Posted by Damien Cabral on Mon, Feb 01, 2010
Energy-Efficient Duette Architella Honeycomb Shades by Hunter Douglas
While it may just seem like the catch-phrase or trend of the moment, there are many advantages to “going green” besides the fact that you are helping the environment; saving money being one of the biggest. How select your window treatments can have a huge impact on your utility bills and in some cases, can even qualify you for tax credits.
The main property you want to look for in an energy-efficient treatment is how effective it is at preventing heat loss or heat gain. If cold weather is more common where you live, you obviously want to prevent heat loss as much as possible. Draperies (when used correctly) can reduce heat loss by up to 25%. For the best results, use two drapes instead of one and place them as close to the window as possible. Use Velcro or magnets to seal the sides and bottom of the drapes and be sure to always keep them closed at night and even during the day if there is no sunlight coming through the window.
In warmer climates, blinds are probably your best option for preventing heat gain. Blinds are not as effective at preventing heat loss as the numerous openings between the blinds make it hard to control how much heat you are losing. But these openings can be adjusted to control ventilation and light. Heat gain can be reduced by as much as 45% with highly reflective blinds when they are completely closed and lowered on a sunlit window.
The type of material you choose is factor as well. Looking at the R-Value and Shading Coefficient of a material can help you figure out what would be best for your insulation needs. The R-Value tells you how effective the material is at preventing heat loss and the Shading Coefficient will tell you how much heat will come through the window. So, if your primary concern is heat gain, you want a material with a low R-Value and high Shading Coefficient.
When it comes to window treatments being eligible for tax credits, the law is very specific. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 states that, in order to be to be eligible for tax credits the window treatment must be "specifically and primarily designed to reduce heat loss or gain". The problem is that most window treatments are specifically and primarily designed for decoration and privacy. However, if the window treatment comes with a manufacturer’s certification statement, the consumer will get the credit even if the certification is later found to have been wrongly issued. Two products that come with this kind of certification are Hunter Douglas’ Duette Architella Honeycomb Shades and Comfortex’s Comfortrack Plus system.
Keep in mind that just because a type of treatment may be energy efficient for one home, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be for yours. There are many factors involved including the type of windows you have and what your primary insulation concerns are. Hopefully, with this information, you’ll have an easier time selecting green treatments for your windows.
Guest blog by Richard Moyle of Horizon Window Treatments
Posted by Damien Cabral on Fri, Jan 29, 2010
I am proud to announce we have just launched our new website dedicated to our replacement window and door division: Renewal by Andersen. Be sure to take a look around.
Areas of Interest:
Renewal by Andersen Photo Gallery
Renewal by Andersen Resources
Renew my Home Blog - be sure to follow this blog as well as this one.
What else is new?
ALL of our Gutter and Gutter Helmet installers have been Certified as by SMM. The certification ensures that only the highest quality work is achieved everyday on our customers' homes. Be sure to take advantage of our special winter pricing on Gutter Helmet and Heated Helmet (melts the ice in your gutters and downspouts!)
Home Shows!
Home Show Season is in full swing. Be sure to check out Events Page to stay up to date on events near you.
Starting TONIGHT, join us this weekend at the Boston Home Show! Fun, prizes, Ex-Patriots players and cooking demonstrations. Stop by our booth (#1044) for a chance to win a FREE $10,000 Solar HotWater System!
Posted by Damien Cabral on Wed, Jan 27, 2010
The new report by Greentech Media Research (GTM) "The United States PV market through 2013" offers a comprehensive analysis of the power in the US market for photovoltaic (PV) in the next years.
Between 2000 and 2008, annual installed grid-connected PV capacity in the U.S. grew from 4 Megawatts (MW) to 290 MW at an average rate of 71% per year. This rapid growth made the U.S. the third-largest global demand center behind Germany and Spain. Only the U.S., however, has the potential to engender a truly sustainable, long-term market. With high isolation, the greatest electricity demand in the world, and ample available land for PV development, the U.S. presents an attractive long-term growth opportunity for developers, installers, financiers, and other PV service providers.
The residential sector and local/state government projects drive demand growth, thanks to stimulus funding and the recently uncapped residential Investment Tax Credit. California retains its dominant market share, accounting for 205, or 50 percent of national demand. Secondary markets in Arizona, Colorado and New Jersey support demand growth.
U.S. PV market becomes a global demand leader by 2012
Over the next four years, the U.S. will experience the most rapid demand growth of any major PV market. Base case U.S. PV demand is anticipated to grow to 1,515 MW in 2012, with annual growth from 2008 to 2012 averaging 48 %. During this period, the U.S. will surpass Spain to become the second leading PV market in the world behind Germany.
