Are cool roofs cost-effective? The short answer is maybe, in warmer climates. Cool roofs are ideal for large, single-story, low-slope or flat roof buildings in hot climates. Commercial buildings are generally the best candidate for this, but residential buildings can benefit too. To find out if a cool roof will be cost-effective for your home […]
On-Demand Hot Water Recirculation Systems
April 25, 2014 by 2 Comments
A standard hot water recirculation pump, often designed to recirculate water 24/7, can cost you hundreds of dollars per year in wasted electricity, natural gas or propane. To give you an idea of how much heat is lost, we see the temperature dropping by up to 20 degrees by the time it gets back to […]
Market Value of Energy Efficient Homes
April 13, 2014 by 1 Comment
Can I sell my “Green” energy Efficient Home for more??? – Absolutely, if done right. Financial incentives, rising utility prices, and increased public awareness of the need for energy conservation have opened up the market for energy efficient homes. Everyone would like an energy efficient home and now more than ever it is not […]
Wall Insulation Installation video – Net Zero Energy
April 2, 2014 by 1 Comment
Wet blown-in cellulose wall insulation installation on our new net zero energy construction project in the Oakland hills!! Video on the initial installation process: It’s 2×6 framing (so you can fit a lot in the walls), has a high R value per inch, makes perfect contact with the drywall, is long lasting and resistant to […]
Pool Pumps and your Electricity Bill
March 29, 2014 by 1 Comment
How much electricity does my pool pump use? In homes with pools, the pool pump is, on average, the 2nd most power hungry appliance after the air conditioner. An inefficient pool pump might use around 2,500 KWh per year, maybe more for bigger pools. To give some perspective: the average u.s. residential utility customer uses […]
Duct Leakage – An HVAC Epidemic!
March 25, 2014 by Leave a Comment
What is Duct Leakage? Duct leakage can be defined as a percentage, or a surface area value. The percentage rating is determined by the ratio of a home’s calculated leakage rate vs its air handler flow rate. The surface area value is useful for visualizing the total area that is leaking, and estimating the amount […]
Home Energy Retrofit: The Whole-House Approach
March 11, 2014 by 1 Comment
Home energy efficiency is best achieved by a “whole-house” approach, rather than a piecemeal one. Everything in your home is interconnected. When you change something, it affects other things as well. Air follows the path of least resistance, and hot air rises. Thus, for example, if you seal up your doors and windows, but you […]
Eco Performance Builders is Building a Zero Net Energy Home in Oakland
December 22, 2013 by 2 Comments
Eco Performance Builders is building a new Zero Net Energy home in the Oakland Hills and we are really excited about it. What is a Zero Net Energy (ZNE) home? Well, in this case it is a home that won’t have utility charged electricity or gas. How are we going to do this? We will […]
Home Moisture Problems and Solutions
May 30, 2013 by 1 Comment
Home Moisture Problems – Sources, Issues and Solutions Even in California’s dry climate there are many homes with high humidity and moisture problems. This moisture could be coming from any number of sources and causing issues ranging from slight discomfort to musty smells to mold/mildew to indoor air quality concerns. This article will explain where […]
Top 10 Contractor Mistakes
May 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment
What are the top 10 Contractor mistakes common in the Home Energy industry? Everyone knows the HVAC industry’s reputation. HVAC service people have been known to suggest a replacement for a part that is working fine. They’ve even been known to tell a homeowner they need a new part that doesn’t even exist! They are […]
When should I replace my air conditioner?
May 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment
When should I replace my air conditioner? It really depends on how much you use it. If you only turn it on a few days out of a year, then it’s not going to be worth it. If you live in a hot area and use it at least a couple days a week in […]
Top 10 Summer Energy Saving Tips
May 10, 2013 by 1 Comment
Top 10 Summer Energy Saving Tips: Questions to ask yourself 1) How can I save energy in the summer? The temperature is rising and so are your energy bills. Seeing a spike in your electricity usage in the summer is […]
Zero Duct Leakage – Ring 4 Club
April 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Here at EPB we don’t like duct leakage, in fact we hate it. To check to see how much duct leakage there is on a system we hook up a Duct Blaster. A duct blaster puts a small amount of pressure (25 pascals) on the duct system after we tape up all of the grilles […]
Efficient Air Conditioning
April 12, 2013 by 3 Comments
Efficient Air Conditioning – What you need to know Electricity can be pricey these days. If you want to install or upgrade your air conditioning system, you should be aware that there is a wide range of quality out there. This is one of those things that pays for itself if you have it done […]
Do It Yourself Home Energy Audit: A One Stop Guide
April 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Do It Yourself – Home Energy Audit What is a Residential Energy Audit? (often more positively termed: Energy Assessment) An Energy Audit is a way to use Building Science and Home Performance concepts to perform a comprehensive in-depth testing of a home in order to find out where the energy concerns are, how to […]
