News > Green Technology
Range hoods dress up a kitchen, but their function is underappreciated. In a tight house, a high-performance range hood is critical for indoor air quality. Why won’t consumers turn them on?
A tankless water heater is a heating unit that doesn’t rely on a tank to heat water and is usually placed near the water source you want heated. They heat water only when needed, so less energy is wasted. As technology improves, manufacturers are able to build water heaters to be energy efficient.
The incandescent light bulb – the one we all know – is slowly being replaced by new technology. A typical light bulb uses electricity to heat a filament wire to a high temperature to produce a glow. It is highly effective but at the same time how often do you change a bulb in a well-used room in an average year? Let’s face it, incandescent bulbs are not made to last.
A new water delivery system claims to soften the perceived impact for users.
With the phaseout of incandescent light bulbs, and the disposal and performance problems of CFLs, light emitting diodes (LEDs) have become an obvious path toward more efficient, reliable lighting.
We’ve reported in the past on attempts to build an air conditioner that’s efficient enough to run on photovoltaic panels.
“Jewel box” aptly describes Living Light. This deliberately smallest of Decathlon entries arrived as a ready-to-run unit and needing mere finishing touches.
Ever heard of aerogel? According to its advocates, this high-tech material may become an insulation game changer.
Mike Kargar is shaking conventional wisdom that a green home is costly. The Ormond Beach, Fla., home builder who earned widespread acclaim for building million-dollar homes along central Florida’s Atlantic Coast has found a way to build fashionable green homes in one of Daytona Beach’s top developments at entry-level prices.
This free-standing superstructure - an external frame - supports solar panels, acting as an upgrade for new or existing homes.
After 30 years of living in a home that was hot in summer and cold in winter, Margie and Jim Lussier moved to a new house that’s very efficient, and very comfortable. What’s not obvious from the street is that the house soaks up solar energy three ways: Through large, south-facing windows, and with discrete, rooftop panels, one set that heats water, the other that converts sunlight to electricity.
FleX House is as variable as the Florida seasons, cycling from open-air pavilion to tight, humidity controlled shelter with sliding cypress panels providing shade and protection.
China's debut brings global innovation with acrobatic room dividers and phase-change sunlights.
“Parsons NS Stevens truly exemplified the can-do attitude. The house is based on the affordability needs of the team’s target market in an urban context: low initial costs, low maintenance costs, and low utility costs,” said affordability Juror Matt Hansen.
Named after New Zealand's distinction as the first place on the globe to experience morning sun, this home placed third overall.
With its holistic approach to sustainable design, this custom home showcases dozens of green ideas.
Self-Reliance, descended from the timeless Yankee farmhouse, scored highest in Market Appeal. Materials included local home goods -- sustainably-forested timber and Vermont slate.
The overall winner of Decathlon V, WaterShed is a microscale ecosystem that manages storm water, filters pollutants, harvests and recycles grey water and minimizes potable water use.
Re_home is a sustainable manufactured home solution that can be deployed quickly to disaster areas - and assembled in one day.
Open to breezes - yet capable of going into storm lockdown mode - this home has some great features for coastal living.
The people's choice category winner, this homestead has plenty of clever ideas to take home.
Step-by-step hinged patio door installation guidance is now available on Therma-Tru's You Tube Channel.
INhome's affordablity, buildability, and high performance garnered 931 our of 1,000 possible points, taking second place overall.
This great retrofit hood installation system, takes as little as 20 minutes to install and does away with the need for multiple trades to get the job done.
New Climate Control Network System Connects All HVAC Systems for Easier Installation, Total Control
The cancer arm of the World Health Organization says cell phones are possibly carcinogenic.
There's something new for green bathrooms.
A builder and a manufacturer join forces to show that a net-zero energy house can be affordable.
The personal automobile is evolving toward greater efficiency.
Why is the DOE dragging out the incandescent bulb phaseout over three years?
Fully automated home in Montauk, N.Y., proves value of efficient building.
An analysis of 60 utility programs points the way for smart meter tech.
The Energy Star Program will increase water heater criteria this fall. This is important information to note, particularly for gas storage water heaters.
A manufacturer offers two innovative ways to make spec’ing green cabinets a snap.
Faster-loading home builder sites could see higher rankings on Google this year. Here's how to get the most eyeballs on your site.
Too often, wood burning boilers and stoves are installed without a dedicated fresh air source. Why not build your own solution?
A new report illustrates the continued interest, growth in geothermal.
The DOE has made the reVision house retrofit part of its optimal case studies of how to upgrade energy efficiency in an existing home.
They've just released a concise PDF (available HERE) breaking down all of the energy improvements in the home under the Builders Challenge banner. One product that "shined" especially in the final analysis were Milguard's fiberglass triple-glazed windows.
The reVISION project renovated an 1,800 sq. ft ranch house built in 1963 from top to bottom with energy efficient materials. The resulting home is more than 60 percent more efficient, yet retains much of the popular "retro" look of the period.
Akeena Solar’s Andalay all-in-one panels to sell at 21 Lowe's stores for $893.
LEDs are ready for prime time. This special report offers ideas for including solid-state lighting (SSL) in your homes.
Dow’s PV system offers a transitional step toward zero energy homes—particularly for remodels.