Homes

CURRENT NEWS

This Development Wants Residents to Ditch Their Cars. In Phoenix

By Ira Boudway 07/31/23

Three years ago Robert Chaffeur, a retiree living in the suburbs of Tacoma, Washington, was looking for a new place to live when he saw an online ad for Culdesac Tempe. Billed as “the first…

The washington post

New York set to pass first statewide law banning gas in new construction

By Anna Phillips 04/27/23

New York is on the cusp of becoming the first state in the nation to pass a law banning natural gas in most new buildings, according to a handshake agreement that Gov. Kathy Hochul (D)…

The Hill

Bringing climate risk home, one property at a time

By Saul Elbein 04/26/23

By the time a homeowner who buys a house today pays off a typical mortgage, there is a good chance they will live in a different climate — one threatened by stronger winds, more frequent…

MSN

These ‘energy vampires’ could be sucking your wallet dry: ‘As much as 20% of your monthly electricity bill’

By Brett Aresco 04/23/23

They are so-called “energy vampires,” appliances in your home that use energy when they’re plugged in, even when they’re not turned on. The garlic, stake to the heart, or silver bullet for these energy vampires…

THE HILL

Tom Steyer to begin net-zero apartment upgrades nationwide

By Olafimihan Oshin 04/05/23

The investment firm of billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer is set to begin acquiring and upgrading apartments and buildings across the U.S. in an effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to reports. Bloomberg reported on…

Talking Climate Action with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe

Heat pumps, superbugs, and sneaker recycling

03/11/23

Last year, heat pumps flew off the shelves around the world, and their popularity is expected to continue to climb. In 2022, more Americans bought heat pumps than traditional furnaces, NBC News reported. In Poland,…

The Washington Post

Washing machines and fridges could be much cheaper to power by 2027

By Steven Mufson 02/10/23

Rules proposed by the U.S. Department of Energy are projected to reduce emissions and save consumers billions of dollars.

Huffington Post

The U.S. Is Addicted To Gas Heating. A New Bill May Make Going Electric The Easy Choice.

By Alexander C. Kaufman 05/25/22

When it’s cold outside, most American homes burn gas or fuel for warmth ― a big part of why buildings are the country’s fourth-largest source of climate-changing emissions. When it’s hot, an even bigger percentage…

npr

EPA Moves To Sharply Limit Potent Gases Used In Refrigerators And Air Conditioners

By The Associated Press 09/23/21

In what officials call a key step to combat climate change, the Environmental Protection Agency is sharply limiting domestic production and use of hydrofluorocarbons, highly potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigerators and air conditioners.

TreeHugger

Do Heat Pump Water Heaters Make Sense In a Passive House?

By Lloyd Alter 07/22/21

Treehugger recently covered a townhouse in Brooklyn designed to the Passivhaus standard that included a heat pump water heater (HPWH). Unlike regular electric water heaters that convert electricity to heat, a heat pump water heater…

probuilder.com

Net Zero Energy: The Ultimate Z.E.N. Home’s Solution for Solar

By Charlie Wardell 07/24/20

The Ultimate Zero Energy Now Home takes a holistic approach to optimizing investments in renewable solar energy at production scale

Architectural Digest

How to Design a Net-Zero Home

By Anna Fixsen 07/07/20

The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the necessity of mitigating the effects of climate change. The built environment is a particular offender. Consider this: The energy used to build and operate our buildings accounted for nearly 40%…

KEY RESOURCES

Icons

EFFICIENCIES

HEAT & COOL

BATTERY

SOLAR

LIGHTING

BS = Battery and Storage. If you see no icon in front of an entry, it means the entry covers more than one subject.

The Washington Post

How to stop your house’s expensive drafts — and save the planet

01/28/21

As a reporter covering climate solutions, I receive one query more than any other: “What’s the best thing for me to do to protect the planet?” The annoyingly squishy answer is: It depends. Politicians can…

Decarbonizing Space Heating with Air Source Heat Pumps

11/27/20

Some studies show near-universal electrification of space heating, suggesting that ASHPs (with some backup from electric resistance heaters) can be almost a silver bullet solution for decarbonizing space heating. These studies start with the assumption…

Protect Homebuyers, Reward Efficiency

09/23/20

An example of providing timely pre-purchase consumer information is the miles per gallon (MPG) sticker on every new car and truck. The MPG sticker on a vehicle doesn’t dictate a purchase. In fact, some consumers…

Zero Energy Home Cost Less to Own

09/23/20

With cost-effective design and construction, the energy saving features and solar collectors for a zero energy home may add 5 to 10% over the cost of a similar-sized home built to code after incentives.

Live Happy!

09/23/20

HERS rated energy efficient homes are the key to green living, providing better home comfort, lower running costs and higher resale values.

