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Safe and Fun: Milk Paint
"It smelled so good on the wall that our client's dog ate a bite out of it!" said Kelly. Had that been traditional paint that dog may have required medical care. Kelly continued to explain that …- Tamarah Long -
Water heaters: the right fit is the best fit
Not every household's hot water needs are the same. Just like the right pair of shoes, each home's water heating equipment should be properly sized to ensure the utmost in comfort and efficiency …- Trey Hoffman -
Is Your Home Prepared for an Emergency? (Part 1)
A recent survey, conducted during National Preparedness Month in September by GE Generator Systems, showed 55 percent of homeowners did not even have an emergency preparedness kit at home. There is …- Mike Gersmeyer -
S.O.S. - Save Our Septic® Wastewater Adventure Series Volume 1: “Not the Kind of Pool We Had in Mind, Part 1”
Synopsis: Failing septic systems disrupts more than just your lawn and lives; they disrupts plans for your property. Application: Retrofit existing failing septic system with RetroFAST® Septic …- Aerobe and Robust -
Be green and save green all year long
Each year on April 22 the world pauses to recognize environmental protection as part of International Mother Earth Day. However, the principles of Earth Day shouldn't be limited to one day. We can …1 comment- Gary Parsons -
Sustainable home upgrades
Beyond the daily choices people make to live more efficiently, home upgrades can often make the biggest impact on the home's sustainability. While these upgrades require some planning and resources …- Trey Hoffman -
Small Living Spaces: Trend or Cultural Movement?
Most people live in very small spaces. In fact, "the largest growth in our global cities is in our informal settlements where whole families are living in 100-200 sf spaces" says Thomas Fisher …1 comment- Tamarah Long -
Project Profile: Creating Cohesive Design at VISION House
Visitors may feel as though they are being transported into the future when they step into the cutting-edge VISION House in INNOVENTIONS at Epcot, but this groundbreaking green home show exhibit at …- Shelley Ross -
How to take advantage of tax credits and improve your home
With April 15th quickly approaching, the topic of deductions, credits and exemptions take center stage as homeowners prepare their 2013 tax returns with the hope of receiving a tax refund this year …- Gary Parsons -
How does LEED for Homes compare?
LEED for Homes is one of several nationally recognized green home programs. In case you're not familiar with it, LEED is a voluntary third party certification program in which buildings are assessed …- Farah Ahmad -
Case study: New England home significantly reduces utility costs and carbon footprint
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), 29 percent of a home's energy usage goes toward heating and 14 percent goes toward heating water. Those costs can really add up—especially if …- Trey Hoffman -
Farmers can get more out of their fields
Farmers today have many challenges to face but here in Eastern Iowa the farmers are concerned about the cost of rising fossil fuels and consequently the higher operating cost to heat their farm …- Jake Rabe -
The fiscal cliff deal’s energy efficiency silver lining
The deadline for filing income taxes is now less than a month away, so we wanted to point out one of several tax breaks for which you may be eligible. Preserved in the fiscal cliff deal, this tax …- Linda Mayer -
Time tested techniques and fresh ideas: Yestermorrow Design/ Build School in Vermont
"Yestermorrow Design/Build School inspires people to create a better, more sustainable world by providing hands-on education that integrates design and craft as a creative, interactive process." When …- Tamarah Long -
A look at LEED for Homes
LEED has become quite the hot topic, drawing praise and criticism alike. What is LEED? LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a third party certification developed by the U.S …1 comment- Farah Ahmad -
Designing a perfect residential wall-Part 2
The Perfect Control Layer Combination Behind the cladding, we've combined ZIP System® products from Huber Engineered Woods and theHome Slicker® ventilating rainscreen from Benjamin Obdyke to …- Chris Laumer-Giddens -
Designing a perfect residential wall-Part 1
Part 1 Atlanta, Georgia has a reputation for getting pretty darn hot, but it can also get pretty dang cold (No snickering from you Northerners, please!). Believe it or not, Atlantans use more energy …- Chris Laumer-Giddens -
Curb appeal in an emerging market
As the housing market continues to make strides forward in the recovery, builders and buyers alike are taking a fresh look at home design and the products creating the most desirable abodes for …- Shelley Ross -
Heating Water: A Tankless Job
Water Heaters are the Second-Largest Energy User in Homes Water heaters account for more than 14 percent of national residential energy consumption, and while most building professionals and …2 comments- Trey Hoffman -
14 Design don'ts for high performance homes
There are a lot of ways to design a home. Designing one for high performance, though, or even better-than-average performance, has many recommended best practices that are based on a lot of research …2 comments- Chris Laumer-Giddens
Save Our Septic® (S.O.S.) Wastewater Adventure Series
Common Sense: Sustainable Construction and Home Energy
