Resources
|
Vermont's Commitment to Renewable Energy & Conservation
In 2008, the Vermont General Assembly passed legislation to substantially improve the energy efficiency of 25 percent of Vermont’s housing stock (80,000 homes) by 2020. This is part of an over-arching goal for Vermont to be using 90% renewable energy by 2050 in order to help our local economy and reverse our contribution to global climate change. Increased building energy conservation is a major component of that goal. Unfortunately, we are far behind schedule. Increasing energy efficiency in the state's building stock not only helps homeowners lower their utility bills and carbon footprint, it increases their comfort levels and grows our economy by creating local jobs and decreasing our dependence on foreign fossil fuels.
Articles, References and Information
|
The Sustainable Design of Vermont Video Series
Alan Benoit is a colleague of Home Energy Advocates, and the principal architect of Sustainable Design, LLC based in Manchester, VT. Alan has created a series of short videos describing a wide assortment of building technologies, systems and equipment that can be useful to help HEA clients to save energy and money. Some are appropriate in new construction scenarios, others will work fine in retrofit situations. The videos are listed below by season, with descriptions of each given below each season. Thanks, Alan!
Season 1:
Alan Benoit is a colleague of Home Energy Advocates, and the principal architect of Sustainable Design, LLC based in Manchester, VT. Alan has created a series of short videos describing a wide assortment of building technologies, systems and equipment that can be useful to help HEA clients to save energy and money. Some are appropriate in new construction scenarios, others will work fine in retrofit situations. The videos are listed below by season, with descriptions of each given below each season. Thanks, Alan!
Season 1:
|
|
|
|
Season 1 Descriptions
Episode 1: High-Efficiency Pumps. Alex Wilson of Building Green says we don't pay enough attention to our inefficient pumps, which consume 10-15% of global electricity. Taco, Grundfos, a Bubble Bee with an electronically commutated motor. Wilson also talks about an 'on-demand' circulating pump that can eliminate the energy losses from waiting for the hot water to arrive at your faucet or shower. There's one that even learns the hot water usage pattern of a home. Electric savings as high as 50% are estimated.
Episode 2: Alpen Glass Windows. These windows are made in Colorado and have R values ranging from 5 to 9(!), whole-unit R-values and center-of-glass R-values as high as 14. They employ special films and gasses inside the window, and insulated sashes and frames.
Episode 3: Gutex Wood Fiber Board. This product is a continuous house insulation that is not made out of foam. R of 3.6 per inch. 95% wood. Does not require any additional house wrap material. Can be used as wall sheathing or roof sheathing. Very low embodied energy and made of waste wood products in Germany.
Episode 4: EFI CanCoverIt. The Energy Federation Inc. is an amazing source of high-quality energy efficient products and equipment. The CanCoverIt is meant to cover recessed 'can' lights in an attic space. It is a hollowed-out insulated box with a fire barrier on it. These are installed before blown-in insulation is added to an attic.
Episode 5: Insul-Cube. Designed to insulate the space in rim joists or band joists - the spaces between floor joists at the top of basement walls, this is essentially a bag that can be filled with blow-in cellulose insulation. The manufacturer says is can handle some moisture fairly well.
Episode 6: High Efficiency LED Lighting. A primer on LED lighting and why it is more efficient. A number of different models for different applications are shown, including dimmable LED's, 'tape lights' that are applied with tape, and LED replacements for ballasted fluorescent tube lights. LED longevity correlates to how warm or hot the space is that contains it.
Episode 7: Lunos Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV). the Lunos is a new technology to bring ventilation air into a building while capturing the heat in the outgoing air. Much simpler and more elegant than most HRV's, the Lunos is also a decentralized system that is substantially cheaper than most other HRV's. Said to be 90% efficient, but it does operate with two 1.5 Watt fans. Said to ventilate a space of 600 sq. ft., but that would depend on occupancy.
Episode 8: Pro Clima's 'Smart' Intello Vapor Retarder. This is a German product that helps a building achieve complete air tightness. Unlike plastic barriers that can trap moisture in wall structures and cause rot, the Intello is 'smart' in that it senses moisture levels and allows moisture to pass through at relative humidity is high. This kind of smart vapor retarder is an important component as buildings are built with higher and higher levels of insulation. The air tightness is an added bonus when clients wish to avoid toxic foam products that do the same thing.
Episode 9: Taco Zone Valves. Zone valves are what allow boiler water to flow (or not flow) to different heating zones and radiators in a building as thermostats call for the heat. The Taco's advantages are that it uses much less electricity to operate than other valves, as little as 25% as much. It's also easy to install, made in the USA and costs about the same as more conventional valves.
