The complete source for building, designing, and remodeling green homes
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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,…
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Frugal Happy: Putting in a New Kitchen
Time to build a new kitchen! After we demolished the old one, we ripped out the ancient vinyl flooring and the layers below it until the original subfloor was exposed.…
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Urban Rustic: Installing Hardwood Flooring
Editor’s note: This post is one of a series by Eric Whetzel about the design and construction of his house in Palatine, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. A list of Eric’s…
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California Takes the Lead on Light Bulb Efficiency
California has once again demonstrated its environmental leadership by adopting updated energy efficiency standards that prohibit the sale of inefficient light bulbs in the state as of January 1, 2020.…
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Saving Sustainably: Installing the Heat Pump
Editor’s note: This is one in a series of blogs detailing the construction of a net-zero-energy house in Point Roberts, Washington, by an owner-builder with relatively little building experience. A…
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2019 and 2020: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Last year—2019—offered a mixture of good and bad news on the energy efficiency front, and 2020 (the 40th anniversary of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, or ACEEE) promises…
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How to Boost Recycling
You finish that last sip of morning coffee and stare at the empty paper cup in your hand. Should it go into the recycling bin, compost, or be landfilled, or…
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Urban Rustic: Completing the Wall Assembly
Editor’s note: This post is one of a series by Eric Whetzel about the design and construction of his house in Palatine, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. A list of Eric’s…
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Flatrock Passive: It’s a Wrap
Editor’s Note: This is the last installment in a series of posts by David Goodyear about the construction of his new home in Flatrock, Newfoundland, the first in the province…
