Several months ago, we pointed out a project that green home remodeling expert Matt Risinger highlighted on his blog. The owners of a 1940’s original home, as part of their high performance green remodel, wanted to address the unwanted noise between kids’ bathrooms, the master bedroom, and laundry rooms. The use of QuietRock for soundproofing walls does the trick, as Matt captures in this video.

Let’s reiterate what creating quieter rooms has to do with saving energy and “green building”. There are a few reasons quiet and sustainability go hand-in-hand:

• In this homeowner’s case, using one 5/8 inch piece of drywall is equivalent (acoustically) to using 6 sheets of regular gypsum drywall. The third largest greenhouse gas producer in building materials is the manufacturing of gypsum drywall, a process that was invented more than 100 years ago. The ability to do more with less means less materials, less waste, less energy, and less embodied energy of your home. You can also gain floorspace in your projects with QuietRock compared to older soundproofing methods.
• One of the best moves a person can make to have a major impact on the environment is to live in urban settings or denser communities - to cut down on our daily, personal carbon footprints. If everyone in the US lived in this way, we could cut carbon emissions by 1B metric tons or more. That is about what Italy and the UK generate as a whole combined. But today, the number one reason why people continue to aspire to the cul-de-sac and white picket fence suburban living is because of NOISE. We can build to take this concern off the table, and save energy, save money, and enjoy quiet, sustainable spaces.

Thanks, Matt, for sharing your experiences and green building tips! Matt’s blog is a fantastic resource for professionals and consumers who want to get an in depth look and education in building to save energy, save money, and simply, live smarter and more comfortably. Check it out.

In today’s world, when a group of people in a community set out to create a new building, or improve an existing one, the crucial question each of must ask ourselves and each other is  - “In 10 years, 20 years, 50 years will this building be part of the solution, or will be part of the problem?”

Every decision we make when we’re designing and building sends a message to our community, the next generation and to the world at large about our respect for ourselves, each other, and the environment in which we live in and rely on. Many efforts deemed as “good enough” today will inevitably reveal themselves to be woefully inadequate in a not too distant future where escalating energy prices reflect the true cost of our dwindling precious resources. These decisions are an enormous responsibility and require a shift in thinking from short term fixes to long term planning.

Essentially have two choices. We can design, build and retrofit with the idea that we will always have fossil fuels and saddle our families and communities with liabilities. Or, we can design, build and retrofit to address the fact that the emerging economy is one that must be based on energy conservation practices and products and sustainable sources of energy. Choosing to do the latter leaves our families and communities a legacy of assets that will actually benefit instead of burden them. I, for one, am not thrilled about the idea of my hard-earned retirement savings being gobbled up in energy costs associated with poorly planned and poorly built buildings, nor for that matter, poorly sealed oil wells.

After almost 3 continuous months (85 days) and 4.9 million barrels of leaked oil, with the assistance of Halliburton, BP finally plugged the oil well gushing into in the Gulf of Mexico on July 15th. Bloomberg Newsweek reported on August 9th that according to BP, the cost of stopping and cleaning up the oil spill had risen to $6.1 billion. BP has set aside $32.2 billion and is selling its assets to pay for the world’s largest offshore accidental oil spill.

I found myself wondering, in addition to all the money, human, animal and plant life being sacrificed to maintain this addiction to fossil fuels, just how much usable energy was wasted by this spill?

There are 5.8 million BTU’s or 1700 kWh per barrel of crude oil. But we can’t count all of the energy contained in crude oil, since fossil fuels have to be combusted to release the energy contained within them. Also, because we don’t actually use oil as a feedstock for power plants, we have to look to fuel oil, coal and natural gas to get a sense of relative combustion efficiencies. Excluding transmission losses, the average efficiency of coal-fired power plants is 31%, while natural gas-fired power plants have an efficiency of around 58%. Using a conservative efficiency rate of 30% to look at the actual “usable” energy contained in the spilled oil:

4.9 million barrels crude spilled =

2.5 billion usable kWh wasted (at 30% combustion efficiency assumption) =

The energy needed to power 89,756 average US homes for a year

As of the 2008 census, there were about 130 million housing units in the US. The majority of them leak. The energy lost through inefficient single and dual pane windows alone can be up to 40 percent of a building’s heating and cooling energy. According to the DOE, this energy loss is costing consumers approximately $35 billion per year. They leak energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and money. So how does the energy wasted by our homes every year compare to the more visible catastrophe of the BP oil spill?  According to the EIA’s most up to date Residential Energy Consumption figures, in 2008 an average US home used 27,842 kWh.

