Podcasts about watersense

Looking for modern, commuter-friendly living in the Bay Area? The Chapter by KB Home in Castro Valley offers stylish townhome-style condos designed for comfort and convenience. Located within walking distance to the Castro Valley BART station and with easy access to I-580, this community is perfect for professionals and families alike.

Water is one of our most precious resources, yet we waste billions of gallons every year—often without even realizing it. But what if the biggest solution wasn't flashy new technology, but something as simple as the toilet, showerhead, or faucet in your home?In this episode of The Authority Podcast: Plumbing Mechanical, host Christoph Lohr welcomes back Kerry Stackpole, CEO & Executive Director of Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI), for a powerful conversation about how everyday plumbing fixtures are already making a massive impact in the fight for water conservation. Thanks to the U.S. EPA's WaterSense program, these unsung heroes have saved an astonishing 8.7 trillion gallons of water—enough to sustain millions of families. But there's still so much more to do.With only 22% of California's toilets meeting WaterSense standards, we're leaving an enormous amount of savings untapped. Christoph and Kerry explore how small changes—like upgrading outdated plumbing fixtures—can lead to huge environmental and financial benefits. They also dive into the policy shifts, technological advancements, and industry leadership driving a future where wasted water becomes a thing of the past.This isn't just about efficiency—it's about preserving our water for future generations. Tune in to hear how you can be part of the solution and why the plumbing industry is stepping up to protect our most vital resource before it's too late.Related links: https://www.epa.gov/watersense

In this episode, Jonah Schein, Technical Coordinator for Homes and Buildings with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense® program, demonstrates how water-efficiency measures also save energy and reduce carbon emissions, using data from 219 WaterSense-labeled homes in Menifee, California.  Jonah describes how every gallon of water has an "energy signature" based on the processes required to extract, convey, treat, and distribute that water, noting the dramatic differences among various water sources, with some requiring over 20 times more energy than others. Noting the benefits of right-sizing plumbing pipes for water-efficient fixtures, Jonah emphasizes the tremendous opportunity in leveraging water efficiency to cost-effectively reduce energy use and carbon emissions. Related Links: EPA Report: WaterSense® Labeled Homes Communities Save Energy and Support Decarbonization IAPMO Water Demand Calculator to right-size plumbing pipes.  

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding families and businesses that they can save on the purchase of certain products during the state's Water- Efficient Products and Energy Star sales tax holidays. Created by the Texas Legislature, both holidays take place Saturday, May 25, through Monday, May 27. The Texas Comptroller's office estimates shoppers will save million in state and local sales tax. Products displaying a WaterSense label or logo can be purchased tax free for personal or business use. These include showerheads, bathroom sink faucets and accessories, toilets, urinals, and landscape irrigation controls. The sales tax holiday also applies...Article Link

Most folks in the EEBA community know there's a connection between water and energy (and as a result, carbon). On the one hand, we use huge amounts of water to generate electricity, and managing reservoir levels in a way that supports hydroelectric generation has become an increasing issue in the West. On the other hand, we use huge amounts of energy to extract, move, treat, and deliver water and wastewater to our homes. So how much energy does it take? How much energy and carbon can you save by reducing water? We'll explore these questions using both national averages and local case studies. Learning Objectives: Explain the relationship between water, energy, and carbon Express how and where energy is consumed in the process of supporting our homes with water Describe the factors that influence the energy intensity of different water supplies and specific homes Learn how WaterSense labeled homes certification and the tools provided by WaterSense can help address the energy embedded in water

