Back in 1990, when I built a new garage and office space at my home in Dummerston, Vermont (where BuildingGreen started out), I installed two sections of Lightolier lighting track with dual switching for use of whatever screw-in lamps I wanted to use in can-type fixtures as well as exposed sockets. During the twenty years since, this has been my little testing laboratory for state-of-the-art energy-saving lamps.
Despite being highly efficient at turning kilowatt-hours of electricity into heat or chilled air, ground-source heat pumps have a significant drawback and usually aren't the best heating system choice.
Wandering around the trade show at Better Buildings, my attention was caught by several cut-away window corners at the Marvin Windows & Doors booth.
The 30% federal tax credit for residential wind turbines (with no upper limit) opens the door to scams, which could tarnish the reputation of the wind energy industry
Take advantage of these tax credits now, because they're unlikely to last.
I've been addressing tax credits for home energy improvements the past few weeks. This week, we'll look at what's available for solar energy systems.
You can earn this credit simply by eliminating turf grass, planting native and adaptive species, and not installing an irrigation system. If those measures go too far for your project, you can still achieve the credit as long as you have some flexibility with plant species selection, and irrigation system design and controls.
Why the 30-30 Requirement for Windows Isn't Very Smart