Green Building Community

Last updated Green Building discussions

Start a Discussion

DIY Solar Power Fan Installation - Reduce Shed Heat and Stagnant Air

by Rate It Green Team


A solar powered fan is a great and simple idea to remove excess heat from a shed. And this is a Scout project in addition, where (with supervision), the kids can get involved and learn as well.

Filed under: Health and Air Quality,

Keywords: Air Quality, Indoor Air Quality, Fans, IAQ, Ventilation, DIY, heat, Exhaust fans,

0 replies | 143 views | Posted on: 03/25/2024 | Last updated: 03/25/2024

Smart Exhaust Controls - Sensors Improve Garage and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

by Rate It Green Team


"There are good garages and bad garages…” according to Green Builder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc.  And in the good ones, we breathe better air! 
 
Matt rev

Filed under: Health and Air Quality,

Keywords: HVAC, Air Quality, Indoor Air Quality, Automation, Ventilation, Garage, Garages, Sensors, Fans,

0 replies | 131 views | Posted on: 03/25/2024 | Last updated: 03/25/2024

Remote Hood Exhaust Fan Retrofit Delivers Significant Noise Reduction

by Allison Friedman // Rate It Green Admin

Sometimes, a smaller targeted project can be the best project! I am excited to report that we just completed a retrofit to install a remote hood fan for our kitchen exhaust hood, and it instantly made

Filed under: Fans,

Keywords: Indoor Air Quality, Fans, IAQ, Ventilation, Kitchens, Exhaust fans, Hoods, Exhaust hoods,

0 replies | 230 views | Posted on: 03/23/2024 | Last updated: 03/25/2024

Automatic Bath Fan Sensors Reduce Humidity, Pollutants, and Odors

by Rate It Green Team



As Green Builder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. points out, most people don’t use ventilation properly.  Exhaust fans can be a missed opportunity for improving Indoor air quality, or IAQ,

Filed under: Fans,

Keywords: Indoor Air Quality, IAQ, Bathrooms, Ventilation, Humidity, Kitchens, Bath fans, Kitchen Fans, Exhaust fans, Pollutants,

0 replies | 118 views | Posted on: 03/23/2024 | Last updated: 03/25/2024

Rainstick Showers - Higher Water Pressure, Using 80% Less Water?

by Rate It Green Team



The Rainstick shower seems to offer the impossible, delivering high water pressure, while using a lot less water.  If you’re concerned about lower water pressure, this product can deliv

Filed under: Plumbing,

Keywords: Energy Efficiency, Water, Water Conservation, Water Efficiency, retrofits, Plumbing, Showers, Grey Water,

0 replies | 305 views | Posted on: 03/15/2024 | Last updated: 03/25/2024

Heat Pumps and Cold Weather - Q&A / Myth Busting

by Rate It Green Team



Some myths take a while to go away…  Decades ago, Atlanta Green Builder Matt Hoots would likely have agreed that heat strips were often needed to help heat pumps keep up with heat

Filed under: Heat Pumps,

0 replies | 286 views | Posted on: 02/19/2024 | Last updated: 02/19/2024

Finding Paths Forward: Ideas for When We Disagree in the Green Building Industry

by Allison Friedman // Rate It Green Admin

It was energizing to receive quite a few positive responses to Rate It Green’s New Year’s email.  Some people were appreciative of our efforts to bring the green building community to

Filed under: Other Green Building - Other,

0 replies | 266 views | Posted on: 01/28/2024 | Last updated: 01/29/2024

COP28 - Is this Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

by Rate It Green Team

The 28th COP, or Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, took place in Dubai from November 20 to December 13, 2023. If you're an optimist, you might think it&rs

Filed under: Climate Change,

Keywords: Climate Change, Paris Agreement, COP28, Climate Change Mitigation, UN, UNPCC,

0 replies | 864 views | Posted on: 12/25/2023 | Last updated: 01/12/2024

Major Green Building Organizations Rally Around the Common Materials Framework (CMF)

by Rate It Green Team

At Greenbuild 2023, leading green building organizations, including the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), the International WELL Building Instit

