Eagle Quest Properties

The tax credits are big and the salesmen are out, promoting vinyl window replacement as the best way to cut your heating bills. No matter that on a cost-effectiveness basis it is just about the last thing you should do, or that the new windows don't outlive the payback time, or that they never suggest fixing what you have, or that it can significantly reduce the value of the house. It is a real worry for anyone concerned about historic buildings, about reuse and repair instead of replacement, and about vinyl and PVC in our environment.

And the National Trust for Historic Preservation is fighting back. They have produced a terrific weatherization guide for older buildings that tells you what to do and why.

via “Weatherization” Window Salesmen Overselling Savings And Wrecking Historic Buildings : TreeHugger.

Implementation possible by 2010

Commercial buildings in Canada could begin receiving energy efficiency report cards as early as 2010.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers ASHRAE is developing an energy rating system that is making headway with federal and provincial governments.

ASHRAE’s Building Energy Labeling Implementation Committee presented its label prototype and the results of a pilot project at the association’s annual meeting in June.

The Building Energy Quotient or Building EQ focuses exclusively on energy use.

It provides an “as designed” asset rating for new buildings based on the components specified in the design, including mechanical systems, building envelope, orientation and day-lighting.

via Group creating energy efficiency report cards for commercial buildings – Daily Commercial News.