Written by Keith Rockmael
Published on May 11th, 2009
Even in a Greencentric city like Berkeley, locals and Bay Area visitors would be Green with envy when they see the just opened David Brower Center. It feels healthy just to walk through the Green down-to-the-bones building which combines advanced technology along with simple recycled materials.
When entering for their housewarming party we had a difficult time not noticing the soaring concrete walls which made us think more dot com than gallery. The fact that in creating a building with an oh- so-feathery carbon footprint (when compared to most structures) Principal Architect, Daniel Solomon included up to 70 percent slag in those walls. Read the rest of this entry »
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Written by Dawn Killough
Published on March 19th, 2009
JELD-WEN, the window manufacturer, set out to find the house with the worst heating bill in the United States last year. They found it in Maine. A 119-year old farmhouse that incurred a December bill of $1,100, and had spent over $5,000 during the year in home heating oil.
What could be done to help the poor homeowners stuck with this atrocious energy sucker? JELD-WEN provided 35 new Energy Star rated windows, two AuraLast wood doors, and some basement insulation – free of charge. Did it make a difference? You bet.
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Written by Dawn Killough
Published on February 16th, 2009
The American Architectural Manufacturer’s Association recently published a 317-page report on the correct way to install windows and doors. Luckily for our readers, I am not going to reproduce the report here! Here are a few highlights of the most critical mistakes:
1. Never block weep holes in windows and doors, as these allow water to drain properly. Pay particular attention to this when caulking.
2. Don’t block breather holes on dual-sash units. These holes are necessary for air circulation.
3. Use sealants that allow for movement, contraction, and expansion. Watch the recommended temperatures for installing sealant, as provided by the manufacturer.
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Written by Dawn Killough
Published on August 18th, 2008
As I mentioned in my previous article on this project, I recently replaced most of the windows in my house with Penguin Windows. The installation is now complete, and it is time to look at the results.
First of all, the installation went well and was completed in just two days. The crew was very friendly, knowledgeable, and cleaned up nicely. There was some inconvenience, in that we had to move furniture and other items away from the openings, especially when the window sizes were being changed. Also, someone had to be home to let the crew in, and watch the cats.
The installation was well done, certainly in comparison with the original windows. They are all tight to the outside trim, and the inside and outside are well caulked. This should prevent air leakage and water intrusion that was occurring before.
As far as energy use differences, it has been hard to tell. Penguin promises a 40% reduction in heating and cooling costs. The weather has warmed up considerably since the installation, so the air conditioner is still running as much as it was before. I will need to compare the costs for the next few months to the same period last year to see if there has been any significant changes.
As a homeowner, I am pleased with the quality of the windows and the installation. We will have to see if the promised energy savings materialize over the next few months.
Written by Keith Rockmael
Published on August 1st, 2008
With new owners set to move into the the LEED light Arterra we throughout that we’d pay a visit to San Fran’s newest LEED certified condo. Arriving on bikes, we discovered that no bike racks exist for those wishing to inspect the demo models. Thus we had to pull out bikes into into the sales office. Walking though the corridors to the demo unit, we couldn’t help but smell the VOCs rising though the air. Kind of disappointing for a LEED-NC building.
Once we arrived at the demo unit, we felt sad to see granite countertops in both the 1 and 2 bedroom units. We asked the salesperson about the “Green” aspects of the condo and he didn’t know much about the Green aspects but he thought that most of the Green attributes (aka LEED points) weren’t located in the condos but we more part of the overall building. Give that man an organic cigar as most of the LEED points came about in the low hanging fruit (landscape, location and other interior elements) as the green aspects hardly appear in the living spaces. We noticed the dual flush toilets and triple pained windows but aside from that we didn’t note many green offerings.
With buyers scheduled to move in today or tomorrow, hopefully they don’t believe that they are moving into the greenest of the green condos. We’ve heard that the Arterra folks don’t really care about the whole LEED system other than using it as a marketing ploy. Too bad, as the sales figures for the Arterra sit at around 54% sold. Maybe people see it the Arterra for what it is, a very light Green housing option with a favorable price tag.
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Written by Dawn Killough
Published on June 14th, 2008
It started innocently enough. I went to a green home show in Portland, Oregon to learn more about sustainable products for my business. I saw a booth for Penguin Windows, which I had seen advertised on TV, and signed up for a free assessment of my windows.
I own a manufactured home that was manufactured in 2000. I figured I didn’t have too much to worry about. The windows seemed to be working fine, and we had no comfort problems. I was looking forward to learning about their product, and curious as to how much it would cost to replace my windows with more efficient models, purely for research purposes. Little did I know ….
When the salesmen arrived, they started by explaining that they would be looking at the condition of my windows, inside and outside, taking some measurements, then give me a demonstration of their windows, and finish with the estimate for replacing the windows. So, off we went.
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Written by Keith Rockmael
Published on March 28th, 2008
San Francisco’s Union Square may be noted for its abundance of shopping, hotels, tourist joints, and even outside movies; but, a Green Home? Don’t call your Green Real Estate agent quite yet. The temporary green home occupied the prime real estate last week as part of the Better Homes and Gardens & Green Works Living Green exhibit.
The green traveling exhibit offered surprisingly educational and eye-catching examples of various water savings devices, energy star appliances, sustainable countertops, flooring, and furniture. Even though I didn’t stick around to hear the speakers (some of whom I know) the lineup offered an impressive array of green builders, designers and other knowledgeable types in the green industry.
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Written by Sarah Nagy
Published on January 23rd, 2008
Recently I found in my mail a press release about the bird-safe glass specified in Santiago Calatrava’s new Chicago Spire, and it reminded me that skyscrapers are not the only architectural threats to our avian cohabitants.
While major cities located along migratory flyways get a lot of attention, they account for a comparatively small percentage of kills. The crucial next step, says New York City Audubon Society executive director Glenn Phillips, is “getting to the big designers of suburban and exurban buildings.”
I live in a one-story suburban house, cheek by jowl with other houses, but I’ve still been startled by a SMACK! on my window and had to check outside for a small feathered body. And I design similar houses and their additions. Clearly I’m someone who should Do Something. But what? One answer came from the Birdchick Blog.
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