Month: August 2018

Hot water

We’ve put a lot of effort into the design of the hot water system.  In the average home, hot water is the third largest energy use (18%), behind heating and cooling (48%) and lighting, appliances, and electronics (30%).  In the Highland project, [...]

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Making fireplaces work in a green home

A few weeks ago our two fireplaces showed up and they’re now installed.  Fireplaces can be a large source of air pollution in a home (particulates, carbon monoxide, and other noxious gases), so the guidelines for tight homes are [...]

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Testing for airtightness

After a lot of diligent work from the framing and carpentry crews, we’ve reached the point where the house is tight enough for a preliminary blower door test. The purpose of this test is to measure how airtight the [...]

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