In this episode, Andy interviews Kevin Miller, CEO, Praxxis Manufacturing. Company Website: https://www.h2owize.com/ YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/CZfaKbiE-Tg   ----------------------- Joining me today is Kevin Miller, the CEO and co founder of Praxis. The manufacturers of the retro pressure regulator and other water conservation products earlier in his career. Kevin co founded, built and led three companies that generated substantial revenue in the hundreds of millions. Alongside this, he made strategic investments and joined Goldstur. A pioneering bootstrap startup that developed an automated retail kiosk for the analysis and appraisal of precious metal jewelry. Currently, Kevin serves as the co founder and CEO of Praxis, a company renowned for its creation of H2O Wise water conservation products specifically designed for the landscape industry. Kevin, welcome to the show.  Thanks for having me this morning.  I am really excited to talk to you because I think you've got some hidden gems of products that I'm sure a lot of listeners aren't familiar with yet, but I think they will become familiar with your products over time. And sometimes it's harder to be an incumbent in this industry when there's a couple big brands that tend to own a lot of the shelf space. So really look forward to learning about your innovations and perhaps some of your go to market strategy and such.  Absolutely. Let me just get started by giving you a little more background on the company and myself. I've always been involved in the manufacturing space and right out of college, I went to work for a Pentair, a big manufacturer of pumps, filters, and heaters, and got involved in product development. And if there's one thing that I truly love is just that, developing products. Working on hard, complicated solutions to everyday problems. It may not be a super sexy thing, like irrigation or pool equipment. But with Praxis, we've been able to develop a couple of unique patented products that save water, save money, and also divert plastic waste from our landfills. And the Retro Regulator is one such product. And this came about at the height of the pandemic. We had just launched the H2OWISE brand in 2019 at the Las Vegas IA show and the world shut down. It was a unique experience going through that. And we continued working, we had a a product that had been we tested the concept, worked great. And California was just going to mandated PRS. And when you look at the amount of sprinklers that are in the ground, just in the state of California, there are over 450 million that have zero pressure regulation in them for the most part. And when you extrapolate that through the entire United States, that number quickly rose as you can imagine. We wanted to offer a solution that was easy for the pro contractor and also for a homeowner to be able to retrofit a product. Into an existing sprinkler already in the ground. There was born retro regulator. Several iterations. What was can I ask you, was this the first product that Praxis developed? No. Which was first? So our water irrigation ring was the first product that we developed. And Praxis started as a OEM manufacturing company. So we do custom injection molding and custom design work for other large OEMs. Not just in the irrigation space, but also in the pool and spa industry. So WaterWell was the first H2O wise branded product that we launched into the market in 2019. Okay. And when you say OEM, does that also like contract work? Let's say I've got a new widget that I want to make. Could I contact you to manufacture it? Exactly. Yes. You never know, I might be contacting you someday. Yeah, give us a call. Okay, so you started with the water well, and from what I understand, that's like a drip ring? Yeah, it's an irrigation ring. It's designed to go around new and relatively new trees that are planted either on slopes, on parkways, and it includes a five GPH drip emitters and a non eroding well that goes around the tree. We make them in a couple different sizes. And what it does is it allows for 100% water absorption right to that root ball, which is critical, as in the first year or two of growth to get that tree established and get those roots established. But also collects rainwater prevents erosion and runoff. And like I said, 100% water absorption, no waste. Wow. Versus what would be the alternate? A dirt well. A dirt well with a bubbler. That's common practice that the landscape architects use. And dirt wells erode within six to 12 months. And as bubblers get clogged. They're not obviously sometimes not you can get 10 GPH and get five GPH out of them so they can be variable. So ours is a fixed GPH and flow. Okay. And approximately what year did you come out with that product? That was 2019 at the IA show in Vegas. So right before the world shut down. And was that kind of the kickoff to the company was with that product? That was the kickoff to brand H2OI. Praxis has been around since 2017 doing that. Okay. OEM injection molding and design work. And then you said during the pandemic is when you came out with the retro regulator. Exactly. Yeah, obviously we had a lot of free time and we were in the midst of the worst drought in Western States history. And we came up with the solution, literally in my garage, tinkering with things with sprinklers and made a few prototypes, put them in my yard, watched them run for about three to six months and we knew we had something. Do you remember where you were or how you first had the idea for this? Yeah, I think I was actually cleaning out my garage the first couple of months of the pandemic because there was nothing else to do. And I came across some old sprinkler heads. We weren't allowed to water more than a couple of days a week. And I found a few OEM heads that had this pressure regulation device in them. This is before the PRS mandate hit California. And I thought, wow, what a, what an idea. What a great idea to be able to regulate flow in each and every head and have even distribution. Now, what if I don't want to go spend eight or 9 for a new head? I've got all these perfectly good heads. in the ground in my yard that worked great. What if we came up with a device that allowed you to retrofit your existing head? So you didn't have to throw away all that plastic and go buy a new one. And literally that's how it was born. What type of sprinklers were you first experimenting with? Rain Bird 1800s. That's what I predominantly have in my yard. And I've got a few Hunter Pro Sprays that were put in as repairs. And what I'll do for those that are listening is I'll drop... Some links on the episode so you can click through and learn more about the retro regulator, but let's maybe you could just describe it the best that you can, for people listening since they can't see it and if they're not familiar with it, let's just describe it. Yeah, absolutely. The regulator is about an inch and a quarter tall and it is designed to go in the flow tube or the riser of the sprinkler. What you do is you unscrew the cap, take out the guts. And literally with your thumb, press one of these into the riser of the sprinkler and it will radially seal on the inside diameter of the riser. And there are certain engineering design criteria inside this device that allow you to set it at either 30 or 40 PSI. So it's going to reduce pressure and also restrict flow to give you that optimum rate that you need for these sprinklers, because really with a spray head, you don't need more than 30 PSI for your standard nozzle. Your rotators, they like a little more 40, 45 PSI. And that was really the sweet spot we were trying to hit. And at the same time, it has a gasket with a secondary spring on the bottom of it that acts as a check valve. So for all those low head sprinklers that like to leak. This was another design feature that we put into the retro regulator and that actually complicated the design quite a bit. Cause we've got a couple of independent things going on inside there and it made it very hard. To get the engineering and the flow just right. I can't wait to ask more questions about that. But what's so funny about, let's just say this industry is, doesn't matter which manufacturer, they're all essentially strange in the same way. And that is that you take your base sprinkler and you have, four inch, six inch, 12 inch side inlet, right? But then if you take all those models and make it a 30 PSI. And then you take all those models and you make it a 40 PSI. Then you take all those models again, and you make a 30 PSI with check valve. And then you make, and then you do a 40 PSI with check valve. You've just taken four skews and you've made it, I don't know the math, 36 different skews. When you have one skew that you can put into all of those sprinklers. And it just seems like a lot of the manufacturers today just have so many different skews that it's a waste of shelf space. Yeah, and skew proliferation is one of the things that we looked at when we were designing this. All the different models from all the different OEMs. We have one device that will go in 85 to 90 percent of the sprinklers that are in the ground today with almost no digging. You really don't need a tool to do this. As long as the head's clear, you just unscrew the cap, push one of these in the stem and reinstall it. Which brands of spray heads does it fit? We like to say everything except Toro, but it will go in your Rainbirds, your Hunters, your Weathermatics, your Erytrols, K Rain. It'll go in most of the orbits that you find in the mass merchants. And there's some international ones that we sell to, overseas in Spain and Italy, it'll go into those as well. And so essentially what I'm guessing then is the interior diameter of all of those risers must be basically the same. Yeah, they're very close. No one is exactly the same, which is very interesting. But they're close enough where we can make up the difference with our dual O rings. And our dual diameter at the top and the bottom of the retro regulator. Yeah, that's fascinating. So Toro, is Toro too big or too small? They're too narrow. Too narrow. And we have a design already in place for that. We have not pulled the trigger on tooling, but if there is a demand for it, we could have a market ready product in about three months. Yeah. It's just fantastic. I don't know why other than people just not knowing that you exist, which is probably a part of it is that a lot of contractors don't know that you exist because I think if they did know that you existed, they would keep boxes of these on their service trucks and the service technicians should say to their client, would you like me to retrofit your sprinklers? It's only X per sprinkler and it could be an easy like order bump. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And. When it comes to price at the contractor level, it's about 50% less than buying a brand new four inch with a check valve and a flow control device inside when you step up to the six and the 12 inches, the price difference is considerable or considerably less than a six or a 12 inch. Yeah. And you can use the same head. You don't have to throw it out. Yep. And your nozzles already on there. It's it's just easy. Exactly. It would be great to know, maybe some of the barriers to entry that you've had to, or the hurdles you've had to jump through to get to where you are. I would say the chief marketing hurdle that we have is just consumer awareness and education, making the contractor, making the homeowner aware that a product like this does exist. Because there's nothing like this for many of the big OEMs and not being a behemoth like some of these other guys, that's been our greatest challenge is to just to get the awareness of this product out to the market. And while we're in all the major distributors you can't walk into every branch and see these on the counter. They need to be requested in a lot of places. We do have some stocking areas. We are doing some things with a couple mass merchants right now which is bearing some fruit. But I'd say marketing and just consumer awareness. And I'm just sitting here thinking about some things while you're talking. And I'm wondering, there's probably some averages, let's say, contractor XYZ has said number of clients. Let's just say it's a thousand customers, residential customers or commercial. It actually, it doesn't matter. And then of those clients, how many zones are typically sprays, and how many sprinklers is that? So if a contractor has a thousand customers, how many pop up sprinklers are under management, let's say for them. And if they retrofitted half of those with these, what kind of extra revenue could that bring to their business? It's probably tens of thousands of dollars. It's huge. It's exponential. And the water savings you get with this as well. And the consumer is saving money. The payoff, the ROI is a lot quicker than replacing all the heads in a zone. So your typical residential zone has about what 10 heads on it. Three quarter inch pipe. So you can literally retrofit a zone in about 30 minutes. So very quick, very efficient, no digging. And you've got a product that the contractor can make a lot of margin on and also offer a environmentally conscious friendly solution to saving water. Totally agree. Would you be willing to share a little bit about your patent process? Yeah, absolutely. And I asked because something like this, I would imagine, and I'm just making an assumption here that the patent is probably important because. If it wasn't protected, then the big names that we all know would just all have it, and then you would just be basically squashed, potentially. Yeah, absolutely. I've been involved in patent processes dating back to my pentair days when I was in my twenties. It's a very cumbersome a very expensive process. You usually need to elicit an attorney to help you with the filing, especially on things of this nature, where we have a, Huge addressable market potential. So always when you're designing something new and unique like this, you're looking for features, you're looking for utility and design patents that you can file. And it's not just one, it's multiple things that are involved in this retro regulators. So when you file a patent, it's not just one thing could be 18 things. With this one product our water irrigation ring has 22 different unique features to it. That makes it harder to engineer around and knock off. And the patent process itself takes years average, about two years from the time you file and your patent pending to the time you get. That patent because the patent office will come back and say, Oh, we're going to deny this claim. You need to make this change. And those iterations cost thousands