Energy Efficient Building

Comment

Comment by Anna Leonard on September 30, 2011 at 3:34pm

Appalachian State is doing AWESOME at the Solar Decathlon held in Washington D.C. They are currently in 8th place overall and have received 2nd place in  Communications and 3rd place in Architecture (pretty great for a school without an accredited architecture program!)

Help Appalachian State win The People's Choice award by voting until 7pm tonight! It only takes a minute! http://www.solardecathlon.gov/poll/pca/pca_register.php

Follow App State's journey at http://thesolarhomestead.blogspot.com/

Comment by Anna Leonard on August 3, 2011 at 12:44pm

I thought this group may be interested in the increased rebate for Energy Star-qualified homes.

A rebate for buying Energy Star-qualified manufactured homes has been tripled to $1,500, the North Carolina Energy Office announced Wednesday.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9946980/

Comment by Lawrence Lippard on June 9, 2011 at 10:06am

Anna-  Would mind adding www.ncenergystar.org, the North Carolina Energy Efficiency Alliance's website to your list above?  The site offers many resources to a number of professionals in the residential construction industry.  The biggest piece is a builder resource page which highlights many of the new construction requirements of ENERGY STAR for New Homes Version 2.5 and 3.0, with details, drawings, and comments.  Just thought it might be of help.  Thanks!

Comment by Brian Mueller on June 9, 2011 at 9:32am

Hello from Cool Boone.. temp and place to live... Just got my new green community site up! www.delmarbungalows.com

Check out the 20x28A home.. Hot new design!!!

If you know any one moving to Boone please send a link to them...

Have a great day!

Comment by Anna Leonard on June 9, 2011 at 8:43am

There is an event coming up that I thought some of you may be interested in, energy code  training for building professionals. It is free training and locations it will be offered include Fayetteville, Greensboro, and Charlotte. Approved for building official CEU's and AIA credits pending.

Energy Code Training for Building Professionals

 

This free training will focus on how to build for current and future energy codes, as well as building performance and design.

Free Lunch when you register by June 1st.

 

6 CEU's for Building Officials, 6 Sustainable Design Credits for AIA members.

 

Comment by Anna Leonard on March 17, 2011 at 9:44am

New Carbon Negative Cement! Check out the Yahoo article. And the manufacturer's website, Novacem. They are based in London.

 

Seeing as cement production accounts for 5% of man-made CO2 emissions, seems like a great product! Do you have any thoughts on it?

Comment by Anna Leonard on March 14, 2011 at 10:16am

Heard a report on NPR yesterday about container homes. The interview was with SC company Envirodwell. The story is available to listen to here: http://www.scetv.org/index.php/walter_edgars_journal/show/envirodwe...

 

The company website is http://www.envirodwell.com/

 

What is your opinion on these buildings? I have seen one in Boone, NC and was very impressed with it. A two story home right next to Appalachian's Campus: http://www.highcountrypress.com/weekly/2008/10-16-08/thinking_outsi...

Comment by Richard C. MacCrea on February 17, 2011 at 6:23pm

Problems with green roofs:

1. Hard to find bank financing.

2. Convincing a building owner that it is worthwhile to spend that much more money.

3. Builders wanting to do only standard stuff they know.

I have an idea for a New Urbanism type downtown development with all buildings poured concrete floors, walls, and roofs. That would make green roofs easy and affordable. If the development was large enough a concrete plant could be set up on site to make concrete the least expensive building method. Wrapping the entire exteriors with insulation will make all this concrete thermal mass. Orienting all the buildings toward the winter sun will make this an extremely efficient passive solar project. "multilevel green"

Comment by Lawrence Lippard on February 17, 2011 at 1:48pm

Going back to the comments regarding building construction and energy efficiency, these homes can be built beyond the relatively low setting of 15% above code set by most professions as 'efficient'.  I had the opportunity to sit in on the North Carolina Code Council hearing a few months ago that discussed adoption of 2009 IECC with changes that would preserve a 15% higher standard in North Carolina or 30% higher standard.  It seemed to me that a majority of voting constituents were looking at their own wallets when placing their votes.  The idea was to basically make ENERGY STAR certification standards the baseline in North Carolina, but, it failed.  I have been very disappointed in not only the builders not wanting to take the steps appropriate to build better, but also the appraisers who ultimately put the value behind a contractor's work, and the lenders who allow the home to ultimately be purchased.  If a builder cannot accept that good construction can be done for pennies, we have to find an alternate route to ensure they are getting their money back once the deal is done.

Comment by Matt Raker on February 17, 2011 at 1:06pm

I've pretty much only heard positive results as well.  I'm a bit puzzled why we don't have more projects using green roofs in WNC.  Anyone have any insight on what the barriers are?

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