Thick walls hold lots of insulation, but there’s a nagging question about condensation in these cavities. I actually measured the moisture in a 10-inch, double-stud wall in my home in Central Oregon. Here’s what I found.

Home energy conservation meets home automation in this new system. It senses conditions in the home and adjusts equipment to improve comfort and save energy. It can also optimize solar battery operation.

How can can costs be cut on the construction of affordable zero energy homes? This Habitat for Humanity zero energy home demonstration project documented $3,000 in construction cost savings.

Mike and Cindi O’Neil share some lessons from more than 20 years of building high-performance homes. Now the company specializes in zero energy homes. Learn what draws clients to them and how they have made energy efficiency their bread and butter.

Tight homes need efficient, effective ventilation. Until now that has been accomplished by a heat recovery ventilator with an elaborate duct system. Now there is an option that ventilates and recovers heat, without the ducts.

Sports arenas around the world are joining the zero energy wave. Your next game could be carbon-neutral. If football stadia can become zero energy, shouldn’t the homes we build be zero energy too?

Zero-energy homes usually require a wall system with an insulating value of R-30 to R-40, at least in cold, heating-dominated climates. In Part 1 of this series, I suggested that you can’t go wrong with rigid insulation sheathing or with double-stud walls filled with fibrous insulation. While the double-stud approach does have advantages, it also […]

California set an ambitious goal known as The California Long Range Strategic Plan, which sets forth a goal for all new homes to be built to Zero Net Energy (ZNE) standards by 2020 and all commercial buildings to be built to Zero Net Energy standards by 2030. In California, homes consume nearly one-third of the energy used […]

Can this new home battery be a game changer for sustainable energy? In April 2015, Elon Musk’s Tesla revealed their latest project, which has the potential to transform the way we store and use energy in our homes. The Tesla Powerwall is a sleek home battery that is charged from electricity generated from solar panels, or […]

We recently wrote a blog post about several options for financing residential solar panels or energy efficiency improvements for homes. For veterans, qualified military personnel and reservists, there is another option: the Veteran’s Administration Energy Efficient Mortgage (VA EEM). An Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) provides the borrower with special benefits when purchasing or refinancing a home […]

The ability to confidently market and show zero energy homes helps drive the green home industry, lends a competitive edge, and gives clients confidence.

When designing, building or even remodeling a home to be very energy efficient, much time is spent on the building envelope, electrical systems and appliances. But did you know that exterior landscaping can affect the energy performance of your home? A well designed and energy efficient landscape can reduce your heating, cooling and lighting costs. […]