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.
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.
![The Basics of Green Building and Energy Efficiency [Podcast]](https://elementalgreen.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/house-in-the-green-1493723_1280-400x250.jpg)
On the House Planning Help Podcast, Ben Adam-Smith and his guests talk about building homes that are comfortable for us, but also kind to our environment. Like many of us, he is educating himself before he builds his own home. He’s exploring how we can build better homes and he’s passionate about educating people to build more sustainably and with greater energy efficiency.
Today we’ll learn about the energy efficiency of windows. A window’s energy efficiency is dependent upon all of its components—the window frame, the glazing and the coatings. We’ll talk specifically about each of those components, including the different materials for the frames, double and triple glazed windows and low-E windows.
Today’s mini lesson will give you a good foundation for understanding heat pumps, including the commonly used air-source heat pumps, geothermal systems, and mini split systems. It’s a complex subject and you can get much more detailed information online or in books. But my goal today is to give you enough knowledge so you partner with your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) consultant to determine whether a heat pump is the right choice for you.
Most people would not consider building a tiny house. Most of us want homes that are larger, in fact MUCH larger, than a typical tiny home (which can be anywhere from 100 to 600 square feet). Still, there are some important lessons we can learn from tiny living. Here’s great advice to consider before you build your dream green home.
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