Von Löwen Designs » Windows & Doors

The Holistic House – Part II

Lars — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:09:41 +0000

Infiltration & Exfiltration.

Air leaks, or drafts, can be responsible for 25 percent of the heat loss in a newer house, more in older homes. Moreover, when air moves through the house because of leaks it is often laden with moisture that can end up in wall cavities and condense, increasing the likelihood of mold and structural deterioration. In the course of remodeling air traffic control is the key. We have grown used to sealing the obvious problem areas with foam under bottom plates, expanding foam around window and door framing, and insulation stuffed into smaller wall cavities. It is the invisible and often convoluted paths of air leakage that need our attention. Because air leaks are so detrimental to the energy … [visit site to read more]

The Holistic House – Part I

Lars — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:20:34 +0000

It’s much easier to turn a remodel green for a house when you understand how heat and cold move from one object to another, and how air and moisture move inside our home. Green remodeling practices and design, in addition to the selection of appropriate materials, revolve around a few basic principles.

• Thinking of the house as a holistic system of interrelated parts.

• Energy loses some of its potential each time it is converted from one form to another, which helps explain why passive solar heat is much more efficient than electric heat.

• Form follows function when it comes to design, meaning that construction should be tailored to the environment in which the … [visit site to read more]

Marvin Windows & Doors – A True American Success Story

Lars — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:59:36 +0000

Situated modesty, just a few minutes from the Canadian border on the vast 65,000-mile shoreline of Lake of the Woods in Warroad, Minnesota, resides Marvin Lumber & Cedar Company and visit site to read more]

Window Replacement

Lars — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:28:06 +0000

Heat gain and loss through windows accounts for up to 50 percent of a home’s heating and cooling needs. Not only do high-efficiency windows save energy, but they can also save homeowners up to 15 percent on energy bills. If all residential windows in the United States were replaced with ENERGY STAR models, Americans could save over seven billion dollars in energy costs over the next 15 years.

High-efficiency windows were initially much more expensive than the market standard, but the cost difference has … [visit site to read more]

The NFRC Window Label

Lars — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:46:06 +0000

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is a nonprofit organization created by the window, door, and skylight industry. Membership includes manufacturers, suppliers, builders, architects, designers, specifiers, code officials, utilities and government agencies. The NFRC label provides the only accurate and concise method to ascertain fenestration energy performance features that will help establish how well a product will aid with cooling your home in … [visit site to read more]

Daylighting

Lars — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:57:53 +0000

By cutting back on your requirements for electrically powered light, daylighting can considerably lower a home’s energy consumption. However, utilizing too much daylighting and over doing it, homeowners will have a strong possibility of increasing both their heating and cooling demands.

A balanced approach to daylighting involves a whole home design starting with the location and orientation of the house itself (if possible) and continues with proper room location and design, window sizing and placement, and selection of room finishes.

In addition to reducing the need for electric lighting, daylighting offers many less tangible health and productivity benefits. Studies have shown that high quality light elevates moods, reduces depression, and improves worker productivity and student test scores.

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