Combat "Greenwashing"

Provided by: Scotty, Scott's Contracting, St Louis "Renewable Energy" Missouri

Article by:Shades of Green-By:Rich Binsacca

The term “greenwash-ing” has been aroundabout as long as its root word, relied upon to ­unearth exaggerated or untrue claims (made on purpose or unwittingly) about the environmental impact or value of a given product, including homes.


But given the rapid proliferation of both green products and buildings across the country, efforts to better define the term—and ferret out offenders—are relying more on science than trial-and-error or taking a label of ingredients at face value. “The trend now is to scientifically certify green claims against a battery of standards and test methods,” says Ed ­Wyatt, program manager for material content certification at Scientific Certification Systems in Emeryville, Calif., one of an increasing number of independent entities and public agencies providing that service.

Even then, however, Wyatt and others see manufacturers and builders misusing the certifications they earn once the marketing staff takes over. “There’s no such thing as an ‘eco-friendly’ certification,” he says, recalling a recent manufacturer’s packaging claim. Far more prevalent than misleading PR, he says, are truly unsubstantiated claims for which no scientific basis exists.

To combat greenwashing, builders and specifiers are ­asking for more information and third-party verifications, and applying comprehensive, software-enabled life-cycle analysis metrics to gain a more solid footing for their projects.

They also are relying on green building program standards to guide them to the greenest ­products and building practices. “They give you a framework with which to judge if something meets the qualifications of a truly green product,” says Fort Worth, Texas–based builder Don Ferrier, such as specific water flow rates for plumbing fixtures, as verified by a third party, as opposed to something simply marketed as a low-flow faucet.

Failing to go the extra mile can put builders at risk of ­becoming greenwashers themselves. “Currently, it’s easier to greenwash a building than a product or material,” says Carl Seville, owner of Seville Consulting in Decatur, Ga. Even if a builder is diligent in his specifications, he says, the value of the greenest materials can be wasted on a poorly built and ill-­performing house. “You can’t put lipstick on a pig.”

Just as builders, architects, and specifiers are starting to hold manufacturers accountable for their environmental impact claims, home buyers are becoming more eco-savvy, says Wyatt, perhaps to the point of questioning the value of using environmentally sustainable products and materials on a 4,000-square-foot house that required more material to build and uses more energy—even if ­efficiently so—than a smaller home. “It’s a slow process, but eventually they’ll put the products in a larger context.”

Scott's Contracting, Green Builder- St Louis "Renewable Energy" Missouri

Ground Source Heat Pumps, University of Missouri

U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


Geothermal Technologies ProgramLarge Scale GSHP as Alternative Energy for American Farmers

This is a summary of a project funded on a cost-shared basis by the U.S. Department of Energy through its Geothermal Technologies Program (GTP). This work is one of several projects funded by GTP under its mission to conduct research, development, and demonstration to advance geothermal energy technologies. This summary was prepared as part of the application process by the subsequent recipient of a funding opportunity grant and is offered only as a general overview of the project's scope and direction at the time of the award.

view complete article here:http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/projects/projects.cfm/ProjectID=109?print

Congressman Jay Inslee on energy policy, 'global weirding'

Posted on February 18, 2010 Podcast: Congressman Jay Inslee on energy policy, 'global weirding'


Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., is "somewhat optimistic" that Congress will pass energy legislation this year, but added that he is realistic about the challenges to attaining that goal.

He would like to see an energy bill passed very soon. U.S. policies and incentives are not happening at nearly the speed needed to compete in the renewable space with China, Inslee said. In order for any legislation to be effective, he said U.S. policy must include pricing on carbon pollution, saying that as long as it is free, carbon emissions will continue.

Inslee spoke with SNL Energy on Feb. 11 to discuss the release of the paperback version of the book he co-wrote with Bracken Hendricks, "Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy." Hendricks is a senior fellow at think tank Center for American Progress. The title comes from their comparison of U.S. renewable development to the space race between the United States and Russia in the 1960s.

