Call soon to schedule your Green Madison assessment! This federally supported program provides consulting services, financing, and incentives to assist homeowners with making needed improvements to their homes. But all good things do come to an end. This program will likely be phased out by Fall 2013 so the time to act is upon us. To enroll in the program, call 877.399.1204 or email greenmadison@cityofmadison.com. Please request Artisan Energy for your Green Madison Home Performance Assessment.
Testimonials
“I appreciate the chance to work with and learn from you. Look forward to more!” – Ms. M.G., Madison
“Thanks so much for your work, and for coming out and taking time to answer our questions. I’ll be sure to recommend you to others interested in this kind of work.” – Mr. P. H., Madison
“Professional and worked with me on some extra issues” – Mr. W. B., Sun Prairie
“Responsive and competent. He was very helpful in identifying potential improvements and reward benefits.” – Ms. T. M., Madison
“The home performance consultant was excellent, very important, indispensable. He was the person truly looking out for our best interests moreso than a contractor.” Mr P. R., McFarland
The Pretty Good House
I found this article to be very telling on several levels. In it, the authors argue for abandoning the various certifications and merit badges (energy star, LEED, passivhaus, etc) associated with building high performance or “green” housing in favor of adopting good practices gleaned from the years of advanced methodology.
1) This shows market acceptance of the value of good insulation levels. If you don’t know what 10-20-40-60 means, then you need to read this article.
2) This reminds designers and owners that reasonable size and design (i.e. small and simple) are, as always, the most reliable means of providing low maintenance comfort at a competitive cost.
Thanks, Sam B. and Dave K. for the discussion on this article!
Interior ceiling drywall seams pulling apart?
Building forensics present interesting challenges. The photo at left shows a well insulated attic in a home built in the late 1990′s. Well insulated, that is, except for a small area of the vertical kneewall where the fiberglass batt had fallen away exposing the drywall to temperature extremes. Thus exposed, the drywall and framing expanded and contracted to attic temperatures at a different rate than the insulated areas. The effect? A costly drywall repair on the interior of the home.
If you have questions about the unknown problems in your home, please call!
P.S. And don’t forget to replace the insulation (complete with continuous sheathing on the back side)!
New Focus on Energy Home Performance Program – April 1, 2012
Beginning April 1, 2012 Focus on Energy will be changing many rules for the Home Performance program. Please click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions released March 7, 2012.
Contractors (aka Trade Allies) are encouraged to read this Fact Sheet for a summary of changes.
Incentives are actually being increased. But instead of going to the Homeowner, they will be going to the Contractor. DIY Homeowners are no longer eligible to receive rewards. Contractors (aka Trade Allies) must agree to a Materials and Installation Standard and will be subject to QA/QC visits by Focus on Energy staff. The intent with these changes is to drive increased energy savings through increased work completion.
Please check back for additional updates as they become available.
2 Stadiums? 2 Acres?
In 2009, my family and I bought a solar array. We generate enough throughout the year for our needs and the needs of 1/2 of a “statiscally regular” family. We’ve produced enough to offest the needs of 2 stadiums for one day or the equivalent of planting 2 acres worth of trees. View the system output here.
H&H Solar installed the system with professionalism and great care.
Why post this? Becuase it’s one expression of having fun. This system is paying for itself due to our low usage and the excellent orientation and zero shading. But even if it didn’t pay for itself (why don’t people ask when or if a fishing boat will ever pay for itself?) it is still good knowing that the electricity needed to run Artisan Energy is sourced from the sun.
Energy Jobs: Location, Location, Location
As an avid reader of the National Geographic, I follow the Great Energy Challenge blog. This week the subject addressed the specific nature of how energy retrofit work simply can not be outsourced. Green jobs frankly won’t make a person rich. But I do (at least mentally) account for the intangible assets of relative job security and carbon reduction through the work that I do and the awareness that is raised.