and thousands of dollars every time the patent office comes back to you. So the pandemic is lengthened that it's about three years now to get a patent. And tens of thousands of dollars. Have you had to protect your patent yet? On the retro regulator? Yeah. Yeah. We have. Okay. How often do you a couple of things. How did you know you needed to protect it? Did you see a real product or do you monitor filings? How does that work? No. We, there, there are certain ways and certain methods you can that an attorney can monitor certain things. I'm not going to go into those details, but yes, we obviously will heavily defend it. Thank you. Any patent that we have. So let's talk. I want to keep talking about the, spray heads and pressure regulation, and I don't know a lot about the state mandates other than some of the states, let's just say in California, as you mentioned it, where you cannot buy a non pressure regulated sprinkler any longer. Does this qualify for that? So great question. We are working with a lot of water districts right now to have this added on their rebate program. Thank you. We've made substantial headway in certain states where this is a rebate type item. However, when it comes to the WaterSense label and identification, since we do not make the entire sprinkler body we cannot file for that WaterSense label. We can meet all of the... qualifications for it as far as a testing and performance goes, but we can't use that WaterSense label on this product. We make a PRS ShrubRiser that we just launched, and that ShrubRiser has a built in regulation device that is WaterSense certified because it is a complete unit with a housing and a regulator and you can put a nozzle on top. Okay. We're actually actively working to change that legislation in the state. If, let's say there was a manufacturer of a sprinkler that didn't have a pressure regulated version, if they combined it with your this device, would that meet the requirement? Yes, and that's a great question. That would meet the requirement if they went through the CIT or WaterSense testing. Okay. And let's say, again, I'm asking questions because I don't know the answers to these things. If we just take a box of 1800 sprinklers, today, and you're in California, you can't go in and buy a case of traditional 1800s. You can only get the PRS option. Would it be possible for Rainbird to sell a box of traditional sprinklers, but include You're welcome. These retro regulators in a bag, in the box, where the user has to put it in, or must it be pre installed? Typically it needs to be pre installed. And that, again, just comes back to the WaterSense wording that they have in those regulations. But, yes, absolutely, you could install this in an existing separate. Oh, FlowTube. Absolutely. I'll have to remember that. FlowTube. Is that the technical name for the bottom of the sprinkler? Yeah. They like to use that. Okay. I like to say riser. But some people... Yeah, riser. Yeah. I like to say FlowTube's the technical engineering lingo for that. Fascinating. There's not a lot of components in here, but there are a lot of them are small. So I'm imagining that the manufacturing process has to be pretty darn precise because of the size of the different individual pieces. Yeah, we're dealing with some incredibly tight tolerances in this part, as you can imagine. And that was probably the most challenging thing from a manufacturing perspective is how could we build something like this, manufacture it, sell it, market it at a very competitive price. Because we couldn't sell something like this for 9 a piece. It just wasn't going to sell. We had to make it, we had to incentivize it such that we were well below the cost of a new replacement head with all these items. I'm guessing it has to be hand assembled. There's probably not a machine that can put this thing together. There are a few machine processes that we use. But it's a combination of human interaction and machine. Yeah. Cool. All right. What I wanted to ask you if there's any, again, as it relates to pressure regulation, are there any sort of common myths that you see out there that people, things that people think are true that aren't true? A lot of people will just put a pressure regulation device back at their valve to solve the problem of. over spray and misting. And while that works, it's really not the best way to accomplish pressure reduction because you're going to have uneven spray at that first head versus your last head. So really the most efficient way to do this, to get good coverage, to get equal distribution throughout your entire zone is to have in head pressure regulation. And every OEM will tell you the same thing. What the states are doing with the PRS mandates it's a really good thing. Because you're getting even uniform distribution, you're saving water, and you're preventing, misting and runoff and overspray. A lot of people like to push back because the heads are more expensive. But, at the end of the day, it's a very good solution. I put this up on a test stand and I used, a pressure gauge on the riser under the nozzle to test the pressure and it locked right in on the pressure that you specified, which tells me that there isn't a pressure differential required and what a lot of people, contractors don't realize is that oftentimes when you regulate a valve, there is a pressure differential required. So if you're shooting for 50 PSI and the incoming is 59, it won't regulate unless there's a 15 or other pressure differential to make it work. Yeah, that's correct. And yours is just fixes right in at the correct pressure. It took us about 18 months to get there, but we like to think we have a pretty good product. Yeah. So if you had a crystal ball and you're like, okay, in the next two years, what would that look like for your business? We have a lot of other products in the pipeline right now. Some of which I can discuss others, which I can't discuss cause everything that we try to make for the most part is. patentable. We do have other products that are just what I call me twos, but are all based around water conservation, like our sprayed a drip adapter, our PRS shrub risers. We've got some nozzle caps and some other plastic parts high volume. But we are working on a flow control device right now. I can't go into great detail about it, but we see this really is the next A big requirement that states and will be implemented in building codes for outdoor irrigation. And it will be able to tie into all the controllers that are out there in the marketplace. But that's that one we've been working on now for about 12 months and we're getting close to having a product that we can show and talk about. Very cool. I can't wait. That sounds like some technology. There is going to be technology. I can tell you there's going to be a bit of organic AI in it. And that's a new term that I've learned in the last year of it will be a learning type of cool. And it will be something that can retrofit into an existing system. And that's something we try to look at when we set out to design new products. We're not going to be the guy that designs a new sprinkler or designs a new valve. We want stuff that can be readily accepted into existing irrigation systems with. Existing controllers and existing components from all the big manufacturers. You can innovate faster, likely, than some of the bigger companies because you're set up to do that. Yeah, absolutely. I worked for a big company for seven years for Pentair and I was in the product development space for five of those seven years. So I'm well attuned to how long it takes and what kind of bureaucracy to deal with when you get to those large corporations and we've got a couple of secret weapons. At Praxis, I like to call them and we like to move at speed and make decisions informed decisions, but rapidly with measured risk. Do you ever have any, let's say, user group feedback, get some contractors together, ask them what their pain points are, things like that. Absolutely. And that's where some of this idea generation comes from. I have a very close friend that owns a very large. Commercial landscape maintenance company here in Southern California. And we use his projects and his guys is really a test bed and a product validation before we take something to the market and mass produce it. That's absolutely critical. By the way, my yard just doesn't cut it, but when I get to a commercial property where there's hundreds or thousands of these things and we have scale, we can really see how it works and how it gets used and abused. Yeah, what's your go to market right now? Do you have reps? Do you direct sale? How does that, how does your sales process work? Yeah, great question. So it's a hybrid model. We have independent sales reps in certain areas of the country, mainly West of the Rockies because that's where the greatest Need for water conservation is out right now. We're obviously open to expanding that eastward. But we're, the low hanging fruit has been pretty much everything west of the Rockies. We do some stuff with with mass merchants, directly through Praxis. I've got a couple of account managers here that handle that. We're in a lot of the major distributors at this time which is a great a great place to be because we're able to reach those big, bright views and landscape developments of the world. And then we do a little bit of online marketing, not a whole lot. A lot of this has been word of mouth once people start to use it, figure out that it works. But again that's expanding as we expand our product line. And I like how you said people start using it once they've realized it works. Is there speculation when someone tries it for the first time that it might not work? Yeah, absolutely. Because they wonder why a Rainbird or a Hunter or a Toro hasn't come out with something like this. Who are you guys? Yeah. And, why do you think that is? I think it's just goes back to the old fallback position of everybody's comfortable with what is already being done in the industry. As far as innovative and disruptive products go, there haven't been a whole lot in irrigation in the last 20 or 30 years. I agree. And we try to look at things from a very disruptive because we are not embedded with any special interests or, we really not beholden to any shareholders, so to speak. So we can look at things differently than some of these other big companies can. And we like to look at it from a very innovative and disruptive position. Do you think that some of these bigger companies Have to operate from a bit of a defensive place like essentially not yeah They could do it this way, but then that might cannibalize another part of their business So they don't because they don't want like one new innovation to suck profit out of an existing business channel Absolutely 100% and I think that's why that you haven't seen anybody else try to create a product like this But again all these big guys they make great products I'm not here to knock anybody. I want our retro regulator going to everybody's sprinkler, right? Regardless of what your name is. And I've got 20 year old 1800 series heads and pro sprays in my yard that are still working. I've replaced the nozzle a few times and maybe this spring, but they all have retro regulators and they perform. So that goes to show you that. Yeah. They're good products. Fascinating. I was going to just give you the floor again to if there's anything that you would like to share or that you think people should know or new parts of someone's business that this could unlock, do you have any sort of words of wisdom? Oh, geez. I've been at this a long time. I don't want to get philosophical on everybody here, but this is the fifth company that I've owned. This was started By myself and another partner with money out of our own pockets and designed made here in the USA. And the American dream is still alive. It's a little harder to get to right now, but it's still alive and well here. And I think that there's a lot of irrigation contractors out there big and small that can look at a product like this and realize that they can grow their business, that they can take this to their. Existing user base, customer base and upsell them very easily. And there's very little labor involved when it comes to installing these and the ROI is, so I would just encourage everybody to, to look, obviously look at the product. Thank you for your blessings on this as well. And realize that we have, we have a winner here and it just takes a couple of guys to start using these and the word spreads. And this is a great conversation piece. What you hear a lot is that the prices are going down, competitors. It's a very, it's a very tough market. You have these guys, it's tough to compete. Prices are going down. And I think that. That's always been the case, right? As for as long as you're, as anyone's ever in business, it's always a competition. It depends on how you want to position yourself, right? And what your strategy is. And I'm a big fan of having conversations with your customers. Asking questions, educating them, and even bringing something like this retro regulator just to the table and saying, Hey we offer these. This is what it does. If you're, if a competition's not doing that, you look more like an expert. You know what you're doing. You're looking out for the best interest of the customer, whether they choose it or not, I think just adding something like this to the conversation will help your business. A hundred percent. And there are a lot of guys out there now in the irrigation industry, they're using social media. They're using Instagram reels to to showcase their, the jobs they're doing, the repairs they're doing. And something like this could be a great tool for them to showcase. An alternative to replacing the entire sprinkler head. Very cool. Thank you, Kevin. I guess my last question would be if somebody wants to reach out to you to learn more and, or they've got an idea for something and they want to, share that with you, how could they contact you? Absolutely. You can contact me by email directly. Kevin at praxis, mfg. com or info at praxis, mfg. com. You can also follow us on social media at H2O wise. We do regular postings of products videos how to guides, things of that nature. But we're happy to entertain and that we're very responsive. We're a small company but we're very responsive and we like to move fast and develop unique and disruptive products for the marketplace. Fantastic. Thanks so much for sharing the back office information on the retro regulator. And I look forward to continuing to watch you guys grow. Pretty awesome. So thank you. Thank you for having us on your show and I look forward to chatting with you more.

