Ice, Snow and Old Houses
Notes on Stormageddon and the Decatur Old House Fair In my capacity as an engineering technician I’ve learned to evaluate storm damage. Keep me in mind if you’ve got tree-on-the-house. I spoke to an arborist who told me many firms do not charge to assess trees. They make their money on surgery, trimming and removal. Public adjusters assist homeowners by ensuring hazard insurance […]
Cold-Weather Comfort and the three-legged stool
Cold, Comfort and Energy Cold-Weather Comfort and the three-legged stool Building Science has shown there are three components required for comfort and efficiency: A source of energy A building enclosure in which the flow of energy is controlled A system of delivering energy from a source to the enclosure Of these three sources of […]
Downhill Irrigation
This cistern harvests rainwater from the Hammond Park gymnasium roof and uses it to irrigate the soccer field. Less energy is needed to irrigate because the cistern is located below the roof and above the field. There is no charge for the rainwater….or gravity The economy here is eliminating the cost of extracting water […]
Sustainable Savings Time
Green building practices save money. Use them when you build, renovate or replace. Maximum savings begin with good design Atlanta’s Southface Energy Institute is regional leader in sustainable building http://www.southface.org/about/letter/ Climate-specific primer on efficient and durable residential construction http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/houseplans/hp-mixed-humid-recommendations Saving money is good business for this Washington DC company http://thefifthfuel.com/ Open windows are cheaper than fans, […]
Posh Houses
Wallace Stegner’s comments about the West, and by extension the Sunbelt including my home Atlanta open this blog: “…the West at large is hope’s native home, the youngest and freshest of America’s regions, magnificently endowed and with the chance to be become something unprecedented and unmatched in the world.” A caution: “But exaggerated, uninformed, unrealistic, […]
