Article Category: Energy Efficiency Building Science

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...

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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...

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Tom Owens: Certifying it Twice

Certifying it Twice: High-Performance Home Receives ENERGY STAR® 3 and Green Built Homes Certifications Tom Owens   Clients came to us a few years ago in search of someone who could both design and build a home that would be environmentally friendly, energy efficient and structurally durable. They had a...

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Boone Guyton: Going for Zero and Beyond

Going for Zero and Beyond: The Journey to -8 HERS Boone Guyton   We built our last house with the goal of being net-zero energy. The West Asheville lot is a small 0.08-acre infill lot with great southern exposure. That allowed for both solar photovoltaics and passive solar design on...

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Rob Howard: Practical Priorities

Practical Priorities: Asheville Home Serves as High-Performance Prototype Rob Howard   Today’s homebuyers have a tendency to focus on creature comforts and prioritize the components of a home that can be seen and touched like paint colors, kitchen cabinets, countertops and bathroom tiles. Especially for those designing and building a...

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Cari Barcas: Setting the Course for Clean Energy

Setting the Course for Clean Energy: Blue Horizons Project Empowers Community to Conserve Energy and Preserve Region Cari Barcas   Resulting from a two-year collaboration between local government, business, nonprofit and environmental leaders, the Blue Horizons Project is a comprehensive hub of energy-efficiency programs to empower community members to save...

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Jonathan Gach: Big-Picture Weatherization

Big-Picture Weatherization: Blue Horizon’s Energy Upgrade Program Jonathan Gach   The Asheville area is fortunate to have a variety of organizations on hand locally to help low-income residents face the challenges that can come with owning or renting a home. Eblen Charities’ Energy Assistance program can help families pay for...

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Garret K. Woodward: Filling in the Gaps

Filling in the Gaps: Energy Savers Network Helps Low-Income Homes Garret K. Woodward   It was the basketball-sized hole in the dining room window that stuck out the most for Alice Wyndham. “It was the second house we worked on. He was a veteran who had cancer. His mother had...

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Heath Moody: Train Drain

Train Drain: The Role of Higher Education in Developing a Sustainable Workforce Heath Moody   As our workforce faces the challenging mass exodus of baby boomers retiring over the next decade, there exists a unique opportunity to explore solutions that could not only put numerous Americans to work, but also...

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Amy Musser: Heat Pump Revolution

Welcome to the Heat Pump Revolution: The Benefits of Variable-Speed Heat Pumps Amy Musser   Sometimes the green-building industry evolves quickly, with a product making a quantum leap in efficiency. This is happening in 2018 with variable-speed heat pumps. These have been on the market for a couple of years,...

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