Aaron's Blog

Humans that operate homes, can they be optimized?

Aaron Campbell (Campbell Energy) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:23:21 -0600

Here's what I've discovered while doing residential energy audits: Humans are reliably unreliable machine operators. Seriously, they are predictably unpredictable and regularly irregular. Can we find a work-around to the humans? Nope. We need humans, they buy and sell their houses. A house that isn't rotting away, full of mold and mildew, or covered in toxic paint is a house that sells better So what can we do?

Optimize your humans, of course. Give them an information upgrade, and some new energy with which to power themselves. What I see nearly every time I go out to a client's home is some form of uninformed user base. Sometimes it helps me to think of humans as if they were little robots, waiting for instructions. We need to help them operate their homes better so here are 4 tips for human-helping agents:

1. Tell your humans that the two things that are ALWAYS attacking their home are a) Sun and b) moisture. This helps frame all discussions about how to maintain their homes. For instance, they might have a hard time thinking properly about why x kind of paint is better than y: when you frame it in terms of moisture resistance, and explain that moisture causes mold, mildew and bad air quality, their choice of paint (oil or latex for instance) becomes clearer.

2. Explain to your humans that some air moving around a house is good, but that if a lot of air is moving around their house chaotically, it's bad. Leaky houses are not healthy houses, contrary to the rumors being spread. Very rarely do I see an actually "overtight" house. They need to stop the random leaks and if necessary, induce targeted fresh air (for furnaces or air quality) with a mechanical fan. The more the humans can see air control as essential, the better they will operate.

3. Describe some dire circumstances if your humans forget to change their air filters or allow their furnaces to burn nasty moldy air from the crawlspace. Indoor air quality nightmare scenarios can trigger a human to begin caring about their health and survival. Try a few different angles: the garage-car-starting air being sent into your children's bedrooms in the morning, the moldy rat-urine air being combusted and sent to the kitchen area, or my favorite one about bathroom fan output going into attic intakes.

4. Show your humans that we machines are better equipped for remembering when to turn down the thermostat, if it's to be turned down at all. If it's programmable, it's likely to be done wrong by most humans, causing much energy loss and pressure imbalance in a home. Have a technician-human (properly trained) set up the programmable thermostat, and tell your human inhabitants that they should not touch it unless they have to, and only if they read the instructions first.

Hope this helps. Feel free to email my server for more human-house help and advice.

aaron@campbell-energy.com

For ActiveRain progressives: Walk your green talk and make more green money

Aaron Campbell (Campbell Energy) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:42:10 -0600

I have been on ActiveRain for a few months now and I'm hoping I am not alone in my desire to help make the real estate world a greener one while helping agents make more money. it seems simple to me, but I'm here in the green bubble that is Seattle, Washington.

Here's the deal: An energy audit can help a prospective buyer or seller make more money during the process, and everybody including the environment wins. It takes a pro to do this right, but it's well worth the money and small amount of time to get it done. Basically, an energy auditor does a whole-house analysis of a home's heating, cooling, and energy profile. When they are done, they give the client or agent a detailed, targeted report on what upgrades, repairs and improvements that make the most energy-saving sense. The document comes with the home, and includes a long-term set of prioritized suggestions that are straightforward and usually easy to do yourself.

Sure, it's not as sexy as solar panels or recycled glass countertops, but it's exponentially less expensive and usually offers a payback in less than 3 years, with ongoing savings after that. What's not sexy about saving money while saving the planet?

I'm curious if anyone has ever heard of an energy audit before, and if so, what did you think of it? I'd also like to know if as an ActiveRain member you think this isn't worth my time and energy, I'd also like to hear about it.

Respectfully,

Aaron

Campbell

Energy

aaron@campbell-energy.com

Free Energy Saving Seminar, October 25th, Seattle

Aaron Campbell (Campbell Energy) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:28:02 -0500

Friends, Colleagues, Family and Community,

Campbell Energy LLC is officially open for business!

As some of you already know, I had previously spent 2 years as a sales consultant at University VW/Audi. After realizing that although University has a good reputation for being eco-friendly, I needed to pursue my right livelihood in the energy conservation world. Promoting high-mileage biodiesel-compatible Volkswagens put me in contact with a number of excellent people in the alt-energy world. More importantly, for three years now, Elise and I have been performance-upgrading our own home. We were always thinking, “We wish there was a person or a company that could help us make prioritized decisions on which energy-efficiency upgrades to do”. A half-dozen single-skill contractors gave me conflicting advice, leading to the epiphany of becoming a Residential Energy Consultant. Thanks to everyone who supported me in that decision.

