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The Habitat X Journal

Anatomy of an Analyzer

An exploration of technology with Bill Spohn (who has, by the way, a record of perfect attendance at the Habitat X Conferences).

“It’s an odd relationship we have with technology. We regard each new invention with the awe it deserves, and then somewhere along the line we begin to regard the miracle as something normal, and we take it for granted. But every now and then, I like to stop and truly appreciate our amazing tools, and to consider what they do for us…”

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Anatomy of an Analyzer

Home Performance in Paradise

Habitat X Fellow Griffin Hagle shows us the surprising difficulty associated with home performance — and home performance contractors — in a mild climate. This article is the first in a series as we follow this project to completion.

“Sunshine, beaches, and sparkling pools: few cities can compete with San Diego’s lifestyle. Housing costs are high, but natural gas is cheap, and solar electricity gets cheaper by the day. Considering that you could probably live comfortably year-round in a treehouse, why should anyone fuss with building performance in the first place?

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Home Performance in Paradise

Proof is Possible

Corbett Lunsford outlines a case for moving the home performance industry closer to widespread acceptance by offering simple (and understandable) proof of performance to consumers.

“If you work in the business of home performance, or what I’ll call performance-based contracting, I’ll bet $100 that you came in through the Energy Efficiency door. I did, too. And there’s nothing wrong with that, except that, once through the door, many of us now think that we’ve arrived in energy efficiency land, and we have nothing more to learn. When the reality is that our door was just one of many entry points to performance-based contracting. And if you look back at the door through which we entered, you’ll see that’s its gilded with tons of outdated assumptions.

For example, common industry knowledge says that we need an army of energy auditors. Really? I don’t think so, because I don’t think we need to do as much analysis as we often have. Then, consider the very word “audit”. It definitely does not connote warmth and joy, but what does it connote?”

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Proof is Possible

Southface, After All These Years

A report on the success of a highly effective industry player, by Brad Turner of Southface Energy Institute.

“Southface is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote sustainable homes, workplaces, and communities through education, research, advocacy and technical assistance. My efforts at Southface largely focus on the education pillar of our mission.

Among other projects, I manage the Southeast Weatherization and Energy Efficiency Training center (SWEET), a U.S. DOE Weatherization Training Center (WTC). We were the second WTC in the country to earn accreditation by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), and in January of this year we became one of only eight training centers in the country to have achieved IREC Accreditation for all four Home Energy Professional Training Programs: Energy Auditor, Retrofit Installer & Technician, Crew Leader, and Quality Control Inspector.”

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Southface, After All These Years

The Habitat X Journal 2013

This is the Journal from the Heartland Habitat X Conference held in Kansas City, Missouri in October 2013.

The Habitat X Journal 2013

The Current Disruptive State of Photovoltaics

A story from 2015 that’s more relevant then ever. What do you think?

Ben Bunker analyzes industry price points, and consumer beliefs, to show why photovoltaics and home performance can best be regarded as side-by-side home upgrades.

“Public awareness of the residential photovoltaic industry has skyrocketed in recent years due to impressive
marketing campaigns, technological advances, and third-party financing models that are making solar more obtainable than ever to the average homeowner. The energy-efficiency industry on the other hand, while also enjoying high public awareness, is relatively mature and driven by comparatively incremental innovation.

In a race for the hearts, minds, and pocketbooks of the American consumer, we have to ask if energy efficiency is in danger of losing its historical position in the residential market.”

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The Current Disruptive State of Photovoltaics

Choosing Value, Cutting Cost

Rick Blumenthal outlines a case for better quality control in the construction industry, and illustrates why it makes financial sense for everyone involved in the construction process.

“We’ve all made purchasing decisions in our lives based solely on the (initial) cost of goods or services, and without considering their long-term cost. The housing industry is a full of such short-sighted examples. I believe that to continue down such a path—to put greater significance on front-end costs than on opportunities for long-term gain and sustainability is a mistake. It’s an approach that’s in direct conflict with both ecological and economic systems that individuals and businesses must respect in order to remain successful and survive.”

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Choosing Value, Cutting Cost

Announcement of the 2015 Habitat X Fellowship

Griffin Hagle is the 2015 recipient of the Habitat X Fellowship. See his article below to learn more about his work.

Announcement of the 2015 Habitat X Fellowship

The Evolving Electrical Grid

From the publication Thought Leaders Speak Out, with guest columns by CEO Bob Rowe of NorthWestern Energy, and others

The Evolving Electrical Grid

Serving Utilities, Empathy without Apology

John Dendy provides an analysis of utility efficiency programs, why they often fall short of their goals, and how we can help them improve.

“I am a conservationist. I began my career as an energy auditor, doing four energy audits a day.
I wore a badge that bore the name of the gas and electric utility for which I was contracted to work, and I identified myself as a representative of that utility. I then moved on to doing engineering evaluations for several utilities, and eventually returned to the business of program implementation. I believed in what we were doing, and I served the utility faithfully.

During this, time I became frustrated at the glacial pace of change. It took months to make the simplest changes, and modest changes that were reasonable to my coworkers and me seemed impossible to implement.”

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Serving Utilities, Empathy without Apology

The New Nexus of Health and Energy

A vision statement and industry action plan, by Larry Zarker of the Building Performance Institute. “Now is the time for the building science community, the medical community, and the insurance industry to build a collaborative model toward preventive health care that starts with a whole house home performance assessment.”

This will be a primary topic of discussion at the 2018 Summer National Conference.

The New Nexus of Health and Energy

A Regional Framework for Sustainable Development

A program update from community activist Heather Higinbotham of the Bozeman Climate Partners.

A Regional Framework for Sustainable Development

Big Data Offers Big Solutions

Habitat X faculty members Joe Medosch and J West explain why this group of new technologies is about to change the effectiveness of the home performance industry.

Big Data Offers Big Solutions

Excel at Advanced Diagnostics

Chris Dorsi and J West share a practical set of guidelines – won by hard experience – to help you keep your wits about you when the testing gets tough.

Excel at Advanced Diagnostics

YesHaus: Perhaps the Best Future of Housing

Visionary builder Duke Elliott tells about the success and challenge of building truly sustainable homes – pre-fab style – in Bozeman, Montana.

YesHaus: Perhaps the Best Future of Housing

Anatomy of an Analyzer

An engineer’s tour through the components of a common combustion analyzer, lead by Bill Spohn of TruTech Tools.

“It’s an odd relationship we have with technology. We regard each new invention with the awe it deserves, and then somewhere along the line we begin to regard the miracle as something normal, and we take it for granted…”

Anatomy of an Analyzer

To the Insulation and HVAC Industries

We build a case for why we’ll all benefit from greater cooperation among the building trades. Casey Murphy shows us how EPA is helping move the entire country towards honest-to-god quality installations with their Energy Saving Verified Installation (ESVI) program. And Steve Malon shows us how his organization focuses on the ongoing education of tradesmen to move their industry towards better practices. Linking the construction trades, with mutual benefit for all, will be an important thread at the 2018 Summer National Conference.

To the Insulation and HVAC Industries

How One Guy Sells Home Performance

A blog post with commentary, written for consumers by Nate Adams of Energy Smart Home Performance.

“You’re probably here because you’re trying to fix a problem with your home. And you’ve probably found a lot of confusing and conflicting stuff from all around the web.You may also have a healthy geek-streak in you, since you are, after all, reading a post called The Science Summary.

Your inner geek will be well fed here, and hopefully you’ll understand a little more about the science behind the problem you are trying to solve…”

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How One Guy Sells Home Performance

 

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