DIY insulation. Cheap and Green

My wife an I purchased a starter home about 2-1/2 years ago. We believe that it is a sears home from the 1930's a cute little 3 bedroom bungalow with 1 bathroom. When we bought it most of what was done in the 1930's came with it- shallow well, old wiring, steam heat etc. What also came with it were the beautiful upgrades added in the 1970's- shag carpet, textured wall paper and faux wood paneling. No where along the way had insulation ever been thought of, unless you consider the Homasote (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homasote) that covered all the interior walls and ceilings insulation. Yep, thats right there was not a lick of insulation in this house. We gutted it, re-wired and re-plumbed and de-seventyized the place. Dealing with 2x4 walls and 2x6 ceiling rafters, we opted for open cell spray foam. It was amazing at how fast and efficient it was, and the difference was immediately recognizable. There was also a considerable reduction in outside noise as well. The whole insulation job was about $4,000 for our 1,600 square foot home, considerably more than traditional fiberglass batts or cellulose. However, our home maintains heat very well, and stays cool in the summer as well. Our walls r-value is only 15 and the roof only 27, but the performance seems to be holding its own. Our yearly heating bills are below what others are paying by relative comparison, and we certainly don't feel the need to micro-manage the heat, we also hardly ever have the need for air conditioning.

Green News In The Berkshires- Mass passes "Stretch Code"

A step in the right direction for Green Building? Perhaps?

This past week Massachusetts passed the "Stretch Code". This law basically allows municipalities to adopt more strict building codes in the area of energy efficiency. Currently, building codes require all new dwellings and extensive remodels to pass some sort of energy compliance. Typically this is called a REScheck, as defined by the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and is essentially a calculation of wall square footage and its insulation value compared to the square footage of windows and their U-values. What this calculator spits out is a perceived efficiency of the building, actual performance was never measured. More recently, many have been switching to the Home Energy Rating System or (HERS). This is usually in conjunction with the Energy Star Program and LEED. HERS is more complex formula that also factors in an actual blower door test once the building is complete to test the homes air tightness. Currently a HERS rating of 100 is the standard. The new Stretch Code would require a new homes and remodels to obtain a HERS index of somewhere between 60-85 depending on certain circumstances.

While I am not in love with the HERS index as it requires the input of a homes R-value, with out taking into account the actual total wall performance, this is certainly a step in the right direction. What amazes me is the backlash from some of the bigger players in the building industry, such as the Home Builders Association. Did they not see this coming? This has been almost a decade in the works. Not to mention that the average home should be able to meet the new criteria with minor tweaking and a little forethought. Two years ago I would have agreed that building to this code would require additional expenses, but the market has adapted and a slew of products are now available to help achieve these new standards at minimal or no extra costs. In addition, when oil soared over a $100 a barrel, in the not to distant past, and you asked a perspective home buyer if they would rather have granite counter tops or save 40% on the heating bill, FOR EVER, what would have they said? The home we just finished achieved a HERS rating of 49!!! The wall and roof systems were easily comparable with conventional building costs. Some are complaining that the new codes are adding to the costs of doing business, during a recession no less. When would it be convenient? Well I guess its a time for the smart and ambitious.