Eichler Remodel

Eichler MC-674 Street View
Eichler Remodel – Healthy & Efficient Home Why write about an Eichler remodel? Because my family is lucky enough to call this our first home, and remodeling has almost completely absorbed me for the past 3 months! This isn’t just a remodel, it’s a green Eichler remodel. What is an Eichler? Joseph Eichler was a
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Selecting Energy Efficient Windows for your New Home

Energy Efficient Windows - Insulated or Thermally Broken Frame
For folks building a new home, the job of selecting the Energy Efficient windows can be daunting. Based on the nature of the contract, the architect may or may not be involved in the window selection. Their contract may end with assisting the home owner with obtaining the permit. In such cases the homeowners may rely
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Healthy Building Science Joins the Building Health Initiative

Building Health Initiative Logo
We are excited to announce that we are new members of the U.S. Green Building Council – Northern California Chapter’s Building Health Initiative! The Building Health Initiative is a two-year program in which Northern California industry leaders from multiple sectors have pledged to promote health and wellness. Members have made commitments to take simple but
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Building a Home for Peace of Mind & Security

building a healthy home
When most people build or remodel their homes, they pay close attention to indoor air quality, comfort and aesthetics. The task of building to survive natural disasters like earthquakes (as the San Francisco Bay region is prone to) is left to building codes and local code enforcement. And the task of ensuring the home maintains livable
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Blown-in-Cellulose Insulation

blown-in-cellulose insulation
Blown-in-Cellulose Insulation Test Results On a recent project, we recommended a homeowner try Blown-in-Cellulose insulation as a healthy alternative to other insulation choices. Blown-in-cellulose is known in the healthy materials world as a pretty safe insulation choice. But just to be sure the product was safe, we sent a wet sample to a lab for
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Sick Building

What is a Sick Building?
What is a Sick Building? There is often confusion over the definition of a sick building syndrome. We hear questions like, “Is my building sick?,” and, “How do I know if my building is sick?” Therein lies much of the confusion. Buildings don’t get sick, people do! Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) Determining if occupants suffer
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Energy Efficient Home

Energy Efficient LEED Home
A Comfortable and Energy Efficient Home through Science – Part 1 I am a big believer in using principles of science and an understanding of the sun’s movement through the sky to enhance your comfort while also making it a more energy efficient home. I am going to devote the next few blogs to giving
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Asthma and Buildings

Asthma and Buildings
Asthma and Buildings – California and US Trends in Asthma Buildings are too often neglected in the asthma equation. Asthma is sometimes defined as a symptom of poor indoor air quality, and other times defined as a Building Related Illness. This blog references the recently released report, “Asthma in California: A Surveillance Report,” compiled by
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LEED EMF ID Credit Application

LEED EMF Credit Denied
LEED EMF ID Credit Application The USGBC/LEED recently denied an Innovation in Design (ID) credit application for Magnetic Field (EMF) Reduction. This post includes the official LEED EMF ID Credit Application. The following text is in the traditional formal of an ID credit application and request for a Credit Interpretation Ruling (CIR). Unfortunately the USGBC
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Building Biology 25 Principles

Building Biology 25 Principles
No one rating system can isolate every possible environmental angle, and the International Institute of Building Biology founders were certainly most interested in human health, but it is hard to imagine a more comprehensive healthy building checklist than what’s provided in the Building Biology 25 Principles. It is quite difficult to incorporate every principle into
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