Earlier this year, the World Record Academy awarded a home in Dillingham, Alaska with the record for the Tightest Residential Building.

In a video that documents the blower door test, the home’s owners and residents, Dr. Tom Marsik and Kristin Donalson, who designed and built the extremely insulated building, explain their motivation to push the limits of green building methods. The blower door test, which used a special attachment to get the most accurate reading, pressurized the building and then measured the flow that was needed to maintain the difference in pressure from the outside.

The key energy features of the home include its small size (600 square feet with two bedrooms and one bathroom), 28 inch thick walls, an extremely tight building envelope (0.05 ACH50), ventilation via a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV). The majority of the heat needed by the home is derived from internal heat gains (from lighting, appliances, passive solar, and body heat).

Only about 35 gallons of heating oil is needed each year to make up the difference between internal heat gains and needed heat. Windows are triple-pane, argon-filled with fiberglass frames. Appliances are Energy Star rated, lighting is supplied by CFLs, and plumbing fixtures are low-flow.

While extra insulation cost around $20,000 of the estimated construction costs of $169,500, the owners expect to save about $4,000 per year in energy costs.

The home design was based on an educational tool that was developed by the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Bristol Bay Campus Sustainable Energy Program, Passive Office, which was an experiment in energy-efficient building construction. Marsik is an assistant professor of sustainable energy at UAF.

Extensive details about the home’s specifications and construction can be found on the Alaska Energy Wiki where you can find links to more images and articles about the record-setting Dillingham house.

The folks at RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network) have put together a handy infographic (below) to summarize some of your options if you own a home. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes funding for tax credits, grants, and rebates such as the Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit and the Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit. Energy mortgages are available to help you purchase energy-efficient homes or upgrade your current home. Several states have financial incentives, such as rebate and loan programs.

The RESNET website features energy-saving tips and information about energy ratings and assessments, or energy audits. If you’re thinking about upgrading or replacing insulation or turning your house into a “smart home,” RESNET can even help you find a qualified contractor.

This is the last installment in our series called Energy-Efficient Windows 101 made possible by Marvin Windows and Doors.  Last time I discussed how Marvin windows contribute towards LEED certification, and today want to wrap it up with this showcase of an award-winning home in Leicester, North Carolina.  Designed by Eric Gartner of New York-based SPG Architects, the energy-efficient home has a custom configuration of Marvin windows providing expansive southern and western views.

It’s hard to explain how digging the water well in 2008 influenced what ultimately was built, but that’s what happened, according to Gartner, SPG Architects.  Due to drought conditions, the well had to be dug much deeper than expected, and the housing economy basically crashed at about the same time.  When these two things happened, the owner reassessed plans and worked with Gartner on a more environmentally friendly home while still keeping a tight construction budget.

The result is a 3,000 square-foot abode with three bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms, split between two levels.  The upper level has the living and master suite, while the lower level has the guest wing and can be zoned off when not in use to save energy.

A key feature of the Leicester home is an engineered window wall overlooking a green roof with sunset views of the west and also toward the south.  This was accomplished with the custom configuration of Marvin windows and doors explained below.

Contemporary and Green

Leicester collects about 80% of the water that falls on the house and diverts it to two tanks that hold a total of 3,400 gallons.  The non-potable resource is used for landscape irrigation and in the water-conserving toilets.  Also, the green roof reduces water runoff and the heat-island effect and insulates the guest wing below.

As for the construction, Leicester has a basic insulation package with R19 fiberglass in the walls, an insulated foam in the basement, and an R38+ roof with a combination of R19 fiberglass and closed-cell urethane foam.  The HVAC system has three zones – again, these can be shut down when an area of the house isn’t being used – powered by a geothermal system with a field of horizontal loops.

To conserve energy, the owner installed Energy Star appliances, Energy Star Marvin windows, and low-consumption lighting, and Gartner’s design includes massive overhangs for summer shade and winter warmth.  These windows facilitate stunning views and also provide for cross-ventilation.

About the Windows

The window package from Marvin works overtime to minimize unwanted heat gain from the west.  Gartner said the UV rating is really high, and, specifically, the windows have low-E2 glass filled with argon.

Marvin’s team was able to sync with the design team to deliver a mostly continuous view using steel bars engineered for structural support, connections, and an arrangement of the Ultimate Swinging French Door, Ultimate Casement Window, and Ultimate Awning Window.  And Gartner was honored as one of Marvin’s 2012 Architect’s Challenge winners.

If you’ve ever thought about having stunning views like this from your home, find a Marvin dealer near you to bring your vision to life.

Courtesy: SPG Architects; credits: Daniel Levin Photography.

SAGE Electrochromics, which was recently acquired to become a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain of Paris, is demonstrating its newly developed advanced dynamic glass that it calls “SageGlass” at the 2013 BAU, the “World’s Leading Trade Fair for Architecture, Materials, Systems” in Munich.

SageGlass is electronically tintable to allow for modulation of light, glare, and solar heat gain. With the push of a button, or by of building automation systems or the proprietary SageClass control system, the glass can alter the solar heat gain and visible light transmission. Providing for efficient and flexible control of exterior light, SageGlass replaces blinds and motorized window shades that block light coming through windows, curtain walls, and skylights.

Using a patented technology, the glazing level of SageGlass tint is dynamically controllable from 2% to 62% of light transmittance while maintaining transparency so that outdoor views are unobstructed to maximize energy efficiency while improving the comfort  and productivity of building occupants and increasing the value of the building.

According to a recent press release, SageGlass tint achieves this by managing “solar heat with a g value varying from 0.42 in its clearest state to 0.05 in the darkest state (values for a DGU with a Ug value of 1.1 W/m2.k).” The SageGlass dedicated automatic control system enables the tint to automatically adapt to outdoor luminance.

