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Designing Their Way Onto the Eco-Homes Winners’ List
Each of the three top entrants features a different wall system in its design
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When HVAC Manufacturers, Efficiency Advocates Find Common Ground
Their recently announced agreement supporting regional, climate-based standards for HVAC products gives manufacturers a jump on regulatory requirements and gives energy efficiency advocacy groups reason to cheer
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Transforming Stimulus-Funded Weatherization into a National Industry
Whatever short-term economic benefits the stimulus package may generate, one of its larger, long-term goals is to make home weatherization a lasting component of the retrofit market
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Tying the Window-Purchase Tax Credit to Energy Star – One More Time
Two U.S. Senators, with the support of an industry group, aim to make Energy Star the qualifying standard for federal tax credits on purchases of windows
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Solar Decathlon Winners Embrace Passivhaus Standard
Technische Universität Darmstadt takes first-place with its surPLUShome, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign second with its Gable Home. Both modeled their entries to the Passivhaus standard
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An Extra Push for Retrofits, and It Can’t Come Soon Enough
A new government report highlights ways middle-class homeowners can invest cost-effectively in energy efficiency improvements. Former and current workers at Republic Windows in Chicago hope they do it soon
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A 2009 Solar Decathlon Sampler
Here are a few images from the current contest, which has been attracting crowds to the National Mall
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Giving Passivhaus a Push in Britain
A house in north-central England is built to Passivhaus standards, but also with the cavity-wall construction techniques common to the UK
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The Ongoing Chinese Drywall Mess, and a Possible Remedy
Lawsuits and miseries abound as homeowners, builders, insurers, and manufacturers continue to struggle with the effects of Chinese drywall off-gassing. But at least one company says it has a viable solution to the problem
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NREL’s 3D Design Software Is Thoroughly Field Tested – and Perpetually in Line for Improvement
Available since April 2008, OpenStudio combines with DOE energy efficiency modeling software and Google’s SketchUp to create designs and performance simulations. And enhancements are under development