When asked about the recent snowstorms that have slammed the East Coast, Inslee said they are an example of the increase in number and intensity of storms as a result of climate change and agrees with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman that it should be referred to as "global weirding."

To hear the full interview, visit SNL Energy's podcast library.

provided by: Scotty, St Louis "Renewable Energy" Missouri article found on:
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2010/02/podcast-congressman-jay-inslee-on-energy-policy-global-weirding

Renewable Energy Funding Sources

Funding Enterprise offers a comprehensive array of funding options for interested developers. Explore the funding options below.

Grants

Enterprise offers Planning and Construction, Charrette and Sustainability (http://www.greencommunitiesonline.org/tools/funding/grants) grants to help cover the costs of planning and implementing green components of affordable housing developments, as well as tracking their costs and benefits.

Loans

We offer Predevelopment, and Acquisition Loans (http://www.greencommunitiesonline.org/tools/funding/loans) to support the development of affordable rental and homeownership housing that adheres to Green Communities Criteria.

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Equity

Competitively priced Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity (http://www.greencommunitiesonline.org/tools/funding/housing.asp)to nonprofit and for-profit developers for new construction and/or rehabilitation of affordable rental housing that generally adheres to the Green Communities Criteria.

info provided by: Scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com, Scott's Contracting, St Louis, MO info found at:http://www.greencommunitiesonline.org/tools/funding/

Green Build- "Wood Framing versus Advanced Framing"

Traditional Wood Framing versus Advanced Framing- Info provided by: Scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com, http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com,


Article by: Eric Corey Freed

Using Advanced Framing Techniques in Your Home

Traditional Wood Framing Advanced Framing Techniques

2-x-4 wall studs are spaced on center at 16 inches. 2-x-6 wall studs are spaced on center at 24 inches.The larger studs are stronger, so they can be spaced farther apart. The additional thickness of the wall also allows room for additional insulation.

2-x-8 floor joists are spaced on center at 16 inches. Use engineered wood I-joists at 24 inches on center for the framing of your floors and roof.The studs and joists now have the same spacing and align to one another.

When two walls meet at a corner, extra studs are placed at each end. These studs are only used as a place to attach the drywall, and these hollow corners create uninsulated voids. Corners are built using two-stud corner framing (where no extra studs are added). Instead of using an entire stud, place a backing strip,called a drywall clip, to use as the spot to connect the drywall.

Additional studs are used to hold the drywall together. Inexpensive drywall clips or scrap lumber hold the joints of two drywall boards together without using an entire wood stud.

Extra wood, called a header, is placed over openings, such as doors and windows. On non-load-bearing walls, a single stud is often enough support over a door or opening.

The wall framing does not align to the floor and roof, even when both are spaced at 16 inches on center. In-line framing (where the floor, wall, and roof framing members are all in line with one another) is used. Because the floor and roof framing now line up with the studs in the walls, the weight is transferred directly from the floor to the wall. By aligning the structure vertically throughout the entire house, it makes the building stronger and more efficient.

The top stud of a wood-framed wall, called the top plate, is doubled up to distribute the structural loads from the roof and floor above.Two studs are used. A single stud is used for the top plate of each wall. (Check with your local building codes to see if this is allowed; it usually doesn’t present any problems.) Connect the joints of the top plates with a galvanized steel plate. These steel plates should be used on the top plate at all the joints, corners, and intersections

The home is designed to some arbitrary dimension, often requiring additional cutting and materials. The home is designed on a 2-foot module to reduce waste and take advantage of the standard size of plywood and sheathing materials

If you’ve never heard of these advanced framing techniques,you probably have some concerns.Here are some common myths surrounding the use of advanced framing techniques.

Myths about Advanced Framing Techniques

Myth Fact

The more wood that goes into the frame, the stronger the frame is.

The extra wood only adds to the weight of the frame and tries to make up for the roof and floors not aligning to the walls. Advanced framing techniques will strengthen your home, not weaken it.

The building codes don’t allow for the use of advanced framing techniques.

The building codes support advanced framing techniques because they make buildings stronger and remove redundant wood.

