» Energy efficient

Passive House North West comes to Olympia

Cory — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:41:43 +0000

It was very exciting yesterday to attend the 2nd annual regional meeting of Passive House Northwest held at Evergreen State College. Last year at the 1st one, we had about eighty people attend. This year my guess would be well over three hundred. This didn’t surprise me because the movement is really picking up steam in the US. And why not, who doesn’t want to live in incredible comfort, have a home with minimal carbon foot print, as save a ton of money in the process. And because they are so energy efficient they only require about a quarter of the solar panels of a code built home, to supply all of you energy needs. Imagine never haveing to pay a power bill again.

The conference featured several talks on methodology, along with case studies of actual homes that have been built in the northwest. The speakers ranged from building scientist, builders and passive house consultants, to even the home owners of Passive House’s. The talks were very detailed, and incredibly informative. Also there where many vendors promoting the latest advances in things like windows, Heat Recovery Ventilators and air sealing tapes and fabrics. For me the most telling reason of why this is the right approach to home building was hearing the home owners, the folks who actually paid for and live in the homes, explaining how wonderful there new homes where.

I celebrated having attended the conference by meeting with my design team and the homeowners of what will become our first Passive House. We settled on a floor plan and will meet at the Patterson Lake site next week to review elevations and exactly how the home will sit on the sight. It very exciting and I will try to keep you updated as we move through the process.

More about air sealing walls

Cory — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 04:37:49 +0000

In the last posting I started the conversation about Air Sealing walls. The idea of air sealing is simple enough, the more air you prevent from leaking through the walls, the less your home will feel drafty. The less drafty, the more comfortable your house will feel and the less energy it will take to maintain the temperature of the home. The best way we have found to do this is to air seal on the inside of the wall or right behind the sheetrock. By sealing the wall at this point, we are still able to build a wall that can allow moisture to escape to the exterior side of the wall.

So how do we do it. One method is to use plywood or OSB on inside of all exterior walls, floors and ceiling joist. Then using tape we seal all the joints and seams were the individual sheets of plywood meet. We then fir out the ceiling and walls to allow for all of the electrical wiring and HVAC duct work. We design the plumbing so its on the interior walls as much as possible. This does add to both the framing materials and labor, and has to be accounted for in the budget. In the design we strive to have as few of penetrations in our air seal as possible. Each penetration is taped to prevent air leaking past. I know this sounds like a lot of extra work, and it is, however the long term payback will more then offset this cost, and remember the home will feel much more comfortable.

The tape we use is from SIGA. (http://www.siga.ch/Home.20.0.html?&no_cache=1&L=1) remember to hit the english button on the right of the home page..They are a company in Switzerland, who have been involved in air sealing for many years. They have fabrics and tapes for all kinds of air sealing. Their American distributor is The Small Planet Workshop. (http://www.smallplanetworkshop.com) locate right here in Thurston County in the Oyster Bay area.

Air sealing walls, is it the right thing to do?

Cory — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 05:21:47 +0000

It has long been known that without making your home air tight, there is no way for your insulation to perform at it true r value. For example if your walls are built with 2 X 6 studs and insulated with R-21 insulation batts, without the house being airtight, the insulation performs at a reduced R value, something around a R-17. This is caused by gaps between the studs and the insulation which allow air to leak by. The problem in the past with making a home air tight was that the process would also trap moisture in the walls, which would lead to dry rot. Back in the 80′s and early 90′s air tightness was tried by installing 6 mil. plastic on the studs and drywalling over it. With plywood or OSB on the exterior of the wall, this left no place for the water to escape. I remember walking into houses before the drywall was installed and watching the water run down the sheets of plastic. This method of air sealing was quickly dropped and no real alternative was offered. Some minor air sealing of the bottom wall plate to the floor with caulk and foaming around doors and windows is about as far as we’ve gotten with the codes.

Just this year Washington state has adopted a stricter insulation code. It is basically the old Energy Star standards. One part of the code is the requirement that all new home have a blower door test prior to final inspection. Blower door test measures the amount of air leaks a home has. New homes are required to have a blower door score of 7.5 or lower. What this means is that if the air pressure difference between the outdoors and the inside of your house is 50 pascals (50 pound per square inch) then the air in your house will completely exchange itself seven and one half times in an hour. This is still a drafty house but its a start.

By making homes airtight we obviously can cut down the cost of heating these homes. Done correctly we also can build the walls in a manor that will allow moisture to escape. This is the best way to build. In future articles I will talk more about the methods behind this type of construction

Dont miss the Tour of Homes October 2nd &3rd and Oct 9th &10th

Cory — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 03:39:09 +0000

Laupen homes LLC. is proud to showcase two homes in the OMB tour of Homes. First we will feature the Cooper home. This is the same home we had in last spring’s Green Tour. If you didn’t get a chance to see it the first time, come out this weekend and be amazed. This home was a challenge to say the least, but we persisted and the outcome is incredible. You can view photos of it on our project page and read the owners comments on our referral page.

