How Green is Polystyrene Insulation? EBN's Position, and How It Affects GreenSpec-Listed Products
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Chart from the feature (requires login):Human Health and Environmental Concerns with Polystyrene Constituents (click image to enlarge) |
The Hardest Insulating Job Ever
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The hazards of a poorly sealed crawl space: 1) Roof runoff and improper grading allow water to collect, where it can enter the crawlspace through cracks in the foundation walls. 2) Humid summer air enters the crawlspace through foundation vents and condenses. 3) Radon rises through the soil, into the crawlspace and ultimately into the living space. For more information, see Crawl Spaces.
I've done a bunch of home weatherizing and insulating projects over the years; let me tell you about the worst.
Drainage on Exterior Walls
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Installation of Cedar Breather rainscreen material on house in Yarmouth, Maine.
Last week I wrote about "deep-energy retrofits"--strategies for dramatically reducing the energy consumption of an existing house. In northern climates, such retrofits often involve adding a layer of rigid insulation to the exterior of a house. If you're removing the siding to add insulation, this is a great time to provide a drainage layer--or "rainscreen"--before reinstalling siding.
One-Stop Shopping for Critiques of LEED
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Any college student writing a term paper on the history of the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED rating system, and criticisms of LEED over its history, now has a cheat sheet.
The motherlode of research comes courtesy of Pat Murphy of Community Solutions, according to its website, "founded in 1940 as a ...
BuildingGreen Bulletin: Problems with Polystyrene — August EBN
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Twice each month, BuildingGreen publishes an email news bulletin with current news and product information briefs. Sign up here — it's free. We will never share or sell your email address, and you may unsubscribe at any time.
Here's an unformatted, text-only version of the current bulletin:
BuildingGreen Email News Bulletin— an overview of some of the fresh information in BuildingGreen Suite. The mission of BuildingGreen, LLC is to facilitate transformation of the North American building industry.
BuildingGreen Email News Bulletin— an overview of some of the fresh information in BuildingGreen Suite. The mission of BuildingGreen, LLC is to facilitate transformation of the North American building industry.
McKinsey Report: Energy Efficiency is a Big Deal
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The U.S. Green Building Council just sent out information from a report written by McKinsey and Company about energy efficiency and its role in U.S. mitigation of climate change. Here's what they found:
New LEED AP Exam Writer Tells All
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12/1/09 Update: If you're looking to keep up to date on LEED 2009, I recommend checking out our own LEEDuser.com, which was recently launched
Editor's Note: When Matt Macko, a principal at Environmental Building Strategies, told me that he was the only energy expert in the room when the new LEED AP BD+C exam was written, I asked him to write the story of his experience for BuildingGreen.com. Here's what he told us.
Deep-Energy Retrofits
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A variety of insulation types were used on this retrofit including blown-in celluose, rigid foam, and cotton batts.
Starting in the 1970s, following the first energy crisis, major weatherization programs were launched to tighten up American homes. The Weatherization Assistance Program of the U.S. Department of Energy, which focuses on low-income homes, has weatherized some 6.2 million dwellings, reducing energy consumption by an average of 32%, since its inception in 1976.
Home On The Range in Montana
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Home on the Range is an office building shared by two nonprofit organizations: Northern Plains Resource Council and Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC). Formerly an uninsulated concrete block grocery store with few windows, the building was renovated to house energy-efficient, daylit offices. Northern Plains organizes Montana citizens to protect the region's water quality, family farms and ranches, and unique quality of life.
How Tight is Too Tight?
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Sucking air out is one way to clean up indoor air With an exhaust-only system, make-up air comes from air leaks in the building envelope. This drawing also shows passive air inlets in the walls.
As houses get tighter, they becaome less able to 'breathe' on their own -- they need mechanical ventilation. Put another way, energy efficient houses deserve healthy indoor air.
The first question I usually get when I start talking about insulating and buttoning-up houses is, "Won't my house be too tight?" It's a very logical question.