HVAC

• Cree Acquires Ruud Lighting

  Cree and Ruud Lighting are the latest lighting companies to join the mergers and acquisitions activities that have characterized the lighting industry over the past several years. The announcement, that Cree was acquiring Ruud Lighting, was made on Aug. 17 and involves a stock-and-cash transfer...

   

• Maine Passive House: Transition Details ~

   
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  Tightening a House When Replacing the Siding (Subscriber content)

  I don't think my client was planning on an energy retrofit when he first talked to me about repairing and repainting the shingle siding on his 120-year-old Massachusetts home.

   
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  Attic Insulation for Hot Climates?

  Q: Builders in cold climates often go beyond code-required attic insulation levels, especially when using a relatively inexpensive material like blown-in cellulose. Is the same approach helpful in cooling climates?

   
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  Building a Simple Passive House (Subscriber content)

  In September 2009 I completed a deep energy retrofit on a small house in Point Reyes Station, Calif., some 50 miles north of San Francisco.

   

• Expanding a Kitchen (Subscriber content)

  We were wrapping up the latest in a series of renovation projects on a suburban Maryland split-level home when I casually mentioned to the owner that her Thanksgiving family gatherings would be a lot more enjoyable if her small kitchen weren't separated from the dining and living areas by a wall.

   
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  Hydronic Heating for Low-Load Houses (Subscriber content)

  With the right hardware and layout, hot-water heating saves energy and makes ideal use of the sun.

   
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  LED Light Bulb

  According to GE, fins surrounding the new 9-watt Energy Smart LED bulb dissipate heat and disperse light, making it the world's first omnidirectional LED replacement bulb.

   

• Irene May Rake the East Coast ~

   
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  Brighter Fan Lights

  Broan and NuTone recently announced that they've improved the lighting for their Ultra Silent Ventilation Fans With Lights.

   
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  Low-Noise Fan

  A new player has jumped into the high-end bath-fan market. Delta Products Corp. says Breez Ventilation Fans have ball-bearing-equipped DC brushless motors and 67-fin impellers for ultra-quiet energy-efficient operation.

   

• Special Citation - Anacostia Neighborhood Library, Washington, D.C.

   
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  Soffit Baffles

  AccuVent attic ventilation baffles are designed to keep insulation in place while directing a constant stream of airflow from soffit to ridge.

   
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  An Energy Retrofit in Stages (Subscriber content)

  I'm a building energy consultant in central Wisconsin. I recently had a chance to perform a major energy retrofit on a modest ranch-style house just south of Lacrosse, Wis.

   
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  Building a Curved Handrail (Subscriber content)

  Thanks to bending rail, it's not that difficult to form curved handrail sections for a circular staircase on site.

   

• High-Tech Maine Heat Pump Maker Fails, but Questions Remain

   
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  Geothermal Sources: The Blessing and the Curse (Subscriber content)

  Free underground heat

   
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  Bahama Umbrella Bahama Jumbrella CXL

  Architectural umbrella with built-in heating, lighting, and sound system.

   
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  Abbaka Hy-Ex Ventilator

  A roof exhaust that is less obtrusive and better looking than standard ventilators.

   

• Which Window Area Ratio Is Better? (Subscriber content)

  Q: I've seen window glazing area recommendations for energy-efficient houses stated in two ways: as a percentage of conditioned square footage and as a percentage of exterior wall area. Which is most useful, and why?