In the second part of our two-part Earth Day episode, Water is More Important!?, we're exploring the vital role that water plays in sustaining life on Earth and beyond. Our special guest is none other than Sandra Postel, director of the Global Water Policy Project. She will share her insights with us into the importance of this precious resource.[[So. I'm sitting here on my bachelor pad, and you have me wondering. How did it all get here? The water, I mean. It seems Earth has an awful lot of it. I mean, blue planet, and all that rot.]]Sandra Postel appears on The Cosmic Companion for Earth Day, 22 April 2023. Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution 2023 The Cosmic Companion.It turns out that no one is quite sure how or why water formed in such great quantities on Earth. Certainly, being at the right distance from the Sun, and having a thick atmosphere, allowing water to pool on its surface helps. But, how did water first arise on our world?Researchers have been puzzling over this question for years, and there are a few major ideas which have emerged.One theory is that water arrived on Earth through comets and asteroids. These space-borne clumps of rock and ice collided with our planet billions of years ago in large numbers, potentially bringing water with them. This theory is supported by the fact that the ratio of heavy to regular water on Earth is very similar to that found in comets, suggesting comets may have played a major role in forming the oceans of Earth.Another possibility is that water was present on Earth from the very beginning, during the formation of our planet. This theory suggests that water was present in the gas and dust cloud that eventually coalesced to form Earth. As the planet cooled and solidified, the water vapor condensed into liquid, forming oceans.[Cool water]A third theory is that water was created by the reactions that took place within the Earth's mantle. This idea suggests that high pressures and temperatures within the mantle caused the formation of water molecules from the elements present in the layers of our nascent planet.And, it is also possible that each of these sources played a role in creating the aquatic environment of our water world. Today, water covers more than 70 percent of our planet, supporting millions of species of life. And, water around the planet, together with the life which depends on it, are threatened by global climate change, driven by human activity.Next up, we talk with Sandra Postel, director of the Global Water Policy Project.The Blue Marble on which we live is more than oceans, lakes, ponds and rivers. Water is also found in the atmosphere, aquifers, and life itself, including you and me.Heat from the Sun drives evaporation from oceans and other bodies of water, lifting water into the air. [wooooah!] Once in the atmosphere, this water vapor condenses into clouds, eventually releasing their moisture as precipitation, such as rain or snow, back onto the land and water.Moisture which falls onto land can either seep into the ground and become groundwater, or flow back into rivers, lakes, and oceans, restarting the cycle. The process is also influenced by factors like wind, temperature, and topography, which help determine the amount of precipitation that falls in different areas.This water cycle ensures that water is constantly moving and being redistributed throughout the planet, providing us with this essential resource that we all need to survive.[[Some desert plants only need water once every couple weeks under most conditions. Those ever-resilient tardigrades can last decades between drinks of water. And, some bacteria also use very little water, although their metabolism still depends on this vital liquid. The rest of us really need the stuff!]]There are several ways people can help conserve and protect this precious resource. Homeowners can seek out efficient appliances with the WaterSense label, and repair water leaks as soon as possible after they are discovered. Rainwater harvesting collects water which would have simply rolled off roofs, making it accessible for gardens and outdoor cleaning.Watering gardens during mornings and evenings reduces evaporation and water use. Shorter showers can also play a role in conserving water. Every little bit helps when we look to preserve the health of lifeforms on Earth.[[Water is more important? Not much. I'm Poseidon, so… I'm right.]]Next week on The Cosmic Companion, we will be Pondering Panspermia — the idea that life here on Earth may have started from ingredients from space, delivered by comets and asteroids. We will be talking with Brian Selznick, the author of Big Tree. Make sure to join us starting on 29 April, at TheCosmic Companion.net. Sign up for our newsletter at TheCosmic Companion.com and never miss an episode.If you enjoyed this episode of The Cosmic Companion, please tell your friends about the show, comment, share, you know the spiel.Clear skies!JamesThe Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Start writing today. Use the button below to create your Substack and connect your publication with The Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard Get full access to The Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard at thecosmiccompanion.substack.com/subscribe

