JLC Article - April - Homebuilders & DOE fight for Cellu

[danh]

Well I actually got offered the position of Moderator for this forum, so I thought I'd do something responsible for once. Hopefully this won't degrade into a flame fest, as is common when I'm around...


So did anyone else see the April 2005 JLC article on that new code change to exclude cellulose from being used in walls? One of my friends sent me a PDF of it, so I can copy and paste some excerpts. Apparently the DOE has published a report on why it doesn't actually improve energy efficiency:

"As for the R-2 boost in
required wall insulation, the report
says the new rule will force builders to
use high-density fiberglass batts rather
than standard batts, blown cellulose, or
low-density spray foam"

For those who haven't heard: new R-Value requirements are coming into effect that are impossible to meet in 2x4 or 2x6 walls without going to high-density batts, larger studs, or insulated sheathing.

[roger g]

Hadn't seen it. What is JLC? Is D O E department of environment?

roger

[Dormer_man]

JLC Journal of Light Construction

DOE Department of Energy

[danh]

Hooray I am awesome:
JLC Online - In The News - April 2005 (http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-local/view.pdf/348a2260a110245924e5ed979cd2becb/www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront/428a35dd000c016b27177f000001055d)

[rbisys]

Greetings,

Being new to this forum I was going down the lists when I got to one of my favorite subjects, " the destruction of DOE"

Talk about a wolf in sheeps' clothing, this is the ultimate.

Ever hear of the skytherm heating/cooling sys? Developed by an engineer named Horold Hayes. I think he may now be deceased. I had the oppurtunity to talk to him a few times. He designed a patanted the roof pond sys that costs about a $1 a year to operate. Doe tried to sabatoge it as they were involved with a grant to him. After he built it his way DOE had General Electric evaluate the system. A 400+ page report stated that it worked as designed. DOE now knows little or nothing about this system.

Insulation. DOE has repeatedly disiminated disinformation/misinformation regarding radiant barrier insulation. U/Berkley replied to my request for tests that valadated FG "R" values under INSTALLED CONDITION tests as not available. Berkley manages the website for insulation for DOE.

To go one further. The US Senate in late 1950s passed a ban on radiant barriers for all government jobs at the request of the mineral wool industry. In 1981 US Senate cut funding for FTC until they rescinded newly implemented regulations requiring ALL insulations to be tested in the installed conditions enviroment. All this on record.

The home owners today are using 2-3 times as much energy as they should be to heat and cool their homes. The reason is simple, the government taxes energy. Also, it requires a very costly and taxable structure to manufacture expensive HVAC equipment to over come low efficiency homes. This is why DOE presses for expensive solar equipment when low cost solar is more efficent, cheaper and requires less fixing.

I recently went thru this with Illinios solar enrgy dept.
1st they where not enthused that I was going to use Kal Wall for passive heat. Kal Wall is very inexpensive.
2nd they would not allow and subsity for a vertical cool tube sys I have designed because it was not solar and only requires a small pump to operate. They want jobs for expensive solar equipment too.

I've been fighting this fight for thirty years and I've to the conclusion that we have a democroatize fascists sys. We get to elect the clowns that crawl in bed with big business. Until we get the revolution T Jefferson said we needed every 200 yrs, nothing will change.