heat-storage / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Efficient home design

Phase change building materials - natural heat storage in buildings

  This article was inspired by a podcast I heard at Positive Energy, where I have yet to hear a podcast that I didn't want to listen to a second time, so check them out if you're like me and you think listening to building science  makes mundane tasks like folding laundry a joy. This particular episode was about phase ...

Thermal batteries for passive solar design
Efficient home design

Thermal batteries: how to passively store heat

...heat-storage systems, one of the more common types of thermal battery (not that there are a lot of them) is a huge water tank buried in the ground that is heated by solar thermal panels. Even this type of system is not new, the first house in the United States with an active solar heating system was built In 1939 on th...

Under bed storage
Interior design and furnishing

Storage ideas for small spaces

From underneath a bed, under a subfloor or the underside of the staircase, there are many underutilized areas in a home that can make life in a small home a lot less cluttered. Here are some ideas on how to transform dead space into storage space. Use the bottom of the bed as a storage with drawers on wheels. There...

Concrete floors and timber frame as thermal mass
Efficient home design

The pros and cons of thermal mass in buildings

Materials in a home that act as thermal mass are things like concrete, masonry, ceramic tiles, even a large volume of wood like timber frames. All materials inside the insulated building envelope will store and release heat, the more dense they are the more pronounced the effects are.  Intentionally adding greater amou...

Solar Electricity Generation & Storage with no Batteries, Azelio
Renewable energy

Azelio Solar solutions combine electricity generation & storage without Batteries

New technology combines solar power generation & battery free power storage The forever-changing landscape of the green home building industry sees ideas come and go, and on occasion a game-changing technology or product emerges. The big news lately is in renewable energy - solar power generation, solar power stora...

Wind farm
Wind power

Storing power from wind farms

One of the biggest drawbacks to renewable energies like wind and solar, is that it is unpredictable. This presents a challenge to grid operators, as they struggle to meet demand while compensating for calm winds or clouds. One method of balancing supply and demand that is garnering some attention lately, is pumped stor...

How do Heat Pumps Work? Ecohome Explains all about Heat Pumps...
Heat pumps, geothermal and AC

Heat pumps: what they are and how they work

Heat Pumps explained simply When it comes to residential heating and cooling systems, few types of heating systems are as energy efficient as heat pumps. But what exactly are heat pumps and how do they work? In short, a heat pump is simply an electrically powered device that is capable of transferring heat from one pla...

Geothermal heating vs. Air Source Heat Pumps
Heat pumps, geothermal and AC

Air Source Heat Pumps vs. Geothermal Heating: Which is Better for Your Home?

Geothermal vs. ASHPs - what's the difference? Heating and cooling systems play a crucial role in maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures in homes everywhere . With advancements in technology, homeowners have various options for energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. Two popular choices are geothermal heating...

Ductless mini-split air source heat pump installed in a LEED certified PH Home
Heat pumps, geothermal and AC

How mini split heat pumps work in a LEED or Passive House high efficiency zero net energy home - video

How well does a mini split heat pump work in a LEED or Passive House certified home?  Really well as it happens, see a great example of a split system heat pump installation in the Edelweiss LEED Platinum V4 Home below: The Edelweiss House has a radiant floor to keep our feet comfortable but we rely on a Mitsubishi Mr....

Do you need a backup heat source with central heat pumps in a power outage?
Heating and cooling

Do heat pumps need a backup heat source?

Having a backup heat source that can operate without electricity should be an important consideration for many homeowners in colder climate zones, especially those who rely on a heat pump or electricity as their primary source of heat. In this guide, we will explore the various factors that can influence the need for a...

Exterior compresssor heat pump water heater
Plumbing and water heaters

Heat pump water heater with exterior compressor

There are many manufacturers of heat pump water heaters on the market, which, rather than heating water with an electric coil as a normal electric hot water tank does, employ an evaporator to extract heat from the air (either interior or exterior) and use it to make hot water. The byproduct of an air-to-water heat pump...