BLOG ARCHIVE

This free event is open to all, and attendees from throughout California’s fire-ravaged communities are warmly welcomed! The Expo’s goal is to provide information that will help fire survivors rebuild their homes and communities to be as resilient, sustainable, and healthy as possible — and as affordably as possible. Please share with all Northern California Read More »

Congratulations to author Ed Dean and the team at Southern California Edison for their new publication, Zero Net Energy Case Study Homes, Volume 1 — and to all the project teams whose work it describes! My favorite thing about the book is that, with just five case studies, it demonstrates that ZNE performance is achievable across Read More »

Climate Change, by Sally Deng | via New York Times “We All Must Act on Climate Change.” John Kerry’s opinion piece in the New York Times yesterday is SO right on! My research over the past three years in support of the Net Zero Energy Coalition’s residential zero-energy inventory has revealed a virtuous circle. Geographic ‘hot spots’ Read More »

I’ve been talking to a lot of people lately about electrifying — that is, building an all-electric new home or eliminating natural gas and propane appliances in their existing homes. That’s something I plan to do myself any day now! Meanwhile, for those building new or buying new appliances, I encourage choosing electric options. In case Read More »

Ha! Got you, didn’t I?! The real story is about the progress we’re making toward zero carbon. A couple of recent milestones are adoption by the California Energy Commission (CEC) of the State’s building energy standards, Title 24-2019, effective January 1, 2020, and CA Senate passage of SB 1477 (Stern, Low-Emissions Buildings Market Development); the bill is now Read More »

The American Institute of Architects California Council recently published the Zero Net Energy Primer. I had the privilege of developing the Primer for them under a contract with PG&E. The Primer (if I do say so myself) is a handsome, concise, and accessible guide — a mere 24 pages, including lots of pictures of ZNE homes of all flavors Read More »

A recent email thread involving a group working on a video about ZNE design prompted me to raise one of my favorite subjects. Say I, “Will you talk about the critical importance of roof design?” Queried Steve Mann in reply, “Do you have something more specific in mind?” I’m so glad he asked! It gave me an opportunity Read More »

Lots of people complain about energy models — specifically, how they don’t accurately predict how much energy the occupants of a home (or building) will actually use. This complaint misses the point. The REAL problem with energy models is that there is widespread confusion about what they can/should be expected to do. Predicting actual energy use Read More »