Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies notes that homeowners are redirecting their remodeling dollars away from kitchen and bath remodels, room additions, and interiors. But pros in some areas are still doing a brisk business in two-story additions, often to enlarge a kitchen, add a home office, or build a tricked-out master suite that’s separate from the rest of the family’s bedrooms.

That project is among the most expensive of remodeling undertakings, so contractors are taking care to add value to the home as they add space. Here are 16 tips from pros who are successfully building up and out:

–Use the existing house as inspiration for the addition. Installing a different style of siding, roofing, and windows on the addition will make it obvious that the new rooms were not built as part of the original house.

–Duplicate architectural elements from the main house in both the interior and exterior of the addition—on both floors—to create a sense of unity between old and new. In a home with a bay window and window seat in the existing living room, Ward designed a similar area in the new family room.

–Mismatched windows are a telltale sign that part of the house has been added on. Choose windows in the same style and material—or at least a lookalike material—as the ones on the original structure. Keep the sill lines even on both structures.

–Blend the new flooring with the old. Ward notes that the rich-but-worn look of old hardwood floors is hard to replicate with brand-new material.

–You can also make an addition “match” the rest of the house by remodeling parts of the existing structure so it includes some of the addition’s modern touches. One builder did this to a brick home whose owner wanted board-and-batten shake siding on the two-story addition. He re-sided a pair of dormers on the opposite end of the house, too, so the facade looks balanced and the addition appears to be part of the original structure.

–Likewise, try to replicate the addition’s up-to-date structural, safety, and energy-efficiency improvements in the older part by suggesting that the homeowner bring the whole house—and not just the addition, as required—up to code.

–Incorporate modern materials that look authentic and match the main house but that are engineered to last longer, hold up better to harsh weather, and require less maintenance. Builders are installing high-end, solid-core fiberglass doors and textured fiber-cement siding that looks as much like wood as the years-old material on the rest of the home.

–Convince your clients to upgrade the HVAC. An air-conditioning unit that’s properly sized for the original structure will not perform well if you add more than about 30 square feet to the house. Most clients resist replacing their existing units because of the cost, but that their homes are usually uncomfortably humid later if they don’t—especially if the two-story addition includes an unconditioned garage under new living quarters.

-Consider the “flow” of the house. This is a very big deal. A lot of effort is put into making sure [the layout of the house] still makes sense, once it has an addition, so you don’t have to go to the middle of the living room to get to the new kitchen. Sometimes that means reallocating the space in rooms besides the ones you’re adding on.

–Step the addition forward or back a few feet from the original part to avoid turning the building into a big rectangle. This makes for a profile that’s interesting to look at, rather than one gigantic box. Likewise, making the addition’s roof line a bit lower than the roof on the main house can make it easier to flash.

–Still, the trusses between floors should line up precisely. Otherwise, the floors and ceilings of the addition won’t even out with those of the original structure.

–Plan for a large staircase. If you’re lucky, the home’s existing staircase is located close enough to the two-story addition that a new one isn’t needed. If a new staircase is needed, however, it’s likely to take up more space than you might want to.

–Remove existing walls to create larger rooms. Addition can do more than add rooms; they can transform the small, separate kitchen, dining room, and living room into a single, spacious, open area for cooking, socializing, and watching TV. Vaulted ceilings are popular for additions for the same reason.

–Consider alternative framing members for large spans on two-story additions. Lightweight steel beams are thinner than I-joists or engineered LDL beams and have saved him from exceeding height restrictions. Using thicker framing members can create problems with head clearance at the top of staircases, due to the thicker product raises the elevation of the floor.

–If the addition leaves the backyard too small for a good-size deck, build the deck on the side of the house instead. The majority of people that do additions end up adding a sundeck.

–Educate the homeowner about zoning restrictions. Many clients ask for additions that are larger than local laws allow because they are unaware of regulations restricting them from building too close to the property line or covering too high a percentage of the lot. Some communities have height restrictions for multiple-story additions as well.

—Thanks to Sharon O’Malley of Building Products magazine

Refrigerator efficiency standards are a prime example of government standards that actually benefit consumers. The precise savings for major categories are as follows:

• 25% for top-mount (i.e. freezer on top) and side-by-side refrigerator-freezers
• 20% for bottom-mount refrigerator-freezers
• 30% for automatic defrost freezers

Categories with lower sales volumes will require 10-25% savings.

Since the first standards were enacted, the price of refrigerators has dropped significantly, even though modern refrigerators are larger, have many more features and cost less to operate than previous models. In 1978, the average new model cost $1,566 in today’s dollars – almost three times as much as the $550 an average model retails for today. This trend is expected to continue, even as refrigerators grow in size and features.

