Let’s face it, some homes need a lot of work. In the 20th century, the majority of homes were built with little consideration for efficiency, air quality, or longevity. Now that we’re facing more serious economic, environmental, and energy issues, we need to start doing things differently. But new, efficient homes are not being built fast enough […]
Home Performance Contractor of the Year Award – Eco Performance Builders
December 8, 2014 by Leave a Comment
“We are excited and proud to say that Eco Performance Builders has received the Build-it-Green Home Performance Contractor of the Year award! It is very hard work but so very satisfying. We are now even more motivated to help folks reduce energy consumption, reduce residential energy’s impact on the environment, make homes comfortable, increase air […]
Improve Your Indoor Air Quality- How, and Why
December 2, 2014 by Leave a Comment
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”640px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]The following contains information on what affects indoor air quality, and the steps you can take to improve it. If you already know you want to improve it, or you just want a technician to come have a look, call (925) 363-4498 or e-mail info@epbuilders.com[/dropshadowbox] Air contaminants […]
PACE Loans for Energy Upgrades
October 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment
PACE stands for Property Assessed Clean Energy The PACE Loan program offers financing for large-scale energy and water efficiency upgrades. Property owners can receive 100% financing for these upgrades, repaid as a property tax assessment for up to 25 years. The interest portion of the payment can be tax deductible. Energy efficiency improvements work best as whole-house […]
Benefits of Crawl Space Encapsulation (Sealing)
October 6, 2014 by 1 Comment
Should I Seal My Crawl Space? Water can cause major problems if ignored and left to build up in a crawl space, or anywhere else in a building, for that matter. This is why, here at EPB, we like to do full crawl space encapsulations, using vapor barriers. We recommend this for anyone who has […]
Energy Upgrade California Rebate Program Changes
September 18, 2014 by Leave a Comment
In August 2014, the Energy Upgrade California (EUC) rebate program made two major changes. THE GOOD NEWS: The rebate now has a higher maximum amount, part of which is a direct result of actual energy savings. The potential rebate now ranges from $1000-$6500, whereas previously it was capped at $4500. We use energy modeling software […]
Energy Efficient Lighting
August 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment
You might be surprised how much energy you can save on lighting! Lights can use quite a bit of power, especially inefficient, high wattage bulbs like halogen and incandescent. Also, even though these bulbs are cheaper, they burn out much faster and emit more heat. So let’s look at the better alternatives. LED (Light-Emitting Diode) […]
Insulation: Stabilized Cellulose Advantages
July 31, 2014 by Leave a Comment
We could spend all day comparing different types of insulation materials, but when it comes down to it, cellulose insulation is just the best all-around, especially in practice. It’s Eco-friendly, cost-effective, safe, easy to install around uneven surfaces, and even provides good sound dampening. We at EPB like to take it a step further and […]
HRV or ERV? Choose the Right Ventilation System
July 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Tight homes need mechanical ventilation First off, what is a “tight” home? This refers to any building that is either intentionally and thoroughly air sealed, or just very well constructed to the point that it leaks minimall. In other words, there are very few gaps between framing and drywall, between framing and framing, leaky penetrations, […]
Zero Net Energy (ZNE) Homes – Zero Electric Bill
July 9, 2014 by 1 Comment
ZNE stands for Zero Net Energy This refers to a home that (a) has solar power (or another significant renewable source of energy), and (b) is so efficiently designed, sealed, and insulated, that it produces as much power as it uses. Yes, a ZNE home has no energy bill. You may have never heard of […]
Invest in Solar PV – Sell power back to the grid
June 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Is Solar PV worth the investment? Many homeowners think of solar power as a huge investment, that they’ll never be able to afford. Indeed, historically, solar power has been out of reach for most, and even those who could afford it saw very slow pay-offs. But here we are in 2014, and we find that […]
The Heat Pump Alternative
June 3, 2014 by 2 Comments
Heat pumps are an all-electric heating/cooling alternative to gas powered heating and standard air conditioning. When done right, they can be very efficient. With increasing demand for eco-friendly, efficient homes, heat pumps are now, without a doubt, the future of HVAC technology. How they work Basically, heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat. They can […]
10 Summer Energy Saving Tips from Eco Performance Builders
May 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment
1. Schedule an energy assessment This is the first step in improving your overall home performance. A technician will test your home and build an energy model of the home and a report of all the findings. From there they will recommend cost-effective upgrades, show you how to turn your home into a net-zero energy […]
Sun Light & Power and Eco Performance Builders team up for a Zero Net Energy Home
May 20, 2014 by 1 Comment
We are building a ZNE (Zero Net Energy) home to sell in the Oakland Hills and Sun Light & Power is going to provide the PV (photo voltaic) power system! We have worked with Sun Light & Power for years and they are the most respected, intelligent, highest quality installer around. Together we were able […]
Home Energy Efficiency – More room for improvement than cars?
May 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Which uses more energy, houses or cars? When people think pollution, and resource consumption, they usually think of cars first. As it turns out, total energy consumption in the US is about 30% more for homes than it is for cars. And the average home’s energy demands cause more than twice as much carbon dioxide […]
