Many household appliances use power even when they’re not turned on. Every year, this can add up to a lot of energy. Fortunately, devices like the Kill-A-Watt offer a way to identify these sneaky energy burglars. Read on as EcoBlock Project Manager Dr. Therese Peffer shares her own experiences with the Kill-A-Watt and what she discovered about her home power use.
Adding insulation and air sealing in an older home can be a relatively cost effective way to increase energy efficiency, increase comfort, lower costs, and reduce heat-related illness. However, millions of homes in California remain uninsulated. Read on to learn how insulation retrofits can cut costs and carbon while enhancing home comfort.
Home performance describes how the different systems in a home work together to create comfortable, healthy, and energy-efficient indoor environments. This building science-based approach evaluates different factors such as air flow, moisture/humidity, and thermal protection to improve occupant comfort, energy savings, and indoor air quality (IAQ).
The EcoBlock team is honored to celebrate Pride Month 2022. As we work to develop and share community energy knowledge, we applaud the contributions of the LGBTQ community while recognizing that LGBTQ justice is integral to climate justice.
Anyone can plant a tree, but making sure it thrives is another story. In this article, Sherwood Design Engineers provide seven simple steps to ensure tree planting success, as well as tips for care after planting.
EcoBlock Principal Investigator (PI) and Energy team co-lead Dr. Alexandra “Sascha” von Meier discusses the Oakland EcoBlock project as part of the “Breakthrough Technologies Redefining Our Energy Future” panel at the 2022 Milken Institute Global Conference.
Oakland has taken strides to improve sustainability and resilience within the city, implementing a variety of plans and programs in recent years (including the Oakland EcoBlock)! Yet it can be difficult to measure progress on climate change issues due to the complexity of these problems.
Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month honors the culture, history and contributions of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians in the United States. The EcoBlock team joins our partners in celebrating the contributions of, and recognizing the challenges faced by, the AANHPI community.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Sixth Assessment Cycle Report this year, critically timed for impacting climate policy around the world. Here’s what you need to know.
Microgrids are an intriguing way to create a cleaner, more energy secure future, but their complexity goes beyond solar panels. In fact, connecting a home to a microgrid requires several key pieces of equipment. Check out this infographic to learn more!