Buildings
Home Energy Briefs: #3 Space Cooling
This Home Energy Brief focuses on space cooling. The Brief covers the issues of heat gain, passive cooling, and space cooling systems. Using a conventional air conditioning system is often the most expensive and energy intensive way to cool a home. If you are buying a new air conditioner, first…
Home Energy Briefs: #5 Water Heating
This Home Energy Brief covers water heating. The brief goes over storage tank heaters, demand water heaters, solar thermal water heating, heat pump water heaters, and drain-water heat recovery. You can save money immediately by changing how you use your hot water, for example, by lowering the temperature on your…
Home Energy Briefs: #8 Kitchen Appliances
This Home Energy Brief discusses kitchen appliances. The Brief covers the following topics: food and the impacts of what we eat; the electricity use of refrigerators and freezers; cooking appliances; and food waste. Having an energy efficient kitchen means understanding the energy consumption of the appliances in your kitchen, the…
Home Energy Briefs: #6 Cleaning Appliances
This Home Energy Brief focuses on cleaning appliances. The Brief covers cold water washing, efficient dryers, and dishwashers. Dishwashers and clothes washers and dryers all use a lot of energy and water and are responsible for a significant portion of the average household’s energy bill. Often, this warrants a change…
Lightfair: Economics of Daylighting and Occupant Productivity
This presentation makes the case that workers are more productive in buildings that provide daylighting. The presentation provides several examples of office buildings, stores, and manufacturing facilities with ample outdoor light. Statistics on absenteeism and worker productivity support the claims.