Long-Term Savings for Consumers and the Environment

According to DOE, the new standards over 30 years would save 4.84 quads of energy, or roughly enough to meet the total energy needs of one-fifth of all U.S. households for a year. Over the same 30-year period, and taking into account up-front costs, consumers will save up to $36 billion.

DOE also estimates CO2 emissions will be cut by 344 million metric tons over 30 years, an amount equal to the annual emissions of about 67 million cars. Smog-forming NOx emissions and toxic mercury emissions would also be reduced dramatically.

Advanced Technologies Help Manufacturers Meet Efficiency Standards

Refrigerator manufacturers have been able to improve the efficiency of their new models with incremental design changes such thicker insulation, more efficient compressors and automatic defrost. Energy saving improvements like through-the-door ice and alarms that sound when a door remains open for an extended period are features on a number of refrigerators as well. Despite these changes, many features were not part of the efficiency equation. For example, current standards simply assume that ice makers use 84 kWh per year. Once DOE finalizes a method for testing icemaker energy use, the placeholder value of 84 kWh will be replaced by actual measured energy use. These benchmarks will help consumers understand the cost and savings potential of future purchases.

Information on the New Standards

The new standards will take effect in January 2014 and cut energy use by 25% for the most common refrigerator types. High-efficiency single-speed and variable-speed compressors and further insulation improvements, including vacuum insulation panels (VIPs), will contribute to even greater energy savings. VIPs use technology similar to a thermos where space between the two walls is evacuated, limiting the transfer of heat. VIPs are already in use in refrigerated trucks, commercial refrigeration and some residential refrigerators and freezers.

Thanks to George Parman of  The Alliance to Save Energy

Australian PM Julia Gillard announced approval for the world’s largest coal/solar hybrid power plant. Photo: CS Energy

Australian prime minister Julia Gillard today announced the approval of a $104.7 million project to integrate solar energy into one of Queensland’s largest fossil fuel power stations.

The 750 megawatt (MW) coal-fired Kogan Creek Power Station in South West Queensland will be integrated with a new 44 MW solar thermal system, making it the largest project of its kind in the world.

The project, called the Kogan Creek Solar Boost project, will use concentrated solar power technology from French firm AREVA Solar to convert the sun’s energy into super-heated steam which will drive the plant’s turbines along with steam from burning coal. Areva Solar acquired the solar technology, called the Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR), when it bought Australian firm Ausra last year.

The world’s first solar/coal hybrid facility, called Cameo Station, was opened last July in Colorado in the United States. The project, valued at $4.5 million, was a demonstration project that used a different concentrated solar technology to Areva’s, this one based on solar troughs. Carbon emissions reductions were estimated at two to five per cent, although project managers are targeting ten per cent in future operations.

Kogan Creek Power Station is owned by CS Energy, a Queensland government-owned corporation that owns and operates four Queensland power stations.

CS Energy chief executive David Brown said, “Already Kogan Creek Power Station is one of the largest and most energy efficient power stations in Australia’s electricity market. By using energy from the sun, we will increase the station’s capacity to meet the growing demand for electricity, increase its fuel efficiency and reduce its greenhouse intensity – avoiding the production of 35,600 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually.

“In simple terms, the solar addition will enable Kogan Creek Power Station to produce more electricity with the same amount of coal,” he added.

Use of the solar thermal technology will provide enough extra electricity to power up to 5,000 Australian homes annually. The amount of emissions saved is the equivalent of taking 11,000 cars off the road for one year.

Construction of the solar integration project will begin in the first half of this year and will be completed in 2013.

CS Energy is providing $70 million for the project, $35.4 million of which has been redirected from a contribution by the Queensland Government to CS Energy’s Carbon Reduction Program. The Australian Government’s Renewable Energy Demonstration Program is contributing over $34 million.

With the impending carbon tax set to be enacted in July 2012, Australia’s power companies are still waiting for details of how their industry will be affected. The Sydney Morning Herald reported last month that Ross Garnaut, the government’s chief climate change adviser, said no compensation would be needed for coal-powered electricity producers. But the same report also mentioned that the government would likely provide compensation in order to prevent plant closures and job losses.

Irregardless of whether or not compensation is provided, power companies are looking for ways to increase their energy efficiency and reduce their vulnerability to a carbon tax.

Mr Brown said, “Projects like this are essential for CS Energy to successfully transition to a low-carbon future and will build the capacity of the Australian solar industry.”

