Comments for Austin TX Green Homes

Comment on Your Central HVAC System Sucks by admin

admin — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:52:21 +0000

It sounds like the people at blue air are on the lookout for more work in Austin of the HVAC variety!

Comment on Your Central HVAC System Sucks by Chelx

Chelx — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:32:38 +0000

Now I know how the HVAC thing flows like Thanks for this post! Please check out Austin AC Repair to ensure that your HVACs is still operating at its best

Comment on Your Central HVAC System Sucks by Dianne

Dianne — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 05:25:57 +0000

If this problem with Austin HVAC residences occur. I definitely know and can recommend some sort of service provider for you to contact.

Comment on Why is My New Green Home Uncomfortable? by admin

admin — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:58:36 +0000

Thanks for the elaboration Kristof. It seems that the additional challenges of a well insulated home mean that getting the HVAC right is critical.

Comment on Why is My New Green Home Uncomfortable? by Kristof Irwin

Kristof Irwin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:39:40 +0000

Two elaborations:
1. It’s not just that the tight house doesn’t allow water vapor to escape, it is that the cooler surface temperatures of a well-insulated house allow the water to condense into liquid form. There is less surface heat, and less heat generally, available to keep the water in vapor form. This is unfortunate b/c the air conditioner needs the water to be in the air, in vapor form, in order to effectively dehumidify.
I have used the loggers to discover indoor humidities above 70% – even in newly built green homes. They can also be placed in the supply and return plenums of HVAC systems to quickly diagnose whether a system is functioning properly.
2. The 7 factors for human comfort are:
1. metabolic rate
2. activity level
3. clothing (lack of, or too much)
4. temperature
5. humidity
6. air velocity
7. MRT (mean radiant temperature)
Numbers 4-7 are associated with the environment, the first 3 are considered personal. MRT is an average of the radiation to/from surfaces around you, based on their temperature and emissivity. MRT can be a big deal – as surfaces around you either radiate heat too you, or absorb heat from you. This can cause you to feel uncomfortable even in environments where the temperature, humidity and air velocity are all in safe/comfortable ranges.

Comment on SOL Austin – Update by Can I buy a home with Geothermal HVAC in Austin for under $300,000? | Austin Green Homes - Green Real Estate in Austin Texas

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:25:17 +0000

[...] the phone last week, and the first thing that sprung to mind was the net zero capable community of SOL Austin which features geothermal HVAC options. I checked the MLS home sales in the City of Austin in 2010, [...]

Comment on SOL Austin – Update by AustinEcoBroker

AustinEcoBroker — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 22:04:29 +0000

Thanks Zeph the construction site is an interesting resource – I urge readers to go check it out. I know pickups aren’t always a great indicator of green-ness. Sometimes they are the best vehicles for the job though…

Comment on SOL Austin – Update by Zeph

Zeph — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:07:49 +0000

Great post, I like how most of these green homes have large pickup trucks parked in front, that is something you don't usually see. It is great to see green building construction in small neighborhoods such as this one. I hope that over the next few years, green building practices will overshadow none green building practices. One website that I frequent when I am looking for construction information is McGraw Hill's Texas Construction site. It has a ton of valuable information on topics like this one. That orange colored house at the top of the page is quite stunning, I would love to see what the interior looks like. While I do some work for McGraw Hill, they have been a favorite resource for construction information long before we started working together. If you are like me, and enjoy reading about construction and green building practices, check out their website.

Comment on How Much Value Do Solar Panels Add To Your Home? by admin

admin — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:28:29 +0000

I have just seen the solar financial analysis at SunMath. Check out the blog to see some examples of how to pay for your own rooftop powerplant

Comment on How Much Value Do Solar Panels Add To Your Home? by Upgrading Single-Pane Windows in Texas | Austin Green Homes - Green Real Estate in Austin Texas

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 04:32:49 +0000

[...] as in the loose financial model for increased home value after adding solar panels replacing windows can be beneficial if you take all the elements into [...]