The complete source for building, designing, and remodeling green homes
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To Cut Carbon Emissions, a Movement Grows to ‘Electrify Everything’
On March 24, just before the city council of Santa Cruz, California, passed an emergency measure to prevent evictions of renters suffering from lost income during the coronavirus pandemic, it…
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To Protect People from Climate Extremes, Weatherize Their Homes
This story is part of the Pulitzer Center’s nationwide Connected Coastlines reporting initiative. Summer temperatures in Chicago normally peak in the low 80s, but in mid-July 1995 they topped 100°F…
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Saving Sustainably: Building a Spiral Stair
I think my fascination with spiral staircases stems from my love of efficiency. With a standard staircase, there is a ton of wasted space on both floors. For example, with…
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Does This Tiny Island Hold the Answer to the Future of Electricity?
Living on an island forces one to be an innovator in ways large and small. For the 50 or so year-round residents of Isle au Haut, an island off the…
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Urban Rustic: Tile Floors
We chose porcelain tile mainly for its durability, plus we found a collection of tile that mimics aged concrete, which we felt would work really well with our Urban Rustic…
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America’s Love Affair with the Single-Family House Is Cooling
For decades land use regulation across the U.S. has emphasized single-family houses on large lots. This approach has priced many people out of the quintessential American dream: home ownership. It…
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Saving Sustainably: Installing a Heat-Pump Water Heater
A heat pump can not only be used to heat a house, but also to heat domestic water. In fact, heat-pump water heaters are among the most efficient type of…
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Polyisocyanurate Rigid Foam and Thermal Drift
Commercial roof systems represent vast surface areas of building envelopes, and the rate of energy transfer across these roofs influences buildings’ holistic energy performance. Thermal insulation affects this energy transfer,…
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Did Our Net-Zero House Meet its Energy Goals?
Utilizing higher levels of insulation, high-performance windows, passive design, whole house electrification, and a 9.8 kW solar energy system, we were successful in being net-zero in 2019 with the house…
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Energy Efficiency Still Matters
Energy efficiency—the quickest way to cut energy waste in our homes, workplaces, and vehicles—spans so many facets of daily life that it's easy to take it for granted. In fact,…
