Alley Upcycling saved the dog

I found this perfectly good dog crate in an alley, all that was missing was a door!

I also happened to have an old oven rack that was the perfect size for the opening of the crate. It was a match made in Dog Heaven (or Dog Hell if your are opposed to cages like I am.)

Alley Up-cycling saved the dog's good life of food, play and leisure. https://t.co/wEuY6zdoNg #StLouis

— Scotty (@StLHandyMan) July 15, 2015

upcycled dog crate with oven rack door

Why a cage you ask?

My girl brought the little dog home to save it from a bad life.  And we fell for her.  She's gentle around the infant which was the key for a welcome into the family and the good life of food, play, and sleep as rewards for good behavior- Oh the Dogs Life!  The added bonus of sassy-playful disposition was perfect match to dog No.1.  

But she wouldn't stop using kitchen floor for toilet.

This drives me nuts.  My dogs have manners.  Almost at point of considering drastic measures of parting with the kool dog and kicking her out of the Family and good life!

I contacted MySmartPuppy who had the solution to our problem!  My hero!  She suggested: "Crate her overnight. (I have a crate you can use, if you need one.)"

Back to the up-cycling.  This was temporary fix eventually crate will be designated to the yard again.  So its pretty crude and simple fix, McGiver style with Bailing Wire!

Instructions: Drill holes, use bailing wire as hinges and latch to hold oven rack door on crate.

Props again to My Smart Puppy the StLouis dog guru, Sarah makes working and training dogs easy:

Helping You Help Your Dog

Have a Question about Puppy Training

Sarah Wilson 

@MySmartPuppy

Sarah Wilson, Dog Expert, Pro Trainer | Author of 9 books | Seen on PBS | Consultant@GuidingEyes | Board Member@DogArtMuseum | Love helping people & dogs!

St. Louis, Missouri - USA #stl ·http://www.sarahwilsondogexpert.com

MOhemp Energy: Hempcrete Post Frame Building Perfect Solution

MOhemp Energy: Hempcrete Post Frame Building Perfect Solution

Scottys Hempcrete Post Frame Building is the Perfect Solution to meet and exceed every need of the Energy Efficient and Sustainable Housing crisis that is plaguing America and beyond.

If someone else has put 2 and 2 together on this perfect match for building Energy Efficient Sustainable Building using sustainable hempcrete; I've yet to read about online or from any of the many progressive builders I follow who are constructing and working on energy efficient buildings.  I consider myself a trendsetter in this type of construction technique.

This isn't the first time I've shared this design build construction technique and it will not be the last.  This is also the design that I will re-submit to NREL, Oak Ridge Laboratories, andDOE for upcoming contests for Energy Efficient Building Design.  

With this blog post I will demonstrate how the Post Frame Building Principles: saves money, saves energy, and saves resources.

Residential Post Frame Examples- The economical revamped old style of pole barn construction for modern day uses

In the above Post Frame Residential Building Photos notice the exterior of the buildings can incorporate any of the aesthetic designs your heart desires- Siding, Brick, Stone, Stucco, or Wood.

Here's How Post-Frame Buildings Can Save on Construction Costs

Fewer Materials Needed for Construction   Post-frame construction requires limited wall and roof framing materials, and minimal footing and foundation materials. Wood posts spaced 8 to 12 feet apart with a frame building system means fewer resources than most other construction methods.	Reduction of Labor Costs   Post-frame construction site preparation often requires fewer trades and less time. Fewer building components lead to less time for installation labor then those built with wood frame systems. This is because many post-frame building components come prefabricated to the project site.
Shorter Time of Construction   Start with a wood frame system site preparation. Post-frame construction utilizes posts to build frames. Augering holes for posts require minimal effort. On average, it takes experienced post-frame contractors two or three days to erect a basic frame. That includes posts, girts, trusses, and purlins.	Minimization of Construction Delays   Delays due to cold weather, even in northerly climates, are minimal. With frame building systems, post foundations can be installed on or below freezing temperatures.
VersatilityAchieve virtually any aesthetic with post-frame construction’s flexibility and large, open interiors.	SustainabilityPost-frame construction includes various sustainable benefits. Many of which can help earn LEED Certification.

