Get Energy Smart! NOW!

Today, a poll popped up: How do you primarily heat your home / apartment? This question gave me pause. Sadly, for a self-proclaimed (and labeled by others) energy ‘geek’ and one who values feedback (systems) to enable better decisions/energy use patterns, I realized that I simply can’t answer this question.  The problem: multiple heating systems, […]

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This is part of a series of brief posts on ‘clean energy jobs‘ opportunities for sparking meaningful employment, quickly, in the United States as discussed in Clean Energy Jobs: Stimulate Me. Clean Energy Jobs Go Swimming: $300 million per year for 10,000 jobs Legislation is, they say, analogous to making sausage. Sometimes, in the mixing […]

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This is part of a series of brief posts on ‘clean energy jobs‘ opportunities for sparking meaningful employment, quickly, in the United States as discussed in Clean Energy Jobs: Stimulate Me. Clean Energy Jobs Go To The Cleaners: $50 million per year for 9,000 jobs Coin-operated laundromats almost require rivers to operate, with their industrial-like […]

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This guest post from Think2004 provides one homeowner’s story about moving a home from energy glutton to net zero re electricity. This discussion provides a clear window on the many things that can be done, rapidly, to reduce existing building infrastructure energy use. And, it shows that existing homes can be made ‘net zero’. And, […]

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With the last moments of competition, with the last event, the German team of Decathletes surged forward to seize the lead, seize the victory of the fourth Solar Decathlon, topping second-place Illinois (The Gable House) by less than 11 points out of 1000 possible (908.27 to 897.3). The margin of victory came from just one […]

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The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), entry into the Solar Decathlon could be called understated from the outside, a form and boarding reminiscent of 19th century barns with a stunning interior, all built to Passiv Haus standards.  The Gable House is a well-conceived residence, combining 100 year old wood boards on outside with leading edge […]

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One Senator has chosen to pay attention to The Solar Decathlon on the Mall and issue a challenge. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) has issued A Challenge to Universities. He opened with a strong statement of praise and support for The Solar Decathlon. Every two years at this time of year, an exciting thing happens on […]

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The U.S. Congress is often the site of friendly (sometimes not so friendly) wagering, when rival teams meet each other in important events. This occurs around University football games, World Series, the Superbowl, March Madness, and other competitions.  Right now, there is a 20-team competition underway almost literally in the shadow of the US Congress […]

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Solar innovation has come to The National Mall from the north as part of the 2009 Solar Decathlon, with two Canadian teams out of the 20 energy efficient solar powered homes. Team Ontario/BC took their geography to heat, forming Team North to North House to Washington, DC. Considering where they come from, no surprise that […]

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The University of Kentucky has brought its own color to a plot on The National Mall. . Their entry into the Solar Decathlon, as one of 20 energy efficient solar powered homes,, is called “s•ky blue” with the motto “live.light”. As with all the houses, s•ky blue almost certainly exceeds the U.S. Green Buildings Council’s […]

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