“BAU will be a terrific opportunity to showcase SageGlass’s impact on daylight and sun heat for the first time to the German market,” said SAGE SAINT-GOBAIN Europe, Director of Marketing and Sales, Kirk Ratzel.

Built from from white pine heartwood timber that is sustainably grown in northern Ontario and Quebec (certified by the Forest Stewardship Council), this stunning log home comes to us from True North Log Homes.

While reminiscent of the rustic, breezy log home of the distant past, these structures are tech-savvy and utilize computerized machinery and careful preparation of timber to save labor time on-site.

Modular components allow for flexibility in design, as well as reducing the carbon footprint, and exterior construction that takes only a few days to complete. Joined together without screws or nail, the exterior shell is weather-tight. To make up for wood shrinkage, patented systems tighten the house to eliminate the need for chinking of holes.

Interiors can be retrofitted to increase sustainability with options including energy efficient windows, solar panels, spray foam insulation, soundproofing with sheep’s wool, and radiant floor heat.

President of True North Homes, Rob Wrightman, built this log cabin for his family, and frequently opens it up to show his customers the advantages of living in a log home.

Roughly following the floor plan of the Citadel model, the 3,300 square feet includes a separate apartment and garage.

Founded in 1986 and based out of Bracebridge, Ontario, True North Log Homes is known to be a manufacturer of some of North America’s best-engineered log homes. Canadian owned and operated, their innovative craftsmanship and technology is complimented by a commitment to the environmental needs and concerns of forested regions.

True North Testimonial With Features

Part of the 2012 Get it Louder Exhibition and designed by the People’s Architecture Office (PAO) and the People’s Industrial Design Office (PIDO) in China, the Tricycle House is portable and can be configured with numerous options.

Constructed of translucent polypropylene plastic using a CNC router, it retains its strength during folding such that it can open up and expand for increased space and connection to other units.

Optional interior facilities include a kitchen with sink and stove, bathroom with washing tub, living areas with storage and transformable furniture, a water tank, and an outdoor garden.

Imagine affordable, sustainable living, off the grid in an urban environment or in the country, where your home goes where you go. Do you think that you could adapt to this kind of living environment?

This is the third installment in our series called Energy-Efficient Windows 101 made possible by Marvin Windows and Doors. In the previous article, I discussed some of the product options available for your energy-efficient windows. For this article I want to focus on how Marvin windows contribute towards a home’s efficiency and LEED certification.

Windows and Energy Efficiency

Windows are a weak point in the envelope of a home and can make a home uncomfortable or drafty. However, that doesn’t have to be the case with products available from Marvin. Energy-efficient windows and doors can help reduce energy bills by up to 15%, according to the Energy Star website, and Marvin has more than 150,000 options for meeting or exceeding Energy Star requirements. Marvin has dual- and triple-pane windows, various low-E coatings, insulating gases like argon and krypton, and several choices of framing materials.

Windows and LEED Certification

As you probably know, windows themselves can’t obtain LEED certification but they may contribute towards certification for a project or home. Marvin windows may help contribute toward LEED-H points in several categories relating to energy performance, construction waste management, recycled content, regional materials,daylighting and views, and certified wood.

Try the Smart Performance Promotion

Marvin is running a Smart Performance Promotion giving one lucky homeowner $5,000 toward the purchase of new Marvin windows and doors. In connection with the promotion, the company published a collection of energy efficiency and other home improvement tips from Lou Manfredini, a homebuilder, contributor to the Today Show, and host of HouseSmarts TV.

Here’s a neat piece of pre-production technology called MeterPlug.  MeterPlug measures electricity consumption by plugging in between any appliance and the AC outlet.  The smart plug uses Bluetooth 4.0 to send data to your smartphone and enable features like proximity control, manual on/off, and vampire power shield.  In other words, with a range of about 100 feet and a smartphone, it’s easy to shut down appliances or calculate the costs of standby power.  Each plug is a little expensive right now, but if you want to try MeterPlug, you can pledge support at Indiegogo.

[+] More about MeterPlug smart plugs via Indiegogo.

Here’s another interesting video from Austin-based builder Matt Risinger about what he calls “practical advanced framing.” In this video, Risinger talks about the difference between 2×4 and 2×6 studs, 16″ and 24″ centers, plywood and OSB sheathing, three-stud and California corners, and uninsulated and insulated headers.  Here are Risinger’s three tips for practical advanced framing:

1.)  2×6 studs on 24″ centers

2.) Insulated headers (engineered ones by Timberstrand)

3.) California corners

Changes like these result in a cheaper and faster build and help with energy efficiency too. And if you’ve hired a builder, you might ask whether advanced framing will be used. The answer is a good indicator of the kind of home you can expect to get.

[+] Watch Advanced Framing versus Traditional Framing by Matt Risinger.

Philips recently announced its next-generation A-19 bulb with a new design that contrasts sharply with the old yellow EnduraLED or the fluorescent L-Prize bulb.  The 60-watt replacement has a white appearance and uses 11 watts while putting out 830 lumens.  It will be available in both Soft White or Daylight color temperatures when released.

The bulb, which was designed to exceed Energy Star specifications, is being released in select New York locations of Home Depot this month.  It will also be available at HomeDepot.com with a roll-out expected in the beginning of 2013.

Philips continues to aggressively innovate in the LED lighting space.  Most recently, in October 2012, the company released hue, which is a smart, web-enabled LED lighting system that can be purchased for under $200.

[+] More about the new Philips A-19 LED light bulb.