At least one program of the EPA has had consistent support regardless of the administration or the makeup of Congress. It's called WaterSense and it's aimed at plugging household leaks thought to result in billions and billions of wasted gallons. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Beth Livingston, WaterSense Lead Environmental Specialist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At least one program of the EPA has had consistent support regardless of the administration or the makeup of Congress. It's called WaterSense and it's aimed at plugging household leaks thought to result in billions and billions of wasted gallons. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Beth Livingston, WaterSense Lead Environmental Specialist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the value-adds that you need to consider today? What specific technology can you incorporate into your renovation to force appreciation? In the last episode of our three-part series with Steven Gesis of Smartland, he discusses the top value-adds you need to consider right now so you can add value to your tenants.Steven first defines what force appreciation means. He then names the top four value-adds you can have so that you can force appreciation to your property. These are LVT, WaterSense fixtures, paint, and the common area. He also reveals what he thinks is the ultimate sales piece and why it is important that your sales team is better educated about the value-adds your property offers. Tune in now!

Co-hosts architect/designer Katie Hutchison and textile designer Dawn Oliveira speak with Amy Vickers about water conservation at home.

Miss any of our recent #BullCityToday episodes? Catch up now on your #localgov news with #BullCityWrap.- Are you part of a group or organization that wants to help celebrate #Durham during the holidays? If so, mark your calendar for Sat., Dec. 17 to participate in @dprplaymore's Holiday Parade.We have the details on how you can apply to be part of the fun.- The @DurhamStormH2O State of Our Streams Report is out and offers a glimpse at the health of our creeks and rivers. Find out why #Durham received a 77 out of 100 – or a “C” – on the Water Quality Index. - Our @DurhamWater team has been recognized for the second consecutive year as a @EPA WaterSense Partner of the Year. It's also the department's seventh consecutive WaterSense award! We explain this program and why it's important. - If you want to stay in the know about our essential #localgov news & events, you'll want to sign up for two new regular publications - #CityConnect & #DurhamDigest. Find out how to receive both in your email inbox.- We now know what the process will look like for the upcoming @pbdurhamnc cycle that is about to get underway. Find out what will look familiar and different.

