Entries from December 2009
Looking to reduce your hydro bill and your impact on the environment? Unplugging often-used appliances and electronics will solve the problem, but isn’t always the most convenient solution.
Check out the SmartStrip Power Saving Surge Protector, which detects when a device is plugged in, and automatically cuts off power to its peripherals.
Not only does it save electricity, but it also protects electronics from power surges. The design has multiple plugs in mind, with generous spacing between each outlet, making it customizable to fit your needs. And once plugged in, the angled plug doesn’t cover the other outlets.
It’s available in seven- and ten-outlet models, provides 1225 joules of surge protection, and includes a 30-day unconditional return policy and two year guarantee. It also includes a lifetime return policy if, indeed, there is a power surge.
How can you go wrong? Although it’s a little pricier than most (at about $35-40), the average home can save about 260 watts of electricity per hour, or 113 kilowatts per month (about $30).
Check them out at CableOrganizer.com and Amazon.com.
Looking to reduce your hydro bill and your impact on the environment? Unplugging often-used appliances and electronics will solve the problem, but isn’t always the most convenient solution.
Check out the SmartStrip Power Saving Surge Protector, which detects when a device is plugged in, and automatically cuts off power to its peripherals.
Not only does it save electricity, but it also protects electronics from power surges. The design has multiple plugs in mind, with generous spacing between each outlet, making it customizable to fit your needs. And once plugged in, the angled plug doesn’t cover the other outlets.
It’s available in seven- and ten-outlet models, provides 1225 joules of surge protection, and includes a 30-day unconditional return policy and two year guarantee. It also includes a lifetime return policy if, indeed, there is a power surge.
How can you go wrong? Although it’s a little pricier than most (about $22 for a single strip and $34 for a double), the average home can save about 260 watts of electricity per hour, or 113 kilowatts per month (about $30), reimbursing your cost in just 1 month.
Check them out at CableOrganizer.com and Amazon.com.
Tags: Eco-Friendly Products
1. Less Waste, More Materials: While material waste is virtually eliminated, prefab homes typically use 25-35 percent more material in the structure of the home itself. While the overall material consumption is probably a wash, the extra building materials of a prefab home go to good use. The factory-setting allows builders to construct a stronger home with fewer areas of vulnerability. A FEMA study found that wood-frame modular homes stood up better than stick-built homes to the devastating winds of Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
2. Less Labor, More Quality-Control: It’s not so much less labor as it is lower labor costs. Construction workers for prefab homes will go the home-building factory and can work on several homes at once, cutting down on commuting and wasted time. Meanwhile, inspectors are present during each step of the building process, ensuring a seamless structure, built-to-last. Indeed, panelized and modular homes, like conventional home and unlike mobile homes, will appreciate in value over the years.
3. Less Wait, More Money: According to the National Association of Home Builders, “Once all building materials arrive at the factory, some manufacturers can assemble modules in a single day. Typically, a two-story, 2,500 sq. ft. home can be constructed in a factory in under a week.” Of course, this doesn’t mean you can move into your new home in just one week, but you probably won’t need to wait 6-8 months, either. This streamlined construction also translates into building costs between 10-35 percent less than a comparable stick-framed home.
Remaining Obstacles and Opportunities
The biggest obstacle is the startup capital prefab home builders require. Says Barry Bergdoll, curator of the architecture and design department at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, “If someone wants to launch a prefabricated house system, even with its possibilities of customization, they have this enormous upfront investment in machines and a factory, etc., so there are all sorts of odds set against someone who wants to do this.” This obstacle has been exponentially compounded by the tightening of credit markets, especially to small businesses, and the uncertainty of the home building industry at-large.
1. Less Waste, More Materials:
While material waste is virtually eliminated, prefab homes typically use 25-35 percent more material in the structure of the home itself. While the overall material consumption is probably a wash, the extra building materials of a prefab home go to good use. The factory-setting allows builders to construct a stronger home with fewer areas of vulnerability. A FEMA study found that wood-frame modular homes stood up better than stick-built homes to the devastating winds of Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
2. Less Labor, More Quality-Control:
It’s not so much less labor as it is lower labor costs. Construction workers for prefab homes will go the home-building factory and can work on several homes at once, cutting down on commuting and wasted time. Meanwhile, inspectors are present during each step of the building process, ensuring a seamless structure, built-to-last. Indeed, panelized and modular homes, like conventional home and unlike mobile homes, will appreciate in value over the years.
3. Less Wait, More Money:
According to the National Association of Home Builders, “Once all building materials arrive at the factory, some manufacturers can assemble modules in a single day. Typically, a two-story, 2,500 sq. ft. home can be constructed in a factory in under a week.” Of course, this doesn’t mean you can move into your new home in just one week, but you probably won’t need to wait 6-8 months, either. This streamlined construction also translates into building costs between 10-35 percent less than a comparable stick-framed home.
Remaining obstacles for the prefab industry in the current Economic conditions:
The biggest obstacle is the startup capital prefab home builders require. Says Barry Bergdoll, curator of the architecture and design department at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, “If someone wants to launch a prefabricated house system, even with its possibilities of customization, they have this enormous upfront investment in machines and a factory, etc., so there are all sorts of odds set against someone who wants to do this.” This obstacle has been exponentially compounded by the tightening of credit markets, especially to small businesses, and the uncertainty of the home building industry at-large.
Yet, as these economic realities subside—taking several conventional home building companies with them—a sizable gap will remain for prefab housing to occupy. The development of computer-aided architectural design and optimizing monetary and material savings will be key, so a new generation of prefabricated housing can finally deliver on its promise of revolutionizing the home building industry.
Tags: Green Home Building · Prefabs
