Sierra Club Green Home

Studies conducted by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers show that windows can account for 25-30% of the total heating and cooling energy use in a home. Optimal window performance requires some research to determine the most appropriate units for a home based on energy efficiency, solar exposure, usability and aesthetics.

Those of us who live in cold climates understand that insulation plays an important role in keeping our homes warm and comfortable. However, air leakage into an attic is often much harder to diagnose and consequently overlooked as a major concern. Both R-value and air sealing are equally important in creating a solid thermal boundary between the interior of your home and harsh exterior conditions.

Japan is known for being high tech, and thanks to companies such as Panasonic, its high tech is going green. Take a look at Panasonic’s eco innovations for the smart home of the future and the smart city the company plans to complete by 2013. (Illustration courtesy of Panasonic)

Mushrooms are not just for your dinner plate anymore. They are now being harnessed to replace one of the worst eco-enemies out there: Styrofoam. Gavin Mcintyre, chief scientist and co-founder of Ecovative Design, speaks with Sierra Club Green Home about one of the newest and most innovative green packaging choices to hit the market.

Editor’s Note: October is National Energy Awareness Month. Take a look at your home’s energy use and how you can take advantage of incentives for efficiency.

Federal tax credits for upgrading your home with energy efficient items, from windows and doors to insulation and heating systems, are going away at the end of this year. Read about the future of these incentives and what you can do to get some money back on purchases you make now to increase your home’s energy efficiency and save money on your energy bills in the future. (Photo courtesy of Simonton Windows)

When it comes to keeping heating and cooling costs in check, insulation is the first line of defense. In the winter, heated air moves from living spaces to attics, garages, and the great outdoors. Heating systems fire up to replace all that lost heat. In the summer, air conditioners kick on as heat moves from the outside in.

Type of insulation R-value per inch Where to use Need to know Cellulose Made from 75% to 85% recycled newsprint that’s treated with a nontoxic borate flame retardant.Available either as a loose-fill product that’s blown or packed into spaces, or as a spray-on product that’s mixed with a binder so that it will adhere in [...]