Savings start 

in the Framing Design and Construction.  Notice in the following examples how the top image uses less lumber in the construction of the buildings structural assembly.

Compare the Lumber Needs of Post Frame Building to Traditional Building Techniques image below


Example of Traditional Stick Frame Building Image Energy Vanguard

Have you been to the Lumber yard lately?  The cost of lumber used to build homes and buildings is at an all-time high for my lifetime.  Does it really matter what is inside your walls as long as it is meets or exceeds building codes for structural framing, energy efficiency, and holds up the roof of the home? 

Construction Estimate Example for Lumber requirement comparing Post Frame Wall 24 feet Long to stick frame wall 24 feet long both of which are 8 feet tall using board feet calculations using actual Board Feet of Lumber.

Post Frame	Stick Frame
true dimensional 4x6 posts @ 8 feet spacing = 4 = 68 board feet (site built posts would be even less)	2x6 studs @ 24 in spacing= 14 qty = 77 board feet
3-2x4 Runners = 31.5 Board Feet	2x6 top and bottom plates= 38board feet
Total: 99.5 Board Feet	Total: 115 Board Feet
Savings of 15.5 Board Feet	15.5 more board feet
x 4 walls = 62 Board Feet Saved(almost the total board feet needed for the posts in one wall)	Door/Window Framing is a push or equal needs on construction techniques for this comparison.
Board Feet Calculator

To sum this up: Less Lumber plus less manpower needed plus the speed of the build all add up to saving the future building owner money.  

Upcoming MOhemp Energy Blog Post will compare the materials inside your wall and its energy efficiency R Values. 

note: post frame building images courtesy of Post Frame Advantage

If you are interested in learning more about this economical and sustainable construction technique or design assistance for your next eco friendly and sustainable Hempcrete Post Frame Building email Scotty

Fwd: Jul. 02 - Cheapest solar ever for Austin Energy; What happened when NRG disrupted itself

July​ 2,​ 2015 View online | Sign up | Forward Top News Austin Energy gets record low solar bids at under 4 cents/kWh Solar bids are getting cheaper so quickly that the utility is asking its oversight arm to slow down approvals so it can get the best deal possible. What happened when NRG Energy disrupted its own business model The country's biggest independent power producer is going retail with rooftop solar, EV chargers, and connected consumer products. NEWS FROM SEPA SEPA staff go up on the roof: Solar transformation in East Baltimore SEPA staff recently helped GRID Alternatives install solar on two homes in a low-income area in Baltimore and heard compelling stories about solar's power to change lives. Read More How America's largest power company plans to become a leading renewables developer As Duke Energy's renewables business grows, it presents unique challenges in balancing the interests of its utilities with those of its unregulated subsidiaries.  Grid Edge Live 2015: The trends behind the explosion in distributed resources Billions will go to DERs in the next three years, driven by changing policies and new utility opportunities. Georgia Power unveils rooftop solar installation offering The utility will not yet offer leasing or loan financing and the solar arrays "will not be rate based assets," an executive told Utility Dive. Maine lawmakers override Gov. LePage's veto of value of solar bill Huge bipartisan majorities send "Ratepayer Focused Strategy" for solar to state regulators, while LePage looks increasingly weak. HECO files with regulators to cut solar net metering rates in half HECO also wants to up the minimum monthly bill to cover a cost shift it says costs $53 million per year. Despite declaring energy sales illegal, Duke will connect solar array owned by third party Energy advocates and the regulated utility are on a collision course over rules restricting the sale of energy by third parties. Minn. PUC approves Xcel-solar industry deal on community shared solar State regulators limit co-located projects to 5 MW while Xcel promises to speed approvals. Study: More than half of large US businesses generate power on site Businesses are increasingly focused on keeping down energy costs, and a growing number are generating some portion of their own electricity needs. Read more news SEPA ANNOUNCEMENTS New SEPA white papers SEPA has posted two white papers about its 51st State Initiative -- a summary of the papers it received and a recap of the recent 51st State Summit.  Read More What will solar-plus-storage do to wholesale power prices? A new report from SEPA and Black & Veatch looks at what could happen to wholesale electric prices in California as the state considers a target of 50 percent renewables by 2030.  Read More Building the buzz for SPI What will the hot sessions be at Solar Power International Sept. 14-17 in Anaheim? Check out the workshop schedule — it's packed! — and start planning now. Read More What We're Reading Corporate and environmental front groups emerge influential in Southeast solar battles EnergyWire Solar power still needs to get much cheaper. Are perovskites the answer? Vox Tesla gigafactory construction ahead of schedule Construction Dive Report: Georgia number 1 for clean energy jobs Atlanta Business Chronicle Half of Europe's electricity set to be from renewables by 2030 The Guardian Winds of change as Ethiopia harnesses green power AFP Audio: A top utility engineer talks DER integration Greentech Media Suggest a story we should read Newsletter Partnership This newsletter is powered by a partnership between Utility Dive and the Solar Electric Power Association. Sign up Advertising Info This email is optimized for display on mobile phones. Utility Dive: Solar is a product of Industry Dive, Inc. 829​ 7th St NW, 3rd Floor, Washington,​ DC 20001. We value your privacy. We won't share your email address with anyone else without your permission.

