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Careful Air Sealing Trims Energy Use at New College Dorms

Sep 29, 2010 | Bar Harbor, Maine

By Hal Bohner

In the cold climate of coastal Maine, effective air sealing is critical to maximizing energy efficiency. The architect for the project, Bruce Coldham, said, “We have tried many approaches to air sealing over the past twenty years, but we hit the jackpot with these buildings. The results were spectacular. We achieved a remarkable final airtightness of 0.79 ACH50 consistent over three similar buildings. Without the comprehensive air-sealing design and implementation, the buildings would have been seven-plus times leakier.”

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A True Net-Zero Gut Rehab, New England-Style

Sep 27, 2010 | Holderness, New Hampshire

By Peter Yost and Martin Holladay

Before retrofit work began, Jane Bindley's 1978 ranch house on the shore of Squam Lake was an ordinary fiberglass-insulated energy hog. Bindley had a dream: to turn her home in central New Hampshire into a net-zero-energy house. How hard could that be?

As it turned out, pretty hard. But with help from a dedicated team of experts and a generous budget, Bindley achieved her dream.

Can a north-facing house be net-zero?

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California Retrofit Measures Cut Energy Use by 45%

Sep 16, 2010 | Fair Oaks, California

With help from the local utility, a California builder has turned a foreclosed property into a cutting-edge energy-efficient demonstration home. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), the sixth-largest public utility in the U.S., has been working with builders and homeowners to construct energy-efficient homes for many years. SMUD recently partnered with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on this Energy Efficient Remodel Demonstration program.

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Easy LEED Platinum?

Sep 3, 2010 | Washington, District of Columbia

“It was easier than I thought,” says Amy Levin when first asked about her LEED for Homes Platinum gut rehab. This would not be the last time my jaw would drop when dealing with Amy; she is a completely unflappable, sharp as a tack, force of nature. She is a born problem-solver and her favorite retort is most certainly “why not” rather than “why.” The devil is always in the details; here is the rest of the context on Amy’s “easy” version of LEED Platinum.

Using the LEED for Homes checklist to drive the process