The World of Smart Begins to Grow Up
In 2005, I was deep in the throes of my peak oil obsession. I went to a couple of conferences that fall and at the big one in Denver, I met a guy who gave me a little glimpse into…
The Energy Vanguard Blog
My Top 10 Energy Efficiency Articles and Ideas of 2015
The year 2015 is almost finished. I've written 69 articles here in the Energy Vanguard Blog. I've been to a bunch of conferences and talked to a lot of people. A lot of thoughts about building science, energy efficiency, indoor…
Big Blowout in the Plastic PortaPotty
I saw this portable toilet yesterday at a new home job site. I'd actually seen it a few days earlier from the road and thought maybe someone had backed into it with their truck. Yesterday I drove in to see…
Don’t Talk to Me About Vapor Barriers!
I was at a meeting recently when the discussion turned to wall assemblies. One of the speakers then asked what we should do about vapor barriers. It's what everyone wants to know, right? Should I use a vapor barrier? Should…
Are You Confusing Insulation with Air Barriers?
I read a lot of stuff online about insulation and air barriers and other building science topics. I see a fair number of articles bashing certain products or materials. Sometimes it's because the author sells a competing product. Sometimes they…
Accidental Dehumidification – A Preventable Mess
"Oops! The house just had an accident. Whose turn is it to clean it up?" Yep. We're entering the season of accidental dehumidification. If you've got windows that start collecting water, like the one shown above, you're a victim of…
Valuing Energy Efficiency in the Electricity Market
The world of electricity is changing quickly. With all the photovoltaic modules out there generating solar power and the advent of the smart meter, there's a revolution going on within the electric utility industry. I wrote a little bit about…
A Simple, Inexpensive Way to Better Airtightness
Airtightness. It's one of the key components of a house that's built well. We know that it's a myth that houses need to breathe. We know it's one of the surest ways to reduce energy bills. We know it's a…
2 Decades of Danny’s Home Energy Data
Danny Orlando, a manager in the ENERGY STAR program at the US EPA, walks the talk. He's been steadily improving the energy efficiency of his home over the past couple of decades and also monitoring his energy use data. The…
Electricity Demand and the Duck Curve
You may think there's no more boring topic than electric utilities. Power plants. Transmission lines. Engineers with flat top haircuts and pocket protectors full of pens in their white short-sleeved shirts. Well, let me say two words that might help…