by srmi | Dec 11, 2014 | Energy News
Hey, I would really appreciate some feedback on this method of evaluating combustion air. Unnecessary Holes in the Building Contractors often cut combustion-air holes in ceilings, floors, walls, and doors without knowing whether the combustion appliance zone (CAZ)...
by srmi | Oct 8, 2014 | Energy News
What is a Helical Pier? A helical pier is a pier that installers screw into the ground using a large drill motor. Helical piers work well in situations where the surface soil isn’t sufficiently supportive for a conventional foundation. When installers can reach stable...
by srmi | Sep 12, 2014 | Energy News
Builders install a variety of products on the exterior of foundations, above-grade walls, and roofs as water-resistive barriers (WRBs), required by the International Residential Code (IRC). Water-resistive barriers are also called weather-resistant barriers, but the...
by srmi | Aug 18, 2014 | Energy News
The Good News for Energy Conservation The time value of money has always worked against energy conservation. Traditionally a dollar today is worth more than a dollar in the future by a certain percent, known as the interest rate. The European Central Bank (ECB)...
by srmi | May 27, 2014 | Energy News
The Act and Its Downfall First off what is the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2014? The bill contains 4 parts. Title I establishes a voluntary, market-driven approach to aligning the interests of commercial building owners and their tenants to reduce energy...
by srmi | May 1, 2014 | Energy News
A Proposal for Energy-Conservation Loans The following is a proposal for a revolving loan fund that a State, municipality, or utility organization could administer. This proposal resulted from a long conversation between John Krigger and Gary Klien, who at the time...
by srmi | Feb 17, 2014 | Energy News
Congratulations Dr. Al-Widyan! Congratulations to Professor Mohamad Ismail Al-Widyan, on his Arabic translation of Saturn’s publication: The Homeowner’s Handbook to Energy Efficiency. Mohamad is a professor of mechanical engineering at King Faisal...
by srmi | Jan 9, 2014 | Energy News
Why heat pumps aren’t the answer to space heat yet I talk to people who are convinced that the future of heating and cooling is heat pumps. If you have a passive house and you heat and cool with an on-site PV-powered heat pump, you are living this ideal...
by srmi | Jan 5, 2014 | Energy News
The combustion-testing paradox in our industry The recent literature review by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, titled: Assessment of Literature Related to Combustion Appliance Venting Systems, asserts that worst-case depressurization testing isn’t likely a...
by srmi | Dec 26, 2013 | Energy News
The Best Investment For Buildings We energy specialists brag about investing the customer’s money at 50% to 100% return on investment, which translates to a one or two year payback. Preventive maintenance (PM) can provide much better payback compared to insulation or...