Episode 10: Thermomass Wall Systems. This is an insulation layer of rigid foam that is sandwiched between two layers of poured concrete. It achieves moisture control as well as temperature control. Supposedly very simple to install, it can be used above as well as below grade and the thickness of insulation can be varied. Used in new construction, it avoids the necessity of finishing the basement, stops water and vapor penetration through the wall, protects against insect and rodent damage, acts as a fire barrier and is simple to install. Alan loves this stuff.
Episode 11: Zehnder Heat Recovery Ventilator. Another HRV technology, the Zehnder is a whole-house HRV that acts as a balanced home ventilation system. Heat recovery efficiency is said to be 85-95%. Air leaves the house through the kitchen range hood & bathroom, returns to living rooms and bedrooms, all through ductwork connected to the HRV.
Season 2:
Episode 1: High-Efficiency Pumps. Alex Wilson of Building Green says we don't pay enough attention to our inefficient pumps, which consume 10-15% of global electricity. Taco, Grundfos, a Bubble Bee with an electronically commutated motor. Wilson also talks about an 'on-demand' circulating pump that can eliminate the energy losses from waiting for the hot water to arrive at your faucet or shower. There's one that even learns the hot water usage pattern of a home. Electric savings as high as 50% are estimated.
Episode 2: Alpen Glass Windows. These windows are made in Colorado and have R values ranging from 5 to 9(!), whole-unit R-values and center-of-glass R-values as high as 14. They employ special films and gasses inside the window, and insulated sashes and frames.
Episode 3: Gutex Wood Fiber Board. This product is a continuous house insulation that is not made out of foam. R of 3.6 per inch. 95% wood. Does not require any additional house wrap material. Can be used as wall sheathing or roof sheathing. Very low embodied energy and made of waste wood products in Germany.
Episode 4: EFI CanCoverIt. The Energy Federation Inc. is an amazing source of high-quality energy efficient products and equipment. The CanCoverIt is meant to cover recessed 'can' lights in an attic space. It is a hollowed-out insulated box with a fire barrier on it. These are installed before blown-in insulation is added to an attic.
Episode 5: Insul-Cube. Designed to insulate the space in rim joists or band joists - the spaces between floor joists at the top of basement walls, this is essentially a bag that can be filled with blow-in cellulose insulation. The manufacturer says is can handle some moisture fairly well.
Episode 6: High Efficiency LED Lighting. A primer on LED lighting and why it is more efficient. A number of different models for different applications are shown, including dimmable LED's, 'tape lights' that are applied with tape, and LED replacements for ballasted fluorescent tube lights. LED longevity correlates to how warm or hot the space is that contains it.
Episode 7: Lunos Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV). the Lunos is a new technology to bring ventilation air into a building while capturing the heat in the outgoing air. Much simpler and more elegant than most HRV's, the Lunos is also a decentralized system that is substantially cheaper than most other HRV's. Said to be 90% efficient, but it does operate with two 1.5 Watt fans. Said to ventilate a space of 600 sq. ft., but that would depend on occupancy.
Episode 8: Pro Clima's 'Smart' Intello Vapor Retarder. This is a German product that helps a building achieve complete air tightness. Unlike plastic barriers that can trap moisture in wall structures and cause rot, the Intello is 'smart' in that it senses moisture levels and allows moisture to pass through at relative humidity is high. This kind of smart vapor retarder is an important component as buildings are built with higher and higher levels of insulation. The air tightness is an added bonus when clients wish to avoid toxic foam products that do the same thing.
Episode 9: Taco Zone Valves. Zone valves are what allow boiler water to flow (or not flow) to different heating zones and radiators in a building as thermostats call for the heat. The Taco's advantages are that it uses much less electricity to operate than other valves, as little as 25% as much. It's also easy to install, made in the USA and costs about the same as more conventional valves.
Episode 10: Thermomass Wall Systems. This is an insulation layer of rigid foam that is sandwiched between two layers of poured concrete. It achieves moisture control as well as temperature control. Supposedly very simple to install, it can be used above as well as below grade and the thickness of insulation can be varied. Used in new construction, it avoids the necessity of finishing the basement, stops water and vapor penetration through the wall, protects against insect and rodent damage, acts as a fire barrier and is simple to install. Alan loves this stuff.
Episode 11: Zehnder Heat Recovery Ventilator. Another HRV technology, the Zehnder is a whole-house HRV that acts as a balanced home ventilation system. Heat recovery efficiency is said to be 85-95%. Air leaves the house through the kitchen range hood & bathroom, returns to living rooms and bedrooms, all through ductwork connected to the HRV.
