the atmosphere around us. Currently, CO2 sensors can be used to automatically control ventilation systems in buildings equipped with Building Automation Systems (BAS). This is referred to as Demand Control Ventilation (DCV).
According to the Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components, which was prepared in 2007 by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the average life expectancy of a washing machine is 10 years. While washing machines are not made to last forever, performing simple maintenance will help to ensure they last as long or longer than expected, and will actually reduce the likelihood that your washing machine will be the cause of significant water damage to your home.
Passive solar is a green concept after my own heart because its principles reduce energy consumption without adding additional cost to a project. Of course, if a building is not originally designed to capture the sun's heat by day, store it, and release it at night, then active technologies must be used to help offset our consumption of natural resources. Thankfully, photovoltaic solar panels are much more effective and, frankly, more useable than they were even 10 years ago.
Insulation and Air Sealing
Written by The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of EERE Sun Mar 07 2010You can reduce your home's heating and cooling costs through proper insulation and air sealing techniques. These techniques will also make your home more comfortable.
PFT Air Infiltration Measurement Technique
Written by The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of EERE Sat Mar 06 2010The air tightness of a building can be determined by using several methods. The PFT (PerFluorocarbon tracer gas) technique and blower door test both provide information about air leakage and energy loss.
Energy auditors may use thermography — or infrared scanning — to detect thermal defects and air leakage in building envelopes.
Professional energy auditors use blower door tests to help determine a home's air tightness.
Professional Home Energy Audits
Written by The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of EERE Sat Mar 06 2010Professional energy audits generally go into great detail. The energy auditor should do a room-by-room examination of the residence, as well as a thorough examination of past utility bills.
