For two decades, our work at Positive Energy has been driven by a single, powerful question: why aren’t buildings created to better support the people inside them? We’ve dedicated our careers to answering that question, moving from hands-on custom home building to the forefront of building science and MEP engineering. Now, we’re bringing that journey full circle by taking on our most personal project yet: our own family home, the Spring Street Passive House.
Read MoreWhy aren't we building as well as we could be? The answer does not lie in a lack of technical knowledge, but in our deeply held beliefs about our place in the world. As the brilliant systems thinker from the MIT Systems Dynamics group, Donella Meadows, teaches us, our "paradigms" or worldviews are our most powerful levers for change.
Read MoreCalifornia has long been at the forefront of energy efficiency in the United States compared to its 49 counterparts, with its pioneering Building Energy Efficiency Standards, commonly known as Title 24, Part 6, first adopted in 1976. These standards are not static. They undergo rigorous updates every three years, serving as a dynamic benchmark for building energy performance and a critical mechanism for reducing greenhouse gas emissions during construction and operation. This continuous evolution is a deliberate policy strategy by the California Energy Commission (CEC) to systematically integrate the latest energy-saving technologies and construction practices into the built environment.
Read MoreFeldman Architecture is a distinguished firm based in San Francisco and widely recognized for their creation of warm, light-filled spaces characterized by an understated modern aesthetic. Beyond the visual appeal of their designs, Feldman Architecture is driven by a profound commitment to addressing complex problems through design, aiming to significantly enhance human interaction with the built environment and the planet. This ethos finds a powerful complement in our work here at Positive Energy. We are a specialty MEP engineering and building science firm from Austin, TX, and share with our partners at Feldman Architecture a foundational mission to transform the delivery of conditioned space to society.
Read MoreIf wildfires are to be a more frequent and intensive aspect of life in the US and future pandemics are not out of the question, how do homeowners start addressing their air quality to improve the safety their homes can provide? We’ve heard from many clients, friends, and family members in wildfire affected areas asking questions like this so we thought it was worthwhile to expand our air quality focus beyond just SARS-CoV-2 and provide some meaningful content that can serve wildfire sufferers as well. Enjoy some applied scientific guidance on the topic of portable room air cleaners (or PRACs).
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