Energy and Atmosphere Energy has historically been a hot topic
in the Houston area. With increasing prices and changing supply,
it is crucial to use energy wisely. Follow these 5 steps to plan
your energy strategy. - Determine Benchmark and Set Goals Begin
with determining how much energy your home or building consumes,
or is projected to consume. This will be your benchmark. Gather
utility bills to evaluate kilowatt (kWh) used in an existing
project or a similar building type in the region. In the absence
of such data, predictions are based on computer simulation
models. A standard new move in this area consumes 14,700 kWh of
energy annually. The goal is to reduce this number by two-thirds
to 500 kWh. - Plan Passive Features/Strategies Understanding the
macro and micro climate and employing climate-appropriate
passive design strategies are the first steps in sustainable
design. Houston’s climate is subtropical and humid with 3058
Cooling Degree Days and 1599 Heating Degree Days. That means we
need air condit