Recently in Remodeling Heating and Air Conditioning Systems Category
Carlisle is a roofing company that provides a wide variety of roofing systems and solutions. They provide an "EPDM" roofing system in black for Northern climates and white for Southern climates. The black roofing stands up the northern winters by attracting the sun's solar energy and can help reduce heating costs during the cold. The EPDM membrane may also help to melt snow that can pile up on the roof and lead to collateral structural damage due to the weight.
Southern climates, on the other hand, have to deal with the heat of the sun, and white roofing will reflect the heat and reduce cooling costs throughout the mild winter and hot summers. Sunbelt areas, where the demand for cooling is greater than heating and make reflectivity a benefit.
Whether you select tile, rock or synthetic shingles for your roof, selecing the right color for your location can save you thousands of dollars a year in heating and cooling costs. And don't forget to check out green roofs....growing living roofing insulation can save you even more!
Carlisle SynTec
carlisle-syntec.com
Southern climates, on the other hand, have to deal with the heat of the sun, and white roofing will reflect the heat and reduce cooling costs throughout the mild winter and hot summers. Sunbelt areas, where the demand for cooling is greater than heating and make reflectivity a benefit.
Whether you select tile, rock or synthetic shingles for your roof, selecing the right color for your location can save you thousands of dollars a year in heating and cooling costs. And don't forget to check out green roofs....growing living roofing insulation can save you even more!
Carlisle SynTec
carlisle-syntec.com
LCD flat screen TVs can save 40% vs. plasma screen TVs. Wow! The savings can be more significant than an energy efficient refrigerator! That says something about how much TV we watch. You might also consider turning the TV off more often and getting together with friends or nature to enjoy real pleasures!
But back to energy and appliances :-) ...
TIVO and DVRs also use a lot of energy!
Design controllable circuitry to allow turning off all modules of a home entertainment center other than your DVR.
Provide similar circuits to your home office to allow grouping all your computers and peripherals except your CPU and wireless router.
And in the kitchen -- consider using induction cooking if you use electric; and add a real outdoor venting system that will improve your indoor air quality at the same time it takes unnecessary heat out of your conditioned spaces.
But back to energy and appliances :-) ...
TIVO and DVRs also use a lot of energy!
Design controllable circuitry to allow turning off all modules of a home entertainment center other than your DVR.
Provide similar circuits to your home office to allow grouping all your computers and peripherals except your CPU and wireless router.
And in the kitchen -- consider using induction cooking if you use electric; and add a real outdoor venting system that will improve your indoor air quality at the same time it takes unnecessary heat out of your conditioned spaces.
Cooling Systems
Whole House Fan or Economizer System
The principal of ventilation cooling is to circulate cool night air through buildings, thereby cooling (removing heat from) interior mass surfaces such as walls, concrete floors, and furnishings. During the day this cool mass absorbs heat from the air, keeping indoor temperatures more comfortable. Studies have shown that ventilation cooling can eliminate the need for air conditioning in coastal California climate zones, and can substantially reduce both total and peak demand air conditioning energy use in the inland valleys.
One example is:
Whole House Fan or Economizer System
The principal of ventilation cooling is to circulate cool night air through buildings, thereby cooling (removing heat from) interior mass surfaces such as walls, concrete floors, and furnishings. During the day this cool mass absorbs heat from the air, keeping indoor temperatures more comfortable. Studies have shown that ventilation cooling can eliminate the need for air conditioning in coastal California climate zones, and can substantially reduce both total and peak demand air conditioning energy use in the inland valleys.
One example is:
Davis Energy Group: Nightbreeze is an integrated night ventilation cooling system with intelligent adaptive controls that optimize security, cooling comfort and energy: www.davisenergy.com.
Auxiliary air conditioning should have a minimum of SEER 17. Building codes require a minimum of 13.
To maximize savings, consider advanced systems with SEER 18+ that come with high speed operation disabled. Also, evaporatively cooled condensers in hot locations are an option that work like air conditioners, but they accept outside air that is cooled by evaporation.
Heating Systems
Fully condensing gas furances (91%+) are highly efficient. Tankless gas heaters with hydronic loop, connected with a whole house economizer system (Nightbreeze, Rinani, Tacagui) are also efficient. If you use an electric heat pump, consider geothermal ground loop system and minimize circulation pump power.
