The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act introduces several new programs and enhances some existing programs. In fact, there are so many details involved in this Act that people are confused as to how these programs work and whether they will benefit from them. This presentation includes several speakers that are well versed in the […]
Inflation Reduction Act Requires More HERS Raters
There are over 8 billion dollars in rebates allocated to improving the energy efficiency of privately-owned residences and another billion to fund upgrades to affordable housing. It is difficult to project how many certified energy professionals will be needed to implement these programs but it is clear that there are not yet enough of these […]
Inflation Reduction Act Benefits
The Inflation Reduction Act or IRA is expected to expand many career opportunities in the fields of energy efficiency, clean energy, electric vehicles, heat pump appliances and more. Greatly increased tax incentives will be available for multifamily buildings that are qualified for ENERGY STAR certification by a certified home energy rater or HERS* rater who […]
The Heat is On
The current high temperatures across the European continent are revealing that traditionally cool climate locations are not adequately prepared for the heatwave. Even countries like Mexico, areas that are used to having hot days, are breaking all-time high temperature records. Climate models indicate that the world will continue to get hotter, making survival on this […]
Is ‘Electrification of Everything’ Achievable?
All the world economies depend on energy provided by the fossil fuels. Power is provided by oil, natural gas, and coal, plus their derivatives of gasoline, diesel, plastics, and more. As these fuels are burned, there are pollutants being cast into the air, left to build up in the atmosphere and affect our health. One […]
Virtual Design Charrettes
Virtual Design Charrettes save travel costs, time, and scheduling headaches. Plus, there is no risk of COVID outbreaks for online meetings. Presented by Fine Homebuilding Magazine. Here is the link for Virtual Design Charrettes Presentation: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2021/12/01/bs-beer-kc-group-virtual-design-charrettes
Spotlight on Home Energy (HERS) Raters
It is clear that President Biden is focusing on upgrading the energy efficiency of existing homes while also planning to build 1.5 million sustainable affordable homes. What remains unclear is that most people do not know the difference between a residential energy auditor and a certified home energy HERS* rater. This is very unfortunate and […]
Disaster Recovery Using Private Capital
No matter what people may happen to believe about climate change or global warming there is no denying that there are some very extreme events happening. Fires, flooding, droughts and mass migration appear to be increasing in size and ferocity. It seems prudent for those of us who have not experienced losses to prepare ourselves […]
Update to Green Remodeling Article in Mother Earth...
The original article was published in 2013 and most of the information is still very relevant today. Some things have changed, however, such as the proliferation of smart devices, the emergence of home energy control systems and the low cost of clean energy systems, especially for solar (site) electricity. Since 2003, much as been learned […]
Update to ‘Do Deep Green Energy Retrofits Make Eco
In 2014 when the original article was written our current electronically connected world didn’t exist. One aspect missing from the original article was the vital need for reliably consistent and accurate information to base an energy project’s payback period or ROI* upon. There are many ways to present the findings of a residential energy audit […]