EEBA's High Performance Home Blog

Posts From November, 2019

Younger Homes - January Builder of the Month

Younger Homes - January Builder of the Month
This Austin, Texas, project embodies sustainable luxury through its two connected residences: a main home with a HERS of negative 30 with PV and a guest home with a HERS of 54, both EPA Indoor airPLUS certified. Thoughtfully designed, these residences merge elegance with energy efficiency, showcasing how sustainability enhances, not limits aesthetics. At the core of this property is a beautifully designed 30,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system, capable of capturing up to 6,000 gallons per inch of rainfall from the main residence, supporting irrigation, potable use, and gardens on the eleven-acre property. Solar energy is generated by discreetly positioned ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) panels, designed to meet the homes’ energy demands while minimizing their carbon footprint. For energy independence and resilience, the home integrates its own well for fresh water, the option to use city water, and a Generac generator to provide backup power during emergencies. Stepping... read more
 
Posted by Merielle McLaughlin Tuesday, January 7, 2025 2:48:00 PM
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What Are You Thankful For?

It’s the week for giving thanks and there’s a lot to be grateful for at EEBA!
What Are You Thankful For?
2019 has been an incredibly successful year that has brought many new partners to EEBA, as well as new board members, and a bigger and better High Performance Home Summit where we had the privilege of rubbing shoulders with some of the most passionate and driven people in the industry. We’ve seen new opportunities presented through our strengthened partnerships with RESNET, The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, Professional Builder and Green Builder Media. We also continue our commitment to helping attract youth to the industry with our NextGen Scholarship Initiative. We are also excited for a new national partnership program that offers both inclusivity and exclusivity - all while lowering the cost across the board and delivering more value and benefits to all of our partners. And then there’s all that anticipation surrounding the idea of having a new CEO! EEBA staff, Nancy Bakeman and Cristen Burrell, are thankful for the incredible brain power and entertainment... read more
 
Posted by Heather Wallace Tuesday, November 26, 2019 10:45:00 AM
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Solar Breakthrough in Sweden

Researchers in Sweden create a liquid molecule with potential to release on-demand heat.
Solar Breakthrough in Sweden
A research team at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have identified a way to harness energy from the sun and store it (potentially for decades), releasing the energy as on-demand heat. The molecular solar thermal liquid is made of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen and has the ability to collect solar energy and hold it until a catalyst triggers its release as heat. The Swedish team is currently focused on the heating benefits, although one of the big, unanswered questions that remains is whether or not the system can additionally produce electricity. Kasper Moth-Poulsen, lead researcher and a professor in the university’s department of chemistry and chemical engineering also believes the storage unit they’ve created for the technology has the “stability to outlast the 5-to 10-year life span of typical lithium-ion batteries on the market today.” One of many research groups looking to molecular thermal solar systems to provide solutions for climate change, the... read more
 
Posted by Heather Wallace Monday, November 18, 2019 3:29:00 PM
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Around the Globe

See what’s happening around the world surrounding energy efficiency.
Around the Globe
Ithaca, New York The Solar Home Factory, based in Geneva, New York is on a mission to build zero-energy homes. The company is birthed out of the desire to find solutions for heating issues in their region and to move people towards air pumps. What they found, however, is that most homes weren’t efficient enough for them so they continued using natural gas, coal or wood pellets. The Solar Home Factory utilizes SIPs and combines modular techniques with net-zero energy homes. In a previous development, homeowners were paying around 20 cents per day in heating costs (before solar credits). They are currently working on 43-unit single family home project in Ithaca, New York. Melbourne, Australia $784,000 was recently funded to a real estate group, Mirvac, to test a “net zero energy” housing project in a Melbourne suburb. The 49-townhome planned community will demonstrate the feasibility of achieving net-zero energy homes at scale and show homeowners how they can greatly... read more
 
Posted by Heather Wallace Friday, November 15, 2019 4:10:00 PM
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