Member Profile

Sustainable Demolition - Donating Furnishings and Building Materials (Reduce Waste AND Save on Taxes!)

As Matt Hoots of Sawhorse Inc. reminds us, part of green building is wasting less.  There are quite a few ways to reduce waste, but among the simpler methods are throwing fewer items into landfills in the first place, and reusing items that have meaningful life left to them.  One person’s trash really can be another’s...

Rate It Green Featured on EveryDay Green Home Podcast with The Green Home Coach Marla Esser Cloos

Rate It Green was fortunate to be featured recently on The Everyday Green Home Podcast with Marla Esser Cloos.  An expert green home coach, consultant, and educator, Marla talks with her guests about a wide range of green home and green living topics.  Marla focuses on how to leverage the benefits and get the best out of...

High Performance Residential Vapor Barriers - StegoHome and the #1920sMakeoverATL Renovation

  For the #1920sMakeoverATL home, Green Builder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc shares a great example of how designing the foundation right and using sustainable, durable, and quality products can make a significant difference to the health and comfort of the home’s future occupants.     In this video, Matt walks us...

Filtration and Airflow in Whole House HVAC Systems: Filter Cabinets and MERV Options

Filters remove dust and other particles, including biological contaminants, from the air.  This basic but important function plays a critical role in maintaining indoor air quality, and yet most of us are just starting to catch up with its importance and also how we can improve filtration in support of a healthier indoor environment....

Making Homes More Disaster Proof; Reaction to Grace & Corbett Lunsford and Matt Risinger

Our homes and buildings have to become more adaptable and resilient, which means they must be able to endure different conditions and changing occupant needs, and they must also be weather proof and able to recover from more extreme weather events.  We have to build better and smarter so that we can better prevent damage...

Reactive Sensors and Controls for Home Ventilation, Featuring Corbett Lunsford

Matt Hoots is right that the age of reactive, or smart, sensors is really just about here.  We’re going to see a renovation revolution in terms of being able to monitor our air quality measures, comfort elements, and other factors, but then we’ll ALSO have sensors that can be set to “make decisions” and adjust...

How to get FULL value for your GREEN Home: Key Points to Consider in Buying and Selling

If you've got 5 minutes to learn about protecting the value of what is likely to be your key asset, it's worth giving Green Builder Matt Hoots a listen.  Matt teamed up with Green Realtor Christopher Matos-Rogers to put together the information and resources for this video after Matt had a client who asked for the...

SIEMENS VersiCharge Series - Universal Chargers for Electric Vehicles

It’s great to see product evolution in what pretty much feels like real time.  Green Builder Matt Hoots caught up with Kristen Westwood of SIEMENS eMobility North America at the International Builders Show.  Kristen shared some helpful information about the SIEMENS universal Level II charger, and also reminded us of some...

Mini Split Cold Weather Design Advice and Guidelines, with Mitsubishi

Your mini split might work better if you don’t bury it under the snow… In all seriousness, Shawn from Mitsubishi chats with Matt Hoots and gives some advice on optimal conditions for mini split compressors and equipment in cold climates.  Shawn packs some great information in this brief interview, and he also shares...

rheia's Comfort by Design - Smaller, Energy and Labor Efficient Air Distribution Systems

Now that we think about it, thanks to rheia, why is HVAC ductwork so big and bulky, and tangled?  We’ve made changes to electrical and plumbing systems, so why not HVAC ducts? Clearly, it’s time for something new.  How about 3” ductwork that works with a conventional air handler and snaps together easily, and also...