New financing models drive residential sector growth
Financing models that obviate the need for direct ownership will drive residential market growth. GTM Research analysts predict that up-front cost and simple payback are the two factors driving demand for residential projects. The expansion of residential solar financing through leases or power purchases agreements with little up-front cost will enable the residential sector to grow to 363 MW by 2012.
Source: Solar report and study by Greentech Media Research Dec 2009
Blog by Martina Zepter
Posted by Damien Cabral on Fri, Jan 22, 2010
Really? Well let's explore the argument some more. As many of you probably know, over the past few years Bill has slowly been removing himself from the day to day operation of Microsoft to focus more, and now solely, on his charitable foundation,
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation focuses on philanthropy and is the champion of many novel causes including: Global Health, Poverty and Development, and Education world wide.
(Random Factoid: Bill Gates recently signed up for Twitter and received over 100,000 followers in under 8 hours! Follow him @BillGates.)
Recently, Bill Gates posted a note arguing
"Should society spend a lot of time trying to insulate houses and telling people to turn off lights or should it spend time on accelerating innovation?"..." Innovation in transportation and electricity will be the key factor."
The meat of his argument in this article claims we have a huge challenge ahead of us and merely becoming more energy efficient is not enough to help slow climate change. In a sense, he is right, but he is going about the argument in the wrong way. Energy efficiency and innovation via renewable energy are not
mutually exclusive. To solve climate change, we need to maximize the energy we are producing currently through weatherization, insulation, and energy efficiency, while also innovating in the renewable energy arena. Consumers should be evaluating existing technologies to improve their home and gain immediate cost savings while they wait for the world's leaders and businesses to break through with the next great idea. Tell us what you think and comment below.
If you are interested in making your New England home more efficient with Fiberglass Insulation, Renewal by Andersen replacement windows or would like to explore solar energy for your home contact us today.
Posted by Damien Cabral on Mon, Jan 18, 2010
Everyone loves lawn ornaments... well at least some people do. We thought we would assemble some of our favorites below. Enjoy.
Classic Flamingo
Even though the flamingo lawn ornament isn't exactly "crazy" it is a staple in the space so we had to include it. Additionally, it is a little crazy to have a pink flamingo walking in your home's yard in the Northeast where these birds don't exist.
Pig and Cow
Very interesting use of flower pots to make this pig and cow.
Mooning Gnome
Another Classic...the mooning gnome.
Zombie Lawn Ornament
There are now words...zombie lawn ornament.
Overkill
Way too many lawn ornaments.
Moonworks Home Improvement does not sell lawn ornaments but we do offer numerous home improvement services to Northeast Homeowners. Services include: Renewal by Andersen Replacement Windows, Gutter Helmet Gutter Protection, Roofing, Siding, Insulation, and Solar Power.
Posted by Rebecca Langley on Thu, Jan 14, 2010
The Fox drama "24" announced in March, 2009 that they were to become the first carbon neutral television series. The series started to gradually become greener after its fourth season. For their eighth season, which premieres this Sunday night, they made it a priority. While there is no way to be truly carbon neutral in a series that prides itself on car chases and explosions, they bought 1,291 tons of carbon credits to offset the carbon from the action scenes. That is enough to offset the carbon emissions for half of the season. The difficult part was trying to determine how much greenhouse gas was being emitted. Fox hired consultants to measure the carbon output. They evaluated every component of the series, not just the scenes being shot. This included, the cars used to deliver scripts, memos and schedules and airplanes used by executives and the actors.
Once they pinpointed the biggest offenders, they made cut backs to increase their energy efficiency. 95% of the emissions came from the electricity used on set and in the offices and fuel used for transportation, special effects and generators. To reduce fuel consumption, the cast and crew started sending scripts, memos and schedules electronically, instead of delivering them and if transportation was necessary, drove in hybrid vehicles. The fuel used in the trucks and generators were 20% biodiesel. These improvements eliminated over 1,300 gallons of gasoline, the same amount used to drive cross country 10 times!
Electricity conservation was another energy efficient upgrade implemented by turning off all electrical equipment when it is not being used. Additionally, motion detectors were installed in bathrooms, and kitchens and they switched the light bulbs to compact fluorescent. While not all lighting used is energy efficient, namely the set as it would compromise the quality of the filming, the show uses renewable power (solar, wind & hydroelectric) whenever possible. They also pay more for utility fees to aid California is buying wind and solar power.
24 was awarded the Environmental Media Association's Green Seal Award. This award was created to promote sustainable practices in the entertainment industry.
If the show 24 inspired you to "go green", Moonworks carries many green products including, Renewal by Andersen windows & doors, the Repower Home Solar Thermal Energy System, Solaris Shingles and Cool Colors Shingles.