By : Jenny Marusiak

We’ve all heard that most people’s homes are their largest assets. This is repeated in many ways, and in many circumstances. We’ve heard it so many times that it is rather a cliché of sorts, and we don’t give it that much thought. All we know is that when the time comes to sell our homes, we hope to get a good return on our investment.

So, how many of you have hired a financial advisor to protect your home, your largest asset in most cases? I’m guessing that very few have. Most live by the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” rule. When you think about this philosophy, as far as your house goes, it’s plain dumb. Take a look at car maintenance for instance. Do you perform routine preventative maintenance on it? Sure you do. You don’t want to be stranded on the side of the road somewhere. What if the airlines adopted that philosophy? Now that’s scary. Nobody would want to fly anymore. So why let your house rot, and then fix it. Why have your furnace fail on a cold night, and then fix it. Why let your home decrease in value when it could be increasing in value with routine maintenance.

I think you get my point by now. Routine maintenance on your home is very important, not only financially, but also in terms of your comfort and convenience. You need a trusted advisor to look over your entire home and see when certain parts of the home need to be replaced or serviced. You need to know when the repairs or maintenance will be needed and how much it will cost. It’s time to —– Adopt a contractor!

Just as you hired your financial advisor, you need to interview a few contractors and get references. She or he need to be experienced with all facets of your home. I would suggest a full service remodeler, possibly with design-then-build experience. They need to know what products are best, and how they should be installed and who should install them. A good contractor should be surrounded by experts in all fields. She or he should have built relations with the best in the business, so you get the best advice and service when it is needed.

Your home is a system. Everything in your home has to work together. Your home’s function is to keep you warm and dry, safe and comfortable at all times. It is an envelope that protects you from the outside world. Find a contractor that understands this; one that can see the big picture, and will guide you toward the best possible return on your investment. This should be a long term relation, so that your contractor becomes familiar with your home and your lifestyle and you know what to expect from your contractor. When you find such a person, life will be so much better. Now you can set up an annual budget for the future maintenance needs of your home and schedule them at your convenience.

Your contractor may not wear a suit and tie, but he may well be the most important financial advisor you’ve ever hired.

Thanks to ChattanoogaRemodeler.com for content.

A 1911 home in Washington, D.C., for which Lawrence and his partner Elizabeth Emerson designed a multi-functional family activities area, was no exception.

“One of the nice things about the basement was that it had a lot of windows,” Emerson says. “But in front of one of the windows they had put a water heater and air handler. Prime real estate was taken up by things that you want tucked away. We wound up moving them into a smaller mechanical room.”

The client’s desire for a family center where the children could do homework and play and where the family could gather to watch movies was the impetus behind the renovation. Their extensive wish list also included laundry space, room for a home-office “command center,” space to work on crafts, lots of storage and a full bath.

Getting the mechanical equipment out of the way was just a start. Ceiling height was an issue because one member of the family is 6-feet, 5-inches tall. Initially, plans were to compact the mechanical equipment and duct-work into zones and up-light the ceiling to give the appearance of more height. When the final budget came in, however, funds were found to lower the floor, as well, which was an idea that had been debated during planning.

There was a dampness issue at one end of the basement. The stone foundation was re-pointed, and bead-board lining conceals a perimeter drain. A sump pump keeps water from accumulating.

“When it comes to re-purposing basement space, one of the toughest jobs is sorting out the infrastructure.”

Mark Lawrence, AIA, E/L Studio

With these details settled, a completely open space was left, something Lawrence and Emerson wanted to maintain as much as possible while satisfying the clients’ wish list. Instead of partitions to delineate different functions and activity areas, a box-like structure—likened to a Swiss army knife because it can be opened and closed and has multiple functions—was constructed in the center of the space, and custom built-in cabinetry houses and defines special areas within it.

On one side, for example, is a desk for the office area and on the other is a craft area. Sliding doors allow these areas to be closed off and surfaces left as they are if the basement is to be used for entertaining. Drawers were built under the stairs for more storage, and other adaptable cabinetry and seating modules line the perimeter walls. Custom mill-work was done by Tom Miller and Harlan Dodge of Cigar Tree Inc., Herndon, Va.

Lighting is key to the success of the space, gaining the appearance of height. The joist pockets were painted white and up-lit. Up-lights are positioned on the cove on the top of the “box.” On the perimeter of the basement, spotlights throw light into the pockets.

Natural and sustainable materials that also fit stylistically with the period of the house were chosen. A floating cork floor was installed, and copper penny tiles were used around the fireplace to add warmth and texture. Combined with exposed portions of the rubble-stone foundation and the bead-board paneling, these textures contrast with the crisp, clean lines of the box.

