Torpedos Away: Toilet Technology
Between 1950 and 2000 the world’s population doubled. In that same period global use of fresh water tripled, not only because of the population boom, but also due to increased consumption in manufacturing and electricity production. However, thanks to a group of concerned scientists and citizens who banded together in the late 60s and compelled our government to protect the environment against pollution and waste, the per capita use of water in the U.S. home has remained fairly unchanged since the late 70s. On January 1, 1970 Richard Nixon signed into law the National...
Read MoreJust Chillin’
The heat index registered 110 in Wausau today, so I thought a stroll through cooling technology might be a nice diversion. Most people today think we have only two options on hot days like today: stay inside a closed, air conditioned building; or be miserable. There are other possibilities ranging from no-energy systems to high-energy systems that one can employ to stay comfortable on days when it’s almost too hot to breath. The simplest form of cooling is the one our grandparents used: breezes. Natural cross-ventilation in a home can provide cool air without flipping a switch....
Read MoreThe World of Windows
Just as eyes are the windows to the soul, windows help create the soul of the house. They are what give the home personality, and help integrate the home’s interior with the world outside. Regardless of the size or style of home being considered, there is no arguing that the typical American loves lots of windows. And as homeowners become better educated about the benefits of sustainable design, passive solar design often becomes a goal. Regardless of whether you desire a passive solar or not, a key component to any energy-efficient home is the type of window frames and glazing...
Read MoreThe Darwinism of Stuff
The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines a potentially historic building as one that is at least 50 years of age. There are exceptions, but in general no building is considered historic unless it is 50 or older. This threshold was set to prevent a glut of federally-owned historic buildings which required a higher (and more costly) level of maintenance. Some historians argue that the 50-year rule is too limiting. They have lobbied to put more recent sites, like the Oklahoma Bombing Memorial, on the National Register of Historic Places, despite its lack of age. Others argue...
Read MoreThe Hunt for Hidden Treasure
Maybe it’s all the pirate stories I heard as a kid, or the tales of Ali Baba woven by my second-grade music teacher..but the quest for hidden treasure has always drawn me in. I’m not an antique collector by any means. But I am smitten with finding good bits of architecture that can be incorporated into new construction. In college I discovered my very first architectural “find”, salvaged from a burned-down Victorian home in central Illinois. I found this lovely piece of carved trim at a salvage warehouse in Champaign, Illinois only to learn that it came from the...
Read MoreDodging the Draft
Draft-dodging (ok, have I got your attention?) through proper use of insulation… is one of the most important ingredients of a home; yet it doesn’t get a lot of press. It’s not glamorous or highly visible. An article entitled “insulation” probably wouldn’t even catch a second look. Insulation is one of the first places that homeowners and builders look when they want to cut costs. But improper insulation can bring shockingly high energy bills later; so it’s important to listen and learn. People usually select insulation by its...
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