Category: Postings

I lost 5000 pounds in 8 weeks!

Postings
low carbon diet - carbon footprint
Actually, I shaved more than that off my carbon footprint.  And I’m going to tell you how. A couple months ago, a friend showed me the “cool community” program and talked me into starting a local group.  The idea is that you get a group of 5-8 neighbors to get...

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Do this, not that… technical edition

Amy Musser
Part of my job is that I get to see a lot of new, popular, and cutting edge things that people do in new homes.  Last week I wrote about some of the things that people see and fall in love with, and how some of these things can cause...

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Do this…. not that (Pinterest edition)

Postings
Induction cooktop
I'm usually the first to know about new home design trends because I spend a lot of time in new homes.  If it comes with an energy penalty, I'm the first to sound the alarm.  And if it ends up causing other problems, I get that feedback pretty quickly from...

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Forest Fires and Air Quality in WNC

Amy Musser
air filter 2
This is going to be a quick one, because it's the middle of my workday and yours.  We've got forest fires burning in WNC and no rain in the forecast.  We can smell it outside in Asheville and they're issuing air quality alerts.  What can you do about it?  What...

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New Energy Code Training Materials Available

Amy Musser
The North Carolina Energy Efficiency Alliance has recently completed a study to identify commonly missed requirements of the North Carolina energy code, and they have followed that up with some training materials to help builders improve their homes.  The training materials are available online at the NCEEA web site.  What...

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Passive Solar Cooling

Postings
Passive solar design usually describes heating strategies for colder winter months. By concentrating windows on the south sides of a home, the sun provides free heating. Our passive solar design post explores the most important details for getting free heat from the sun with a home's design. Passive solar cooling blocks...

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BK’s Compost Water Heater

Brian Knight
Compost and hugelkultur mounds with cherry and peach tree picture.
Heating water is expensive and comes with many hidden environmental and societal costs. For growers, gardeners and residents passionate about their landscape, compost water heating measurably decreases these costs and substantially increases quantities of composted organic matter for a universe of soil fertility benefits. This is an illustration of my domestic compost water...

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No excuses things you can do for the environment

Amy Musser
TO DO LIST
I'm often asked to give talks about what people can do to help the environment.  And afterward, I often get feedback about why people can't do things:  they don't have south facing roof for solar, they don't have money for a big home efficiency renovation, they're renting so they can't...

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Are the energy bills in my new house too high?

Amy Musser
Most people who buy a new Greenbuilt or Energy Star home are thrilled with how low their utility bills are.  But occasionally we get calls from homeowners who suspect that their energy bills for their new house are too high. Using your HERS rating, there are a few reality checks...

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Tiny House, Big Idea?

Postings
OK, so tiny houses are the darling of the publishing world about now; hotter than a sirache jalapeno sandwich with wasabi sauce. Apparently people like reading about folks making do with the smaller homes; I certainly do. I get the Tiny House Swoon in my inbox every week and I...

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