ToolBase E-News volume 136
In This Issue:
PATH RELEASES FOURTH TECH SET:
The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) has recently released its fourth Tech Set, "Energy-Efficient Lighting." This set combines a number of affordable lighting techniques to show builders and homeowners how to improve comfort and energy efficiency. The Tech Set demonstrates how to combine natural daylight and energy-efficient, artificial lighting to save money, improve comfort, and ensure homeowner safety. For more information on PATH and its Tech Sets, visit PATH. For more information on the technologies incorporated, visit the Technology Inventory on ToolBase.org.
ONLINE SURVEY SEEKS BUILDER/REMODELER INPUT ON TOOLBASE.ORG:
As part of an overall "redesign and refine" effort for the ToolBase.org website, there is a brief user survey now available on the site. The goal of the survey is to keep ToolBase Services as the leading resource for the home building industry on practical, technical information on innovative products and practices. If you are a builder, remodeler, or trade contractor, click on the "Help Improve ToolBase.org" bar at the top of the homepage, complete the survey, and you will receive a free download of the publication, "Square Footage - Method for Calculating: ANSI Z765-2003," a voluntary guide to the measurement and calculation in detached and attached single-family houses, a $20 value.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH INNOVATIVE BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES:
The Technology Inventory, the building industry's online resource for practical information on innovative construction products and practices, was recently redesigned to include a more modern look, improved search function, and more detailed information on over 160 innovative building technologies. Another of the improvements to the Technology Inventory is a "Testimonials" section under each technology write-up - this is a section where visitors can find information provided by other building professionals, or provide their own experiences with that particular technology.
The Technology Inventory is an essential tool in accelerating the awareness and acceptance process for beneficial technologies that can improve housing performance, and it will now more effectively provide builders, trade contractors, and remodelers access to comprehensive information more quickly and in greater detail. For more information on innovative building technologies, or to read or submit a testimonial, visit the Technology Inventory.
AND THE WINNER IS...:
This year's winning team for the 2005 Solar Decathlon, the University of Colorado, Denver and Boulder, repeated last year's first place performance by winning three of the competition's 10 contests. They used natural resources to construct their solar-powered home and saved enough energy to power their electric vehicle for the longest period of time. The winning team and 17 other teams put on a display of some of the nation's most innovative, effective, and energy-efficient solar powered houses at the Solar Decathlon that took place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. from October 7-16, 2005. Technologies featured at the competition included radiant in-floor heating, absorption chilling, phase-change materials, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and many more. (These and many other innovative and energy-efficient technologies can be found on PATH's Technology Inventory).
Student entries were judged on their architecture, livability, and comfort, as well as the ability of the team to communicate its experiences to a wide range of audiences. To find out more about the competition and the competitors, visit the Solar Decathlon website.
PUT A PLUG IN IT:
In the midst of ongoing hurricane woes for Florida and other parts of the country, a new, lightweight, plastic foam device may offer homeowners temporary protection from water infiltration during these storms. The polyethylene plug, called Hurri-Plug, can be placed snugly into "off-ridge" roof vents before a storm to prevent heavy blowing rains from spraying water into the home. According to a study by the Florida Home Builders Association, water infiltration through these vents was found to be a contributing factor to damage caused by last year's hurricanes. There are typically three or four off-ridge vents on the roof of a home where this product can be used. As an added benefit to its water intrusion prevention, the product can also keep bugs out of the home, according to its manufacturer. For more information, read the article.
MANUFACTURERS DEBUT NEW PROTECTIVE GLASS PRODUCTS:
Katrina, and Rita, and Wilma... oh my! Several building product manufacturers are introducing hurricane- and storm-resistant products in the wake of these recent storms. A news item on Building Online (Steve Joyce, September 21, 2005) and a press release on Therma-Tru's® website (September 15, 2005) about two new lines of impact-resistant windows may offer some practical options for builders and consumers rebuilding in affected areas of the country. According to the article, Pella has introduced a new glass product that stays strong and provides protection against high-velocity winds and rain, both on and off the coastline. The company says the product is 100 times more rigid and five times more tear-resistant than commonly used impact-resistant laminated glass. The manufacturer claims the new product can "handle" the equivalent of a baseball traveling at the speed of sound.
Therma-Tru® has also introduced a new glass that can hold up against high winds and rain. The glass has been added to the company's previously released popular Slim-LineTM Sliding Patio Door System to provide additional strength and energy efficiency, making the system more durable. Tests conducted by Therma-Tru on the glass showed it withstands high-velocity winds and water infiltration of up to eight inches of rain per hour. The door system, which also has Low-E glass, features a fiberglass frame that the company says won't break during extreme weather conditions.
For more information on these products, visit Pella.com and Therma-Tru®.
WHAT'S BLACK AND WHITE AND INSULATIVE ALL OVER?:
Thermo-Kool of Alaska Inc. has developed some interesting applications for your average, everyday newspaper. By adding an acidic substance to recycled newspaper, the company says the paper is transformed into insulation that can be blown into attics. According to an article in the Anchorage Daily News (Sarana Schell, August 20, 2005), the company is also working to make it easier to use this insulation in walls. Wall use requires more testing, but Thermo-Kool is cutting out one step in the process by joining the fiber and vapor barriers so that separate sheets of paper aren't necessary to keep it in place. At the plant, the insulation is tested for flammability, pH, density, and moisture numerous times a day. According to the company, even when the material is torched, it blackens but won't burn. For more information, read the article.
AUTOMATED FAUCETS AVAILABLE FOR HOME USE:
Home automation is putting a new face on faucets. An update on TouchlessTrashcan.com introduces a new faucet that could save money by cutting down on water usage. The EZ FaucetTM has a sensor that turns on and off automatically, and requires no additional plumbing modifications. The faucet can fit all standard faucet sizes and meets American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements making it easy for the elderly, disabled people, and children to use. For more information on this technology, visit TouchlessTrashcan.com.
