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October 2nd is officially Energy Efficiency Day, but I work with, and beside, and around folks who are into energy efficiency every day of the year. All of them have great stories, and all of them are passionate about what they do. And pretty much all of them love, love, love building science. This is a roundup of 13 folks who are working towards better, more sustainable housing through designing, building, analysing, consulting, teaching, training, writing, and advocating for policy change. Enjoy!

By using better envelopes and windows, building designers can reduce energy loads and avoid overheating, leading to a more comfortable and energy-efficient living space. We can optimize the power of the sun to provide energy in several ways. That means two primary goals need to be met: Passive solar design that bakes in the best strategies to collect, store, and distribute heat. Active solar energy systems that provide electrical or thermal energy (or even both!). Introduction to Renewables in Housing covers the fundamentals of both goals. Whether you’re a builder, renovator, or designer, working in the industry, or a homeowner looking to get the best out of your major investment, this course is for you! The two-module course is a comprehensive overview of the key principles and strategies involved in achieving the twin goals of minimizing energy loads and maximizing energy production.

Building codes are moving us down the path to Net Zero Energy by 2050. Electrification and renewable energy systems are how we get there, once we've improve the building envelope. Active solar is ideal for homeowners seeking higher efficiency and control over energy generation, while passive solar is a cost-effective, low-maintenance solution for energy savings through thoughtful design. The choice between the two depends on your energy needs, budget, and whether you're building a new home or retrofitting an existing one.

So let’s talk about exterior insulation retrofits and how they are a relatively easy project to add into a job where it's time to replace the cladding, but we can't track how many jobs have insulation added, or how much/how well it's installed. Right off the bat, it’s most cost effective to add insulation to the outside of the house and to replace windows at the same time as recladding. This is the point at which we can make the biggest difference in the long-term durability, comfort and energy performance for the homeowner. As incentive programs are often based on single measures, these two integral upgrades are often disconnected.

Learning to build energy-efficient homes is not just about adopting a few green technologies; it’s about a holistic approach that integrates smart design principles, harnesses solar energy, employs energy modeling, pays attention to the details for air sealing, and uses efficient systems and appliances. By following the strategies outlined in this article, from sealing the building envelope to integrating renewable energy sources, you can help homeowners achieve significant savings, enhance comfort, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

OK, so, we use a lot of energy. It takes energy to make energy. It takes energy to transport fuel, it takes energy to make the vehicles and devices that transport fuel, it takes energy to turn fuel into energy and it takes energy to distribute energy and fuel. Energy is also wasted all along the path. This article looks at 9 reasons why it's not OK to waste energy.

In energy efficient home building and renovation, there are 5 Cs in success: Code, Costs, Clients, Callbacks, and Crews. This article looks at each of these Cs and how they contribute to your overall success as a builder, renovator, contractor or tradesperson.

Given my experience on site, echoed by nearly every single woman I know professionally, and the continued gender split that is taught from preschool on, it's no wonder women still make up a small proportion of the construction workforce. And that’s a problem for the industry. A serious one that is partially feeding into the looming jobs vacuum.

Proper sizing of any heating/cooling system is crucial to good performance and best energy (utility) savings. Here's some top-level advice for comparing heat pumps, primarily in heating climates.

A good time to do an exterior insulation retrofit is when it’s time to replace the siding or cladding. The best time is to do it when it’s time to replace the siding AND the windows. The best time to replace windows is when the siding needs to be replaced. Cladding, windows, roof. Replacement time means improvement time. Timing is everything. Not just for deferred maintenance, but also for the owner’s monthly budget.