We can all agree that at least 15% of that 27,842 kWh is wasted energy. Now, if we were to do some thoughtful planning and retrofitting, 30% - 50% of that average energy consumption could be eliminated. If we do deep energy retrofits, and build to standards such as Passivhaus (Passive House), we can eliminate 80% of that energy consumption – and save money, month after month.

Take the Empire State Building as an example. It is currently undergoing a retrofit that will reduce energy use by 38% and save $4.4 million in energy costs every year. The retrofit, including the window upgrade of all its dual pane windows, will pay for itself in 3 years. And so goes the saying: if we can do it in the Empire State Building (an 80+ year old iconic tower), we can do it anywhere.

Zero energy buildings will be and must be our future. If we can build and retrofit buildings TODAY that use 20% of the energy that typical buildings use, then I consider the other 80% of the total energy a typical US home uses as “wasted”. That energy is not only a burden on our ecosystems, but also a burden on our power distribution grids. From that perspective, here’s a breakdown of the energy we are wasting with our leaky, poorly insulated houses:

Energy Wasted/Year by US Homes = 1,150 BP Oil spills
Energy Wasted /Day by US Homes = 3 BP Oil Spills

Astounding! To date, the BP Oil Spill is the world’s largest offshore accidental spill, but it is dwarfed by the amount of fossil fuels we are wasting to power our buildings every day! This in my opinion is the real call to action! The good news is that cost-effective methodologies and technologies available NOW can turn this around to the point where our buildings are so efficient that they can power our cars with the extra energy they produce, and we can be done with this dead-end petroleum addiction. And save us real money while we are at it. This blog series aim to offer some straight talk on energy and building science and provide some tools and inspiring ideas to “Build it Forward”!

Research sources include: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html and http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/papers/misc/energy_conv.html

About the Author: Prudence Ferreira is the Founder and Principal of Integral Impact Inc, a high-performance building and energy consultancy with a focus on Passivhaus and Zero Energy Buildings. Prudence serves as President for both Passive House California and the USGBC Redwood Empire and as a Living Building Challenge Ambassador. Her credentials include Building Performance Analyst, CEA/CEPE, HERS I, II +PV Rater, Certified Passive House Consultant, LEED AP, LEED for Homes Rater, GreenPoint Rater, Certified Permaculture Designer and ISO 14001 Lead Auditor. Follow Prudence on Twitter.

For optimum energy efficiency, air tightness of your whole home (building envelope) is critical - as Blake the Builder of Bilyeu Homes explains. See how an Oregon Passive House certified home is tested for air infiltration, as part of the Passive House design standard, and the remarkable results it accomplishes, in this video. The house averages 0.26 ACH50 on the critical blower door test for Passive House, a remarkably tight number. Using a variety of energy efficient approaches and materials, including super-insulating high R-value and tuned SeriousWindows, this traditional style home accomplishes 90% energy reduction compared to the typical homes we live in today. Blake is proving that energy efficiency, near net zero, IS possible - with the right building and design mix. In Blake’s own words, “eat your conservation vegetables before your solar cookies”! Focus on reducing your energy demands - first. Here’s to that!

Also, don’t miss:

• Blake the Builder explaining the Passive House design standard (video) and energy efficiency wishes of the home owner. See more coverage of the project from Jetson Green and TreeHugger.
• Nationally recognized green building expert, Ann Edminster, answers “If I have $15,000 to spend on retrofitting a home to improve energy performance, what gives the biggest bang for the buck?” - get the answer and a copy of the study (for free, registration required).

Blake Bilyeu of Bilyeu Homes, Inc. recently completed this new home construction in Salem, Oregon. The home may look generally ‘typical’, but it happens to be one of the most energy efficient, air tight in the country. In this video, Blake explains the wishes of the home owner - to have a low energy house - without knowing exactly how to achieve it. While the owners originally thought “let’s go solar”, Blake educated them on the Passive House standard, and went to work. Passive House design is based on super-insulation, an air-tight envelope, tailored and tuned window placement and glass package according to the building’s orientation towards the sun, and internal heat from its residents to maintain air temperature. The result is a home that uses 90% less energy. Amongst other energy efficiency measures (that you learn about in future posts), Blake specified super-insulating fiberglass framed SeriousWindows, working with Medallion Industries, with a full frame high R-value of R-7 and an AAMA air infiltration rating of less than 1. Check out the owner’s blog documenting the process (and end result).

