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So here we are…ready for the “big show”…but not quite at the big show.  Think of it this way…to get to zero energy conservation takes us most of the way…and the last bit is the renewables piece.  We… Read More

Water is weird…and I point this out in an admiring manner…  Water by itself is weird…it is a “polar molecule”…think “tiny magnets”….but when it changes phase from a liquid to a solid or from a liquid… Read More

Snap, Crackle and Pop are beloved gnome characters…cartoon mascots of Rice Krispies breakfast cereal produced by a small company you might have heard of…Kellogg’s1.  Rice Krispies are one of the best… Read More

Where foundation insulation is on the exterior of foundations and touches the ground it needs to be protected.   Yes, this should be obvious, but it is often overlooked.  One of the most overlooked… Read More

To vent, or not to vent…that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer  The slings and arrows of outrageous moisture, Or to take arms against them And by opposing end them.  To… Read More

At the most basic level a building is an environmental separator – it keeps the outside out and the inside in.  Why?  Well, sometimes the outside sucks and we want to keep it from getting into the… Read More

Imagine a world where the building code does not allow returns to be installed in closets to control mold and other contaminants. That would be insane right? Welcome to the real world. Let me make… Read More

HVAC systems and windows have almost as interesting a relationship as the “Odd Couple” - Oscar and Felix - did in the 70’s1.  However, unlike Oscar and Felix’s relationship, the relationship between… Read More

 I feel the earth move under my feet1 To state the obvious earthquakes are a major threat to the structural integrity of homes.  New homes and existing homes need to be connected to foundations to… Read More

  I, as an engineer, am born with a genetic defect….as all engineers are…the “efficiency gene”.  We can’t help ourselves.  The more efficient a thing is…the better it is…in our engineering brains….I… Read More