“Positive attitude plus effort equals performance.” Tommy Tuberville As we hear more about droughts, what is the impact on residential new construction?   Why did KB Home feel it was important to commit to the WaterSense label for all future home builds in Arizona, California, and Nevada?   How is KB Home using RESNET's HERSH2O water efficiency rating system to address water consumption without sacrificing performance for homeowners?     Jacob Atalla, VP of Innovation and Sustainability for KB Home joins us to discuss the important work is being done to create more water efficient homes using RESNET's HERSH2O water efficiency rating system.    We discuss the importance of water efficiency, the trends over time and the stakeholders that value water efficiency.   Jacob also shares the background on RESNET's HERSH2O water efficiency rating system, how it was created and how it is an easy “add” to the work performed by a HERS Rater.   Jacob helps us understand the long history of work KB Home has done and some of the awards they have received as a positive force in this area.   According to the US EPA, WaterSense labeled homes use at least 30% less water than a typical home and can save a household 50,000 gallons of water annually, on average.    To date, KB Home has built over 18,000 WaterSense labeled and Water Smart homes — more than any other homebuilder — and installed over 900,000 WaterSense labeled fixtures. The company estimates that these homes, together with the WaterSense labeled fixtures within them, conserve approximately 1.6 billion gallons of water annually.   We also touch on the water/energy nexus discovering that Las Vegas homes built by KB Home (as part of an EPA study) saw savings of an extra 1,100 kWh annually (beyond the savings estimated by the RESNET HERS rating alone) due to the overall water conservation, a portion of which is hot water conservation.      Learn more about RESNET's HERSH2O water efficiency rating system here: https://www.resnet.us/about/hersh2o/   Read about the KB Home WaterSense commitment to the Arizona, California, and Nevada housing markets. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220721005288/en/KB-Home-Becomes-First-National-Homebuilder-to-Commit-to-EPA%E2%80%99s-Highest-Water-efficiency-Standards-in-Drought-stricken-Arizona-California-and-Nevada   Hear more on the RESNET HERSH2O water efficiency rating system in three past episodes of RESTalk, EP50, EP79 and EP83.   https://restalk.libsyn.com/ep50-introducing-the-resnet-water-efficiency-rating-system-hersh2o-with-mark-johnson-icc-and-jacob-atalla-kb-home   https://restalk.libsyn.com/ep-79-california-dreamin-collaboration-between-resnet-and-california-rating-providers-on-hers-h2o-with-ryan-meres-and-russ-king   https://restalk.libsyn.com/ep83-why-raters-should-be-certified-for-hersh20-with-ryan-meres     RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage. Learn more at www.RESNET.us Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US

Join us for a discussion of how small (and large) water systems can leverage the EPA's free WaterSense Promotional Partner program to encourage water conservation and efficiency in their communities. We cover what WaterSense is, available resources, and how to get started.

Reality of invasion: Civilians trapped in Mariupol ‘attack each other for food' as supplies become scarce'We cannot even identify them': Mass graves fill up in Mariupol after more than 1,200 killedWorld Bank: Russia and Belarus 'mightily close' to bankruptcyRoman Abramovich: Oligarch sanctioned throwing future of Chelsea into turmoilSanctions document: Roman Abramovich accused of ‘destabilising Ukraine' by supplying steel for Russian tanksTicket ban: Chelsea could face matches to be played behind closed doorsComplete guide: What Roman Abramovich sanctions mean for ChelseaSale: Potential buyers still keen on Chelsea despite sanctionsJim White: Chelsea should be relegated from the Premier LeagueJamie Carragher: Chelsea turmoil has given Manchester United the chance to get their perfect managerWatch: Brave Ukrainians defuse giant Russian bomb with two hands and bottle of waterSense of humour: How Camilla Parker-Bowles went from public enemy to national treasureJames Hall: Sam Ryder may finally provide Britain a winning shot at EurovisionRead all these articles and stay expertly informed anywhere, anytime with a digital subscription. Start your free one-month trial today to gain unlimited website and app access. Cancel anytime. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3v8HLez.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Since his college days, Jonah has worked on national and international water issues. He has spent over a decade leading the technical direction and development of WaterSense which is the EPA's water efficiency program and has established himself as an expert in the field of water efficiency, conservation, and sustainability with numerous published articles and speaking engagements. Our conversation tracks his path and what the WaterSense program is doing in the built environment today. EPA WaterSense Program Arava Institute for Environmental Studies LinkedIn profile

“The key to everything is patience.  You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” -Arnold H. Glasgow    The ANSI/RESNET/ICC Standard 850 was developed over the course of years via consensus input from over 75 organizations. The standard was first issued in 2020 and is now seeing increasing use. Several steps needed to take place before the California Energy Commission's accredited rating providers were approved by RESNET as HERS-H2O providers.  At the same time, the demand for the H2O rating service had to be built along with the ability to provide the service itself.   We are joined today by Russ King (Sr. Director of Technical Services for CalCERTS, Inc) and Ryan Meres (Program Director for RESNET) to learn more about the rollout of HERS H2O in California. Ryan shares background on the HERS H2O Standard and how it is being used to achieve the EPA Water Sense Label along with RESNET's efforts to get the standard recognized as a compliance method for California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO).     Russ describes for us the CalCERTS network of California HERS Raters and how they can get certified for H2O and WaterSense through CalCERTS. Russ and Ryan will improve your understanding of the topic leveraging their extensive and diverse backgrounds. Learn more on how this all works at www.calcerts.com/water/ Also, inquiries can be sent to training@calcerts.com    RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage. Pros can learn more at www.RESNET.us/professional  Consumers can learn more at www.RESNET.us Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US

“Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man.” -Stuart Udall    There's no way around it. Water is essential to life. Water, like energy, is an environmental resource and requires (demands?) more attention from all. In fact, we've talked about water in 4 previous episodes of RESTALK over the last 4 years. How does the EPA WaterSense program address this topic? What are the updates in WaterSense Labeled Homes 2.0? How does the HERS H2O rating work?   Seasoned water efficiency professional Jonah Schein (US EPA) and Ryan Meres (Program Director RESNET), return to the podcast to give us updates on the EPA WaterSense Labeled Homes V2.0 and HERS H2O programs.  Jonah and Ryan share their thoughts and help us learn more about: The move from a prescriptive to a performance-based approach How to handle projects that started using Version 1.0 The ease of access to proper training Why water is important to the building industry Catch up with the “backstory” via previous episodes of RESTalk: Episode 3 (2018), Bonus-1 (2019) and Episodes 50 & 62 from 2020. You can purchase the ANSI/RESNET/ICC Standard 850-2020 at the ICC Store: https://shop.iccsafe.org/ansi-resnet-icc-850-2020-standard-calculation-and-labeling-of-the-water-use-performance-of-one-and-two-family-dwellings-using-the-water-rating-index.html The standard can be viewed for free at this link: https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes/resnet-icc - just select "View as Basic" for a view only version of the standard.  For updated information on the RESNET HERSH20 program, visit: https://www.resnet.us/articles/resnet-rating-providers-and-raters-can-verify-epa-watersense-labeled-homes/ You'll find information on the EPA's WaterSense program at https://www.epa.gov/watersense   If you have access to the RESNET 2021 conference you can learn more about this topic in Sessions RES-12 and EPP-16.   RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.   Pros can learn more at www.RESNET.us/professional  Consumers can learn more at www.RESNET.us Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US

