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Passive Solar Heating
Homes with passive solar features depend on direct solar gain through south-facing windows
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Solar Energy – Insulate First!
I moved to Brattleboro, Vermont 28 years ago to work for an organization that was all about promoting solar energy—an industry that blossomed out of the energy crisis in the…
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Some Breathing Room to Button Up Our Homes
We faced some pretty tough choices this past summer. Heating oil prices were around $4.50 per gallon, and scary news reports were projecting $5.00 per gallon by January. Some rushed…
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Should I Replace My Windows?
I get this question a lot from homeowners wanting to reign in their energy costs. Windows usually account for about a quarter of the heat loss in a typical house.…
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Advances in Windows
Windows have a huge impact on the energy use of our homes. Fortunately, there have been dramatic advances in window technology over the past thirty years. This column will take…
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Preventing Moisture Problems
What’s moisture have to with energy? Quite a bit, actually. When we tighten up or insulate a house, there’s the potential of causing moisture problems that could harm your health…
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Bringing Combined Heat and Power to Brattleboro
Last week, I addressed some of the benefits of capturing waste heat from power plants and distributing it to buildings—a technology referred to as combined heat and power or CHP.…
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Capturing and Distributing Waste Heat From Power Generation
The majority of our electricity in the United States is generated by using a heat source to boil water and produce high-pressure steam, which then spins a steam turbine hooked…
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Comparing the Costs of Different Fuels
While energy prices have dropped from their record highs a few months ago, many area residents are still wondering how they’ll pay for heat this winter. The most common fuel…
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Rigid Boardstock Insulation
In this final installment about insulation we’ll take a look at the family of rigid boardstock materials. Unlike fiberous or spray-foam insulation that is installed in wall or ceiling cavities…