EEBA's High Performance Home Blog

View original blog on Schneider Electric's website Households have both a direct and indirect impact on the environment. A house takes up physical real estate; it produces heat, noise and – in today’s digital age – a low level of electromagnetic interference from a bevy of connected devices. Its occupants will accumulate resources and produce real physical waste over time – including food packaging and discarded appliances. All accounting for houses to have a major impact thanks to the energy they consume, still only partially derived from clean renewable power. Indeed, buildings are responsible for approximately 40% of EU energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. We are no less culpable for these emissions just because they are largely invisible and the major impacts happen outside our purview. To keep us focused on making our homes smart and net zero over time, regulations, policies, incentives and standards are there to guide us but also to mitigate the impact of... read more

On this Earth Day, it is important to focus on ways we can make our homes more energy-efficient, healthy, and sustainable. We will provide you with an overview of the top 10 things you need to know to achieve these high-performance goals. From working with a HERS/ERI rater to incorporating a net-zero electrification strategy, we will cover topics such as energy efficiency, air quality, ventilation, heat pumps, resiliency, and more. By understanding these key concepts, you can take the necessary steps to reduce your carbon footprint and make a positive impact on the environment. The environment is subject to numerous human influences and impacts, including pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. However, nearly 40% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from the real estate sector. Of these emissions, 27% are produced by building operations and 13% are produced by embodied carbon such as infrastructure materials and construction. 1. Connect with Home Energy Rating... read more

For this year’s Women’s History Month, EEBA invited three knowledgeable women: founder of Younger Homes Danielle Younger, co-owner and Marketing Director of Lifestyle Homes, Karen Kicinski, and co-founder of Charis Homes, Glenna Wilson, to share with us how they entered the sustainable building industry. Following a discussion about how the industry has impacted them and how they’ve impacted the industry in return, they also discussed the sustainable technologies and innovations they have implemented and provide advice for women looking to enter the residential construction industry. In this month's feature, we chose to highlight these three women to recognize the countless women that work courageously to advance equality and opportunities for women in the United States. Aaron Smith: Tell us about the most challenging and rewarding aspects of day-to-day operations in this industry. In what ways do you feel you uniquely meet those challenges? Karen Kicinski: The... read more

One of the most mentioned items in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is heat pumps. The IRA provides significant rebates and/or tax credits for the installation of heat pumps. These rebates and tax credits make this technology worth considering for all builders and homeowners installing new equipment or upgrading old systems. Let’s cover what types of heat pumps are available and why you will want to consider them. Heat pumps are up to five times more efficient than standard systems and have the ability to use air or water to heat and cool systems within a home. Heat pumps use electricity to transfer thermal energy from one place to another instead of producing heat through combustion. Heat pumps can be classified into two types: ground-source and air-source. Both can provide efficient heating and cooling solutions with minimal electricity consumption and no combustion. How Different Types of Heat Pumps Function: Ground Source Heat Pumps: Geothermal heat... read more

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a key piece of legislation that is helping to transform the way we think about sustainable housing. By providing incentives to encourage the electrification of buildings and infrastructure, the IRA is helping to reduce energy costs, promote energy efficiency, and create a more sustainable housing landscape. In this blog post, we'll discuss the effects of the IRA on sustainable housing and the benefits it has for homeowners and society. What is the Inflation Reduction Act? The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is an ambitious climate initiative that provides $369 billion in funding to achieve a net zero carbon economy and transition the US to clean energy technologies by 2050. The Act seeks to reduce global emissions and create economic opportunities for all Americans by investing in EV charging infrastructure, renewable energy, smart grids, and tax incentives for energy freedom and independence. The Act also works to reduce the cost of... read more

To advance the leading edge of building science knowledge and sustainable business practices in the residential construction community, EEBA collaborates with industry experts to broadcast regular webinars. Recently EEBA CEO and President, Aaron Smith sat down with Housing 2.0 author Sam Rashkin to talk about how to help people "get on the path to zero.”    

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Chef Rachelle Boucher of Kitchens to Life cooks her favorite Chinese New Year dishes as two of the top experts in Indoor Air Quality bring a fresh perspective to traditional cooking and the vital role of ventilation in today's homes. Instructors: Rachelle Boucher, Brady Seals, Alex Siow. 

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The Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) is embarking on the 6th annual EEBA Team Zero Inventory of Zero Energy Homes and invites all zero energy (ZE) builders, designers, architects, developers and owners to upload their projects to the database.

The yearly report tracks ZE single and multifamily home trends and leaders across the U.S. and Canada. Currently, the Inventory includes ~28,000 ZE projects voluntarily submitted.

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