Although formaldehyde is now listed as a known carcinogen by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, humans will be exposed to this substance in the environment, at home, and in the workplace.  It’s in soil, food, and water, not to mention one of the primary methods of exposure: indoor and outdoor air.  And besides being a carcinogen, health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; skin rash; and severe allergic reactions, according to the EPA.

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125 Haus is a home under construction that could become a model for next-gen housing that’s extremely energy and cost efficient.  Architect and owner Jörg Rügemer* expects this to be Utah’s most energy-efficient and cost-effective house, which is saying a lot given the fact that the Breezeway House obtained Passive House certification on a budget.  When complete, 125 Haus will have three bedrooms, a studio, and 2,400 square feet with an expected construction cost of $118 per square foot.

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Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) added eight substances to its Report on Carcinogens.  The 12th Report on Carcinogens now includes a grand total of 240 listings.  HHS added formaldehyde and aristolochic acids as “known human carcinogens” and listed captafol, cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder or hard metal form), certain inhalable glass wool fibers, o-nitrotoluene, riddelliine, and styrene as substances that are “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens.”

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This new home supports the notion that a Passive House doesn’t need to look a certain way.  It turns out that a Passive House (certification pending in this case) can take on a what’s being referred to as a “mission revival style.”  Called Menlo Passive, this “Old World,” luxury home was built by California-based Clarum Homes, a builder of high performance custom homes, and is currently listed for sale at the price of $2,695,000.

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Kyocera Solar, Inc. today announced the availability of bundles for people looking to enter the solar market.  Called MyGen, the solar kits are made in America for residential and light commercial projects and come with all major PV system components, disconnects, and grounding equipment required to start generating electricity.

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