Energy Audit Equipment

They have a bunch of equipment on the front porch – no clue what it is all for, other than I know they’ll be doing a blower door test, which is designed to gather factual information about the energy leaks in a house. There are 7 people in the crawlspace – it’s almost a basement as you can stand up, it’s probably more accurately called a cellar. The gas furnace and tank-less water heater are located there. They’ve been down there about 15 minutes and talking the whole time. What ARE they saying!

I’ve had the shorter version of an energy audit. The Energy Trust spends about an hour and checks insulation, assesses windows, the types of light bulbs being used and points out ways you can reduce your energy use. They bring a low-flow shower head and Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL’s) with them which give you a head start on some simple ways to save. When they’re finished the occupants receive a list of other ways to save energy. That list covers such things as insulating floors and ceilings, walls and joists, outlets, updating furnaces to more efficient models, installing tankless water heaters and so on. The list also includes some priority recommendations for changes that will give the home owner or renter the most savings on energy bills. There is no charge for this service for customers of Pacific General Electric (PGE) and 2 other utilities because the Trust is funded by a small surcharge on each bill. Any customer in those service areas is entitled to have this audit.

Today though is different. The Energy Trust is teaching a class for contractors who want to become part of their Trade Ally Network and my house gets to be their case study. This list will cover energy loss in much more detail, as well as any health or safety hazard they discover. Normally this kind of audit is conducted by one of their certified contractors and costs somewhere between $300 and $500.

Infrared Scanner

They have an infrared scanner that shows the degree of heat loss in the exterior and interior walls. Who even really thought about heat loss from interior walls? I had not. They are also planning to test carbon monoxide emission levels from the gas stove and oven. They are checking the heating ducts for leaks, and discovering what is going on at the returns. Although the written report is yet to come, I’ve already learned I have a lot of leaks! The interior wall by the chimney glowed green in the infrared scanner. The new back door, with weather stripping and a top of the line sweep at the bottom glows blue! Blue indicates the heaviest infux of cold air. There is no caulking underneath the windows. I can feel a draft when I place my hand below the window sills. Easy fix – -run a bead of caulk.

Great news – the furnace appears to be 90% efficient! BUT, the electronic filter system needs to be housed. Currently when it starts-up, it sucks up some dust from the cellar, and defeats the air cleaner’s purpose.

Wall of Paintings

A surprise? Canvas paintings add a layer of insulation to walls! The scanner showed a lower level of cold air where some art is hung on the exterior walls.

The bad news? A significant health and safety hazard was discovered. No surprise that there is carbon monoxide being emitted from the oven, a small amount would appear to be normal – at least if I understood the conversation. But the level is approaching 9 parts per million, and that is not good. The short term fix, open a door or window when I turn the oven on. The long term fix, install a vent to the outside.

I’ll let you know what the final report has to say. And keep you posted on other fixes I need to make.

Audit Equipment

Blower for Blower Door Test

The Blower Door Test

Yosemite Meadows and Mountains

Concerned about the environment, global warming, rising energy costs or home-related health issues? Are you aware that there are more and more homes that address these concerns?  Did you know that Earth  Advantage*, a regional leader in green home certification, has a realtor certification program, EA S.T.A.R. (Sustainability Training for Accredited Real Estate Professionals)?

According to Sean Penrith, Executive Director for Earth Advantage, the program goal is to “equip realtors with the necessary knowledge and tools to educate their clients on products, features, building methods and values that make homes energy efficient, healthier, and green.”     

What might an EA S.T.A.R. certified realtor do for you?  A lot!

They can point out features that are more efficient, such as Energy Star(r) appliances and give you information about the initial costs and long-term savings associated with them.

Home Interior

They can inform you about products that off-gas and what that means for your family’s health and well-being. And tell you why linoleum is a better flooring choice for the environment than vinyl flooring. They can introduce you to suppliers and builders, architects and designers who focus on sustainable, durable and renewable products and materials. They can help you find a green certified home, or a home with green features. They also have information about financing, appraising and insuring a green built or remodeled home. And that’s is just the tip of the information an EA S.T.A.R. certified realtor has.

Many work closely with and are Trade Allies of The Energy Trust of Oregon, a public-purpose organization dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy generation.  The Energy Trust will schedule a free one-hour walkthrough of your home and give you personalized, energy-saving recommendations and tell you about Energy Trust cash incentives and programs.

If you have not scheduled such an energy review, please do.  You will be amazed at how a few small changes will decrease your energy use, and save you money.  Plus they will bring you some CFL’s (Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs) – and that will result in a lower electric bill!

Talk to an EA S.T.A.R. realtor even if you aren’t buying today, it’s never too early to start thinking about how to live more sustainably.  Talk to one to get information even if you plan to stay in your home a long while – upgrades you make now will help sell your home later.  More and more people want energy efficient and healthy homes.

