Energy At Home

Yeah, we said billion

A $4 billion push to make affordable housing green 0
Posted 2 weeks, 3 days ago Today brings news of a major investment in making affordable housing greener, and an ambitious call for an even bigger national conversion. Find out who's behind it.
Stripping for a cause

Weatherization will save us all 6
Posted 2 weeks, 5 days ago Despite its terrible name, Joe Biden's Middle Class Task Force has some solid ideas on saving energy and money. Find out what innovations are coming to your neighborhood.
Infrared, Schminfrared

4.5 things I learned at my energy audit 8
Posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago I finally took the plunge after years of blithely telling Grist readers to "get an energy audit" -- so what was it like?
We Will All Go Down Together

Ask Umbra on climate weapons 4
Posted 3 weeks, 3 days ago It's great that some people want to buy carbon offsets, says Umbra -- but it won't get the job done. Here's her advice on making bigger, better change.
Tank and File

Ask Umbra on replacing hot-water heaters 21
Posted 1 month ago When the parents of three little boys wonder which hot-water heater makes the most sense for them, Umbra sheds light on the issue.
Let's Make a Seal

Ask Umbra on drafty houses 3
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago When you tighten up a house to save energy, do you lose the benefits of fresh air exchange? A perplexed couple wants to know, and Umbra breezes in with an answer.
Pane in the Glass

Should I suck it up and buy vinyl windows? 30
Posted 2 months ago
The more estimates I get, the more despondent I am about being able to afford windows I feel good about. And the more I realize why people think greens operate in another sphere.
Two Prongs Make a Right

Ask Umbra on smarter outlets 9
Posted 3 months ago
New Zealand has outlets with on-off switches, as do several other countries. Do these power-saving devices exist in the U.S.? And if not, are there similar alternatives? Umbra plugs in to the smart-outlet scene.
At Fault

Ask Umbra on power-strip alternatives 8
Posted 3 months ago
Hey, so can you use those cute little test-reset buttons on GFCI outlets to turn appliances off and on? Hey, only if you want to risk death, says Umbra.
Heating the JP Green House with a hairdryer

The amazing promise and many challenges of passivhaus construction 4
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago
Imagine a building so energy-efficient that it actually gets dinged by LEED and Energy Star -- you've just imagined passivhaus, and we're putting it into action at the JP Green House.
Sun in the Fun

Ask Umbra on solar pool heaters 9
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago
A homeowner wonders if it's possible to devise a passive-heating system for her pool, so Umbra dons her water wings and wades in with an answer.
Ask Umbra’s video advice on beating the heat 8
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago
Blind Faith

Ask Umbra on low-e window films 4
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago
Can you save energy and money by putting insulative films on your windows? Umbra breezes in with an answer.
Feeling light-headed

Obama announces new efficiency initiatives as part of big clean-energy push 7
Posted 4 months, 1 week ago
President Barack Obama doesn't think he can solve global warming by changing his f**king light bulbs, but he's going to do it anyway. More importantly, he's going to change the light-bulb industry. Get the scoop on energy-efficiency plans the president outlined on Monday.
The House Doctors Are In

Symptom: High utility bills; Diagnosis: Full energy efficiency workup 4
Posted 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Meet the "greenup" team from Sustainable Spaces, a four-year-old San Francisco firm that conducts residential energy audits and energy efficiency retrofits to shrink a home's carbon footprint while saving the owner money over the long haul.
Sparkling Wit

Ask Umbra on rinse aids 7
Posted 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Your dishwasher requires a rinse aid -- but what the heck is in that thing, and is there an eco-alternative? Umbra offers a cascade of advice.
Space Evaders

Ask Umbra on ungreen roommates 5
Posted 5 months ago
So you're trying to enlighten the folks you live with, but they're just not getting the picture? Umbra unlocks some new ideas.
Same Batshit Channel

The digital TV conversion is here—are you e-ready? 2
Posted 5 months ago
All TV broadcasts have now gone digital. Here's how to green your transition.
John Muir, Green Building Consultant

With green home venture, Sierra Club mixes profits with passion 4
Posted 5 months, 1 week ago
One of the nation's oldest and most-respected environmental organizations has launched a for-profit online venture as a one-stop shop for information and services to green up your lifestyle and decarbonize your home.
Talkin' Bout Cogeneration

Two homeowners, one monster, and a cutting-edge power source 6
Posted 5 months, 3 weeks ago
There's a monster in the basement, but Peter and Edith are going to slay it. They're replacing their outdated furnace with a state-of-the-art micro-cogeneration system -- one of the first used in a residential setting.