HERS HERO
Duke-Progress has a new incentives program for builders, the Residential New Construction Program. It is significant money for builders who want to build to a higher energy efficient standard. […]
Life with a rainwater cistern
“What about the tank?” It was 4 PM the day before we needed the bank to approve the final appraisal for our permanent mortgage. Our contractor was rushing to finish
Life with a rainwater cistern Read More
Hybrid walls anyone?
Sometimes I blog about things I see that bother me and sometimes I pick topics that people ask me about all the time. Today, it’s both. The use of hybrid
Hybrid walls anyone? Read More
If it ain’t broke, break it.
The North Carolina Legislature is considering sabotaging success in one of the best job producing, home grown sectors of our economy- clean energy. Usually I would reserve political talk
If it ain’t broke, break it. Read More
The economics of urban timber: Why wouldn’t you use trees from your site?
When I first started building new green homes in Asheville, the idea of milling trees from the site was extremely appealing. I decided to send all of the sawn logs
The economics of urban timber: Why wouldn’t you use trees from your site? Read More
Benefits you can measure: New energy programs offer paths to efficiency
In March 2012, North Carolina introduced a new residential energy code. It includes the usual tougher standards, but also has new requirements for testing and an expanded role for third-party
Benefits you can measure: New energy programs offer paths to efficiency Read More
All passive-heat storage is not created equal: The case for phase-change materials
Anyone who has sat on a sun-warmed rock on a cold night has experienced the effects of passive-heat storage. The effect occurs regularly in nature with anything that collects solar
All passive-heat storage is not created equal: The case for phase-change materials Read More
Count up to improvement: New trends to help with your green upgrade
One of the more interesting aspects of green building is the continual influx of new ideas and products. A product can be made with a lower impact than what it
Count up to improvement: New trends to help with your green upgrade Read More
Industry LEED-er: Charlotte Habitat for Humanity melds training, community projects
On the job: Habitat Charlotte and Bould LLC partnered to create a training program, Everbuild-PRO, that provides on-the-job experience as a way to help communities help themselves. Photo by Sarah Beth
Industry LEED-er: Charlotte Habitat for Humanity melds training, community projects Read More
Buying a new HVAC system
Step one Choose a licensed contractor to assist you. HVAC systems range from complex to very complex in terms of proper installation, sizing and testing. A highly qualified contractor is
Buying a new HVAC system Read More