I think what separated me from other sales consultants at the dealership was my dogged honesty with clients. I told people what was going on behind the scenes, gave people space and time to make decisions, and gave them more information with less pressure. This kept me sane, knowing I was truly helping people make good decisions in the short and long term.

As an EPA Energy Star certified energy consultant, I will continue my policy of honesty and integrity, showing people how they can reduce their utility bills, make their homes healthier and more comfortable while directly saving the planet.

Another great benefit from working at University VW/Audi was meeting Dylan Chalk of Orca Inspection Services. (He runs a carbon-neutral business and was down-sizing his truck to a VW Jetta TDI.) He nearly single-handedly pushed me into the energy conservation field, telling Elise and I heartbreaking stories of energy and resource wasting that he sees every single day as a home inspector. He, in turn, pointed me towards Brent Foster of Northwest Infrared. Brent is haltingly straightforward in his work as a Level II thermographer, telling people right then and there what he sees with his thermal camera and how you can fix most residential energy-wasting issues with "a bucket of mastic and some backer rod". Dylan and Brent are my boots-on-the-ground energy mentors, and I recommend them both without hesitation.

As for my own work at Campbell Energy, it's pretty simple: I take a deep look at your home and show you how to make step-by-step prioritized energy upgrades. With my three years' personal experience analyzing and upgrading my own home combined with my Energy Star and NAHB training, I can pinpoint your home's energy issues. It's essential to do a full in-home analysis to get a thorough picture of what needs to be upgraded, repaired, or replaced. Just as important, I show you how to operate your home in the most energy-efficient way possible. You might be surprised how much energy (and money!) can be saved simply by tweaking your behavior just a little bit, in targeted ways.

Finally, I can help you make some big-picture decisions that will dramatically lower your carbon footprint in ways you may not have previously imagined. I sum all of my in-depth analysis up in my report and give you a blueprint of steps to take to put you on a path to energy efficiency not just in the short term, but throughout your and your home's life. Dylan Chalk calls it giving people HOPE: Homes On a Path to Efficiency.

On that note, I invite you all to RSVP to my first seminar where I will be detailing who, what, where, why and how people can get incredible value, savings, and actual happiness from my energy inspections. It's going to be a fun and information-packed two hours showcasing the nitty-gritty of my work, with time for people to ask specific energy conservation-related questions at the end. Want to know what to do with that 10-year-old 80% efficient gas furnace? Concerned about how to cool your home during our global-warming summers? Wonder how to discover where you have missing insulation that can rob your home of heat this winter? Want to find out why your gorgeous recessed lights might be vacuuming out your wallet this Spring? Come to the seminar. It's free, and I guarantee you will learn something you can take home and use to reduce your wattage, lower your carbon footprint, and be happier at home.

My official website should be up soon, but nearly all the basic information you might want to know about Campbell Energy is contained in this email. Please RSVP to the event so we can plan for comfortable seating and eating:

Campbell Energy Seminar

Saturday, October 25th
1:00pm to 3:30pm
Duwamish Co-housing Common House
6000 17th Ave. SW
Seattle, Washington 98106

If you are planning on bringing a friend or interested colleague, remember to let me know in your RSVP email. I look forward to being of service and appreciate your continued support.

Respectfully,

Aaron Campbell, Energy Consultant
Campbell Energy, LLC

glowplug@gmail.com

Residential Energy Audits, making every home greener

Aaron Campbell (Campbell Energy) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:50:00 -0500

I'm convinced that every home can be greener than it is. Even if you tear it down (properly). You can always make decisions that are better or worse for the planet. One of the best decisions is to have your home (or one you are selling or buying) deeply analyzed for highest energy performance. More than an energy audit, more than wattage, more than what you pay for. I help agents sell homes and people buy homes in a more sustainable way, by showing them where they might be losing energy and efficiency and telling them how they can fix those energy (and money) holes. I improve the value of the home by showing people how they can improve the lifespan of their homes. I help people shed wattage in preparation for solar thermal or PV upgrades. I show people how they can be happier and more comfortable in their homes. I figure that real estate agents are the ideal referral sources for me (and I for them) because it's the perfect way to close a deal on a family or individual that wants to make a difference without paying a huge amount of money (or needing a bigger mortgage). I'm blogging this introduction, but the best way to find out how I'm going to help you is to call me directly at 206 dash 898 dash 8337. I like to work in Seattle so I can bike or bus to a client's location, but I'm willing to travel most of King County if needed. Comment with any questions, and I'll try to respond as requested.

--Aaron