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Efficient home design / Discussions

What is the optimal setup for mechanical systems for slab on grade?

...designed by an installer who may have an interest in selling you a pricey unit. Let the designers design and the installers install. HVAC contractors notoriousl...

Posted by Dave Nuttall July 6, 2019, 9:42 a.m. Mechanical systems 1 Responses

Where can I find building plans for an eco home?

...home would be an energy efficient home, so be sure to have a well-insulated building envelope . Here is link to our Green Home Building Guide , the Ecohome pl...

Posted by Derek Kittilsen Aug. 4, 2019, 12:09 p.m. Planning and Design 1 Responses

What are the most cost-effective green building strategies in new home construction?

...home devices for energy efficient automated home design . Lots of wall and ceiling and foundation and attic insulation - yes, see our page here about balancin...

Posted by M T Nov. 4, 2019, 11:07 a.m. Concept and design 2 Responses

What is the best way to heat an off grid home?

...efficient system, and home temperatures tend to vary more when wood is the primary heat source. It also requires that you be there to continually feed the fire....

Posted by Michelle Nason Aug. 8, 2018, 1:48 p.m. Off-grid and Net-Zero Housing 1 Responses

Where can I buy an HRV in New York State?

...efficiently may be of value long term as well. New York state is where we're located If you want a decent quality ERV in the USA, consider choosing a Broan ERV ...

Posted by Jarred Weaver July 29, 2019, 8:55 a.m. HRV and ERV 3 Responses

What are your thoughts about incorporating natural ventilation techniques into the heating/cooling/ventilation design of a house?

...design considerations that will help enormously on that front, have a look at the video on the following page- How to design a home for passive heating and co...

Posted by dean c Jan. 18, 2020, 3:51 p.m. Ventilation 1 Responses

Should I be considering 66 or 80 gallon heat pump water heater?

...home. I have 3200 square feet on main level and 2600 square feet on second level. I would say that the tasks you’ve listed are far beyond what you’d be able to ...

Posted by Greg Anderson Dec. 19, 2018, 5:44 p.m. Plumbing and water heaters 1 Responses

What do you think of insulated T Studs in Canada?

...home as well an increase home durability, which is what happens when you build more efficient homes. What I DON’T really like at a glance is that they are insul...

Posted by Lee Watt June 3, 2019, 10:57 a.m. Wall assemblies - new construction 1 Responses

Has anyone used Lunos Ductless HRVs in Alberta and passed inspection?

...home inspector is looking up if anybody in Alberta has used lunos and passed inspection. We don't know of anyone that has used them in Alberta unfortunately, bu...

Posted by Michelle Dimaano Nov. 4, 2019, 12:41 p.m. HRV and ERV 1 Responses

What is the best option for building our next resilient home?

...home design. Since you won’t be there a lot of the time, try to foresee any issues your home may face and add design features to deal with them passively. Her...

Posted by John Bae Aug. 27, 2019, 3:55 p.m. Efficient home design 1 Responses

Looking to build a small home as eco as possible, where do we start?

...efficient pre-fab home with dense-packed cellulose walls . As a rule, at the very start of designing a home, you would need to first set your priorities - som...

Posted by Jenn Bisson July 12, 2019, 12:12 p.m. Planning and Design 2 Responses

How do I find a green builder in my region?

...homes they construct, ask them a few basic questions to weed them out – Do you build high performance / energy efficient homes? Do you build airtight home...

Posted by Marie Isakower July 26, 2018, 8:12 a.m. How to Find Qualified Green Building Professionals 3 Responses

Do we have the option to build to meet the reqs. of the Living Building Challenge?

...designs, LEED contains certain aspects of green building, with healthy materials, carbon footrprint being similar, however, LBC also places focus on Biophilic d...

Posted by Lydia Singh Jan. 8, 2020, 1:30 a.m. Green building certifications 4 Responses

Can hydronic radiant heating be a complete heating solution for a home?

...home heating and comfortable home design - Designing Homes for Human Comfort To be sure I understand your question, is this a new home build or a renovation...

Posted by Jeremy Peters Dec. 16, 2019, 1:13 a.m. Delivery: radiant, forced-air and decentralized 3 Responses

What is the right amount of insulation for a house?

...home design for choosing the right amount of insulation . To determine the ideal envelope to a reasonable a degree of accuracy you would need to hire a design...

Posted by Ryan Gerbrandt Feb. 11, 2019, 9:57 a.m. Passive solar home design 4 Responses

How do you do a Vapour Barrier in a Dense Pack Cellulose Wall?

...home performance improves. The reason is that a better insulated and air tight homes with interior air conditioning can create a significant differential in tem...

Posted by Ian MacKay July 26, 2018, 2:48 p.m. Wall assemblies - renovation 3 Responses