Hyper-mile your house
If people can get 80 mpg in a car that’s EPA-rated to get 45, then it seems like it should be possible to get better than average performance out of […]
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Celebrating the solstice with passive solar
I often say that I wish everyone could live in my house for a week. The winter solstice seems like the perfect time to talk about why. I’ll give you
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Why you don’t need a humidifier
Last Friday, our company performed its tightest blower door test ever: 0.28 ACH50. That’s not a typo – this house was twice as tight as the Passive House requirement. I’ve
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War on coal? Really?
Am I blogging about the election if I write about an issue no one’s willing to talk about? I like and respect people who root for a variety of political
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Things I learned in my “net-zero” energy home
Have you ever noticed that you hear a lot about “net-zero energy” homes or buildings that have just being designed or are just being built? You almost never hear anyone
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Keeping current
Got any plans for Sept. 14-16? The Southern Green Living Expo will be at the Asheville Civic Center that weekend, and you should plan to be there. I know if
Is your kitchen the world’s smallest fast food restaurant?
Don’t revoke my Asheville residency for admitting that I love fast food french fries. Sometimes fast food makes sense. You’re busy, you need food NOW, and right next to the
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Going Negative
In honor of the election year, I want to address a contentious issue. Some people have dug in their heels and won’t even consider questioning conventional wisdom, so there’s really
Peak Performance
A lot of people in WNC oppose building new coal and nuclear plants, but I’ve noticed that most of us do enjoy flipping the switch and having power. Luckily, there
It’s not the heat, it’s the stupidity
Who doesn’t love summer? Sweet tea, flip flops, and relaxing by the pool. Just try not to spend much time in attics, and be careful that those gym shoes in
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