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The Green Police: Product Retrospective (volume 2)
Welcome to round two of my product retrospective, where green remodeler Michael Anschel of Minneapolis-based OA Design+Build+Architecture and I look back at our illustrious career as screen stars in the…
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Wanted: Windows for a Northern Retrofit
Brooklynite is considering the purchase of a home in New York City that comes with a second story full of single-pane windows. If the deal goes through, one of his…
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Goldman on Minisplits
If you are designing or building a high-performance home, you probably know that a minisplit heat pump is an efficient, affordable way to provide space heating and cooling. Unfortunately, in…
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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…
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The Art of the Possible
For at least five years now, I’ve had a standing email conversation with five other guys. We cover topics from building to politics to business to our marriages and divorces.…
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Decarbonizing Buildings for All
Lowering carbon emissions from the buildings sector (which produces nearly 40% of U.S. carbon emissions) is a crucial part of getting to a decarbonized economy. However, when we implement efficiency…
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Another Take on a Concrete-Free Slab
Randy Williams of Willcon Inc. recently contacted me regarding a project he is wrapping up in northern Minnesota. I was intrigued because he has eliminated the concrete slab foundation altogether,…
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Installing Flangeless Windows
Some of you may have taken the time to watch my video series with Fine Homebuilding about properly installing flanged windows in multiple assemblies. Those methods apply to most windows…
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Washington City Ponders a Future Without Gas Heat
A climate task force in Bellingham, Washington, is advancing a long-range plan that would compel city homeowners to stop using natural gas for heating as part of an effort to…
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A Composite Alternative To Concrete Foundations
A Wisconsin-based company has developed a way to replace cast-in-place concrete foundation walls with insulated composite panels that can be set in place in just a few hours. Epitome foundation…
