energy Archives - The Handbuilt City

Sustainability Energy Environment

Best Nerds Studio, the UIC SISE Podcast, Launches After Six Years

March 10, 2021March 10, 2021 Nat M. Zorach 0 Comments advanced photon source, AFSCME, ANL, APS, argonne national lab, brook abegaz, bry osmonson, cameron mccarthy, cannabis, charles oladimeji, chicago, chicago navy pier, electrification coalition, energy, energy research, george crabtree, hemp, ian munroe, ICF, ignacio bañarez sánchez, JCESR, joint center for energy storage research, junli li, kelly osterman, kelsey zlevor, KPG, kunal sahasrabuddhe, lemont illinois, london school of economics, loyola university chicago, lynn trahey, maram falk, Nat Zorach, o'hare airport, richard j. daley, RMI, robert matthew ireland, rocky mountain institute, SISE, summer institute on sustainability and energy, sustainability, texas instruments, thomas alaan, UIC, UIC SISE, university of illinois chicago, virginia whorley, will drier

On Sunday, I had the opportunity and privilege to co-host the inaugural podcast of the Summer Institute on Sustainability and

Energy Efficiency Policy Energy

Detroit’s Green Task Force Looks Toward Benchmarking, PACE, Energy Codes

December 9, 2020December 9, 2020 Nat M. Zorach 0 Comments 2030 district, bali kumar, ben dueweke, bob bedzyk, city of detroit sustainability office, connie lilley, detroit city council, detroit council, detroit public schools, ecologic institute, EcoWorks, elise matz, energy, energy benchmarking, energy efficiency, energy policy, energy waste reduction, energystar, Joel Howrani-Heeres, josh musicant, kendal kuneman, latia leonard, max gruenig, michal helman, michigan public service commission, POCACITO, policy, randy hargraves, Regulation, scott benson, utilities, utility policy, walker-miller, walker-miller energy services

The Energy Waste Reduction Committee of the Detroit Green Task Force met yesterday morning to talk shop for the last

Energy Efficiency Home Improvement & DIY Construction Energy

DIY Energy Tips: Insulating Boiler Pipe

December 7, 2020December 10, 2020 Nat M. Zorach 0 Comments boiler, boiler loop, boilers, comfort, DIY, DIY energy, DIY energy projects, DIY projects, energy, energy efficiency, energy savings, fiberglass, home comfort, home improvement, home renovation, hot water boiler, hydronic, hydronics, infrared, insulating boiler pipe, insulation, manifold, mineral wool, pipe insulation, pipe wrap, radiant barrier, radiant heat, reduce utility bill, Renovation, rockwool, roxul, steam boiler, thermal, thermal comfort, water boiler, water heating, winter

Got a boiler? Insulate your pipes to save you some bucks.

Sustainability Poverty Energy Housing Utilities

MPSC December Meeting: Neighborhood-Level Equity and Energy

December 3, 2020December 3, 2020 Nat M. Zorach 0 Comments affordable housing, Brad Banks, Briana Parker, CMS, Consumers Energy, Detroit, DTE Energy, economic justice, Elevate Energy, energy, energy justice, housing, Indiana Michigan Power, mary templeton, metro detroit, michigan, michigan public service commission, MPSC, public utilties, racial justice, racism, redlining, SEAS, segregation, SEMCO, Sharonda Williams-Tack, Sierra Club, Tim Skrotzki, Tony G. Reames, Tony Reames, utilities, water justice

Dr. Tony G. Reames of the University of Michigan, Briana Parker of Elevate Energy, and others presented at an MPSC meeting on some approaches to the question of equity in energy efficiency for low-income communities and communities of color.

Energy Efficiency Home Improvement & DIY Construction

Glazed Over: Donald Trump’s Tiny Windows Conspiracy

October 23, 2020October 27, 2020 Nat M. Zorach 0 Comments Donald Trump, energy, energy efficiency, energy waste reduction, glazing, green new deal, home rehab, home renovation, home repair, insulation, windows

US President Donald Trump’s claims that Democrats want to make the windows smaller in everyone’s houses were, while baseless, not the craziest thing he’s ever said. Glazing, energy, and you!

Energy Efficiency Historic preservation Construction

Major Home Repair: To Go Gas-Free, Perchance To Dream?

June 22, 2020June 22, 2020 Nat Zorach 0 Comments draft vented combustion appliances, energy, energy efficiency, furnaces, heat pumps, home rehab, home renovation, home repair, rehab

Is it worth the premium to go electric? Maybe– if you have a good excuse to, like part of your house falling down. But it’s still going to run you a pretty penny.

Cycling Environment

Don’t Sleep On Electric Bikes

April 24, 2020April 24, 2020 Guest 0 Comments bike commuting, bikes, commuting, cycling, cycling infrastructure, decarbonization, e-bikes, ebikes, electric bikes, electrification, energy, NHTS, policy, radrunner, sustainability

Electric bicycles are a fun, affordable alternative to the motorcar– for commuting

Business & Economics Adaptation & Resilience Public Health

Toward An Equitable Stimulus Package

March 27, 2020March 27, 2020 Nat Zorach 0 Comments capital markets, capitalism, covid, COVID19, energy, environment, federal deficit, growth, market economy, Marxism, policy, stimulus package, trump administration

The current stimulus package being debated in Congress is likely to be the first of a few. In this article, we consider some precedents for transformative legislation– and some models for other bailouts and stimulus packages- as a blueprint for what we should be focusing on in developing any stimulus policy.

Art & Design Cities & Urban Planning Poverty

DX’s EDIT Festival in Toronto

October 11, 2017 Nat M. Zorach 0 Comments design, DX, Endeavour Centre, energy, equitable development, ExtraSchicht, passive house, Ryerson University, Shauna Levy, sustainability, sustainable design, Toronto, UNDP

On a last-minute weekend trip to Toronto with a friend, I accidentally happened upon the EDIT Festival. Billing itself as

Energy Efficiency Detroit Real Estate Construction

Energy And The Onus of Design Standards For Publicly Funded Projects

May 16, 2017 Nat M. Zorach 0 Comments dan gilbert, department of energy, Detroit, downtown detroit, energy, energy benchmarking, energystar, hudson's site, michigan legislature, portfolio manager, sustainability, tax increment financing, TIF

As the Michigan legislature debates– and will invariably pass- a bill that will open the floodgates for massive public expenditure on