Photo Credit: Flickr user Claire Beardsley.
Posted by Damien Cabral on Tue, Jan 12, 2010
Today everyone is concerned with what chemicals are in their food and if there is lead in their child's toys. However, there isn't as much attention paid to the
chemicals and composition of the building materials in our home. A recent start up, the
Pharos Project, seeks to change that. The Pharos Project is a network of building professionals and manufacturers committed to transparency. Pharos is a subscription based service, similar to Consumer Reports, that allows consumers to evaluate the chemical composition of building materials as well as the process used to manufacture the material. This allows consumers to be informed on the
environmental effects,
health effects, and
social benefits of building materials used in their home.
Right now Pharos offers ratings on three products: MDF-Particle Board-Wheatboard, Resilient Flooring, and Batt Insulation with plans to expand their product mix in the future. If you are interested in taking a look around sign up for the trial here or become a fan on Facebook. The Pharos project will bring more transparency to an industry that is suffering from rampant green washing. Here at Moonworks, we are anxiously awaiting the for the Pharos Project to expand their product mix and act as a resource to our homeowners across the Northeast.
Moonworks is proud to offer several green and energy efficient products including: Energy-Efficient Renewal by Andersen Replacement Windows, Blown-in Insulation, and Solar Hot Water Systems.
Posted by Damien Cabral on Thu, Jan 07, 2010
Do you ever feel like packing only your most valuable possessions and leaving it
all behind? Well nomads have been doing this for thousands of years and they have figured out a way to take their homes with them with the yurt. Yurts traditionally were utilized primarily in Central Asia. The word yurt is originally Turkish and refers to the imprint left in the ground. A traditional yurt was made from a circular wood lattice frame and covered with felt created from sheep's wool. The yurt was designed to easily be dismantled and the parts carried on camels or yaks and rebuilt on another site.
Recently, western enthusiasts have modernized the yurt for numerous other climates. These new-age yurts are made with modern materials and take days to assemble, which make them less mobile. There are more creature comforts than the traditional yurts but they are definitely different than your average home. They still include windows, doors, insulation, and some even have a cocktail bar. Calculate the price of your dream yurt here. Or if you aren't quite ready to take the plunge you could rent a yurt here. Check out some of the pictures below.
Traditional Yurt Photo Credit
Modern Yurts Photo Credit
If a yurt isn't for you and you are looking to make some home improvements feel free to look around the rest of our home improvement website or contact us to set up a free appointment.
Posted by Damien Cabral on Wed, Jan 06, 2010
The Green Life Smart Life home is receiving national attention. Recently, the home was featured in a news story on CNET.
The Narraganset, Rhode Island home is the first home to get the LEED for Homes certificate in Rhode Island. One of the most novel features of the home is the Geothermal HVAC system. Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that harnesses the temperature from the earth’s crust (constant temperature around 50 degrees) for heating and cooling.
The home integrates numerous recycled materials including reclaimed wood plank floors that were sourced from an abandoned barn. Additionally, a rainwater harvesting system collects rainwater that falls on the roof. The system is projected to collect more than 113,000 gallons of water a year, which can be used for irrigating the landscape.
Control4 provided the “brains” of the home. The Control 4 system provides an energy management system as well as an entertainment system. The system provides real-time energy monitoring as well as graphed historic trends. The increased visibility into energy use should create the “Prius Effect” (people drive better when they can instantly see how their behavior effects their mpg). The system even shuts the energy to refrigerator off for 3 hours every night to conserve energy. Be sure to watch the video below to learn more about the system (truly the gem of the home).
Be sure to check out the Green Life Smart Life Blog
Posted by Rebecca Langley on Thu, Dec 31, 2009
Patriot Place is installing a 525-kilowatt solar power system, which will generate approximately 30% of the complex's power. The panels will be installed across seven roofs, one of which is The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon. The Hall is an interactive museum dedicated to the history of the New England Patriots. The panels will be visible to fans attending the Patriots football games at Gillette Stadium. Each year, the system will remove 8,800 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the same amount generated from 1,600 passenger cars. Over the next 20 years, over 12 million kilowatt hours of electricity will be generated from the system.
This is not the first green project for Patriot Place, which was constructed using low-emitting construction materials and white roofs which reflect the sunlight and absorb less heat. The trash receptacles are solar powered, which can hold over 5 times the amount of waste as a normal trash receptacle of the same size, therefore reducing the amount of collection trips. They also reduce emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. Patriot Place also uses an on-site waste water reuse system that treats wastewater and recycles it throughout the facility.
Moonworks carries the Repower Home Solar Thermal Energy System. These solar panels can be installed onto your home's roof and help you lower your utility bills.
Photo Credit.