And yes, I am an EA S.T.A.R. certified realtor.  Get in touch anytime you want more information about living green — I love to share what I know.

*Earth Advantage, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, is a leader in the sustainable building industry in the Pacific Northwest. At a minimum, Earth Advantage homes are designed to use 15 percent less energy than houses built to standard code practices. Earth Advantage homes adopt the philosophy of holistic sustainability (4-pillar approach) and are accordingly certified for energy efficiency, healthier indoor air, resource efficiency and environmental responsibility. The organization has the ability to certify homes as Earth Advantage (Gold and Platinum levels exist too), ENERGY STAR®, or LEED for Homes® and certified close to 2,500 homes in 2006. 

Exterior Hopworks Urban Brewery

Went to Hopworks Urban Brewery - HUB – the other day.  And I’m totally impressed.  Not only is it the first eco brewpub in the Northwest, they’ve done it fantastically well!

Housed in the old Sunset Fuel Company’s building on SE 30th and Powell, it was a gut rehab to end all gut rehabs.  Thick concrete walls had windows sawed into them, timber was saved and reused in booths and the bar. In an interesting  twist on the original location’s function the oil from the fryers is recycled in the biodiesel tank which powers the trucks and the brew kettle.

Switch Boxes Store Condiments

Everthing possible is reused, recycled or designed to have minimum impact on the environment.  The exterior planters are steel kegs that have been cut in half.  The parking lot pavers allow the rain to drain into the soil.  In each of the booths, the salt and pepper are stored in old power utility boxes. Even the tissue holders in the women’s bathroom are from old pipe. 

Pipe Tissue Holders

The brewpub is the dream child of Christian Ettinger, you’ll have to read the blurb on the HUB’s menu for that story, and his family have been super involved as well.  Designed by his architect father, Roy; his mother, Karen who formerly owned a plant business, has taken on keeping the planters filled with native and non-invasive plants.

Of course the purpose of a brewery and brew-pub is the beer.  Well I didn’t have any yet.  It was lunch and sad to say beer makes me sleepy. Food and service were great! I am going back though and test out some of the organic ale and award winning beers.  Meet you there?

Beer Keg Planters Line the Rail

Some facts about a popular ‘green’ flooring, marmoleum, pulled from the net –

Linoleum is made of linseed oil, jute, wood, cork and rosin.

Vinyl flooring is made from a petroleum product, polyvinyl chloride, which releases cancer causing dioxins during production.

Linoleum has a life span of 30 to 40 years in contrast to vinyl’s 10 to 20 years.

Marmoleum is  a linoleum flooring.

I also came across some conflicting information about linoleum/marmoleum and landfills.  One source said it would  break down in a landfill, a second source said it would not.  A second piece of coflicting information was that it has no odor while another said it did. 

Please do your due diligence before choosing marmoleum or any type of flooring.

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1.    Use microfiber towels instead of paper towels.  They are washable, reuseable, won’t fill up the landfill.

2.    Use public transportation when possible, combine trips when you can’t Carpool, use your bike, or walk, all will cut down on carbon emissions.

3.    Use fluorescent light bulbs. Get some free by ordering a free energy audit from Energy Trust of Oregon. They’ll assess your energy loss, and give you a list of ways to save energy.

4.    Eat local fruits and vegetables. Drink locally made beverages. Buy locally manufactured goods. Saves on the transportation to our area which results in fewer emissions.

5.    When traveling and staying in hotels, support green hotels and sustainable tourism companies. Re-use your towels (you do at home!) and say no to changing sheets every day.

6.    Try using natural cleaners – baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, borax, soap (instead of detergent which is petroleum based). “Natural Cleaning for Your Home” by Casey Kellar is a great resource.

7.    Do the tried and true: in the winter turn down the thermostat and put on a sweater; in the summer turn off the AC and open the windows.

8.    Give away instead of throw away. Make an effort to find someone or place who can use what you no longer need or use. The ReBuilding Center for windows, doors, and other home remnants.  The Freecycle Network is a great resource and Portland has a group.

9.    Say no to disposables. Rechargeable batteries instead of the ones that run out. An inexpensive digital camera instead of disposables. Fill a bottle with water instead of buying water from Maine or elsewhere.

10.  Calculate your carbon footprint and make additional small changes to make a difference.  There are several websites where you can, Carbon Footprint is one.

I was just referred to a great Green site by Lila Ojeda, a  registered dietitian and personal trainer who’s headquartered at the Trainer’s Club in Lake Oswego.   The site is www.greenposting.org.   Jonathan Davis is the founder and brains behind the idea , which is to have a Portland Sustainable Community website, and it’s also an online directory of green services and organizations in the Portland Metro area.   It’s in the development stage and you can get more info by contacting Jonathan at info@greenposting.org

And BTW, the Trainer’s Club is a great resource for individualized services. Check out the LO location.  You can find Lila at www.LO-Solutions.com