---Join us for our Summer Rewind series as we feature past podcast episodes!--- EPISODE #24: With a nation-wide commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 as well as an increase in climate change awareness, has eco-purchasing in Canada increased? In other words, are more people buying products and services that have less impact on the environment and human health? Dianna Miller, Chief of ENERGY STAR shares about the ENERGY STAR program and how it works to not only motivate the production of energy-conscious products, but also to help homeowners and businesses make energy-conscious buying decisions.  Related Content & Links:       www.energystar.gov Transcript:  Dan Seguin  00:00 Hey everyone. Welcome to the summer rewind edition of the think energy podcast. While we recharge our batteries during these lazy hazy Days of Summer, we're bringing back some blast from our podcast past, we'll be reintroducing some of the most popular interviews that garnered a lot of attention and interest, perhaps not a coincidence. But they're all focused on the future of the energy sector with themes like renewable energy, green innovation, and being eco conscious. So I hope you truly enjoy our summer rewind edition. In the meantime, have a happy summer. And we'll be back September 6 to kick off another exciting season of the think energy podcast. I'm Dan Sega from hydro Ottawa, and I'll be hosting the think energy podcast. So here's today's big question. Are you looking to better understand the fast changing world of energy? Join me every two weeks and get a unique perspective from industry leaders, as we deep dive and discuss some of the coolest trends, emerging technologies, and latest innovations that drive the energy sector. So stay tuned. as we explore some traditional and some quirky facets of this industry. This is the think energy podcast. Hey, everyone, welcome to another episode of The think energy podcast. The demand for green buildings, electric vehicles, and renewable generation is changing the way we think about and use energy. So much, so it influences what we purchase. The demand is a result of the rising concern for climate change, which is creating a new reality for our planet, but also a new reality for brands and consumers. Consumers want clean technology solutions, sustainability, less pollution. And they want brands that are just as concerned about the environment as they are. More and more consumers want to do business with companies that are environmentally conscious. And they're using their wallet to send that message loud and clear. Now, chances are you likely know the ENERGY STAR brand, its logo has become the trusted symbol for energy efficiency products, particularly in the home appliance space. But did you know the ENERGY STAR certification extends to homes, buildings and industrial plants in the US alone, ENERGY STAR and its partners have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 3 billion metric tons since 1992. That's equivalent to an annual emission of over 600 million cars. And talk about brand recognition. In its recent survey, more than 90% of US households recognize the ENERGY STAR logo. So let's begin with today's big question. With an increase in climate change awareness. Has environmental purchasing increased meaning are more people buying products and services that have less impact on the environment and human health. Joining us today I have from the Office of Energy efficiency. Diana Miller, Chief of Energy Star. Welcome, Diana. Thanks. Thanks for having me. Maybe you can start by providing our listeners with a quick overview of what it is that you do. And what is the Energy Star program.   Dianna Miller  03:49 So ENERGY STAR is a program that was created by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in Canada actually has administered it since 2001, via an agreement at its core ENERGY STAR is a binary label. So the presence of an ENERGY STAR label on a product or a new home an existing building or an industrial facility just designates that entity as energy efficient. So ENERGY STAR is basically a program where we do all of the work, we do the research and the homework and we kind of crunch all the numbers and come up with a really good way to show that a product is efficient. And then our stakeholders, our partners go out and certify those things products, homes, buildings and industrial facilities to those standards. And then they slap a label on it and it makes it really, really easy then for consumers and citizens to go and find the most energy efficient thing really quickly and reliably. So that's what the program is. And what I do, I have actually two functions. So I'm the brand manager for energy star in Canada so I just kind of help promote the brand and protect brand integrity. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I also administer the Energy Star program for products. So like I said before, we certify a lot of different things, including products, there's about 80 different product types that we certify. And so I also manage the products program element.   Dan Seguin  05:15 Very cool. That's where we connect is my job here is to preserve, protect and promote the brands. Right, so Okay. What is the role of the Energy Star program to achieve Canada's net zero emission future by 2050? And to build a net zero emissions economy? How important is it to expand the numbers of retrofits in a year? Last part of it? Lastly, how does the program help the environment?   Dianna Miller  05:45 Well, to start with the role of Energy Star, and achieving a net zero economy is, again, I'm going to go back to the simplicity of the Energy Star program. So ENERGY STAR is something that I think every Canadian has seen 80% of Canadians recognize and understand it. So ENERGY STAR is a really easy, accessible way for Canadians to take action on a day to day basis. And every tiny incremental action, whether it's buying a light bulb, a fridge, a heating system, a certified home or leasing space, in a certified office building, all of those tiny incremental actions add up to really, really big energy savings. So I want to talk about how the Energy Star program helps the environment, one of the key things that ENERGY STAR achieves is just doing the same amount of work, or performing the same functions using less energy. And whether you're looking at energy that's, you know, generated by coal, whether you're looking at Burning gas, or fossil fuels, or even clean energy like hydro energy, using less energy just means that that energy that you're not using can be used for other things. In Canada, while we do have a lot of very, very clean hydro energy, using too much of it during peak hours means that then all of a sudden, you've got not clean energy that has to kick in. And so if you use less of it, then you're not having to switch over to the not clean energy.   Dan Seguin  07:22 Yeah, I think we're gonna have to set ourselves up, though. Because on that storage will come into play. When we're talking about solar, when we're talking about wind, those will be two big players. And but to make those more efficient, you'll need the storage component to work with that also.   Dianna Miller  07:40 Oh, absolutely. You know, the other thing that I just like to point out is that ENERGY STAR isn't just about using less energy, I mean, it's definitely the key element of the program. So it's an Energy Efficiency Program. And using less energy potentially has has the role of less fossil fuel emissions. However, I think the other thing that we have to look at is ENERGY STAR wades into water territory. So the United States government administers a WaterSense program. And so when you're taking a look at the amount of water that a washer uses, or a dishwasher, ENERGY STAR really tries to cut back on those as well. You can also look at electronics and how they're trying to use less rare earth metals and trying to look at recyclability and things like that. So ENERGY STAR is about more than just energy use. It's definitely the primary function of the program. But definitely, we're looking at other things, even in terms of the controllability of a product. So if a product is connectable to, to the internet, then you know, you can control the product so that it's using less energy at a time where maybe there's dirty energy generation. So being able to connect to a product as a consumer or even as a utility, you know, you can reduce the amount of energy that a product is using when you're using fossil fuel generation.   Dan Seguin  08:59 Well, I just actually subscribed to Hydro Quebec through Hilo program, which is basically them setting up sensors all around the house, where they can actually go on a day where there's a bitter cold, and they will actually just via an email, send me send me a notification that they will bring down the temperature at home and am I okay with that? And then they incentivize you to do more.   Dianna Miller  09:26 That's right. And ENERGY STAR has built in principles of connectivity into a lot of their different product categories. They're moving in that direction with what they call the Smart Home Energy Management System, where they're, you know, working with service providers and utilities as well as manufacturers to kind of come up with an ideal scenario where a home can be more easily controlled and use less energy, especially at marginal periods where you know, you're worried about that fossil fuel energy generation,   Dan Seguin  09:53 what level of influence does the Energy Star label have on the purchasing decision of consumers   Dianna Miller  10:00 Over the last few years, ENERGY STAR Canada has. We do Public Opinion Research. I'll say that so every couple of years we put out a national survey, we try to figure out, you know, how aware Canadians are of the ENERGY STAR symbol of the program, if they understand what it means and that kind of thing. And one of the things that we started asking is, for people who have actually purchased an ENERGY STAR certified product or home, did that symbol affect that purchase decision? And overwhelmingly, the answer is, yes. So out of people that have purchased ENERGY STAR certified things in Canada in 2018, I think there was about 75% said it's because, or maybe not uniquely, because but definitely the symbol played a role that certification work.   Dan Seguin  10:45 Absolutely. Like you just look at Windows as an example.   Dianna Miller  10:48 Oh, yeah. I mean, that's a really big one, especially in a lot of the country. Now, ENERGY STAR certified windows are incented by different provincial or utility incentive programs. Because we know that they perform better. And, you know, people go into a store, that's not even the symbol influences them. It's, you know, just the knowledge that they're better people go into a store and ask for them by name. So yeah,   Dan Seguin  11:15 how does the energuide program fit into this equation?   Dianna Miller  11:20 inner guide and ENERGY STAR complimentary programs. So now, just as a caveat, energuide is a symbol that or a rating program that exists also for vehicle labels, Soviet vehicle fuel consumption, as well as home energy consumption. So I'm speaking specifically about the integrated label on products. But the great thing about the Energuide label is, like I said, it complements the Energy Star label in that it's not a binary label. So where ENERGY STAR either is there or isn't there on major appliances in room air conditioners in Canada, it's required by law, so it's always there. And what it does is it tells you how that product that you're looking at performs among all of the products that exist in Canada. So you know that that there's a scale on it. And it's going to say the best performing product and the worst performing product, and there's an arrow that's going to tell you where the product that you're looking at right now, is in terms of everything else. Now, if it's an ENERGY STAR certified product, what's cool is that you're going to see an ENERGY STAR symbol on that label. So that you know that okay, the product is ENERGY STAR certified. Okay, and it performs here, I could perhaps be getting something even better than this. So I mean, if you're looking for the absolute best efficiency, you know, that energuide label is going to help push you even further than, you know, basic ENERGY STAR levels. So it's kind of cool. It's also going to kind of give you an idea of like I said, were in a product in a product class that product performs so that you know, you know how much room you have to move, you have a general idea of maybe the energy savings that could be achieved, and therefore your bills savings that could be achieved by moving to a more efficient product.   Dan Seguin  13:05 We're seeing a trend where the residential real estate industry is moving towards multi tenant construction. In Canada, two out of three homes built today are multifamily. And in Ontario alone, nearly 700,000 households live in condos. Does this present a challenge or an opportunity for the Energy Star program?   Dianna Miller  13:31 I think for those of us that work in energy efficiency, everything is an opportunity. So absolutely, I mean, I see it as an as an opportunity for the Energy Star program. In fact, ENERGY STAR launched a pilot program a couple of years ago in Canada, to address this very phenomenon that, you know, multifamily buildings are really where we're moving. I mean, high density housing is good for everybody. But that's going to require much better construction practices. And that's where ENERGY STAR comes in, you know, ENERGY STAR for multifamily buildings means that the that structure is going to perform 15% better in terms of efficiency than a building built to code. And again, you know, as code moves, that level moves as well. So, I mean, for a consumer again, quick and easy, right, you're looking at a building that's got that symbol on it, you know that you're going to be moving into unit in a building where your bills are going to be lower. So it's a no brainer for consumers. So we're really hoping that this this program takes off and and shows, you know, successful numbers. I think it's super great program for builders, and I'm really hoping that builders kind of catch the energy star bug and start signing on to this program, because it's consumers are looking for that right now. Consumers are looking for better options and they don't have it in that area right now. That's why ENERGY STAR has moved into that field. So a successful pilot means that we can move that program out into the rest of the country. And so that right now, like I said, it's localized in Ontario, and we really want to see it everywhere.   Dan Seguin  15:09 Is that something along the lines of what I think it was Quebec had no Volk, novo Kima is along that line.   Dianna Miller  15:16 So I think the Quebec program was more associated with I don't know that it was for new construction. So the thing with energy stars were we've created a, like a specification, I guess. So we're creating a standard that builders can use. And so it's kind of like a blueprint in a way. And that's why it's, I mean, I like to emphasize ENERGY STAR for new homes ENERGY STAR for multifamily buildings, it's a program that's just as much for for builders as it is for consumers. Because it's giving builders an affordable, easy way, a reliable way to build energy efficient structures, things that consumers want, and there's a huge demand for it. So and then, not only that, but ENERGY STAR sells, right, everybody knows what it means.   