Information on making buildings more energy-efficient, including conserving electricity, natural gas and water, and efficient heating and cooling.

Leasing Solar Panels – An Affordable Option for Homeowners

High utility bills and growing anxiety about climate change might have you thinking about going solar. While the technology of the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell has been with us since 1954 in the U.S., it didn’t take off as expected. According to the Energy Information Administration, as of 2020, only 3.7% of U.S. residences generated

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Insulate Your Mid-Century Modern Home

This post first ran in 2017. In the mid-20th century, there seemed to be little reason to insulate a new California home. Mild winters and summers, combined with seemingly plentiful, inexpensive energy meant homeowners could crank up the heat without breaking the bank or worrying about their carbon footprint. In the 21st century, however, we

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19 Ways to Increase Your Home’s Energy Efficiency & Save Money

There are lots of ways to increase your home's energy efficiency and reduce your impact on our environment, from small, simple changes to larger projects that may cost more up front but will save you money in the long run. Easy and Free These are the low-hanging fruit for increasing energy and water efficiency –

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Five Ideas for Cooling Your Mid-Century Modern Home

This post first ran in 2018. Summer is just around the corner, and while many of us are looking forward to lazy days by the pool with a good book (and lots of sunscreen), we’re also thinking about how we’re going to keep cool without breaking the bank or destroying the earth. Cooling

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Daylighting, Green Design and Better Health

Every year, the debate rages about the clock switching ritual of daylight saving time as we chase the sunlight. We recently experienced the Spring Forward, with all its morning grogginess, sleep deprivation and for some people, the increased likelihood of strokes and heart attacks. That certainly can get us thinking about the effect sunlight has

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