Shelter Alternatives of Blacksburg has reached EarthCraft Virginia green building standards on two new houses. Here is a press release from the company: Local design/build team Shelter Alternatives has received recognition from Earthcraft Virginia for certification of two recently completed homes in the area, one achieving the highest Earthcraft Platinum level of performance. …
We’ve just finished the hottest summer since 1895 for the Charlottesville area – with 69 days of temperatures at 90o or higher. For most homeowners, cooling bills have probably set similar records. Read More
A zero-energy home is one that produces as much energy as its uses, therefore canceling out monthly heating and cooling bills. The running joke around Randy Thomas and Diane Lewis’ old Hanover County neighborhood was that the couple must have been from Vermont or Minnesota — anywhere cold. Read More
Locals try to build Virginia’s most energy efficient home Some people embrace sustainable living by making small changes like switching to energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. Others, like Diane Lewis and Randy Thomas, are a bit more ambitious. The couple is attempting to build a zero-energy home – a feat that has yet …