Energy Efficiency Building Science Archives

Small-Scale Residential Housing: Infill Housing, ADUs and Tiny Homes

Small-Scale Residential Housing: Infill Housing, ADUs and Tiny Homes Joe Archibald Often when people think about sustainable building, they think about material sourcing, location of the building on the property, renewable energy sources and the other more common metrics. Just as important a factor, however, is where the building...

READ ARTICLE

Staying on Course: Blue Horizons Project’s Impact on Community-Wide Energy Efficiency

Staying on Course: Blue Horizons Project’s Impact on Community-Wide Energy Efficiency Cari Barcas In a single year since its launch, the local Blue Horizons Project energy-efficiency campaign has improved the lives of hundreds of area residents by helping to make their homes more affordable, durable and healthy. These efforts...

READ ARTICLE

Regenerative Design: Green Built Homes Certification Evolves with Updated Checklist

Regenerative Design: Green Built Homes Certification Evolves with Updated Checklist Cari Barcas Green Built Homes is updating its statewide certification program this year to incentivize builders to incorporate elements of regenerative design in their projects. Formerly known as NC Healthy Built Homes, the Green Built Homes program has certified...

READ ARTICLE

A Net-Zero Adventure: Setting New Records

A Net-Zero Adventure: Setting New Records Raymond Thompson There are many ways to link in to the green revolution. A person can focus on energy consumption, human rights, individual health, environmental protection or a little bit of everything at once, but it is generally driven by a calling in...

READ ARTICLE

Learning New Tricks: Lessons from WNC’s First DOE Zero Energy Ready Home

Learning New Tricks: Lessons from WNC’s First DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Leigha Dickens The Department of Energy wants builders to up their game. Though it’s worth celebrating the energy savings achieved by the DOE’s ENERGY STAR® Homes program (said to be 20 percent), it’s possible to build homes...

READ ARTICLE

Aspiring to Zero Carbon: First Net-Zero Home Certified in Green Path Commons

Aspiring to Zero Carbon: First Net-Zero Home Certified in Green Path Commons Don Nicholson Can we build a zero-carbon-footprint neighborhood? It’s a challenge. We are attempting this at Green Path Commons in West Asheville. The neighborhood will have seven net-zero homes; the first is at 9 N. Belgium Lane....

READ ARTICLE

Bridging Sustainable and Social Gaps: Earth Care, Fair Share and People Care at Echo Hills Cottages

Bridging Sustainable and Social Gaps: Earth Care, Fair Share and People Care at Echo Hills Cottages Garret K. Woodward When Ron Czecholinski and his wife moved to Asheville in 2010, he had one goal in mind: to create a sustainable development that truly focused on the meaning of the...

READ ARTICLE

Brick by Brick: Finding New Ways to Reach Net Zero

Brick by Brick: Finding New Ways to Reach Net Zero Garret K. Woodward When reflecting on the recent completion of his first net-zero home, Kevin Hackett still marvels at the number of bricks that went into the project. “It must have been over 40,000 bricks,” chuckled Hackett, the president...

READ ARTICLE

Darren Henegar: Enough Water for Everyone

Enough Water for Everyone: A Water Supply Case Study in Swannanoa Darren Henegar Here in the U.S., we have long been fortunate to have access to some of the safest drinking water in the world available just by turning on the tap. However, continued population growth and economic development...

READ ARTICLE

Margaret Chandler: Craven Gap Residence

Craven Gap Residence: A Passive Solar, Living Future Institute Net Zero Energy Home Margaret Chandler Our clients came to us after purchasing five acres of steep mountain land with great views looking down the Beaverdam Valley. Avid hikers and mountain bikers, they bought the land in part because of access...

READ ARTICLE