Zero Energy Homes are constructed (or remodeled) to reduce the amount of energy and balance usage with renewable energy generation. Here are some of the successful strategies that maximize energy conservation:
- Cut total electrical loads to 15 kWh per day
- Think less house, more efficiency, just say NO to McMansions
- Add 3-4 kW solar PV system with inverter to generate 15 kWh/day
- Effective solar water heating system with tankless gas water heater auxiliary
- Solar control measures to reduce air conditioning with good insulation, porches, reflective surfaces, and trees
- Well insulated building to reduce heating loads
- Use Energy Star rated appliances of all types: refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, televisions, computers
- Monitor real time energy use to guide your successful identification of key problem areas.
An important tool in the effort to build greener buildings and live
greener lives is the selection of products that were made using
environmentally friendly processes and are used in environmentally
friendly ways.
They are energy or water efficient; they use healthy, non-toxic materials; they are made from recycled or renewable sources; they make current products you use more efficient or more durable; and they are recyclable or biodegradable, among many other things.
The directories below will help you sort through the claims and find the products that best meet your needs.
They are energy or water efficient; they use healthy, non-toxic materials; they are made from recycled or renewable sources; they make current products you use more efficient or more durable; and they are recyclable or biodegradable, among many other things.
The directories below will help you sort through the claims and find the products that best meet your needs.
- ENERGY STAR: Products in more than 50 categories are eligible for the ENERGY STAR. They use less energy, save money, and help protect the environment. ENERGY STAR is a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Good To Be Green: Good To Be Green is a directory of green building products, sustainable building materials and green building service providers. Products must: be made out of recycled materials; ensure a low environmental impact during the construction, operation and/or demolition of the building; conserve natural resources like energy, wood and water; and improve air quality.
- Green2Green: Green2Green.org features comprehensive information regarding green building products, materials and practices. The site offers side-by-side comparisons of products using a variety of environmental, technical and economic criteria.
- Green Building Pages: Green Building Pages is an online sustainable design and decision-making tool for building industry professionals and environmentally and socially responsible consumers.
- The Green Guide: National Geographic's Green Guide offers staff-written reviews of a host of products, ranging from appliances, home furnishings and home improvement products to personal care and pet supplies.
- GreenSpec Directory: The online GreenSpec® Directory lists product descriptions for over 2,100 environmentally preferable products. Products are chosen to be listed by BuildingGreen editors. They do not charge for listings or sell ads.
- Low Impact Living: Find environmentally friendly products and services in dozens of categories.
- Oikos: Oikos is a World Wide Web site devoted to serving professionals whose work promotes sustainable design and construction.
- PlugGREEN: PlugGREEN.com allows green businesses to create their own business profile, allowing them to network directly with other green businesses and green-minded consumers. In addition, PlugGREEN.com provides an organized and efficient way for consumers to find local green businesses and products in their area.
Find more details about these retrofit suggestions at USGBC Checklist for Green Retrofits:
Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs
Program your thermostat
Plug air leaks
Tune up your heating and cooling (HVAC) system
Choose ENERGY STAR® appliances
Reduce water use
Switch to green power
Explore solar
Use low-VOC products
Plant trees to provide shade and wind protection for your house
Use native plantings
How Your House Works: A visual guide to understanding and maintaining your home, by Charlie Wing
Before my parents allowed me to drive, they suggested I learn how to change a tire and check the oil. And learn to read the dashboard widgets!
The same might apply to a house. The head(s) of every apartment and house might need to know the basics. How the plumbing can be shut off in case of a flooded room. How the thermostat works. How the bathroom stool works.
And in the throes of learning how to take care of these minor emergencies, it just might happen that you learn how to make minor repairs that will save you many "retail" level repair bills, and give you the satisfaction of truly being the king or queen of your domain.
This book is a good start in the right direction. It gives clear visual diagrams to help you see beyond the obvious skins of modern magic.
"Recycled water is a new
energy source," said Grant Davis, assistant general manager of the
Sonoma County Water Agency. "Water and wastewater that you'd normally
have to treat and dispose of will become the source for heating and
cooling."
They estimate savings of 90 percent on natural gas and about 50 percent on electricity for heating and cooling. The environmental benefits are hard to quantify - but the county is working on it. Under the wastewater recycling plan, 55- to 60-degree water would be pumped from the treatment plant to the business park through underground pipes into a pump inside each building. Once in the pump, a refrigeration device transfers heat to or from the wastewater. A compressor converts that heat energy into warm or cold air that can be pushed through about 3 million square feet of office space at the business park, replacing the traditional heating and air conditioning systems.