Say Hello to EPS

09/18/20

With EPS, you’re able to compare how similar-sized homes use energy, review the features that make energy-efficient homes stand out, and even see your estimated utility costs before you buy. To determine the score, a…

Home Energy Score

09/17/20

Developed by DOE and its national laboratories, the Home Energy Score provides home owners, buyers, and renters directly comparable and credible information about a home’s energy use. Like a miles-per-gallon rating for a car, the…

Green and healthy home initiative

03/19/20

Our Mission: To break the link between unhealthy housing and unhealthy families by creating and advocating for healthy, safe and energy efficient homes.

What is Green Construction?

03/11/20

Green construction can be used interchangeably with green building or sustainable construction. Therefore, green construction means the use of resource-efficient and environmentally responsible processes in construction to ensure lifetime sustainability of the building.

Sustainable house

03/11/20

It is fact, that now days households and other living areas in which people live, or reside most of the time, contribute CO2 emission and green house effects as much as global warming, which threatens…

10 Top Green Home Building Ideas

03/11/20

Green homes have come a long way in the last few decades, and building a green home is quickly shifting from an “alternative” way of building to the mainstream…and it’s only growing greener.

What Are The Different Types Of Sustainable Homes?

03/11/20

Cape Cod, Mid-Century Modern, Dutch Colonial, Art Deco, Craftsman – there are so many different aesthetics to choose from when you’re building a home, there’s really something for everyone. But what if you want your…

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MORE NEWS

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Pax Futura Becomes Seattle’s First Certified Passive House Apartment Project

07/08/20

Located at 3700 S. Hudson Street in the heart of Columbia City, Pax Futura is comprised of 32 studio and one-bedroom apartments, three live-work units and a commercial space. Achieving the rigorous design and building techniques to…

Earth911.com

How the First Net-Zero Energy Communities in the U.S. Operate

07/08/20

Generally, net-zero communities are much more efficient, affordable, and practical than isolated, individually owned buildings. On the surface, an office building or a single residential home may sound like an easier solution to meeting green energy…

Smart Cities Dive

Chicago requires new building construction include EV charging capabilities

By Robert Walton 04/28/20

The Chicago City Council last week approved an ordinance requiring that new construction of some residential and commercial buildings ensures at least 20% of any supplied parking spaces are ready for electric vehicle (EV) charging…

the green cocoon

6 Trends in Sustainable Construction for 2019

By Paul Kerrigan 03/11/20

Building a new home comes with a myriad of decisions: How many bedrooms? Do you need a big garage? What about your landscaping? One of the easiest decisions to make is to build sustainably. Sustainable…

architectural digest

How the Architecture Industry Is Reacting to Climate Change

By Elizabeth Stamp 03/02/20

As businesses and governments grapple with how to approach climate change, the field of architecture faces a monumental opportunity—and some might argue an immense responsibility—to make an impact

The Seattle Times

Create sustainability and lower your bills with a green remodel

By Anthony Maschmedt 02/27/20

Q: Our home was built in the 1970s, and we’re considering serious renovations. Do you have any tips for making our home greener and more energy-efficient in the process?

cbc

Goodbye, gas furnaces? Why electrification is the future of home heating Social Sharing

By Emily Chung 01/20/20

It's a stereotype, but it's true — Canada's winters are cold. And many of us stay toasty by burning fossil fuels such as natural gas in our furnaces or the boilers that feed our radiators.

the New York Times

To Fight Climate Change, One City May Ban Heating Homes With Natural Gas

By Mike Baker 01/06/20

As a progressive-minded city nestled where the Cascade mountains reach the sea, Bellingham, Wash., has long been looking to scale back its contribution to climate change. In recent years, city leaders have converted the streetlights…

Curbed

Atlanta makes Georgia a national leader in green building, but why is growth so slow?

By KaronCurbed 12/13/19

“The state ranks No. 10 in the country in terms of the number of LEED-certified residential units with nearly 6,000, and more than 1,700 of those qualify as affordable housing,” she says. “Atlanta is responsible…

Innovation Origins

Sustainable housing? Combine existing technologies for the best results

By Linda Bak 10/22/19

A sustainable house covering a variety of aspects, from the drawing to the execution and the completion. Team CASA, a student team from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), combines existing technologies in one house with…

dwell

Sustainable Home Design Trends in 2019

By Katie la Kapro 06/19/19

We live in an era where sustainability, eco-friendly living, and green initiatives are par for the course. It feels like every week a new company or pop culture icon gives a talk outlining a new…

ictlt

Smart Houses: The Future Of Sustainable Housing

By CLKOADM12 03/06/19

Imagine you’re in the office, but you’re worried whether you’ve turned on the security alarm. Or you forgot to turn off the heater. Or you’re not sure whether you turned off the water or not.…

cnbc

Net-zero energy homes have arrived — and are shaking up the US housing market

By Noah Higgins-Dunn 02/14/19

In California most new homes and multi-family residential buildings up to three stories high will include solar rooftop panels beginning in 2020. Net-zero energy homes can produce as much energy as they consume and are…

Forbes

How Technology And Sustainability Converge In The New Home Marketplace

By Garratt Hasenstab 07/05/18

The evolution of luxury residential real estate development has reached a tipping point. Today's homebuyers expect sustainability-focused measures and smart home technology to be integrated into any new-construction home they consider.