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  • Musings of an Energy Nerd
In this fascinating collection of postings from his popular "Musings of an Energy Nerd" blog, Green Building Advisor's Martin Holladay cuts through the hype and myths about energy efficiency, sustainability, and green building to present the very best ways to make your home more energy efficient.

Martin Holladay has been making weekly postings to his "Musings of an Energy Nerd" blog on Green Building Advisor since January 2009. Along the way, he has gathered a devoted following of "energy nerds" who await his weekly musings with rapt anticipation. For the first time, the 50 most popular postings have been assembled in book form to give homeowners a great opportunity to live a more energy-efficient life in their homes. The book begins with an overview of energy priorities, and a discussion of what we mean by terms likegreen and sustainable. Martin presents several options for energy upgrades for an existing house (from replacing windows to adding superinsulation) before looking at ways to improve the energy efficiency of a new house. Separate chapters follow on HVAC, domestic hot water, appliances, and renewable energy, before the book wraps up with an eye-opening chapter on useless products, scams, and myths (including Martin's list of "Stupid Energy-Saving Tips").

About the Author
Martin Holladay joined the staff of www.GreenBuildingAdvisor.com in 2008 and writes for Fine Homebuilding magazine about energy-related topics. He has worked as a plumbing wholesale counterperson, roofer, remodeler, builder, writer, and editor. He built his first passive-solar house in northern Vermont in 1974 and has lived off the grid since 1975.
Additional Information
Cover 138
Publication Year 2017
Photos 78
Drawings 19
Isbn 978-1-63186-256-4
Author Martin Holladay
Dimensions 6 3/4 x 91/2
Pages 272
Format Paperback
Toc Introduction
  • 1 Building Science
  • What Is Comfort?
  • Martin’s Pretty Good House Manifesto
  • It’s Not About Space Heating
  • Forget Vapor Diffusion — Stop the Air Leaks!
  • Vapor Retarders and Vapor Barriers
  • Do I Need a Vapor Retarder?
  • Forget Vapor Diffusion — Stop the Air Leaks!
  • When Sunshine Drives Moisture Into Walls
  • How Risky Is Cold OSB Wall Sheathing?
  • Monitoring Moisture Levels in Double-Stud Walls

  • 2 Energy Modeling
  • Understanding Energy Units
  • Saving Energy with Manual J and Manual D
  • Energy Modeling Isn’t Very Accurate
  • How to Perform a Heat-Loss Calculation
  • Calculating Cooling Loads
  • When Do I Need to Perform a Load Calculation?
  • All About Embodied Energy
  • Payback Calculations for Energy Efficiency Improvements

  • 3 Construction Basics
  • Ten Ways to Improve a New Home
  • Banish These Details from Your Plans
  • Every House Needs Roof Overhangs
  • Polyethylene under Concrete Slabs
  • Martin’s Ten Rules of Roof Design
  • Building an Unvented Crawl Space
  • How to Build an Insulated Cathedral Ceiling
  • How to Design a Wall
  • All About Wall Rot

  • 4 Airtightness
  • Questions and Answers About Air Barriers
  • All about Indoor Air Quality
  • Blower Door Basics
  • Pinpointing Leaks with a Fog Machine
  • Getting the Biggest Bang for Your Air-Sealing Buck

  • 5 Insulation
  • Plan ahead for Insulation
  • Understanding R-Value
  • Installing Fiberglass Right
  • Flash and Batt Insulation
  • Calculating the Minimum Thickness of Rigid Foam Sheathing
  • How to Install Cellulose Insulation
  • How to Install Rigid Foam Sheathing
  • Insulating Low-Slope Residential Roofs

  • 6 Windows
  • All About Glazing Options
  • What Should I Do with My Old Windows?
  • Choosing Triple-Glazed Windows
  • Windows That Perform Better Than Walls
  • “Innie” Windows or “Outie” Windows?
  • Study Shows That Expensive Windows Yield Meager Energy Returns
  • Rating Windows for Condensation Resistance

  • 7 HVAC
  • Duct Leakage Testing
  • Sealing Ducts: What’s Better, Tape or Mastic?
  • Keeping Ducts Indoors
  • Are HRVs Cost-Effective?
  • HRV or ERV?
  • Does a Home with an HRV Also Need Bath Fans?
  • Rules of Thumb for Ductless Minisplits

  • 8 The Passivhaus Standard
  • Passivhaus For Beginners
  • Reassessing Passive Solar Design Principles
  • Can Foam Insulation Be Too Thick?
  • Are Passivhaus Requirements Logical or Arbitrary?

Index
Intro No

Musings of an Energy Nerd

  • by Martin Holladay
  • Paperback
  • Product Code: TP-FHB72071540
Availability: In Stock
Today's Price: $27.99
List Price: $34.99
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