In this "open" system, the water could also be used to irrigate landscaping, or, with a secondary set of pipes, flush toilets. Otherwise, the chilly or hot water - between about 40 degrees and 150 degrees - would pass through underground pipes to two adjacent reservoirs.
The wastewater recovery system could work particularly well for small or midsize cities or suburbs where the energy needed to pump water to low-slung buildings is much less than for skyscrapers.
Why?
"We all know California will have severe droughts in the next 20 to 40 years and that will affect water supply," said Gary Geernaert, director of the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at Los Alamos National Lab. "This will help us make educated guesses about what the pressures will be on the public and private infrastructure and help build that into the design."
The project has gained steam in the past few months as Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and some of the biggest names in the wine business have signed on; in March, county supervisors approved $1 million for a feasibility study. The flurry of interest comes as more cities and businesses take a hard look at their contributions to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, and national labs expand their research to include not just military security, but water, energy and economic security.
Sonoma officials will meet with lawmakers in Washington about allocating money for this project and establishing a fund, similar to the Community Development Block Grant Program, to pay for similar projects all over the United States. In addition to federal money, Sonoma is considering revenue bonds and creating a special assessment district.They estimate savings of 90 percent on natural gas and about 50 percent on electricity for heating and cooling. The environmental benefits are hard to quantify - but the county is working on it. Under the wastewater recycling plan, 55- to 60-degree water would be pumped from the treatment plant to the business park through underground pipes into a pump inside each building. Once in the pump, a refrigeration device transfers heat to or from the wastewater. A compressor converts that heat energy into warm or cold air that can be pushed through about 3 million square feet of office space at the business park, replacing the traditional heating and air conditioning systems.
In this "open" system, the water could also be used to irrigate landscaping, or, with a secondary set of pipes, flush toilets. Otherwise, the chilly or hot water - between about 40 degrees and 150 degrees - would pass through underground pipes to two adjacent reservoirs.
The wastewater recovery system could work particularly well for small or midsize cities or suburbs where the energy needed to pump water to low-slung buildings is much less than for skyscrapers.
Why?
"We all know California will have severe droughts in the next 20 to 40 years and that will affect water supply," said Gary Geernaert, director of the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at Los Alamos National Lab. "This will help us make educated guesses about what the pressures will be on the public and private infrastructure and help build that into the design."
SOURCE: April 2008 SFGATE.com
The use of indoor ceiling fans can reduce prices on your energy costs up to 40% in the summer and 10% in the winter, using only as much as energy as a 100 watt light bulb.
During the summer ceiling fans create a "cooling effect" by lowering temperatures as much as 7 degrees. In the winter ceiling fans can recirculate heat and move heated air from the unused "top of the room" ceiling area to the living zone where people need that warmth.
Ceiling Fans can be used not only in the living and working rooms in a home or office but also in kitchens and bathrooms where dampness may be an issue. Circulation of air is important to dry areas so that mold isn't nurtured.
Outdoor ceiling fans can provide gazebo, patio and veranda comfort, and overhead lighting at the same time. These low-energy use fans can provide cooling summer breezes to reduce both the temperature of outdoor living space, but the feeling of heat as cool air aids body moisture evaporation, with its natural cooling effect.
Ceiling fans come in many sizes and designs including: casual, contemporary, eclectic, modern, transitional and simple Southern traditional.
Ceiling fan light kits and accessories also come with ENERGY STAR® ratings -- so be sure to look for this energy saving benefit! The ceiling fan market has matured with a wide variety of upgrades in design and efficiency -- including remote control units instead of pullcords! Ceiling fans can be coordinated with downrods, light kits, ceiling fan remotes, mounting hardware, and a variety of accessories.
Remote control ceiling fans can be helpful for people with limited mobility or for high ceilings such as stairwells. Many remote controls can be used with multiple ceiling fan installations, and they can be used to control the sound level during conversation, the speed and direction of the blades to manage the flow of air in the room or building.
Ceiling fans can be used in place of air conditioning -- and save significant amounts of electricity and greenhouse gas emissions, as a result. Stay cool -- and cool the earth!