Build your own ACCA Manual J load calculations and energy models Back in the 80’s ACCA created Manual J as a process to do load calcs. It was hundreds of pages of calculations, formulas, factors etc. Then in 1985 the first software was developed following Manual J to speed up the… Continue reading “Build your own ACCA Manual J load calculations and energy models”
BPI “Building Science Principles” (BSP) prep course now free for members If you’ve ever thought about expanding into weatherization projects, energy audits, heat pumps, or building efficiency upgrades – this one is for you. BPI’s Building Science Principles (BSP) certificate is the gateway to a career in building performance. Getting your… Continue reading “BPI “Building Science Principles” (BSP) prep course now free for members”
Building a Solar Passive Greenhouse With No Energy Inputs Other Than the Sun Harnessing the power of the sun can look like many different things. For HeatSpring instructor Chris LaForge, solar energy means so much more than photovoltaics. In this short video, Chris shows us the beginning phases of his passive solar greenhouse… Continue reading “Building a Solar Passive Greenhouse With No Energy Inputs Other Than the Sun”
eQUEST vs. OpenStudio Is eQUEST or OpenStudio better for running energy models? That was the question from a student this week. Here’s how they framed it: “I’m interested in gaining a qualification in building energy modeling, to perform my firm’s energy rating building… Continue reading “eQUEST vs. OpenStudio”
Resources for the Building Science Generalist Looking for some new books or opportunities to build your knowledge base in zero energy buildings? Marc Rosenbaum, instructor of How to Think About Energy in Buildings course, shares his ideas for expanding your knowledge in the field of building… Continue reading “Resources for the Building Science Generalist”
Why the World Needs Building Science Generalists When HeatSpring instructor Marc Rosenbaum began his work in building science over 40 years ago, there wasn’t a whole industry surrounding it. There wasn’t research to reference or frameworks to follow. Marc and his generation of peers essentially invented the… Continue reading “Why the World Needs Building Science Generalists”
Climate Change and COVID Crisis Boost Interest in Ventilation The Covid-19 crisis and climate change are boosting interest in ventilation and in training that helps people calculate the amount of ventilation needed in a home or building, says HeatSpring instructor Rick Karg. Karg, who teaches ASHRAE 62.2 Ventilation for… Continue reading “Climate Change and COVID Crisis Boost Interest in Ventilation”
David J. Goldstein Awarded Genius Grant for Multifamily HVAC Solution Please join us in congratulating David J. Goldstein, the first Genius Grant award recipient for 2021. David is an engineer and an entrepreneur. He has self-funded the development of a new HVAC solution that has potential to make multifamily housing… Continue reading “David J. Goldstein Awarded Genius Grant for Multifamily HVAC Solution”
Storing Embodied Carbon in Buildings to Address Climate Change More and more, green builders and architects are looking to reduce embodied carbon, and when possible, store it in buildings, says Marc Rosenbaum, instructor of HeatSpring’s Zero Net Energy Buildings course. “We’re changing our view from net zero energy buildings… Continue reading “Storing Embodied Carbon in Buildings to Address Climate Change”
Hempcrete 101: A New Free Course Here’s the story of “Hempcrete 101“, a new free course presented by Tom Rossmassler, Alex Sparrow, Bruce Friedman, and Jennifer Martin, offered in partnership with the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. In this presentation we will take a deep dive into… Continue reading “Hempcrete 101: A New Free Course”
Comfortable, Resilient Net-Zero Buildings Aren’t Just Residential Hampshire College’s R.W. Kern Center achieved zero net energy building status due to its passive solar orientation, high levels of insulation, airtight envelope and triple glazed windows. The building also includes air source heat pumps, and a 118-kW rooftop solar… Continue reading “Comfortable, Resilient Net-Zero Buildings Aren’t Just Residential”
New Format for Deep Energy Retrofits by Marc Rosenbaum We’ve just released a new version Marc Rosenbaum’s renowned Deep Energy Retrofits Course. Instead of a scheduled session which happens once a year, this course is now offered as a self-study on demand course which students can begin anytime. We’ve… Continue reading “New Format for Deep Energy Retrofits by Marc Rosenbaum”
Grow Your Green Building Skillset Online — From Design to Retrofits From building science to retrofits, energy modeling, smart homes, and beyond, HeatSpring offers a comprehensive marketplace of green building courses. Join your expert instructors for weeks of top notch technical training. Deep Energy Retrofits – Upgrade existing residential and commercial buildings… Continue reading “Grow Your Green Building Skillset Online — From Design to Retrofits”
Zero Energy Homes: Economics, Efficiency & Renewable Energy Integration What are Zero Energy Homes? How are they cost efficient and how do they help significantly lessen energy use? In this $30 course, sustainable building expert Ann Edminster has the answers. This course, designed as an introduction to all things Zero… Continue reading “Zero Energy Homes: Economics, Efficiency & Renewable Energy Integration”
The Impact of Air Tightness on Ventilation in Passive House Design When many first hear of the Passive House blower door test requirement of 0.6 ACH at 50 Pascals of test pressure, the first thing that comes to mind is the difficulty of designing and executing air barrier details that deliver… Continue reading “The Impact of Air Tightness on Ventilation in Passive House Design”
Leaders in High Performance Building: A Passive House in Vermont At HeatSpring, we celebrate innovative builders and designers who work to improve the overall quality and performance of public and residential buildings… Our Leaders in High Performance Building Giveaway was created for those who have helped plan, design, construct, and/or operate a high performance building.… Continue reading “Leaders in High Performance Building: A Passive House in Vermont”
FREE Lecture: Passive House – Less Energy and More Comfort Enroll in ‘Passive House: Less Energy and More Comfort‘ today! In this free lecture, James Bill cites several examples of Passive Houses and the comfort and efficiency these structures provide. Bill discusses the “FRAM” by Fridtjof Nansen (this first crew spent… Continue reading “FREE Lecture: Passive House – Less Energy and More Comfort”
Building Codes, Efficiency & Passive House Principles On Existing Homes On the Passive House in the Real World (with Mike Duclos) discussion board… Takeaways: Homeowners looking to incorporate Passive House principles in existing buildings should consider getting a home energy audit. Still, after a home is built, serious energy reductions (say 50% to 90%) become very expensive.… Continue reading “Building Codes, Efficiency & Passive House Principles On Existing Homes”
Free Tool: Water and Hot Water Usage Estimator Download Andy Shapiro‘s FREE Water and Hot Water Usage Estimator! This tool is used in Building Energy Analytics: Measuring and Understanding Building Energy Use course, approved for 10 AIA LU/HSW Credits , 15 Building Performance Institute (BPI) CEUs , 6 GBCI credits (CE Hours for… Continue reading “Free Tool: Water and Hot Water Usage Estimator”
3 Reasons to Rethink Crawlspaces in Passive House Design On NESEA’S BuildingEnergy course Passive House Design course discussion board… Takeaways: Typically, Passive Houses do not feature crawlspaces (a foundation that is five feet or less, and fully enclosed — or, not vented to outside) because: If the thermal boundary is at the… Continue reading “3 Reasons to Rethink Crawlspaces in Passive House Design”