For some of the most beautiful residential architecture of our day check out Alberto Campo Baeza‘s website.  There are books on him and plenty of images on his website, so check out his stuff for some serious inspiration.

So I think we Americans are a little bit scared of changing the longstanding traditions that we are so accustomed to.  A 40 gallon water heater is one of those traditions, and I’m starting to think it’s worth changing.  I’d like to know how well they work if anyone has experience with them.  I got to know a few of them in Spain a few years ago- and I hope the technology has improved since then- but I’ve yet to hear any reviews on any recent models.

Features:

• New! 3″/5″ Concentric Vent System with Integrated Condensate Collector
• Connects to Metal Fab Inc., 3″/5″ Concentric Venting without an adapter
• New! Next Generation Burner Technology
• Industry Best! .26 GPM Minimum Flow Rate, .40 GPM Minimum Activation Flow Rate
• UMC-117 remote control and 10 ft. of thermostat wire is included
• EZ-Link™ cable available for high demand applications to connect two tankless units to operate as one
• New! Manifold up to 6 units with an optional MIC-6 manifold control board
• Exclusive! All Rheem models can be linked in up to 20 unit manifold installations by using the optional MIC-180 and MICS-180 manifold control assembly
• High-altitude capability – up to 9,840 ft. elevation above sea level (no chip required)
• Exclusive! Guardian OFW™ overheat film wrap
• All Rheem tankless models are third-party efficiency certified by GAMA
• Continuous hot water, energy saving and compact, space saving design
• Intelligent electronic controls designed to increase energy efficiency and safety
• Self Diagnostic System
• Digital display shows temperature setting and maintenance codes
• Built-in electric blower
• Supplied with a 120 volt power cord
• Environmentally friendly Low NOx burner meets SCAQMD rule 1146 requirements
• Freeze protection to -30° F Product appearance may differ

All people looking to get self-educated on modern furniture should be directed to Deconet and Decopedia.  There’s a huge selection of legit furniture for sale at a pretty decent price.  So check out Deconet for some good purchases and Decopedia for some good learnin’.

photo: Erik Christensen

Green Roofs are becoming a little more popular, and even though we can’t all have the view of these houses in the Faroe Islands, there are some good sources out there to make your house a green roof house.  Listed below are some benefits of green roofs from Greensulate.com – my favorite is the last one.

Green Roofs:

• Conserve energy
• Extend life of roof
• Reduce interior temperatures
• Reduce urban temperatures
• Add beauty
• Qualify for tax incentives
• Clean the air and reduce asthma rates
• Reduce green house gases
• Provide green space
• Increase employee productivity and decrease absenteeism

• Water based; contains no solvents
• No hazardous materials
• Virtually no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s less than 0.3%)
• No CFC’s or HCFC’s used in manufacturing or installation

• Does not require full body protection or external air supply
• No hazardous chemicals mixed at the jobsite; no concerns for worker exposure
• No jobsite quarantine; safe for other trades to work in the home during installation
• No hazardous VOC’s released during cure. Meets or exceeds all State and Federal requirements for VOC’s for architectural sealants

• Low start-up cost. All necessary equipment (including airless sprayer) for only $3900
  - Reliable off the shelf equipment and replacement parts
• Ready to use straight from the bucket with no mixing required
• Cleans up with water
• Single pass application; just spray and walk away
• Seals an average home at a fraction of the cost of traditional foam
• Seals areas traditional foam can’t
• Spray and insulate house in same day

CertainTeed Corporation Cuts Energy Loss From Slab Edges with New EnergyEdge® Insulating Form

(Valley Forge, Pa.) – CertainTeed Corporation is expanding its portfolio of time-saving foundation products that boost energy efficiency with the introduction of EnergyEdge® insulating concrete slab edge forms.

The patent-pending EnergyEdge system is designed to prevent energy loss along the uninsulated concrete slab edge. The system consists of PVC rails, snap-on braces and expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation. The rails are available in 12-foot lengths and can be cut using standard building tools to form a perimeter for the construction of the slab. EnergyEdge provides a R-10 thermal resistance value and meets International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) requirements.

“Industry studies show that between 8 and 24 percent of energy loss in buildings is through uninsulated slab edges,” says Tom Compton, AIA, who designed the system and currently serves as the president of EnergyEdge, LLC. “EnergyEdge fills a critical void in the market and plays an important role in maximizing the energy efficiency of a home.”

EnergyEdge can be used with various foundation types. Since the system remains in place after construction, there is no need for labor-intensive stripping and recovery of forming materials, which also reduces waste, hauling and landfill costs. EnergyEdge complements and improves the performance of wall assemblies, exterior finishes, and mechanical systems. The system contributes toward ENERGY STAR® ratings, LEED® points and NAHB Green Building Standards.

This is one of the most impressive systems I have ever seen.  How I wish I could control my lights with an iPad while walking around.

YouTube is another great wealth of knowledge.

So my wife and I got into a conversation last night about geothermal heating and cooling, and I realized that the caveman stammering and long pauses meant that I don’t have a clue how it works.  I checked it out on my secret source (Wikipedia), and I still don’t really get it, but take a look for yourself if you got a few minutes.  I think it’s the whole “heat pump” thing that gets me, but you can’t beat the efficiency:

A new ENERGY STAR specification for geothermal heat pumps went into effect on December 1, 2009. The new specification allows water-to-water GHPs to immediately be eligible to qualify for the label. On average, ENERGY STAR qualified products covered under this new specification will be over 45 percent more energy efficient than standard options.  energystar.gov