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Automating Workspaces on macOS

Automating Workspaces on macOS

I now have 4 side projects in motion along with personal tasks like finance and communication. For the first time, my go to workspace solution of mission control and spaces doesn’t cut it. Between Xcode, multiple terminal windows running, Photoshop, Mail, Photos, Sketch, and so on I finally felt overwhelmed. It’s time for a new solution.

May 1, 2018 READ MORE▸

Targets for Our Climate

Targets for Our Climate
The image above is our best guess at what we should be targeting. How did we arrive there? First, we started with The Passive House Institute’s initial targets for our climate. In their words, “The PHIUS+ 2015 Passive Building Standard provides the climate-specific sweet spot where aggressive energy and carbon reduction overlap with cost effectiveness. It accounts for a full range of variables including climate zone, source energy, and costs.

Mar 27, 2014 READ MORE▸

Apparently, We Can't Have Vents

Apparently, We Can't Have Vents

After realizing that we may not need a fireplace, we quickly learned that any hole the in the house is bad. That includes dryer vents. This becomes compromise #2 of a passive house. Fortunately, ventless dryers have come a long way and there isn’t too much concern. First, condenser dryers use water, and their biggest knock is that a water tank has to be emptied. Heat pump dryers seem to be preferred since they use less energy and create no moisture, but they do take longer to dry clothes. Head on over to GreeenBuildingAdvisor for more on the topic.

Mar 26, 2014 READ MORE▸

Fireplaces Are a Huge Gotcha

Fireplaces Are a Huge Gotcha

Is there anything more comfortable in a cold environment than sitting around a fireplace? Correct answer: no. So, it really threw us off when we found out fireplaces are not necessary in a passive house, and are somewhat frowned upon. While it looks like there are wood burning stoves that are sealed, we’re more in the market for a “flip a light switch and fire” type of situation. Then, consider that a geothermal unit may be best for heating and cooling in our climate, and the fireplace becomes pure decoration.

Mar 26, 2014 READ MORE▸