Blog
Busting ERV Myths Part 2
Part of what we do at BPE, Inc. involves busting myths that prevent folks from ruling out the very thing that can improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and comfort, heating and cooling bills, and health. Last week, we tackled the issue of cross contamination in ERVs. This week, let’s dive into efficiency:
Myth Two: “What good is an ERV if the word on the street says they are, on average, only 55% efficient?”
Busting ERV Myths Part 1
It is the plight of professionals in most industries: You introduce your company to potential clients only to discover their perception of your product or concept has already been influenced by myths or outdated information. It’s no different for the sales force at BPE, Inc. when we explain how Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) are the cost-effective answer for bringing fresh, preconditioned air into buildings and homes so airtight we think of them as Tupperware containers. Therefore, part of what we do involves busting myths that prevent folks from ruling out the very thing that can improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and comfort, heating and cooling bills, and health. Let’s start dismantling some of the myths surrounding ERVs with an oldie but a goodie:
Why Measure Radon?
The following case study was undertaken by Klas Haglid in his 7,000-plus-sq.ft. New Jersey home to determine how much of a risk radon levels play in his family’s life. He wanted to see how far he could lower the levels and therefore cut the risk of radon-induced lung cancer proportionately.
Background: To ensure proper radon control, you need continual monitoring and a proper mitigation strategy. If you think the decent radon levels next door are good enough for you, think again. Your neighbor’s numbers have little to do with the levels in your home, so you can’t use generally low levels in your area to claim you are safe
What you don’t know about radon can kill you.
After radon was recognized as the culprit causing high rates of lung cancer in miners, most folks in the construction, realty, and engineering industries came to realize radon gas-a radioactive substance–is not our friend when it comes to indoor living. Still, the grim stats on radon-induced lung cancer deaths and the public’s poor understanding of the problem recently left our Indoor Air Quality experts at BPE, quite frankly, exasperated.
Onward & Upward
No matter how your day is going, we can all use a bit of good news. Even better, we all want to know that the work we do in the clean energy business is paying off. The 2017 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook can kick your day up a notch on both fronts. Produced by Bloomberg New Energy Finance for the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, the Factbook provides up-to-date, accurate market information on strides made in energy efficiency, natural gas, and renewable energy. Here are a few snippets to depict progress in 2016 as well as put a little pep in your step:
PACE the Nation
What is it?: PACE or Property Assessed Clean Energy is an initiative to finance up to 100% of the cost for energy-related improvement projects on commercial, non-profit, and residential properties. Without the dread of upfront, out-of-pocket expenses that can be a deal-breaker for pursuing upgrades, property owners enjoy a payback period of up to 20 years, plus annual energy savings that typically exceed assessment payments. Ultimately, participants reap higher-value buildings with improvements that lower the cost of doing business.
Navigating the Internet of Things
Home automation is far from a new concept, but it sure has taken its time becoming standard in homes. That’s about to change: In a world where we practically run our lives through mobile devices, the so-called Internet of Things (IoT) is the next trend upon us. It is estimated that by 2022, the average home could house up to 500 smart devices. We’re talking everything from temperature and air quality sensors to lighting systems, coffee makers, televisions, stoves, blinds, etc. Your home will learn how to wake you up, usher you out the door, and welcome you home as programmed by you.
SILENT, DEADLY … INSIDIOUS
Earlier in this series on radon, we discussed the dangers of this radioactive gas and how ventilation can mitigate indoor build-up. But where exactly does radon come from, why does it become concentrated indoors, and how does it damage lungs enough to cause cancer?
Origins: Radon is the result of the natural breakdown of radium, an element created as Uranium and Thorium break down. While this radioactive decay sounds every bit as lethal as it can be to human health, the process is essential to life on Earth.