Season 2:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Season 2 Descriptions
Episode 1: CMF Engineering. This company invents different energy conservation technologies, including a simple greywater heat recovery heat exchanger, a solid wooden baseboard heater/cover that is quite attractive, and a CO2 tracer gas testing system that produces a directly calculated measurement for air infiltration into a building.
Episode 2: Siga Tapes and Weather Resistive Barriers. Siga's exterior tapes are used to seal plywood & OSB, including joints and corners, to create an air-tight seal. Also used to seal around windows and doors. Tapes come in different sizes. The Majvest is an exterior weatherproof membrane. They also have an interior membrane product called Majpell, with its own special tape.
Episode 3: Roxul Mineral Wool Insulation. Roxul is a new type of fairly rigid insulation made from recycled steel slag and volcanic rock. Naturally fire resistant, it avoids all of the nasty properties of foam insulation and some HEA clients have used it out of a concern for the health of children and pregnant women. Aside from being non-toxic, Roxul also is hydro-phobic, i.e. it naturally sheds water. Comes in different thicknesses and densities with different R values per inch, up to R-30. Can be used in foundation applications. Also relatively easy to shape, cut and mold. Should be used with a water restive barrier behind it.
Episode 4: VT Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF's). A new ICF with rigid foam encapsulating concrete, R-value up to 30. New wall and foundation construction. The foam is exposed on both the interior and exterior of the building and should be finished.
Episode 5: VT Energy Control Systems. For building monitoring and data logging different energy characteristics of a building: room temperature, humidity, water temp. in and out of a boiler, when zones are calling for heat, when electricity is on, even when doors are left open. Other uses include lighting controls, internet interfaces that allow operation from remote locations, and motion detectors, all of which can be logged.
Episode 6: Zip Systems. A structural sheathing panel for roof or wall that has a moisture barrier fused right onto the insulation panel. Moisture and air resistive barrier on the exterior, joints are taped with Zip's acrylic tapes using a roller. Rigid foam insulation is polyisocyanurate.
Episode 7: Heat Pump Water Heater. An overview of the heat pump water heaters. See the article by Tad Montgomery above for more detailed information.
Episode 8: Sample Building Sections. A display done by the Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of Northern VT put together to show some of the great systems and technologies that are used in the latest generation of energy efficient buildings: SIP panels, interior 'smart' membranes, HRV's, raised heel trusses, double stud wall, tapes for different applications, etc.
Episode 1: CMF Engineering. This company invents different energy conservation technologies, including a simple greywater heat recovery heat exchanger, a solid wooden baseboard heater/cover that is quite attractive, and a CO2 tracer gas testing system that produces a directly calculated measurement for air infiltration into a building.
Episode 2: Siga Tapes and Weather Resistive Barriers. Siga's exterior tapes are used to seal plywood & OSB, including joints and corners, to create an air-tight seal. Also used to seal around windows and doors. Tapes come in different sizes. The Majvest is an exterior weatherproof membrane. They also have an interior membrane product called Majpell, with its own special tape.
Episode 3: Roxul Mineral Wool Insulation. Roxul is a new type of fairly rigid insulation made from recycled steel slag and volcanic rock. Naturally fire resistant, it avoids all of the nasty properties of foam insulation and some HEA clients have used it out of a concern for the health of children and pregnant women. Aside from being non-toxic, Roxul also is hydro-phobic, i.e. it naturally sheds water. Comes in different thicknesses and densities with different R values per inch, up to R-30. Can be used in foundation applications. Also relatively easy to shape, cut and mold. Should be used with a water restive barrier behind it.
Episode 4: VT Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF's). A new ICF with rigid foam encapsulating concrete, R-value up to 30. New wall and foundation construction. The foam is exposed on both the interior and exterior of the building and should be finished.
Episode 5: VT Energy Control Systems. For building monitoring and data logging different energy characteristics of a building: room temperature, humidity, water temp. in and out of a boiler, when zones are calling for heat, when electricity is on, even when doors are left open. Other uses include lighting controls, internet interfaces that allow operation from remote locations, and motion detectors, all of which can be logged.
Episode 6: Zip Systems. A structural sheathing panel for roof or wall that has a moisture barrier fused right onto the insulation panel. Moisture and air resistive barrier on the exterior, joints are taped with Zip's acrylic tapes using a roller. Rigid foam insulation is polyisocyanurate.
Episode 7: Heat Pump Water Heater. An overview of the heat pump water heaters. See the article by Tad Montgomery above for more detailed information.
Episode 8: Sample Building Sections. A display done by the Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of Northern VT put together to show some of the great systems and technologies that are used in the latest generation of energy efficient buildings: SIP panels, interior 'smart' membranes, HRV's, raised heel trusses, double stud wall, tapes for different applications, etc.