The second home we are featuring is the Bouvier/Rogers house, also known as the hobbit house. Now we could really call it a hobbit house without a round door, so a round door it has. Handcrafted out of mahogany wood, the door has a tree carved into it. Master carpenter Mike Anderson was the inspiration behind the door. It is a must see. This home also features a “Floating Loft” over the main entrance and living room. With lots of curves and whimsical features this home is a must see.

Still being painted

But don’t let the playfulness of the home fool you. It has state of the art energy efficient systems including radiant heat and a Heat Recovery Ventilator. Six operable ski lights make for wonderful natural lighting and at the same time allow the summer heat to escape keeping the interior of the home cool without the need for air conditioning. The outstanding blower door score of 1.23, (most new homes receive a 5 or higher) made it easier to received a Built Green level 5, and Energy star certifications.

Cory in front of Mike's beautiful door

Come out this weekend and see these wonderful homes. I look forward to meeting you
Cory Eckert

Making your home water-wise 2

Cory — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 08:43:56 +0000

How you maintain your garden is also as important as planning when it comes to conserving water. If you’re looking at limiting the amount of water you put into your garden, you will also need to limit the amount of water that flows out of your garden. You can do this is many ways:
• Pick plants, shrubs and grass that are known to develop good root systems and employ gardening techniques that improve roots. One way to do this is to mow the lawn tall, but do it frequently. The other way to do it is to pick plants that go well with your climate and soil and water them well for the first few weeks before you reduce the frequency. Keep looking out for leaves that go yellow and new shoots that look weak and pale.
• Mulching is an excellent way to ensure that your soil remain well hydrated and does not loose moisture, especially if you live in dry weather. Mulch can be conveniently prepared in your backyard using organic waste from your kitchen. A healthy dose of nitrogen fertiliser is also recommended, provided you know what you’re doing.
• Irrigation techniques are the most crucial aspect of conserving water in the backyard. In regions frequent watering is required most homeowners opt for irrigation to keep it convenient. Drip irrigation saves much more water than sprinklers which water a lot of things other than the grass. Gray water systems are another great option. Gray water is ‘wash water’ i.e. water used in the bathrooms, kitchen sinks and laundry, which is treated and then used in gardens. Gray water does not include water from toilets (which is called black water) and is perfectly safe, with few chemicals and pathogens once it’s treated and is used by a large number of families for irrigation. A gray water system is simple enough to be installed in your backyard. However, make sure you are familiar with your locality’s policies on gray water systems.

Making your home water wise

Cory — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 08:40:36 +0000

A pretty home in a quiet suburb, kids playing on the porch, toys littering the driveway and a large backyard with a pretty garden. This is usually the picture most homeowners want when they are remodeling their homes. In particular, the large backyard with a pretty garden is very common, especially for those with kids. While it may seem to be the perfect addition to a green home, a garden that is not well-planned can actually do more harm than good to the environment, by causing you to waste water.
Going water-wise is not just limited to toilets and faucets. If you have a garden, a large amount of water goes down there too, sometimes much more than is necessary to keep your garden green. Thus, we often suggest water-efficient landscaping and gardening when we remodel homes. This does not mean tearing up your garden from hearth. Although it is always easier to do over the entire garden, water efficient practices can also be integrated with the way your current garden is. And this can be done quite simply:
• The first way to limit the amount of water you put into your garden is to choose the plants you water carefully. Some plants tend to survive longer with little water and ideally these should be your first choice. This does not mean you turn your garden into a cacti exhibit. Most of the plants that grow naturally in your surroundings are your best option. Trying to grow and maintain an exotic garden can prove to take up a lot of water and money and effort.
• Soil preparation is an important part of creating a water-efficient garden. After the climate, your soil is what will determine what kind of plants will grow best, with less water. Planting ones that suit your soil or treating the soil accordingly before you plant will ensure that your garden works well with the natural weather and minimal water supply.

Low flow water fixtures

Cory — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:36:24 +0000

Installing water efficient fixtures can definitely bring in savings over the long term, for your pocket as well as the planet. Water efficient toilets save close to 4000 gallons of water per year and water efficient faucets and showerheads too, save large amounts of water as compared to conventional fixtures. However, that is not all. Most water boards and utility providers also offer you rebates on water efficient products.
The amount of rebate depends on the type of product you buy, your water board or utility provider and where you live. For instance products and accessories marked with the EPA’s Watersense label are eligible for rebate in almost all states. A list of utility specific rebates available can be found on the EPA’s Watersense website, here.
What if you’re not buying a WaterSense labelled product? There are quite a few other reputed manufacturer that offer great products and services at the residential, commercial and community level to help reduce water consumption and energy savings. For instance American Standard has been manufacturing products and services to help tackle water scarcity since the past 100 years. Their rebates page offers an exhaustive list of states where you can make savings + get your money back.
Depending on your geographic location, your county, district or state will have their local authorities and programs that work at water conservation. These partner with local water suppliers, manufacturers and state authorities to offer attractive discounts on water efficient products, systems as well as rebates. Check the websites of your local utility provider to know more about how you can save water, save energy as well as money.

