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Matt Hoots
SawHorse Design + Build Content Partner Atlanta GA United States Member Since: 03/16/2020
My Activities
- 13 Discussions
- 7 Group Posts
- 2 Replies
- 3 Articles
- 1 Ratings
- Comments
About Me
My Interests
My Favorites
Activity
Future Proofing Houses - Getting it Right from the Start
As a green general contractor that both renovates and builds new custom homes, I appreciate the challenges and opportunities that are part of both types of construction. Our renovation clients get excited about working with us when they see our blog or YouTube channel, where we talk about the many ways to improve their houses. Unfortunately, this excitement is short-lived when I tell them there are only so many ways to correct the const...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 01/18/2024 + Show |
Save on HVAC Costs with Improved Air Sealing and Insulation
“Build Tight, Ventilate Right” is an often used phrase in “high-performance building.” High-performance sounds like it is expensive. However, we need to evaluate trade-offs between upfront costs and long-term savings. This benefits both builders and homeowners, as smaller capacity equipment may be purchased at a lower initial cost, and more efficient homes will be more affordable to heat and cool year-round...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 01/17/2024 + Show |
The Forgotten Side of the Home
When you build a house, some parts are designed to be upgraded within a few years, and others after a few decades or even after one century. Kitchens and bathrooms get makeovers, but foundations typically are rebuilt until the house is torn down. While we renovated a 100-year-old house in Atlanta, Georgia, we discovered that the existing foundation and slab were poorly designed and a complete failure. We decided to renova...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 04/24/2023 + Show |
Rated by Matt Hoots [01/24/2021]
Overall | 10 | Raw materials | N/A |
Toxicity | N/A | Manufacturing/Shipping | N/A |
Installation/Application | N/A | Quality/Durability | N/A |
First cost/price | N/A | Corporate Policies | N/A |
Resource Recovery | N/A | Lifecycle cost | 10 |
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NOT COMPLICATED - JUST GREEN, podcast of common sense for better construction
Thanks for sharing- you had some really good questions that I had not been asked before. Thanks for sharing- you had some really good questions that I had not been asked before.
Reply given on: 05/24/2022
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Can heat pump water heaters extend the life of your EV?
That is an interesting point and one that I would have not thought about since we don't use our gara… That is an interesting point and one that I would have not thought about since we don't use our garage for cars. Based on this perspective, I am considering adding the Hybrid heat pump to my garage to help it stay more comfortable in the Summer.
Reply given on: 10/09/2021
Why everyone is confused about gas and electric cooktops
Twenty years ago, I promoted gas appliances to my clients as the best option. Gas was and is much better at heating the pot than electric options. As a green builder, I ensured that the cooktops were well-ventilated and we had "make-up" so any toxins from the gas combustion would not be an issue. The issue now is that...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 01/23/2023 + Show |
Radon Control starts with a good design
The need for vapor control below the house The #1920sMakeoverATL is a Passive House renovation in Atlanta, GA. Not only does Atlanta have lots of rain and humidity, causing the ground to be wet most of the year, but it also has high concentrations of Radon in the soil. Any high-performance house is required to have Radon controls...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 10/31/2022 + Show |
#GreenInfluncerATL group members connect at #IBS2022 in Orlando
I was chatting with the Mitsubishi Electric team at the Internation Builders Show when I ran into Corbett Lunsford. He was about to give a presentation at the Aprilaire booth, which was on the opposite side of the show. He knew where the booth was, and I planned on going there later that day, so I followed him there. While...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build 2 replies Last updated: 05/23/2022 + Show |
Disaster Ready Homes + How Some Regulations in Atlanta have unintended additional positive outcomes
#GreenInfluencerATL group members Grace and Corbett Lunsford interviewed YouTube superstar Matt Risinger about disaster-ready homes in Austin, Tex. They were kind enough to allow me to react to it. As I watched the video, I thought about all of the crazy things that we have to do in Atlanta to deal with watershed...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 05/19/2022 + Show |
Top chefs prefer induction cooktops over gas cooktops
We only interviewed one chef; however, all attendees agreed that induction cooking was superior to gas cooking. Sub- Zero/Wolf/Cove hosted the first-ever official meeting with the #GreenInfluencerATL group at their Buckhead showroom. Realtors, Architects, and Builders were all in attendance and were surprised about how well the...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 05/19/2022 + Show |
Mitsubishi Electric - Plant and Training Facility Tour
In order to go All-Electric and power your house with the sun, the HVAC system needs to be electric as well. Mitsubishi Electric is the leader in high-performance HVAC systems that are ALL Electric. There is only 15% (or less) market awareness about how mini-split heat pumps work. If we are going to offer these solutions to...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 05/19/2022 + Show |
Time to take our heads out of the sand
I just posted this on LinkedIn since Russia just invaded Ukraine, and I started having flashbacks to other conflicts that were avoidable as well. Many of them would not have even been considered if we were not dependent on Fossil Fuels. Here is the unedited version of what I wrote: As a #marinecorps vet, I know we have the...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build 1 reply Last updated: 03/02/2022 + Show |
One of the sessions for Greenprints 2020 (an annual event that The Southface Energy Institute hosts) was about Drawdown GA. Drawdown GA is a plan to help GA reduce CO2 looking at 21 High-Impact 2030 Solutions. We had some breakout groups as well and covered topics such as: Electricity: Cogeneration Rooftop...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 09/21/2020 + Show |
Sounds like something out of a Western movie. Drawdown GA is a plan to help GA reduce CO2 looking at 21 High-Impact 2030 Solutions. Here is a good page that describes what some of those solutions are and events where you can participate in solutions for our...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 09/21/2020 + Show |
Making Green Sustainable... Again
I've been a builder since the 90s and a green builder for close to 20 years now. I enjoyed a nice increase in business in the early 2000s during that green bubble before the crash in 2008. We still build using the same principles; however, have noticed that our clients don't really seem to be demanding high-performance...
By Matt Hoots // SawHorse Design + Build Last updated: 04/20/2020 + Show |
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