The vent-less gas fireplace is a dramatic visual element that dominates the entertainment area and serves a practical purpose, preventing the basement from being damp and cold, a feature much appreciated by the homeowners, who initially expressed concerns about that issue. The fireplace eliminates the traditional gas log, leaving a minimalist flame and simple lines.

Emerson notes the client showed considerable foresight in planning for future renovations upstairs. “They know they’re going to live in this house for a very long time and eventually they want to redo the kitchen. They put in the basics for the kitchen renovation, putting in a gas line for the eventual gas stove. It’s coiled up inside the box right now, waiting to be connected,” she says.

The basement is “really the base of the tree and everything needs to come down cleanly into it,” she adds.

• Drain and take your garden hoses inside. Take any nozzles off of the hoses.  Water stuck in the hose can expand in cold temperatures and split the hose. Next, shut off the outdoor spigots at the main cut-off line and turn the outdoor spigots one half turn on to allow any remaining water to leak out.
• Cut back perennials as they die off for the season. Many people find ornamental grasses attractive in the winter and do not cut them back until they are beaten up by wind and snow.
• Seal up the inside of your home. A tremendous amount of cold air can sneak in through cracks around windows, around electrical outlets and even around the perimeter of the walls. Just use caulk to fix these areas.
• It’s also a good idea to keep your hot water hot. On average it takes about 14% of your overall utility bill to provide hot water. Savings will be made by simply placing a water heater blanket around your water heater. It is also a good idea to insulate your water pipes, and you may want to think about installing a timer on your electric water heater.
• You’re going to need to check your furnace and make sure it is working. It is natural to smell a strong, odd, short-lasting smell when you first turn it on. If the smell persists and lasts a long time, shut the furnace off and call a professional. It’s also a good idea to have your furnace cleaned and tuned at least once a year.
• A small tip that most people don’t think about is reversing the ceiling fans. By reversing the direction from the summer time, the fan will push warm air downward and force it to re-circulate, keeping you warmer. The blades should be going clockwise in the winter.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

In March 2010, GAO released a report about its experiences submitting 20 made-up products to Energy Star for certification, highlighting weaknesses in the program, which relies primarily on self-policing by manufacturers to maintain the label’s integrity. These products ranged from the truly ridiculous—a gas-powered alarm clock—to those that seemed believable, but all included fake data that showed performance better than anything currently on the market. According to the report, “GAO found that for our bogus products, certification controls were ineffective primarily because Energy Star does not verify energy-savings data reported by manufacturers.” The program did require confirmation of test results for two products, which were then rejected.

The agencies that oversee the Energy Star program—the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—responded quickly to the findings, changing the program’s policies and the way it approves products. By April 10, 2010, the agencies had stopped approvals of new products through Energy Star’s self-certification and automated-qualification programs (which did not require staff member reviews). The Energy Star program now requires staff review of all products, as well as testing results backed up by reports from independent laboratories.

DOE and EPA began testing products that have already been certified, starting with the most common appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dishwashers, and water heaters. The agencies have also taken action against 35 manufacturers whose products carried the Energy Star label but did not meet Energy Star standards. Among these was LG Electronics, which had 21 refrigerators carrying the label—some sold under the Sears/Kenmore name—that failed to meet Energy Star standards. LG removed the Energy Star labels from those products and signed a memorandum of understanding with testing and certification firms Underwriters Laboratories, Intertek, and CSA International to have all of its products tested to ensure Energy Star compliance.

Energy Star is also strengthening the standards it uses for its homes label. New guidelines for the homes program, which go into effect in January 2011, will require that Energy Star homes exceed the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code by 20%. New requirements include enhanced air sealing and envelope insulation, higher-efficiency heating and cooling systems, and moisture control in the envelope.

The first leak found was caused by the home builder not installing the correct flashing at the rear of the garage. Siding was removed and rotted wall sheathing was replaced. After the 5/4″ shirt boards were replaced they covered completely with a textured aluminum wrap. The wrap was then run up behind a couple of courses of siding. Doing this doesn’t allow for water to get in and travel behind the material. It is forced out and can then drain to the ground. Once everything was wrapped and flashed, the siding could then be re-installed.

The second leak was a little more difficult to find, but after a few hours of isolating various areas we were able to pinpoint it to just above the main entrance door. The previous contractor had replaced the door and side lights, but purchased the wrong door and installed it incorrectly. On top of that, the brick sill was sitting higher than the sub-floor, which made the unit sit too high up. Either way, the door had to come out….and so it did. Once out, we could better see what kind of mess we had to deal with. The brick below the door were removed. Some were cut down and re-used, and a slate threshold was installed at the correct height. Rather than having the customer purchase another door, we cut the existing door down to the correct depth. A metal pan flashing was fabricated and installed, where none was before. The opening was modified to fit the smaller door and it was then re-installed. Self adhering flashing was applied around and above the door. The problem with most window and door installations is improper or no flashing. A wet test was then done to make sure everything was water tight before trim and siding went back up.