Study Offers Solid Data for Cost-Effective Residential Retrofits and New Construction (full press release below)

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – August 3,  2010 –  Serious Materials, the leading provider of high-tech products and services which reduce energy usage in the built environment, today announced that a recently completed study ranks high R-value windows as the number one consideration for optimum energy-saving performance and return on investment for both residential retrofits and new home construction.

The study, completed by Ann V. Edminster, M. Arch., LEED AP+ Homes, a nationally recognized expert on green home design and construction, reviews popular energy improvement options in two different residential retrofit scenarios in three climate zones, and seven energy variables in new home construction. The study helps remodeling businesses, homeowners, architects, builders, and energy professionals identify the most cost-effective means of improving home energy performance. The analysis was performed as research for her latest book, Energy Free: Homes for a Small Planet.

In one scenario, Edminster asks (and answers) the retrofit question: “If I have $15,000 to spend on my home to reduce energy use as much as possible, what gives the best bang for the buck?” She then weighs and compares the performance of three popular energy retrofit approaches when applied to a typical 1,900 square-foot suburban home, which are:

•    Energy Improvement Package – includes increasing insulation (to R-49 in the attic and R-13 under flooring), sealing all air leaks throughout the home (weatherstripping, caulking, etc.) and upgrading lighting and appliances to ENERGY STAR® compliant models.

•    Replacement Windows – replacing both R-1 (single pane) or R-2 (dual pane) with full-frame R-5 windows.

•    Photovoltaic Solar System – 2kW array installed on roof.

Note: Full-frame R-value (the inverse of U-value) is a measure of thermal resistance used to compare insulating values through any partition. The higher the R-value of a material, the better the insulating properties. An average insulated wall is approximately R-13, while ENERGY STAR® rated windows are only approximately R-2 to R-3 (varies according to climate zone). A higher R-value defines which window will better retain heat on cold days or cooling in hot weather.

The study results clearly indicate that high R-value replacement widows are not only competitive with other retrofit alternatives, but in various situations they were also the clear number one choice performance-wise.

In the single pane (R-1) window replacement scenario, the R-5 window upgrade yielded a dramatic 38.4 percent improvement (with a 1.05 KBtu/sf-year energy reduction for every $1,000 spent) – more than three times the value of the Energy Improvement Package, which yielded only a 12.4 percent reduction in energy use. The Solar System provided the least energy benefits, with only a 12.1 percent reduction in source energy and 0.33 KBtu/sf-year per $1,000 spent.

While values and savings were closer in the dual pane (R-2) window replacement scenario, the study still clearly demonstrates that R-5 windows are competitive with other retrofit alternatives. Also in this study, when viewing new home construction energy features, high R-value of windows provided the greatest influence on whole-building energy-efficiency.

“R-5 and above windows represent a game-changing entry into the residential replacement window market and into the broader realm of energy efficiency retrofit options,” notes study author, Ann Edminster. “While in the past, window replacement was not typically viewed as offering a good return on investment from an energy perspective, it should now be considered routinely for home energy retrofit projects, with comfort improvements the icing on the cake.”

In every case, both for this study and on all retrofit and new construction installations, numerous variables come into play that must also be taken into consideration to maximize a home’s energy efficiency performance – such as orientation (which way windows face), window technologies and overall window area.

“While this analysis does not address every climate, design or other circumstance, it provides ample evidence that our high R-value windows (R-5 to R-11 full-frame) are critical to energy savings and they offer extremely good value and fast payback compared to other techniques,” adds Serious Materials CEO and President, Kevin Surace. “Both in new homes and existing homes where energy performance is a priority, ultra-advanced windows, such as those from Serious, are a top consideration.”

About Serious Materials, Inc.
Serious Materials is the leading provider of high-tech products and services that reduce energy usage in the built environment, the largest contributor of CO2 worldwide. The company has 52 patents pending and issued. SeriousWindows™ and SeriousGlass™ commercial glass offer the highest R-value performance of any window, reducing heating and cooling energy costs and related CO2 by up to 50% and providing rapid payback compared to dual pane windows. QuietRock® soundproofing drywall substantially reduces material use and provides high reliability, lowest cost code compliant walls for hospitals, schools, hotels, and multifamily projects. The company is also the largest provider of advanced fiberglass pultrusion for highly insulated windows and curtain wall systems. With six manufacturing plants in North America, Serious products have been installed in over 70,000 projects (including the Empire State Building) and are available through thousands of local dealers for residential and commercial projects. For more information visit http://www.seriousmaterials.com.

