Energy

  • ,

    Global Tree House

    The past few months we’ve been exploring different opportunities to embrace sustainability.  We examined a number of trendsetting advances in Germany that can be applauded and built upon, including an energy independent community and an ultra-efficient home that produces enough energy to also charge an electric vehicle. One thing that many Americans have come to…

  • ,

    Energy Independent Community

    Sustainability is generally defined as “meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”  Our abundant fossil fuel resources have been an enormous energy reserve that we’ve been able to use to build and grow with, and yet we have to recognize the finite nature of those fuels.  Debates may…

  • ,

    Energy-Efficient Home Also Powers Car

    Germany is once again leading the world toward a more sustainable future, introducing an ultra-efficient home capable of producing twice as much energy as it consumes.  The surplus energy can be used to charge an electric vehicle, or be exported to the grid. The house was designed by a team lead by Professor Werner Sobek…

  • ,

    Success Story on Home Energy Efficiency

    The Energize Missouri Homes program, made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, was introduced last year to offer significant financial incentives to improve your home’s energy efficiency.  This included energy audits, insulation and air sealing, and heating and cooling upgrades.  These improvements save you money on…

  • ,

    Tankless Water Heating

    Imagine the days when, if you needed hot water, you put a kettle or pot (or several of each) on the stove and heated as much water as you needed.  Of course, you may also have needed to add some fuel to the fire, assuming it was already going.  I suspect this was a strong…

  • ,

    Getting to Net Zero

    With evidence of climate change becoming more prevalent, there is a growing awareness and desire to reduce our “carbon footprint.”  While there continues to be debate in the mainstream about the cause and effects of climate change, the scientific community is overwhelmingly undivided on the subject. In America, buildings are responsible for about 39% of…