EEBA's High Performance Home Blog

Posts From July, 2019

Younger Homes - January Builder of the Month

Younger Homes - January Builder of the Month
This Austin, Texas, project embodies sustainable luxury through its two connected residences: a main home with a HERS of negative 30 with PV and a guest home with a HERS of 54, both EPA Indoor airPLUS certified. Thoughtfully designed, these residences merge elegance with energy efficiency, showcasing how sustainability enhances, not limits aesthetics. At the core of this property is a beautifully designed 30,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system, capable of capturing up to 6,000 gallons per inch of rainfall from the main residence, supporting irrigation, potable use, and gardens on the eleven-acre property. Solar energy is generated by discreetly positioned ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) panels, designed to meet the homes’ energy demands while minimizing their carbon footprint. For energy independence and resilience, the home integrates its own well for fresh water, the option to use city water, and a Generac generator to provide backup power during emergencies. Stepping... read more
 
Posted by Merielle McLaughlin Tuesday, January 7, 2025 2:48:00 PM
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Acclimate Now to Get the Most Out of the Summit

In two months we’ll be traveling to the mile high city for the High Performance Home Summit so it’s time to start getting acclimated.
Acclimate Now to Get the Most Out of the Summit
Acclimatization: to adapt to a new temperature, altitude, climate, environment, or situation, allowing one to maintain performance across a range of environmental conditions. We are just two months away from the High Performance Home Summit so it’s time to begin acclimating and preparing for everything the conference has to offer. Professional athletes often arrive days or weeks early to an event to adapt to a new temperature, altitude, climate or situation. It allows them to perform at their highest level and give everything they have when they compete. Most climbers who summit Everest spend 60 to 70 days doing so, in order to acclimatize themselves to the atmosphere at high altitudes. As industry professionals, we can do the same kind of preparation. Whether you’re a seasoned high performance builder or you’re still deciding if it’s your thing, it’s time to begin thinking about what you want to get out of the conference. Take a look at the Summit session descriptions and... read more
 
Posted by Heather Wallace Wednesday, July 31, 2019 2:16:00 PM
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Nominate a Juror for Solar Decathlon Build Challenge

The 2020 Solar Decathlon Build Challenge needs your expertise.
Nominate a Juror for Solar Decathlon Build Challenge
Next summer, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Build Challenge will take place in Washington, D.C. as part of the 2020 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Participants in the Challenge will demonstrate various solutions for a number of building types, focusing on efficient and innovative buildings powered by renewable energy. The teams will compete and exhibit their solutions before a panel of industry expert jurors and will be working on their designs and build outs for two years - culminating in Washington, D.C. June 25 - July 5, 2020. 5 countries will be represented from around the world including the U.S., Netherlands, Chile, South Africa, and Canada. The teams who will be participating are: Hogeschool Utrecht University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Valparaíso, Chile University of... read more
 
Posted by Heather Wallace Friday, July 26, 2019 10:19:00 AM
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Next Step Towards the High Performance Home Summit

Now that you’ve trekked in, it’s time to take a moment at base camp and evaluate where you are headed.
Next Step Towards the High Performance Home Summit
Base Camp: “a main encampment providing supplies, shelter, and communications for persons engaged in wide-ranging activities: as exploring, reconnaissance, hunting, or mountain climbing.” When trekking into high altitudes, climbers sometimes spend weeks at base camp while acclimating their bodies. It’s a great place to identify upcoming goals and re-evaluate where you are, and where you’re headed. In just a few months the EEBA High Performance Home Summit will be taking place in the mile high city of Denver, Colorado. The theme of the conference is “Reach for the Summit: A Future Where Every Home is High Performing, Healthy and Resilient” and will be a great place to prepare for the next step of your journey towards high performing homes. The Summit is focused on providing the tools and networking that builders, raters, analysts, and architects need to take high performance, healthy, resilient homes to new heights. Whether you’re just beginning or have “ascended” multiple... read more
 
Posted by Heather Wallace Monday, July 8, 2019 11:32:00 AM
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