Filed under: Certifications/Labels and Transparency ,

Related to: Other,

Keywords: Transparency, Green Building Certifications, Building Materials, Certifications, Common Materials Framework, CMF,

0 replies | 552 views | Posted on: 11/29/2023 | Last updated: 11/29/2023

Global GreenTag International Launches First Nature Positive Standard and Declaration

by Rate It Green Team

Global GreenTag International recently launched the first Nature Positive green building programs, the NaturePositive+ Standard™ and the NaturePositive+ Declaration™. Both programs call on

Filed under: Global GreenTag,

Keywords: Climate Change, Certification, Health, Transparency, Toxicity, Biodiversity, Circularity, Nature Positive, Habitat,

0 replies | 579 views | Posted on: 11/29/2023 | Last updated: 11/29/2023

Top Factors for Selecting New Windows

by Rate It Green Team


How do you decide what windows you need?  Green Builder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. shares some top considerations, but first he reminds us that every client, every job, every building, an

Filed under: Doors, Windows and Openings,

Keywords: Energy Efficiency, Windows, Home Building, New windows,

0 replies | 1102 views | Posted on: 10/31/2023 | Last updated: 11/20/2023

Deciding When to Replace Windows

by Rate It Green Team



Thanks to GreenBuilder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. for kicking off our series on Windows and Energy Efficiency! 

In this conversation, Matt explains when it’s time to start thin



Filed under: Doors, Windows and Openings,

Keywords: Energy Efficiency, air sealing, Windows, Caulking, Window replacement, Window frames,

0 replies | 933 views | Posted on: 10/31/2023 | Last updated: 12/09/2023

European vs. American Windows - What's the Difference?

by Rate It Green Team


Have you been wondering what the difference is between European and American windows? (And have you had a European window seem to fall on you during vacation, and perhaps you panicked?) Check ou

Filed under: Doors, Windows and Openings,

Keywords: Energy Efficiency, air sealing, Windows, Doors,

1 replies | 1398 views | Posted on: 10/31/2023 | Last updated: 11/22/2023

Energy Efficient Steel Windows and Doors - Arcadia Custom

by Rate It Green Team

 

Arcadia Custom Windows and Doors has met the challenge to prevent energy loss and to meet or even exceed energy codes with steel doors and windows. In this video, Matt Hoots talks with M

Filed under: Doors, Windows and Openings,

0 replies | 808 views | Posted on: 10/29/2023 | Last updated: 11/20/2023

Strategies for Managing Summer Attic Heat - Air Sealing and Insulation

by Rate It Green Team



Join Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. and Amelia Godfrey, EarthCraft Program Manager for a conversation about attic heat, including why our attics get hot, why this matters, and strategies

Filed under: Other,

Related to: HVAC Instrumentation and Controls,

Keywords: HVAC, air sealing, Heating, Cooling, heat, Attics, Energy Load, Convection, Stack Effect, Insultation,

0 replies | 1299 views | Posted on: 08/28/2023 | Last updated: 08/29/2023

Aiming for Higher Performance Homes - A Holistic Approach is Best

by Rate It Green Team

 

There are plenty of reasons people might not want or be able to renovate the interior of the home when trying to improve building performance.  What can you do to improve performanc

Filed under: #1920sMakeoverATL,

Keywords: Energy, Energy Efficiency, retrofits, Renovations, 1920sMakeoverATL, Home improvement,

0 replies | 990 views | Posted on: 08/24/2023 | Last updated: 11/17/2023

What is the Compressive Strength of ROCKWOOL Insulation?

by Rate It Green Team

 

No, you shouldn’t drive over ROCKWOOL or any other insulation, but apparently people have done it…. 

 

In this video, Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. 

