Listen and Learn at your convenience. We have curated a collection of interesting and informative podcasts on sustainable home building concepts. Whether you are researching a single topic or want to expand your knowledge more broadly, Elemental Green is here for you.
![WHAT EXACTLY IS GREEN BUILDING AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR HOMEOWNERS? [PODCAST]](https://elemental.green/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/vita-vilcina-3217-400x250.jpg)
Lots of people like the idea of building green, or a least a greener. But, although the term green building is often used, many of us are not quite sure exactly what green building is, or where to go to get easy to understand information about green building options. This week we have an interview that will help explain what green building is and why it’s important.
![What Exactly is a Zero Energy / Net Zero Home? [Podcast]](https://elemental.green/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Depositphotos_86352294_m-2015-400x250.jpg)
“Zero energy homes are just like any home—except better.” They are airtight, well-insulated, and extremely energy efficient homes that produce as much energy as they use, over the course of a year. Listen and learn!
This week we’ll talk about structural insulated panels, or SIPs, and insulated concrete forms, or ICFs. These options are especially unique because they not only provide extremely effective thermal insulation, but they also provide structural framing components for the house, including walls, floors, and roofs.
For most people, blanket insulation is the insulation that comes to mind when they think about insulation in a home. Most of us have seen attics filled with pink or yellow insulation. That pillowy insulation that we’re familiar with is blanket insulation and in most cases it was made of fiberglass, which is the most common type of insulation in the United States. But blanket insulation can be made not only of fiberglass, but also of other flexible fibers such as cotton, mineral wool, and sheep’s wool.
A home is given a numerical score, called the HERS Index Score, which indicates the home’s energy efficiency. The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) introduced the HERS Index many years ago.
A lower HERS Index score means a more energy efficient home. And the lower the HERS score, the lower your utility bills and the more comfortable the house will be. Like the miles per gallon tells how efficiently a CAR uses fuel, the HERS Index Score tells how efficiently a HOUSE uses fuel.
The Manual J calculation is the first step in designing a new heating and air conditioning system. The “J” in Manual J stands for Joule, which you might remember from your science classes. A “Joule” is a unit of energy. Manual J calculations determine how much cooling a house actually needs.
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