Our world demands more energy efficient and resilient buildings, but we need people to manage those buildings and keep them efficient.
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How Does a Heat Pump Work
If you are looking to replace the air conditioning or heating system in your home, you may want to consider an air-source heat pump.
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Save the Planet & Money with Heat Pumps
Super high-efficiency electric heat pumps have become very common in all parts of the world for water heating, space heating, and air conditioning. They can operate in even the coldest climates and deliver the same heating and cooling benefits, often at lower operating costs. In addition, heat pumps powered by renewable energy produce zero emissions! Heat pumps are super-efficient because they use very little energy to move heat. Heat pumps have been used for decades to transfer heat out of your refrigerator to keep it cold on the inside and for air conditioning systems to cool your house. The same technology can now heat and cool your home or heat…
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Between a Rock and a Hot Place
Balancing the Sources of Heat in the Home Landscape Take a leaf. No, actually, don’t you dare touch that leaf! Well, why? It’s dead. No good to me now. Well, actually, it’s as valuable now as when it was on the tree. Why? Because it’s going to rot and then become another tree that produces other leaves. Composted leaves are free fertilizer. They’re nature’s oldest form of recycling. The Xerces Society is a non-profit trying to help wildlife, especially pollinators (bees, butterflies, etc.) and endangered species. A few years ago, they promoted a “Leave the Leaves” project in the fall, so there would be protected places for wildlife over the…
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Argyle Gardens:
A HOME FOR THE HOMELESS The Kenton neighborhood of Portland now hosts Argyle Gardens, the first buildout of a Low Income Single Adult Housing model (LISAH). It is located on an oddly-shaped, city-owned, industrial site close to the MAX light rail line, bus lines, and commercial shopping areas. Argyle Gardens consists of four buildings containing 72 housing units oriented around a central outdoor space. The largest building contains thirty-five 220 square foot studio apartments. A large community room, laundry facilities, and support service offices serve as a central hub and communal gathering space for all residents. The three co-housing buildings each feature two six-bedroom units with two shared bathrooms and…
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Electrify Coalition’s Monthly Webinars on Electrification
Interested in learning more about Electrification as a way to solve Climate Change? Join Electrify Now for monthly conversations as we dive deep into how and why to electrify – we will cover everything from the practicalities of installing electric devices in your home to exciting new solutions that hold promise for decarbonizing our economy. Here are our scheduled webinars to start 2021 January – All Electric Fireplaces February – Renewable Hydrogen and Electrification March – Sequestration Week April – Electric Vehicles May – All Electric Lawn Care Register for these webinars and learn more at their website https://electrifynow.net/electrify-coalition-webinars
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Oregon Tradeswomen’s 2021 Career Fair
Thank you for your interest in Oregon Tradeswomen’s Annual Career Fair, one of the most exciting and engaging career fairs in our region dedicated to the construction industry! In 2020, we had to cancel our event due to COVID-19, and with the continued unknowns for large events in 2021, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our annual Career Fair again this year. This decision was not made lightly, as each year, this incredible event connects thousands of students and jobseekers to the wide variety of exciting careers in the skilled construction trades. NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center 16021 NE Airport Way, Portland Oregon’s Construction Industry has a shortage of…
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Solar Oregon Net Zero Homes Tour
Saturday October 19, 2019 9am – 5pm 2105 N Webster Street, Portland Join Solar Oregon, Passive House, Green Hammer and Earth Advantage to see what it’s like to live in a Zero carbon home and learn all the surprisingly simple, accessible and innovate strategies that homeowners use for getting to zero. The Tour will feature homes in North and South East Portland and will be co-hosted by some of the leading green builders and architects in the area. Lunch will be at the new Tillamook Row Net Zero Apartments in NE Portland. Suggested Donation – $10 Solar Oregon members, $20 for general public For more info: https://solaroregon.org/event/net-zero-homes-tour/
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Solar Oregon Presents Passive House 101
Solar Oregon and Passive House Northwest present: Passive House 101 July 9, 2019 – 6 – 8 pm Shine Distillery – 4232 N Williams Ave Portland Join Solar Oregon for an evening discussion on how Passive House– the world’s most energy efficient building certification– and solar PV can be the easiest path to healthy, comfortable, and durable Zero Energy buildings. Joshua Salinger, CEO of Birdsmouth Design/Build and board member of Passive House Northwest will discuss what Passive House is, it’s history, it’s methods, and why it matters. 40% of the energy used in the U.S. goes towards our buildings – this is more than the energy used in transportation and industry combined! Learn…
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Western JUNIPER: Wood that Checks all the Boxes
100 years ago, walking across the expanse of Eastern Oregon would have revealed sprawls of sagebrush and native grass, pockmarked with the occasional juniper tree. Fast forward to today, and those picturesque western landscapes have become overgrown with juniper trees. Due largely to modern day fire suppression, junipers, a “native invasive,” have expanded from one million acres at the turn of the 20th century to a staggering 10 million acres today. Junipers are a thirsty tree, drinking up to 35 gallons of water per day in a high desert ecosystem that is already plagued by drought. As the trees expand, they push out sagebrush and grass, which affects vulnerable species…