About Ann V. Edminster, M.Arch., LEED AP+ Homes
Ann Edminster is a recognized national expert on green home design and construction. She is a principal author of the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) for Homes Rating System and consults to builders, owners, developers, supply chain clients, design firms, investors, entrepreneurs, non-profits, and public agencies. She sits on advisory boards of a number of green building companies, including Serious Materials, is a contributing editor to GreenBuildingAdvisor.com and Ultimate Home Design, and has consulted on numerous LEED Platinum Home projects that are targeting multiple high-performance ratings and certifications, including net-zero energy. She is a widely acclaimed green building educator and facilitator and has co-organized three international green building conferences. For more information visit www.designavenues.net.

Contact:
Serious Materials, Inc.
Valerie Jenkins
vjenkins AT seriousmaterials.com

Doug Boleyn is an energy expert. In 1974, he and his wife built a solar heated home. Today, Doug manages commercial solar programs for Energy Trust of Oregon, sits on the Board of Directors of Solar Oregon, and has applied his energy conservation expertise to countless projects. Doug leads through practice, demonstrating Net Zero design in his current Pacific Northwest home. We met Doug and the partners on his Net Zero home project, energy efficiency builders Cellar Ridge Custom Homes and architect Mathhew O. Daby a couple months ago during Solar Oregon’s Goal Net Zero 2010 event.

A key strategy Doug implemented is the practice of “directionally tuning” high performance glass to manage the sun to his home’s energy-saving advantage - allowing for greater overall efficiency, cost-savings, and indoor comfort. Critical to the art of tuning is understanding your climate and orientation of your home relative to the sun. In Doug’s case, the Pacific Northwest is a mild climate - one of few extremes.Window performance is critical to capture as much solar energy, “free heat”, as possible, for best energy-saving winter performance, extensive views and daylighting, and air ventilation and cooling during warmer days. Doug explains the concept in this short video:

Understand Doug’s energy-saving strategies in this paper (PDF download) about his “Morning Sun: A ‘Net Zero’ Energy Home” - an absolute must read case study that combines energy conservation with maximum ‘harvesting’ of energy. An excerpt of the paper introduces his “tuned” approach:

43 percent of the window area faces south, providing unobstructed direct sunlight in winter, yet with carefully designed overhangs to prevent summer overheating. Serious Materials-brand windows were selected because they provided very low U-values coupled with variable Solar Heat Gain Coefficients (SHGC) that were suitable for the different facades on the house.

See pictures of Doug’s house here.

Thomas McGrath is very serious about reducing energy usage of the 1890’s building he owns in Chicago. With partners Ted Roszkowski of ACT Construction and architect Gerhard Zenserling, this “gut retrofit”,  resuses as much existing materials as possible and focuses on replacing energy inefficient materials where needed - like the windows. The net result aims to be USGBC Leed Platinum, Chicago 3 star rated, and Energy Net Positive (meaning, excess energy will power the building, going beyond just being energy “net zero”).

Thomas is documenting the entire project on his blog. His latest update emphasizes the use of high R-value fiberglass windows - a key contributor to one of the core elements of his energy saving retrofit, “super-insulating”. Thomas explains…

…an average window might have an R value of 1.  A really well-made double pane window from a company such as Marvin or Pella might achieve an R value of 3.  The Serious Materials Windows achieve an R value of 9.  The higher the R-value-the higher the resistance, the higher the resistance the higher insulation, the higher the insulation- the slower heat moves through the material, and the slower heat moves through- the lower the energy required to heat or cool the inside space.

From his great pictures, you can tell that the building incorporate more window area in the design than what one may usually see (higher window-to-wall ratio). With his SeriousWindows, Thomas is able to accomplish super-insulation, reduce heat loss, and manage solar heat gain to his advantage - all contributing to the overall building energy saving performance and indoor comfort (of the future lucky owners!).

There are many things that make this project extraordinary, amongst them, Thomas’ first step of the project - transforming the garage into the power-house for the retrofit work currently underway.  The photovoltaic (PV) array, the garage provides power to the workers - for lighting the construction project, powering up tools, heating the space, etc. All the energy required to reconstruct the building is being generated onsite. That’s a very serious approach to how to rebuild.

For those of you attending GreenBuild in November, in the great city of Chicago, don’t miss your opportunity to experience this inspiring retrofit for yourself - the project will be part of the GreenBuild Tour Program. We look forward to seeing you there, and Thomas and Team, congratulations!

The problem is building operations and materials consume (use) the most energy globally – of any other industry sector. The largest contributor to C02 generation is our buildings (52% vs. passenger cars of 9%).

