Energy efficiency / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

...Energy efficiency and comfort with ICF homes Understanding thermal bridging Structural integrity and durability Cost considerations and installation Potential drawbacks and how to avoid them The ICF waterproofing solution Including exterior EPS foam in concrete forms In brief What are Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)?...

...energy in when you need it and keeping it out when you don't. The angle of the sun in the sky changes dramatically with the seasons. In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is low in the southern sky during winter, allowing its rays to penetrate deep into your home through south-facing windows. This energy is then absorbed...

Are high quality building tapes worth the money? In the world of high-performance building, the saying 'the devil is in the details' couldn't be more true. When designing homes for greater efficiency, many building professionals - and most homeowners - focus on the big-ticket items like increased levels of insulation, ...

...energy audit with a blower door test is the gold standard. For homeowners, a simple walkthrough on a cold, windy day with a lit incense stick or a smoke pencil can reveal obvious drafts around windows, doors, and electrical outlets. However, to truly find all the leaks, you should find a professional energy auditor to ...

...energy efficiency of older homes without a disruptive interior renovation project. If you have a home with brick on all four sides, odds are it is an older home, and if it has not had an energy efficiency upgrade then it is likely poorly insulated. Brick is a very expensive exterior finish, so when we see it on homes ...

...energy-efficient living space. The process is not simply about adding more insulation, but about taking a holistic approach that includes safely managing existing materials, ensuring proper ventilation, and making air sealing the top priority. Blown-in insulation, such as cellulose, fiberglass, or mineral wool, is an e...

...Efficiency Particulate Air) filter is set up to pull air out of the containment zone, creating negative air pressure. This ensures that any asbestos fibers that become airborne are immediately captured by the machine's filter and cannot escape into the home's interior. Removal: The vermiculite is carefully removed usin...

...energy efficiency: EIFS provides a layer of continuous insulation, eliminating thermal bridging and significantly reducing energy consumption. This is a huge benefit for meeting modern energy codes like those in the US and Canada. A typical EIFS system can add an R-value of R-4 to R-5.5 per inch (RSI 0.70 to 0.97 per 2...

...energy homes case study. At its core, a Net Zero home is built on the principle of reducing energy demand so drastically that a modest renewable energy system, typically rooftop solar, can meet all its power needs. A Net Zero home in Vancouver combines advanced building science with renewable energy from Solar to achi...

...Energy The embodied energy of cedar (the energy required for its extraction, processing, and transportation) is generally lower than that of many manufactured building materials like concrete, steel, or asphalt shingles. The production of cedar shingles and shakes typically generates minimal pollution compared to energ...

...energy efficiency of older homes. State or local government energy or weatherization offices can often help list local companies or organizations that perform energy audits. Local energy utility companies may conduct residential energy assessments or recommend local auditors. The Residential Energy Services Network pr...