Energy Efficiency Technology Related Articles :: Energy Savings Tips & Articles

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STUDY SHOWS 23-DEGREE TEMPERATURE DROP IN ATTICS WITH RADIANT BARRIERS

By Jean Dimeo - The Appalachian State University Energy Center in Boone, N.C., recently announced the results of a case study to measure the benefits of adding radiant barriers in home attics.

CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS REVIEW: SUN BLOCK

By Jeffery Lee - When San Dimas, Calif.-based North American Residential Communities began installing radiant barrier sheathing in its homes, the builder's managers noticed a difference in their workers' break-time habits. Employees used to eat their lunch in the shade of the homes they were building, but now they sit inside.

CENTEX HOMES ROLLS OUT ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOUSES IN THREE MARKETS

By Jean Dimeo - Centex Corp. this month announced that construction is under way on Centex Energy Advantage homes Houston; Austin, Texas; and Charlotte, N.C. According to the Dallas-based production builder, Energy Advantage homes, an internal program, are up to 22% more efficient than comparable new houses built to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code. And when compared with a typical 10-year-old home, Energy Advantage models are up to 40% more energy efficient, says the company.

CASE STUDY: PARDEE HOMES - LIVINGSMART GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM

By Rich Binsacca - Like every production builder, Los Angeles-based Pardee Homes keeps a keen eye on its balance sheet. So when the company announced earlier this year that it was applying its LivingSmart brand of green building practices-an in-house program initiated in 1998-across all of its housing markets, types, and price points, it meant one thing: that at least one volume builder had figured out a way to sincerely reduce its carbon footprint without pricing itself out of the market.

CASE STUDY: NORTH CAROLINA'S FIRST GREEN MULTIFAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING

By Jennifer Goodman - The recently completed Cherry Gardens Senior Apartments, a green-built, affordable complex of 42 units, is the first step in redevelopment planned by Charlotte-based Living Gardens LLC that will maintain a variety of affordable housing options in the neighborhood to support those most at risk of displacement by gentrification.

ON THE FRONT LINES: TONY CALLAHAN, BEAZER HOMES

By Jennifer Goodman - Beazer Homes has been in business for more than 50 years. As one of the country's top 10 home builders based on volume, the company is currently building in about 200 new-home communities in 16 states.

STEPS TO A DEEP-GREEN RETROFIT

By Katy Tomasulo - Experimenting on their own homes helped three green building consultants implement efficient practices for their customers. Building an energy-efficient home is one thing, but, as any green remodeler knows, retrofitting an existing structure for optimum efficiency means a host of additional challenges.

RICHMOND GREEN BUILDER TARGETS BUDGET-MINDED BUYERS

By Jennifer Goodman - The Henrico County house is one of the country's first homes for entry-level buyers certified by the National Green Building Standard. Priced at $209,950-only a few thousand dollars more than nearby homes--the 1,452-square-foot farmhouse-style dwelling packs many of the high-performance features normally found in a more expensive dwelling.

CASE STUDY: NORTH CAROLINA REMODEL SOARS BEYOND LEED PLATINUM

By Katy Tomasulo - After his parents moved into a retirement community, Jay DeChesere, AIA nearly sold their Wilmington, N.C., home of 20 years. Instead, he opted to transform the shed-roof house into a living laboratory for green building, and in doing so recorded 113.5 points in the LEED for Homes program, one of the highest ever achieved by a remodel.

REINVENTION 2008: ARCHITECT OFFERS COMMON-SENSE SOLUTIONS FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT DESIGN

By Nigel F. Maynard - In Peter L. Pfeiffer's view, too many architects get caught up in using newfangled products and technologies to create energy-efficient houses, but in his breakout session, "Sustainable by Design: The Golden Rules Behind Green Construction," the principal of Barley & Pfeiffer Architects showed attendees at residential architect's Reinvention conference last week how they can achieve efficiency with simple, common-sense solutions.

6 TIPS FOR SELECTING AN ENERGY-SAVING COOL ROOF

By Sharon O'Malley - Few home builders or homeowners opt for energy-efficient cool roofs, says California building science consultant Steve Easley, because that traditionally has meant the roof has to be white. But that’s changing.

ARCHITECTURE PROFESSOR DESIGNS FIRST CERTIFIED PASSIVE HOUSE IN THE SOUTH

By Stephani L. Miller - When architecture professor Corey Saft and his wife began brainstorming ways to create a protected play area for their two children on their property, building a wall seemed like the natural solution. But Saft recognized an opportunity to accomplish a few of his professional goals.

CASE STUDY: AUSTIN HOME ACHIEVES TOP RATINGS IN THREE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAMS

By Jennifer Goodman - Designing and constructing a house to garner top-level certification in four different green building programs might sound like a nightmare of paperwork, red tape, and regulations, but it was all in a day’s work for this Austin home’s verifier.