Musings of an Energy Nerd

What’s scary for a green builder? Mold in the crawl space?

Naw — mold is a routine problem. What’s really scary is the end of the world as we know it.

A decade or two ago, the end of the world as we know it was a matter of concern for a few nutty survivalists in Idaho. Now it is a matter of discussion at academic conferences.

Several mechanisms have been proposed for the coming economic collapse. Some are based on New Age nonsense, while others are based on hard science.

Most homes use too much energy for lighting. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average American household uses 1,667 kWh per year for lighting, which amounts to 15.3% of residential electricity use. Ironically, this energy devoted to lighting is used inefficiently, so the usual result is a dim house with dark, depressing corners.

ENGLISH VERSION
Une membrane réfléchissante est un panneau brillant ou une membrane souple qui est utilisé dans la construction. Bien que la résistance thermique (valeur R) de ces membranes est à peu près de zéro, elles peuvent être utilisées comme partie d'un assemblage en construction — par exemple, un ensemble constitué d'une pellicule radiante et d’un espace d'air — pour ralentir le flux de chaleur.

If you live in New England, you know that furnaces are installed in basements. But any New Englander who moves to Oregon soon learns that furnaces are installed in garages. And anyone who retires to Texas discovers that furnaces are installed in unconditioned attics.

Of course, there are many other examples of similar regional differences in construction practices. But this is one regional difference that matters. New Englanders have it right: furnaces and ductwork belong inside a home’s conditioned spaceInsulated, air-sealed part of a building that is actively heated and/or cooled for occupant comfort. , not in the great outdoors.

A collection of links to dozens of
“How To” articles, culled from
Martin Holladay’s Energy Nerd blogs

UPDATED MAY 17, 2013

Have you ever paid $8 for a movie ticket and still had to sit through commercial messages in the theater before they showed the main feature?

Commercial messages are an established part of the American way of doing business, and we’ve all learned how to sit through them when necessary. The same rules apply at a major conference like GreenBuild as at your local Cineplex. Even if you pay $700 for a ticket, you still have to sit through a few ads.

At national conferences, some speakers are invited because they are experts in their field. Others buy their way on stage.

The crowds at the GreenBuild conference in Toronto are daunting; according to USGBCUnited States Green Building Council (USGBC). Organization devoted to promoting and certifying green buildings. USGBC created the LEED rating systems., there are 23,000 attendees this year. As an indefatigable journalist, however, I've managed to survive the crush to board the escalators and have patiently waited my turn in the long lines that form to use the rest room.

If you're interested in new products, check out my photos from the trade-show floor.

If you want to get a flavor of some of the information provided in the presentations, I've culled a few memorable quotes for you to enjoy.

The GreenBuild conference in Toronto, Ontario, opened its gates on October 5, 2011. This is the first time that the U.S. Green Building Council has held its annual conference outside of the United States.

What’s the best way to install foam insulation on the outside of a wall?

Although GBAGreenBuildingAdvisor.com has published many articles and videos on the topic, we continue to receive frequent questions from readers asking how to install rigid foam sheathingMaterial, usually plywood or oriented strand board (OSB), but sometimes wooden boards, installed on the exterior of wall studs, rafters, or roof trusses; siding or roofing installed on the sheathing—sometimes over strapping to create a rainscreen. on exterior walls.

My conclusion: it’s time to provide a primer on the topic.

Homes insulated with fiberglass batts are leakier than homes insulated with cellulose or spray polyurethane foam. Until recently, fiberglass batt manufacturers shrugged off the damning air-leakage data, insisting that their batts could deliver the R-valueMeasure of resistance to heat flow; the higher the R-value, the lower the heat loss. The inverse of U-factor. promised on the packaging — and then changed the subject.