Old is the New Green–Video House Tour

Transcript

Matt: [at front of old Victorian house] Hi, I'm Matt Grocoff, the green renovation expert for Old House Web and host of greenovation.tv and this is my house.  So when my wife Kelly and I first bought this 110 year old folk Victorian house, it was a dream come true: it had lead paint, asbestos siding, zero insulation and even an old gas powered lawn mower out in the shed.  What more can anybody ask for.

Matt: [in living room] So on move in day we brought two things with us:  a crowbar to rip up all the old carpet and a box of compact fluorescent light bulbs.  We replaced every light socket in this house with compact fluorescents and then we added motion sensors to every light switch in the house.  We leave a room, if we forget to turn it off, it turns it off for us.

Matt: [in bathroom] So at the start of our renovation project, this was the only bathroom in the house.  It was fantastic.  It had pink Formica tiles, an old flush toilet that flushed 5 gallons every time.  This is a Caroma Dual Flush Toilet which only uses .8 gallons every flush and unlike our old toilet never clogs.  But not only have we made it look great, but we've made it way more energy efficient.

This is a 1-minute a gallon showerhead.  This is going to use a gallon and a half a minute less than an ordinary showerhead.  This will literally save thousands of gallons over its lifetime.

Matt: [backyard drilling for geothermal] I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say "I thought you couldn't put geothermal into a historic house."  Well this house proves that wrong.  We were able to put three 150-foot bore holes vertically into the back yard on a very small piece of property.  Not only do we have a heating and cooling system that uses half the energy of our neighbors, we have a house that's a whole lot more comfortable. 

Matt: [in living room] We're out to prove that old houses can be the Greenest houses. In fact, with all the renovations we've done so far, we've made this house ultra efficient and we've got a ways to go.  We're going to take this house all the way to Net Zero.  Meaning it's going to produce more energy than it uses.

Matt: [at the computer] So you eco geeks, get ready to get geeked out because this is our WattVision Google Power Meter.  And this will tell us how much energy we're consuming at any given moment.  If everyone knew how much energy they were using, they would probably use a lot less.  [I'm coming to get you, I got you, I got you] Before we get the solar panels up on the roof, you can see we've got a lot of work to do.

Matt: [pointing to house exterior] We've got to paint the house, restore these old windows, then top it off with some really energy efficient storm windows.  My daughter Jane will probably still be alive when this house turns 200 years old.  So restoring America's old homes is not just about preserving history, it's about protecting our future.   So for Old House Web, this is Matt Grocoff reminding you that, "The Green Revolution Begins at Home"

Thank You for stopping by-Share and Comment below. If additional information in needed or you have a question let me know. Together we can make a difference and create a future that will benefit everyone. Build a Green StLouis Green Building Tips and Resources via: Scotty- St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog
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