Water savings is in the Flush

Cory — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:29:59 +0000

According to certain estimations, the average person flushes 35 gallons of water down the toilet, everyday. Considering you’re a family of four or more, you can safely presume that nothing less than 300 gallons of water are being used just to flush toilets, other uses of water notwithstanding. Although water is not really expensive in the US (so far) it’s only a matter of time before we begin to feel the pinch. And the ironic part is: despite the fact that it is as cheap as it is, no amount of money can buy or create water, when it’s gone, it’s gone.
So what can we do to prevent this bleak situation? Get new toilets. Conventional toilets use about 5 gallons of water per flush, significantly more than the new toilets, which use about 1.6 gallons. Going by that estimate, you can save phenomenal amounts of water, anywhere between 8000 to 20000 gallons a year, depending on your current usage. This translates into some nifty savings on cash too, upto $100 per year.
The 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) limit is the newest upper limit enforced by the EPA for toilets, which means there are also toilets that use lesser amount of water, some even lesser than 1 gpf. Many homeowners worry that such ‘low-flow’ toilets will also be low on efficiency. However the latest generation of toilets are high on efficiency while being low on water consumption. Watersense labeled toilets are some of the best you can find today in this category.
Cost is another factor that bothers many homeowners when we suggest low-flow high efficiency toilets. Although these toilets are expensive than normal toilets, the annual savings on water bills pretty much offset the initial costs. In fact, according to certain estimations, the ROI on water efficient toilets is about 50%. Altogether, this makes water efficient toilets a very sensible option if you’re going to remodel your bathroom.

Making your home water-wise

Cory — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:29:44 +0000

Saving water is more often than not, the introductory phrase to environmental awareness. Ask anyone how they plan to save the environment and “Turn off the tap while brushing” is on their list of top three ways. However, saving water and using it efficiently is one of the most basic ways in which we can ensure our homes are green. While most of us will conscientiously try and maintain water saving habits in the house and encourage others to do so, a lot of water wastage happens in other, not so obvious ways. Therefore, while remodeling homes we often ask homeowners to look beyond turning their taps off to replacing them altogether with water efficient taps.
A sure-shot way of looking for faucets that can help save water is to look for EPA’s ‘Watersense’ label, a certification given to bathroom fixtures and accessories that use minimum water, no more than 1.6 gallons per minute, as per federal regulations. The Watersense label, a program by EPA, is an independent third party certification given to products that clear the strict federal requirements.
Water efficient bathroom fixtures are not just limited to faucet, they also extend to showerheads that provide the comfort, and ‘feel’ of a regular shower head while using only a fraction of the water. In fact, there is a range of products that have the Watersense label and can greatly limit your water usage and wastage. These products cost a little more than the regular products, however, are worth it when you consider their quality and reliability as well as efficiency and lifetime value. Replacing your current fixtures with water efficient, or even better, Watersense fixtures is bound to bring in large savings in your annual water bill. To know exactly how much, you can use the savings calculator on the EPA’s Watersense website.

Choosing a Window

Cory — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:04:41 +0000

With so many options, ratings and technologies out there, picking a window can be very confusing. Add to that, you will have your own criteria for look, comfort, energy savings and of course price. However, there are many resources out there that can make this quite easy for you. We’ll list them here:
• Energy efficient windows of any type are going to be more expensive than regular windows. This is something you will need to be prepared for. However, this one-time expense really pays off, and even your remodelling contractor will agree. Energy efficient windows can lead to money savings of 7-24% (acc. To the EPA) and in some climates, upto 40% annually. It is proven that in 2-3 years, energy efficient windows pay off for themselves.
• The kind of windows you will need depends largely on the climate in your region. Your climate impacts your heating and cooling requirements, your house design and your energy bills. In order that your windows provide you with an optimal solution, they need to keep comfortable as high as possible while keeping cost as low. Thankfully, you don’t have to do the math. This neat window selection tool on the efficient window collaborative website gives you how much you can save on different window types depending on where you live. Try it out here: http://www.efficientwindows.org/selection.cfm.
• As obvious, go for windows with the Energy Star rating or the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council) logo. Starting 2010, EPA has come up with improved energy star ratings for windows, which can get you tax credit of over $1,500. Make sure you check for a red label marked ‘Qualified until March 31, 2010’ which means the window was made according to the old rating system. The NFRC ratings will give you the values for the five criteria mentioned in our first post in this series and are also very reliable.