The third leak is similar to the first but on the front of the garage. The same techniques were used in repairing this area.

The forth leak was also caused by the builder in that rain water was getting behind the siding and staining the garage ceiling and wall. A leak in the same area was due to a roofing contractor incorrectly installing flashing,  at house wall and chimney, a couple of years prior.

Even after repair all of these leaks, the homeowner still didn’t feel confident that this wouldn’t happen again. During the previous repairs, we noticed that where the wall panels came together, there were large gaps. These gaps should have been caulked or covered with a 4″-6″ window/door flashing tape, but they were not. The only way to solve this would be to remove all the vinyl siding and repair all the sheathing gaps……and there were a lot! The other issue was the age of the siding. It had been up for almost 20 years and had began to oxidize and fade. After much debate between both sides, it was decided that everything should come down and be done correctly.

As the siding was stripped from the first wall, it was obvious that we had made the correct decision. Not only were there the gaps at each panel, the panels had holes from boots where they had been walked on, hammered through and just general carelessness.   The vinyl siding was also installed incorrectly, in so many ways! Rotted skirt boards were replaced and correctly wrapped with colored aluminum. All wall panel gaps, doors and windows were covered with flashing tape and new vinyl siding was installed. The house looks almost the same as when we started……almost like nothing had been done. But the homeowners know they made the correct decision and can now sleep better.

1. Upgrade the mechanical systems

An old furnace or boiler is often the worst energy user in an old house. Many houses built prior to 1920 still have old coal-fired boilers that were converted to gas or oil. These units are workhorses, but use a lot of energy. A new furnace or boiler can save energy dollars right away. Replacing window air conditioners, which we did in all these houses, with a central system also can save energy right away, as long as the ductwork has been placed in the conditioned space. Solar water heating is a good option to add here if you can afford it, but at the very least, upgrade the efficiency of hot water production by coupling the tank to the boiler.

2. Bring the basement and crawlspace inside the house

Warm, dry basements and crawlspaces can extend living and storage space. Wet basements are the source of high humidity levels and discomfort in the summertime in old houses. They also can be the source of mold growth that gets distributed around the house. Spray foam is a fast, effective way to bring these areas into the conditioned space while sealing the leaks between foundation and floor framing.

3. Super-insulate and air-seal the roof

If air leaks in at the bottom of the house, it leaks out at the top, which makes a house cold and drafty in winter. A poorly insulated roof also can make a house hot in summer. Air-sealing is a by-product of good insulating, so it’s really a one-step process. Using spray foam under a roof also can eliminate the need for roof venting, which is tricky in complicated roofs.

4. Replace the windows

With the bottom and top of the house sealed and insulated, the next opportunity is the walls. And old windows are like big holes in the walls. Old windows often leak both air and water into the house while functioning poorly. They might not open and close properly, and can be obscured with storm windows and screens that diminish the amount of light that can enter. Properly installed, Energy Star (or better) windows seal the holes in the walls to keep out water and weather extremes.

5. Insulate the walls

Filling empty wall cavities with cellulose is a cheap, easy, effective way to warm up an old house. Blowing cellulose into existing wall cavities is an art, to be sure, but there are many contractors who have been doing it for years. In fact, there are now inexpensive ways to check with infrared cameras to make sure that all voids have been filled without disturbing the existing plaster or sheathing on outside walls. Because siding or shingles on old houses might also have worn out, we take the opportunity to install foam sheathing on the outside of the house before re-siding.*

6. Buy Energy Star Appliances

A new Energy Star refrigerator will use 15% less energy than a standard model. Replacing old light fixtures with pin-based compact fluorescent fixtures ensures your electric bill will stay lower (up to 30%).

7. Add a renewable-energy source

Once your energy consumption has been reduced significantly, it becomes reasonable to produce your own energy with systems such as photovoltaic, wind power, or hydro, if you happen to have a stream nearby. Until you slash the energy usage, though, it’s not worth the investment in renewable power sources. Conservation is still the cheapest game in town.

*Note to item 5: Go back to Step 1 and reduce the size of the mechanical systems. An airtight house with insulation on all six sides of the cube and good windows provides predictable performance, so the mechanical contractor won’t have to guess at the quality of the enclosure. Downsized mechanical equipment can defray the cost of steps 2-5.