Filed under: Mineral Wool Insulation,

Keywords: Insulation, ROCKWOOL, Stone Wool Insulation, Mineral Wool Insulation,

0 replies | 519 views | Posted on: 08/24/2023 | Last updated: 08/24/2023

How Effective is ROCKWOOL Stone Wool Insulation Against Water?

by Rate It Green Team

 

What happens to ROCKWOOL stone mineral or stone wool insulation when it gets wet? This is an important question, as insulation is installed on the outside of the house, on the roof, on t

Filed under: #1920sMakeoverATL,

Keywords: Resiliency, Water, Insulation, Resilience, ROCKWOOL, Building Envelope, Stone Wool Insulation, Mineral Wool Insulation,

0 replies | 592 views | Posted on: 08/24/2023 | Last updated: 08/24/2023

Reviewing the Benefits of ROCKWOOL Stone Wool Insulation

by Rate It Green Team

 

In this video, Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. and Chris Laumer-Giddens of LG Squared, Inc. share why they think highly of ROCKWOOL stone wool insulation, also known as mineral wool in

Filed under: #1920sMakeoverATL,

Keywords: Fire Safety, Insulation, Soundproofing, ROCKWOOL, Stone Wool Insulation, Mineral Wool Insulation, Thermal control layers, Air infiltration, Pest control,

0 replies | 400 views | Posted on: 08/24/2023 | Last updated: 08/24/2023

What are Outriggers, and Why Do We Need Them?

by Rate It Green Team

 

As Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. and Chris Laumer-Giddens of LG Squared, Inc. explain in this video, outriggers are rafters or trusses that extend beyond the roof of the building. Ou

Filed under: #1920sMakeoverATL,

Keywords: Thermal Bridges, Insulation, Building Envelope, Air Barriers, Control layers, Outriggers, rafters, trusses, sheathing, continuous insulation,

0 replies | 1429 views | Posted on: 08/24/2023 | Last updated: 09/29/2023

First Net Zero Energy Community in Georgia

by Rate It Green Team

Even though we are in a hot building market, it is important to innovate and design based on consumers' ever-growing needs.  The timing is perfect for a house that matches the realities that

Filed under: Builders/Contractors - Residential,

0 replies | 2613 views | Posted on: 05/09/2023 | Last updated: 05/31/2023

Why Air Sealing and Insulation are Both Essential

by Rate It Green Team

 

Why do we need to air seal AND insulate? The answer is that these control layers work together to protect air quality and energy efficiency, improving comfort, protecting our buildi

Filed under: #1920sMakeoverATL,

Keywords: Energy Efficiency, Insulation, Healthy Homes, air sealing, 1920sMakeoverATL,

0 replies | 1481 views | Posted on: 04/26/2023 | Last updated: 05/31/2023

Pros and Cons of an airtight house

by Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build

A house needs to breathe, right?

Yes, they do, but not the way most builders or homeowners think they do.  Many argue for a leaky house to allow the house to breathe.  That is one method

Filed under: Filtration,

0 replies | 3755 views | Posted on: 04/24/2023 | Last updated: 04/28/2023

50% of the "perfect wall" control layers with one product

by Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build

The only way to mainstream advanced building science concepts is to make them simple to install.  As we designed and are building the #1920sMakeoverATL, we have to work with readily available mat

Filed under: Air Barriers,

0 replies | 1533 views | Posted on: 04/24/2023 | Last updated: 04/28/2023

The “Perfect Wall” defined and demonstrated

by Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build

We keep using the term “perfect wall” when describing the various control layers on the #1920sMakoverATL deep enegy retrofit and learning house.  This concept does deserve to be unpac

Filed under: #1920sMakeoverATL,

Keywords: Insulation, Walls, Building Envelope, Air Barriers, The Perfect Wall, 1920sMakeoverATL, Moisture Barriers, Control layers, Cladding,

0 replies | 1643 views | Posted on: 04/23/2023 | Last updated: 04/28/2023

 

Please be kind and respectful!

Please make sure to be respectful of the organizations and companies, and other Rate It Green members that make up our community. We welcome praise and advice and even criticism but all posted content and ratings should be constructive in nature. For guidance on what constitutes suitable content on the Rate It Green site, please refer to the User Agreement and Site Rules.

The opinions, comments, ratings and all content posted by member on the Rate It Green website are the comments and opinions of the individual members who posts them only and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies or policies of Rate It Green. Rate It Green Team Members will monitor posted content for unsuitable content, but we also ask for the participation of community members in helping to keep the site a comfortable and open public forum of ideas. Please email all questions and concerns to admin@rateitgreen.com