Did you know that in the average home, about half of the energy consumed is wasted? There are a number of contributors to this phenomenon, including inefficient lighting & appliances and bad habits, but the main culprit is the shell of your home. Your biggest energy expense it heating and cooling your home, so the…
When Gary Pawelko and his partner Diana Figueroa built their home in Wentzville, they carefully considered the many options available, doing their best to imagine this new space and how things would fit together. Unfortunately, they didn’t realize until the home was finished that the kitchen, where they spent a large portion of their time,…
When Rick & Debbie Massimi’s 15-year old air conditioning system began to fail last year, they weighed their options to maintain the aging equipment or invest in a newer, more efficient system. With an all-electric home, they had high energy bills in the summer and even higher costs in the winter. “I wanted to reduce…
The traditional incandescent light bulb has long been a symbol for an idea, as in “when the light goes on.” Since Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb in 1879, this technology has become the dominant standard for electric lighting. The filaments in the bulbs are heated to incandescence by an electric current, which is…
It’s a common misconception that having a “green” home means small, basic and visually unappealing. Dale and Sharon Becker had long dreamed of the home they built in O’Fallon, Missouri, but wanted to apply green building principles in a comfortable, beautiful home. They had been fans of Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big House and designed…
Twelve years ago Bob and Pat Belshe bought their farm in Cuba, Missouri to have a place to relax in the country. Over the years they invested in a number of conservation projects to create a more sustainable farm operation, and were awarded the “Farmer of the Year” by the local district of USDA and…
With a name like O’Rourke, it was relatively easy to conceal the truth that my mother was a full-blooded German American. Growing up in the 60’s, I sensed a very subtle stigma about being German, and the association with the crimes of Hitler and Nazi Germany. I don’t recall any holidays like St. Patrick’s Day…
In order to achieve energy independence in our homes, we need to create a net-zero energy home. In short, this is where we produce as much energy as we consume using any number of renewable forms of energy. To do this, though, we need to use renewable energy conservatively and efficiently. This is the first…
In order to achieve energy independence in our homes, we need to create a net-zero energy home. In short, this is where we produce as much energy as we consume using any number of renewable forms of energy. To do this, though, we need to use renewable energy conservatively and efficiently. This is the second…
In order to achieve energy independence in our homes, we need to create a net-zero energy home. In short, this is where we produce as much energy as we consume using any number of renewable forms of energy. The first two parts of this three-part series focused on using energy conservatively and efficiently. Once you…
