Leaner and Greener: Green Built Homes Rolls Out Updated Checklist, New Certifications By Maggie Leslie As codes have changed and technologies have advanced in the 16 years since the program’s inception in 2004, Green Built Homes has continually evolved to encourage positive changes in the building industry and highlight...
Article Category: home energy monitoring
The Value of Carbon Offsets: Testimonial from a Former Skeptic
The Value of Carbon Offsets: Testimonial from a Former Skeptic Chrissy Burton The term “carbon offset” is unfortunate. It is so literal but still somewhat figurative. What exactly is a carbon offset? It begins by calculating my personal carbon footprint. How much carbon is produced every year in support...
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...
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...
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 By 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...
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...
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...
Ned Ryan Doyle: Advanced Metering Infrastructure
Advanced Metering Infrastructure: The Next Generation of Energy Metering Comes to WNC Ned Ryan Doyle AMI, shorthand for Advanced Metering Infrastructure, is being rolled out in the Western Carolinas this year for Duke Energy customers and is projected to be completed by mid-2019. So, what is AMI? Why does...
Amy Musser: Knowledge is Power
Knowledge is Power Amy Musser What if I told you that you could use 30% less energy in your home without giving up anything at all? No five minute military showers, you can keep using the AC, and you can watch all the TV you want. How is this...