If you use advanced framing techniques, the drywall will bow or buckle, because the boards are only supported every 24 inches instead of every 16 inches.

A good contractor uses quality materials and craftsmanship to prevent the walls from bowing.

Attaching the sheathing and drywall every 16 inches makes the building stronger.

Attaching the sheathing and drywall at only 24 inches actually reduces the stress placed on the panels.

How to Take Advantage of Advanced Framing

Advanced framing techniques already take advantage of traditional wood framing. These improvements to the usual practice of wood framing should be done on every home built out of wood. In fact, there is no downside or reason not to employ these measures.

Tip: Using advanced framing techniques, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) discovered a cost savings of over 12% when compared to traditional wood framing. These methods can potentially reduce the amount of wood by 55%.

In addition to reducing the amount of wood used, follow these other suggestions when designing your green home with advanced framing techniques:

Substitute oriented strand board (OSB) for your exterior sheathing. Select boards made from formaldehyde-free glues. If the sheathing is not required for the structure, use nonstructural insulated boards for extra insulation.

Select finger-jointed studs made from small pieces of wood stitched together to make a full-length stud.


Take advantage of the thicker 2-x-6-inch walls and fill them with insulation above the minimum required amount. (Refer to Chapter 11 for more insulation information.)


Purchase sustainably harvested wood stamped by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).



Info provided by: Scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com, http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com, http://www.ecomii.com/building/advanced-framing

Article supplied by: Eric Corey Freed

Using Advanced Framing Techniques in Your Home

Hot Water from Your Woodstove

Get Hot Water from Your Woodstove: The Blazing Showers Stovepipe Water Heater


This hot water heating system produces hot water that will stay warm up to 48 hours!

Three years ago, we were sitting in our cabins wondering how we could satisfy our addictions for hot baths and showers, without paying ridiculous prices for disappearing reserves of fossil fuels. Putting our talents together (one of us is a mechanical wizard and the other a Ph.D. chemist), we devised a homestead alternate energy system — based on the use of otherwise-wasted stovepipe heat — that's allowed us to take those hot baths. We call our system the Blazing Showers Stovepipe Hot Water Heater.

Hot Water Basics

As you can see in Fig. 1 (see Image Gallery), an ordinary water heater is nothing more than a storage tank (located between a house's water source and its various hot water faucets) sitting over a gas or electric burner. Since water tends to rise as it's heated, cold water is piped in at the bottom of the tank, while hot water is drawn off from the top.

Fig. 2 compares such a conventional water heater with a Blazing Showers system. As you can see, our setup employs a coil of copper tubing — located inside a woodburning stove's stovepipe — to heat the water that's held in our storage tank. Hot smoke rising through the stovepipe warms the water in the copper coil, which causes it to rise (and thereby draw more cold water into the coil). Meanwhile, the stovepipe-heated water flows into the top of the storage tank, where it remains until someone decides to take a "blazing shower" and turns on a faucet.

Notice that there are no pumps in our system: Instead, plain ole thermal convection does all the work.

Hot Water ... Overnight!

How long does it take to fill a tank with hot water this way? The answer depends on how cold the incoming cold water is, how many gallons your water heater holds, and how hot the flame is in your stove. We estimate that a blazing fire in an average-sized wood-burner can produce 20 gallons of hot water per hour. And—if you store that heated water in an insulated tank as we prescribe—it'll remain hot for up to 48 hours after the fire goes out. What this means in practical terms is that if you have a fire in your stove one evening, you'll still have all the hot water you want (for bathing, dishwashing, etc.) the following morning when you wake up. In fact, that water will actually remain warm for two full days ... even if you don't light the stove again at any time during that period.

First Things First: Hot Water Storage Tank

The first thing you need before you can install a system of your own, of course, is a storage tank. If you already have a hot water heater, you can use it ... otherwise, look around for a "previously owned" unit.