We can re-invent and re-think how we build and re-build our buildings to save the most money, and save the most energy – beyond anything else. Going green has to be economical. It’s a tough challenge, but we’re doing it; building and homeowners are doing it; architects and developers are doing it.

Watch our CEO, Kevin Surace, speak to these points at the 2010 Sustainable Operations Summit by clicking here or the image above.

In commemoration of Earth Day, Wendy Koch of USAToday details the lessons she learned in her journey to green her home in Washington D.C. suburb of McLean, Virginia. Wonderful lessons for everyone - no matter where you live. Wendy’s #7 lesson is one to highlight: Not all green makes sense. Economic sense, that is. What pays back the most? What will save the most money? Wendy weighs energy efficiency options with alternative energy creation options. She rules out windmills altogether, and compares geothermal heat pumps, high efficiency gas furnaces, and then turns to look at…..the window. Her findings:

Perhaps surprisingly, we’ll save almost as much energy as we would have with geothermal by switching from double-pane Jeld-Wen windows to super-efficient SeriousWindows, which have an insulating film.

So our green home, modeled to earn top ratings, won’t have any chic green features such as solar panels, windmills or geothermal heat pumps.

The lesson learned is super-insulating windows pay back. In many cases, certainly Wendy’s, more than anything else you can do. The insulating film of SeriousWindows is one of several features of our high R-value framing systems that deliver higher insulation across the whole, full frame, so your heating and cooling doesn’t literally fly out the window. Unlike triple pane windows that can deliver higher R-value than your standard single pane (R-1) or dual pane (R-2) windows - but with a ton of drawbacks - we make dual chamber, triple chamber, and quad chamber windows that outperform old technology like dual and triple pane. So you save money, and we all save energy.

Another interesting lesson Wendy learned is lesson #8: Think passive.

She explains the concept of “Passiv Haus” - or Passive House (in the U.S.).

New to the USA, but common in Germany, are “passive” homes that need almost no energy, because they are so well insulated. They use mechanical ventilation to circulate air and avoid sick-building syndrome. If we were just starting, I’d want a completely passive home. We’re making ours as passive as possible.

We are huge supporters and enablers of the Passive House movement. Critical to a “passive” home is super-insulated windows (remember, anywhere between 15% - 40% of your heating and cooling costs are flying out of your windows!). What to look for in a window? Three key elements:

• High R-value (R-5 or more)
• Glass packages that maximize and minimize solar gain (depending on the orientation of your home relative to the sun and the climate zone you live in)
• Best-in-class structural ratings (air and water infiltration). The lower the better. Ours are as tight as zero (yes, really…ZERO).

SeriousWindows fiberglass series are the only windows Clark Snell (NauHaus Institute) could find in the U.S. to meet Passive House requirements.

Speaking of Passive House, Oprah highlighted an Oregon home that had ‘gone passive’ today during her Earth Day special. That would be the home of Tad Everhart, a Passive House consultant himself. Replacing his windows with fiberglass-framed high R-value SeriousWindows were one of the measures. His home now consumes 90% less energy and is far more comfortable.

Great lessons and wonderful examples to commemorate this Earth Day 2010 - in the greenest of green ways. Save energy = saving money.

We were very fortunate to be asked to participate and lend our SeriousWindows to two special projects of ABC’s Extreme Makover: Home Edition. Led by partners G&M Contracting, Burch Builders Group, and thousands of volunteers, the new construction of the Fishing School community center and the Tripp Family home, both located in under-served neighborhoods of Washington, D.C., was completed in just 7 days.

What makes these two projects exceptionally special is that both were built to be as near net-zero energy as possible. Energy measures included SIPS panels provided by Winter Panel, solar electric systems from Aurora Energy, insulated Concrete Foundation forms from Leep Green, and super-insulating high R-value windows – which is why we were asked to contribute SeriousWindows.

The projects needed windows of R-6.0 and high air infiltration requirements for maximum air tightness. R-value measures the insulation value of a window (the inverse of U-value); the higher the R-value, the better. To put into perspective, a typical dual pane low-E window is an R-value of R-2.0, while ENERGY STAR® 2010 standards for windows require a minimum R-value of R-3.3.

The show airs on February 14, 8PM EST, on ABC.  Check Extreme Makeover Home Edition online.

See our pictures from the demolition and construction of the Fishing School and Tripp Family home.  More photos here and here.

More information on Near Net-Zero Energy goals of the projects and our press coverage.

Watch Clean Skies video coverage of the work taking place last August.