Sustainability

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    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…

  • Sustainability on the Rise

    It’s exciting to see more and more people embracing sustainability.  St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay recently demonstrated leadership in the area by convening a Sustainability Summit December 6-7 at the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Missouri History Museum.  The event brought both experts and interested citizens together to discuss their ideas and formulate a plan. …

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    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…

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    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…

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    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…

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    Who Kissed the Electric Car?

    When GM recalled all of their leased EV1 electric cars in 2002, there was quite a bit of speculation about the conspiracy that killed the electric car.  Many owners begged to keep their vehicles, but had no choice but to surrender them to GM to be crushed or put in a museum. This fall, we’ll…