Katy Hollbacher's blog

My experience with a DIY mini-split heat pump

Katy Hollbacher interviews Laken Allen

Today I'm interviewing my colleague Laken Allen. She's a homeowner in Victor, Idaho with husband Sam, 1-yr old Auggie, and dogs Wilson and Dory. Before their baby arrived, she and Sam decided to purchase the MRCOOL "DIY" multi-zone mini-split heat pump system and install it in their home. Read on to learn more about their experiences and lessons learned!

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BuildingGenius: Making sustainable housing a no-brainer

Beyond Efficiency is highly motivated to solve the nation’s housing crisis and planet’s climate crisis through our technical work, but the traditional building consulting model isn’t going to cut it. To scale our impact far beyond what we’re able to accomplish as a small team working on one-off building projects, we’re excited to announce our new technology- and community-based initiative, BuildingGenius.

Permanent Affordability Through Passive Design + Renewables

Beyond Efficiency is proud to be on the team led by Onion Flats Development, and supported by Love | Schack Architecture and GE Johnson Construction Company, vying for the rights to develop multifamily housing at 105 Mercill Avenue in Jackson, Wyoming. Our team’s proposal stands above and beyond the other finalists from the standpoint of its all-electric, zero energy, Passive House and LEED Platinum performance assumptions.

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AIA Code of Ethics Finally Incorporates Sustainability Rule

Image credit: Lake | Flato Architects – Georgia Tech Engineered Biosystems Building

Musings on the Solar Eclipse, One Month Later

I was lucky to be in Jackson Hole, Wyoming—virtually smack-dab on the "blue line" in the narrow path of totality—for the first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in 99 years on August 21. There was so much hype leading up to this event, and it was completely justified! For an unforgettable moment in the midst of our vast universe, in a special spot dynamically shifting east along with the movement of our planetary objects, our sun and moon literally aligned and our little spot of Earth was transformed: the sky darkened, the horizon turned orange, stars appeared, and the air felt freezing.

Building Carbon Zero California: Friday, November 13 in Palo Alto

Building Carbon Zero Palo Alto
  • Friday, November 13, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • Lucie Stern Community Center, Palo Alto, California

Beyond Efficiency will be presenting Case Study: 412 Olive Avenue Office, One Year Later. Come learn about the project's challenges, successes and performance results!

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Consultant to Consultant: Six Essential Lessons from the Trenches

Beyond Efficiency will be presenting at two upcoming Passive House conferences and we hope to see you in California, Maine, or both:

9th Annual North American Passive House Conference

September 11-14, 2014
San Francisco Bay Area, California
Presenter: Katy Hollbacher, P.E.

Energy Modeling for Architects: Friday, May 23

What your energy consultant should know and isn’t teaching you.

*Presentation posted- see below*
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