We work with builders to build better houses. Sometimes, this means a full-out "green" home. Sometimes we simply help the builder construct houses that are more comfortable, durable, safe, and efficient than a standard code-built house. These houses typically use 30-40% less energy during the course of a year. On one hand, we get to do research into all sorts of fun, hair-brained schemes at saving energy while providing comfort and a healthy environment. On the other hand, we get to work with builders and architects to aid in an integrated design that can result in a better house at little to no extra cost.

So, a little about me... I'm trained as a mechanical engineer and building scientist. I've been working in various aspects of the green building movement since 1999, but I've been thinking about these things for at least a decade longer than that. However, while I love this stuff, there are all sorts of other fun things to do in life. So, I make time to paddle my canoe, camp, ride my bike, view and make art and music, renovate my house, and to sit on the couch reading a book with my wife, dog, and cat.

In this blog, I will be making posts about results (good and bad) from myriad research projects going on in the green and high-performance building world. The fun part is to show how the research can inspire our everyday lives. Social, economic, and philosophical musing are going to work their way in at times, as they make up the context for anything we do.

I'd love to hear from you. Why are you reading this? What do you want to get out of it? How can this blog help enable any of us to improve our lot in life, or at least create a comfortable, safe, and efficient nest in which to curl up on a couch?

Thanks and take care!

-Eric