EEBA's High Performance Home Blog

To kick off a carbon neutral home revolution, a new generation of green builders must start by assessing our footprint, normalizing carbon offsets, and enacting realistic government regulations.

May 11—A small housing development planned near downtown Granite Falls will be the first in Caldwell County incorporating renewable energy sources intended to virtually wipe out homeowners' electric bills.

In his new book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, Bill Gates identifies the need for the world to get to Zero Carbon by 2050 and the consequences to the global population if we do not. He uses Zero to quantify and provide a tool for measuring the effectiveness of various technologies for getting us there. Currently, the world emits 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases per year, and we need to get to Zero by 2050. The steps are measurable. The goal is ambitious but achievable. It will not be easy!

SEATTLE, WA (April 2021) – Residential developer, Dwell Development LLC, continues to push the envelope of sustainable design and green construction in the Pacific Northwest with the completion of their Net-Positive Energy and Built Green 5-Star residential building certification programs. 

Your home has a heating and cooling system for comfort. Yet it doesn’t have a healthy air system to ensure you breathe clean air. Since health and building science experts have proven that poor indoor air quality leads to respiratory conditions and many other illnesses, Panasonic created a solution for healthier indoor environments. Introducing Cosmos™, the first healthy home system.

This week, former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering 46-year-old George Floyd in Minneapolis. After 11 months of unrest and apprehension following George Floyd’s tragic death, we breathe a sigh of relief as jury member after jury member found Chauvin guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. 

For our Minneapolis-based EEBA team, this death and subsequent case hit very close to home. As communities struggle with uncertainty, it has become increasingly important to actively face the lack of diversity in our industry. 

Sustainable living is not determined solely by fuel types and building materials, it also requires an equitable distribution of resources. 

As public discourse around moisture issues in the home increases, it becomes increasingly vital to examine the health risks associated with these issues, and how builders can mitigate them. While high-performance homes and energy efficient HVAC systems are proven contributors to maintaining a health home, they also have unforeseen consequences.  

In this webinar, Nikki Krueger from Therma-Stor will provide a vital building science perspective for architects and builders to learn how and why to address indoor moisture risks (CYA) through dedicated moisture control systems in single and multifamily homes.  

During the renovation process of their all-electric home, Maureen Mahle and Steve Klocke researched the health impacts of cooking with gas in the house. Some of the common health risks include asthma, allergies, and other respiratory illnesses.  

Maintaining healthy indoor air quality is critical for Maureen and Steve right now because they have a toddler in the house.  

WaterSense^® labeled homes allow families to enjoy comfort and convenience while using less water and energy and saving money on utility bills. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released Version 2 of the WaterSense Labeled Homes Program. The updated program, which includes both a revised specification and certification system, continues to promote water efficiency in homes; however, it has made the WaterSense home certification process easier and more flexible for home builders.

This 1924 Colonial Home in Norwalk, CT was in a state of complete disrepair before homeowners Maureen Mahle and Steve Klocke began a total gut rehabilitation of the house. They initiated the renovation process after the home was stripped down to its foundation, framing, and floors.