Home Energy articles from September 2003

Home Energy archives from September 2003

Cleaner clothes and dishes.(Editorial)(Editorial)
September 1, 2003... Two pieces of unsolicited mail arrive this time of the year that--strange to say--I actually enjoy receiving. The first is the program for the International Detergency Conference, and the second is the annual "Soaps and Detergents" issue of...

Safety first!(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... The photo of Gary Fagilde accompanying Charles Segerstrom's article "The Evolution of Energy Efficiency Education," (HE July/Aug '03, p. 13) shows Mr. Fagilde standing in the middle of what appears to be an attic full of blown fiberglass and/or...

Reader challenge.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2003... We are longtime subscribers and have been in the instrumented-audit business since 1981. I am writing with respect to the John Proctor column in the May/June 2003 issue that gave some history on the instrumented audit ("Relearning What Was...

Errata.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2003... The insulation material, expanded polystyrene, mentioned in "A New York Success Story" (HE Mar/Apr '03, p.24) should have been extruded polystyrene. The acronym given, XPS, is indeed the acronym for extruded polystyrene. On page 39 of the...

Slicing energy use with sharp calculation tools.(Software)
September 1, 2003... How can a calculator save energy? The right kind of calculator can provide a rational basis for deciding which conservation measures are good investments for a particular building. Builders and consumers alike need a credible source of...

Who says a house is green?(Market Transformation)
September 1, 2003... Energy Star Homes has been successful at putting energy efficiency in the forefront of new-home construction in the United States. In more ways than one, Energy Star has become a household name, both for its appliance-labeling program and for...

Tomorrow's lighting today.(Market Transformation)
September 1, 2003... Walk into a retail lighting store with the best of energy-efficient intentions, and you can leave fairly frustrated. Although energy efficient lighting has made great gains in penetrating the commercial building sector, the same can't be said...

A bright horizon.(Market Transformation)
September 1, 2003... While energy-efficient lighting hasn't permeated the national market much, some states shine brightly in terms of CFL sales, and Wisconsin is among the brightest. There, Energy Star-qualified CFL lighting has attained a 12% share in the...

Sun shines, fan turns.(Ceiling Fans)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... At last, a ceiling fan that clubs and restaurants can use to cool outdoor eating areas without conspicuously wasting energy has made its debut. Dubbed the Vari-Cyclone, this ceiling fan marries the efficient blade technology of the Gossamer...

One size does not fit all.(Weatherization)
September 1, 2003... Electric baseload measures are now the reigning fad in California home weatherization programs. Replacing refrigerators and microwave ovens and installing CFLs are mandatory measures that must be taken before any other weatherization measures...

Making a habit of Habitat: there might have been some bumps along the way, but a collaboration between a nonprofit, a builders association, and a major building supply company yielded some efficient, comfortable, and affordable results.
September 1, 2003... Habitat for Humanity has successfully built affordable homes across several continents, largely because it uses donated materials and labor. In Phoenix, Arizona, those donations are helping Habitat to make homes that are also highly energy...

A new synthesis of architecture and energy: architectural design has a new attitude toward the environment and follows the principles of ecology, energy efficiency, and sustainability.
September 1, 2003... Zurich, Switzerland, can boast of its many advantages--its vibrancy, the postcard-perfect Alps ringing its southern edge--but not of its climate. With an average of only 1,650 hours of sunshine each year, residents of Seattle, Washington, would...

Europe's energy stars: a new generation of low-energy buildings introduces new superinsulation materials and technologies in Europe.
September 1, 2003... Over the last ten years, a remarkable development in energy-efficient building has taken place in Europe, encouraging architects, builders, manufacturers, and building scientists to further improve energy-efficient buildings and to develop...

Natural insulation products: soft on the environment--and sometimes even soft to the touch--natural insulation products are filling a growing market niche.
September 1, 2003... Matt Zambarano, of Applied Foam in Jericho, Vermont, had been working in the insulation industry for six years when he first heard about soy-based polyurethane foam insulation from a prospective client. In the early days of his career,...

Are you getting into hot water? We've come a long way in making hot water more efficiently. The next place to cut waste is in the distribution systems.
September 1, 2003... Have you ever wanted to take a quick, hot shower and had to wait and wait for hot water to arrive? Have you noticed that your dishwasher or clothes washer doesn't seem to be getting the hot water it needs to work effectively? And have you ever...

Mountain home energy.
September 1, 2003... There are benefits to living closer to he sun than the average family does, even in Colorado. The views are spectacular. And the sun can play the lead role in providing heat and electricity. My family home near Denver is an example of energy...

Energy Efficient and Renewable Energy Building Technologies.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... DOE's Office of Energy' Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Building Technologies program launched a new Web site in April. Its Building Toolbox section provides step-by-step instructions on how to implement building energy efficiency...

Energy efficiency does sell.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ComfortWise homes, designed to meet Energy Star Home standards, are outselling their neighboring communities in California and Nevada by about 2.5 houses a mouth. ComfortWise is a voluntary turnkey energy, efficiency program developed by...

The hidden benefits of insulation.(www.ehjournal.net/content/2/14.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have published a report in the journal Environmental Health on the health benefits of insulation retrofits. The authors determined that increasing insulation to meet IECC code levels in single...

State-by-state incentive programs.(www.betterinsulation.org)
September 1, 2003... In case you're looking to insulate, but need a little more incentive, the Association for Better Insulation has launched a Web site that lists by state the rebates and tax incentives for upgrading insulation to DOE-recommended levels. Check out...

Trees and green roofs a key to urban energy savings.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... In urban areas, the great mass of concrete, steel, asphalt, and other heat-absorbing materials acts as a giant solar collector, typically raising urban temperatures 6[degrees]F-8[degrees]F above the surrounding areas. Trees can save energy by...

Kudos for software.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) have won a prestigious R&D 100 award for technological innovation. The award, announced by the sponsoring R&D Magazine, went to EnergyPlus Software for Designing Energy Efficient...

The West on the Web.(sss.interwestenergy.org; www.energy/trust.org)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The lnterwest Energy Alliance is a new' trade association consisting of members from industry and environmental organizations that support state level public policies to harness the West's renewable energy and energy efficiency resources. The...

Renewable energy in Texas.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association (TREIA) is promoting the development of renewables--solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and hydroelectric energy products and services. The TREIA Web site features information on becoming a...

Virtual-Web construction center.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... An information-rich Web site, created by the Virtual-Web Energy Demonstration Construction Center, provides extensive resources on energy and efficient building practices. The site, hosted by the University of Louisiana, includes links to...

Calendar.(Calendar)
September 1, 2003... September 12-13 Fourth Annual ACEP Energy Exposition, Roanoke,Virginia. Contact: Association of Energy Conservation Professionals, 209 Roanoke St., Ste. 9, Christiansburg,VA 24073. Tel: (540)382-3528; E-mail: aecp@swva.net;Web site:...