Many water heaters—you'll soon discover—are discarded solely because of a broken thermostat or heating element. Such retired fuel-eaters—as long as they don't leak and aren't badly rusted—are perfectly suited to our purpose. To find one of these storage containers, search around at the local dump, the power company, or in abandoned houses (make sure, though, that a house is truly abandoned before you go rummaging through it). Or—if you don't have the time to scrounge up a water tank—see your local plumber. Chances are, he handles quite a few broken water heaters and can get you a good one for $5.00 or a basket of snow peas.

Naturally, as we've already pointed out, you want a tank that's watertight and at least relatively rust-free. We've found that the ease with which the various fittings (attached pipes and connectors) can be removed from an old water heater is—quite often—a good indication of the unit's all-around health. Or, to put it the other way 'round, if its fittings are rusted so badly that you can't get them off, the heater is probably not worth fooling with.

The Tank: Location
Once you've obtained a serviceable water tank, it's important that you install it correctly in relation to the stovepipe coil. Notice—in Fig. 2—that opening X is above opening Z . . . and that Y is above W. Obviously, Y must be higher than W because it's the rising column of hot water that forces the circulation of fluid through the system.

Note, too, that the vertical distance separating Y and W determines how far—horizontally—you can put the water tank from the stove: You can move the tank up to two feet away from the wood-burner for every foot that Y is above W.

The Tank: Insulation

Conventional water heaters lack adequate insulation, due (we believe) to the politics of consumerism and to the fact that each unit's storage drum is so close to its heating element. Because our goal is efficient heat storage (and since—in our system—the reservoir is somewhat farther from its source of heat), we can—and should—do a better insulation job.

One way to accomplish this is to [A] bundle the entire water heater—top, bottom, and sides—in four to six inches of fiberglass, [B] wrap a blanket (or sheet) around the fiberglass-clad tank, and [C] stitch the blanket's (or sheet's) edges together. Or you could build a box around your storage tank and fill the enclosure with natural materials—wood shavings, pieces of bark, sawdust, chicken feathers, rags, egg cartons, wool, etc.—that create insulating air traps.

In addition to protecting the tank from heat loss, we recommend that you also insulate all exposed pipes.

The Storage Tank Adapter

If you were to pipe the hot water coming from your Blazing Showers stovepipe coil directly into the top of your storage tank as shown in Fig. 4, any air bubbles in the pipes would soon become trapped at the system's highest point. This would impair the convection-driven circulation of liquid through the heating coil and, to prevent such an occurrence, we've designed a special adapter.

As shown in Fig. 5, our adapter assembly screws onto the hot water outflow pipe at the top of the storage tank and thereby makes it possible for newly heated water to get into the container via the same pathway by which it is drawn off to the faucets. Thus, any air in the system quickly exits to the hot water spigots and is eliminated. (Note, too, in Fig. 5, that the adapter assembly contains an anti-siphoning device to prevent cold water from being drawn from the bottom of the storage vessel when the hot water faucets are turned on.)

The Woodstove Firebox Hot Water Heater

Solar Water Heating

With just a couple of modifications, our basic Blazing Showers system will work as both a stovepipe AND a solar water heating system. That is, a wood stove and a solar collector could be used either simultaneously or independently to produce hot water and feed it to the storage tank (see Fig. 7). Such a setup, of course, is ideal for folks who—as we do—live in the sunnier parts of the country where wood stoves aren't used all year round. And—since the sun-powered part of the system need work only during the hottest weather—the collector itself can be a rather simple, low-technology device. We intend to market our own super-simple "sunny day'' solar collector next summer.

It's a Natural

Piping-hot water—warmed by a wood stove's waste heat—is a natural. And it's economical! (Just think: With no more hot water bills to pay, you can pocket an extra $10 to $25 a month!) Of course we're prejudiced, but any way we look at it, the Blazing Showers system is a piece of cake . . . and added self-sufficiency is the frosting.

Info Supplied by: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself

Scott's Contracting, Green Builder St Louis "RENEWABLE ENERGY" MO,: Resturant Equipment ENERGY STAR Commercial Kitchen Package

Scott's Contracting, Green Builder St Louis "RENEWABLE ENERGY" MO,: Resturant Equipment ENERGY STAR Commercial Kitchen Package