Dan Seguin  16:05 Okay, now, we are seeing more and more cities or municipalities looking for ways to reduce costs and emissions. What makes ENERGY STAR certified buildings special?   Dianna Miller  16:18 Well, I want to go back to the foundation for Energy Star certified buildings. First, if I may, the idea of certifying a building as ENERGY STAR comes first from being able to measure the energy consumption of that building reliably. And so we have the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager building benchmarking tool. And that's a mouthful. In Canada, I'll try not to say it, I'm going to shorten to the term Portfolio Manager   Dan Seguin  16:46 At least you didn't use an acronym.   Dianna Miller  16:48 That's true. Yeah, that's government, people tend to do that a lot. But Portfolio Manager really rocks, like, I have to say, you know, we brought it into Canada, we created unique Canadian archetypes, for different building types. So you can right now I'll use school boards as an example. Because I mean, seriously, it's, it's just, it's great. So you've got like 600 schools or something like that, and, and between your best performing school and your worst performing school, if you're not really benchmarking the energy consumption of those schools, and they could all be built exactly at the same time by exactly the same builder and they're all performing differently, you're not going to know that unless you're actually measuring the energy use. So I have to say, that's the first step. And and governments are just as interested with Portfolio Manager as they are with ENERGY STAR certification. And in fact, all across Canada and the US, Portfolio Manager ratings are becoming mandatory. So that's a very, very important first step. And then of course, the next step is once you've started measuring your energy consumption, you can start making reliable improvements, you can start understanding how changing this or that or improving this or that it's going to affect your bottom line affect your score. And, of course, yes, shoot for the moon, you know, ENERGY STAR certified buildings are the top 25% in their class. And so, you know, you've got those 600 schools, and you've got a couple that are really performing well. Yeah, you know, making a few improvements can push them up into the top 25 percentile. And then the next thing you know, you've got a certified building. And that's, that's awesome. When you're looking at office space, particularly commercial buildings, those actually sell better, you know, and they're worth more. And so for property owners and managers, it's a really big deal. But for governments, I have to say I go back to portfolio manager and you know, just having a reliable rating, a reliable score, where you can compare one building to another is good for just about everybody.   Dan Seguin  18:52 Okay, Energy Star is a trusted brand that requires staying top of mind. We also know that brand health is increasingly being dictated through social media and digital channels. How do you manage brand consistency in an increasingly digital world that includes the influence of public sentiment and opinion? What can companies learn from ENERGY STAR?   Dianna Miller  19:20 Well, I'll start with brand health and and for me, that equates to brand integrity. I'm really lucky and that ENERGY STAR Canada is one country in a kind of an international network of Energy Star programs owned and managed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. So we're one element that said, you know, we are I am in charge of the integrity of the brand in in Canada. One thing that we do is we're very strict with how ENERGY STAR symbols can be used. So the US government has trademarked the symbol and all of the terms here in Canada. So right They're I think that's a huge, huge deal. And then we have, for example, a brand book, we have rules associated with how you can use those symbols in those terms. And as you know, Energy Star is a program where we sign partners onto the program and those partners when they're signing as partners in the program, can you define a partner? Sure. So an ENERGY STAR partner in Canada, we call them participants. It can be a manufacturer of a product that's certified as ENERGY STAR, it could be retailers of products that are certified, it could be home builders that build ENERGY STAR certified homes. Most utilities in Canada are ENERGY STAR participants. There are social housing organizations that are ENERGY STAR participants in Canada. And we're looking to the future where we can also sign on commercial building owners and operators, perhaps is ENERGY STAR partners. So an ENERGY STAR participant in Canada is someone who signs an agreement to promote the ENERGY STAR brand, and adhere to brand rules. And there's a number of other things that they do. But it's basically a collaborative agreement where, you know, we do a little bit and they do a little bit, and we all agree that the brand is first and foremost, the most important. So like I said, we have a brand book, we have the participant agreements. The other thing that we'd like to do is provide ready made promotional material that partners and participants can use to promote the brand. So that, you know, the brand is already used appropriately.   Dan Seguin  21:35 So common look and feel   Dianna Miller  21:36 exactly. And then we have you know, I mean, from, from my perspective, we also have a lot of product related brand integrity action. So you know, I'm going to go and I'm going to surf websites to see whether or not somebody is marketing ENERGY STAR certified lawn mowers, right. Because just so you know, we don't certify those. And, you know, I'm gonna go and take a look at whether or not our partners are using the symbols appropriately. So brand integrity is really, really important when you're talking about social media. The other thing is, like I said, you know, we, because we have partners, we depend on our partners to promote the brand just as much as we do. And again, that's providing you know, basic material, like the brand book, to help them understand how they can and can't use the brand, ready made promotional material that they can use so they can engage with us. So I think that goes a long way, and just being consistent. And I think that that's what really helps with consumer awareness and understanding, you know, we haven't changed a lot over the years, the symbol has been the symbol for just about ever.   Dan Seguin  22:38 How do you leverage technologies like video chat bots, to secure that stakeholder engagement?   Dianna Miller  22:47 Not well, yet. Okay, um, you know, we're government, we, we managed to get our energy star, unique ENERGY STAR accounts, about five years ago. So since then, we've been learning, you know, it's been a learning curve. For us, we're now at the point where I think we're pretty mature in our use of Facebook and Twitter, we're learning how to do a few cooler things, you know, we like to throw in animated GIFs. And we like to see what kind of healthy memes we can use to kind of shake things up a little bit. We also know our audience. Um, I think, you know, looking to the future, were trying to find ways to integrate better video, more video, more engaging video, you know, not just the same old, same old, we do shake up our content a little bit. And so that does help. But in terms of onboarding new things, and new technologies, I think the best thing that we can do right now is optimize what we have and and gradually move towards that. But right now, the again, we're government, so we can't really be the first early adopters. But we try not to stay too far behind the pack.   Dan Seguin  24:01 You're on Twitter, what platforms are you on?   Dianna Miller  24:03 so right now we have a French and English, Facebook, French and English Twitter. And in the very near future, we're going to be launching a LinkedIn showcase page under the Natural Resources Canada LinkedIn page. We do use occasionally Instagram, but it's via the Natural Resources Canada Instagram accounts. So energystar Canada doesn't have its own account yet. And we don't have a whole lot of video. So we don't, we don't really do anything via YouTube. But we do have a blog. And it's not an ENERGY STAR candidate blog. It's actually an energy efficiency blog, but I'd say majority of the content has a lot to do with Energy Star.   Dan Seguin  24:43 Okay, now we're going old school with rapid fire questions. Are you ready, sir? Okay. What's your biggest challenge?   Dianna Miller  24:53 professionally, HR. It's hard to it's hard to quickly hire qualified people.   Dan Seguin  24:59 Okay. What makes your brand unique? big sigh?   Dianna Miller  25:08 Um, well, there's a lot of unique things. I mean, you know, energy store is a consumer focused brand. So we're really, really targeting people who are consumers, but it's owned by the government. That's kind of weird in and of itself, I find that that's a very unique aspect. And when that makes it challenging to manage,   Dan Seguin  25:23 what's your department's greatest accomplishment?   Dianna Miller  25:25 Okay, I'm gonna go old school on this one. Okay. I think the greatest accomplishment was back in the 1800s, when we were the geological survey of Canada. I think it's absolutely amazing that the people that worked for the department, then were able to, without satellites, map the topography of what was then Canada, I think it's super cool, what, you know, what they were able to accomplish. And in fact, my younger son was named after Sir William Logan. Okay. And not the x men? No, no, although, you know, he likes to think he was and I just let him. Okay. How do you measure success for your programs? So, um, when I first came to the Office of Energy efficiency, what drew me to it was the fact that at the time, we were running a building retrofit program, and account managers were measured on the petajoules. So pedajoule, being a fuel agnostic measure of energy consumption. So if you were to, you know, sign on, you know, a series of buildings to undertake energy efficiency retrofits, you know, and they could achieve X number of pedajoules of energy savings, that was a pretty big deal. And I still go back to that, I have to say, you know, Energy Star is responsible ENERGY STAR for products is responsible for, you know, between four and a half and five pedajoules of energy savings in Canada per year. I, that's pretty amazing. You know, and I still go back to that.   Dan Seguin  26:57 Okay, very good. Thanks. How do you balance traditional versus social media? What are some of the successful techniques, you guys developed to boost engagement on social media and increase organic, non paid engagement.   Dianna Miller  27:13 So we still do a lot of old school. Partly because ENERGY STAR has a couple of very different audiences, like I said, we're a consumer program. But you know, one of our biggest audiences is our partners, right? Okay. without, without the manufacturers that make these products and design these products without the retailers that sell them, and the utilities that help us push them, you know, we're nothing, they're the ones that actually do the bulk of the work. And so that means that I want to make sure that I'm reaching them. And so we do a lot of traditional work with, you know, just email blasts, picking up the phone and calling them, you know, webinars like, we really do try to work with our partners to make sure that they've got what they need to do great promotions and to push the brand. And then when I look at my consumer focus, absolutely, you know, that's where we try to move into the social media space and be a little bit more innovative. And I think, depending on the audience, our techniques are a little bit different. So one of the techniques that we like when it comes to and just so you know, all of our advertising or all of our engagement is non paid. advertising, advertising is kind of not really possible for us. So you know, everything is organic, one of the things that we'd like to do is, like I said, work with our partners, so our partners get a heads up every week as to what kind of social media activity we're anticipating. We give them heads up well in advance if we're doing major promotions. To give you a great example, we have a promotion that we've done in the last couple of years, called the 12 days of Energy Star. And so leading up to Christmas, probably two or three months away from Christmas, we reach out to our partners and say, Hey, you got anything you want to give away? You know, we'll facilitate that for you. If you want to give something away to consumers. We've got this great, you know, promotion, where consumers can just kind of follow us and like and share, you already have all the eyeballs. That's right. And then and then it's just drawing more attention to our partners, ENERGY STAR certified products. It's a great win for consumers, they're learning something about those products, and then you have an opportunity to win them. So I mean, our followership really increases during that time period. I mean, in terms of our engagement, it's, it blasts just about every record out of the water, in terms of engagement with government, social media, I mean, you know, you got to put the bar where it belongs. But that said, you know, it's it, I think, little tiny things like that, that are that are innovative, kind of get attention of consumers, they kind of keep them on their toes a little bit. And it also is a really great one for our partners because they like to engage with us. It really it Kind of leverages what they're already doing. And so they can amplify our message and vice versa.   Dan Seguin  30:09 How about sharing some simple tips or strategies for our listeners, so they can maybe foster greater I'll say online awareness, but also to keep their audiences engaged? if it's it could be digital, but how do you how do you make that? How would what would you share?   Dianna Miller  30:26 So one of the things that we like to do? First of all, we were super realistic about what we can and can't do, right? So we know what our limits are. And we also know who our audiences are. So I mean, you know, I'm not, I'm not probably going to try and reach the 15 year olds, right, or I know who is already going to be interested in Energy Star. I also know that, you know, the greenies the people that are super, super sold on Energy Star, they might be more likely to amplify what we're doing. But I don't know that I'm going to change their behavior, because it's kind of already what we want. So really being serious about who our audience is, and isn't, is also helpful, because I'm not trying to cast a really, really wide net. And staying true to the brand. So, you know, we know what ENERGY STAR is and what it means we know what the look and feel of energy star is, we know that it has to be accessible, we know that it has to be wholesome, it has to be helpful. So just kind of really sticking to that type of look and feel for the brand. But then shaking things up a little bit. So because we know who our audience is, you know, we're happy to throw in a few cat memes, or great or, you know, dogs in a dishwasher or whatever, like I, you know, it's we do want to be a little bit fun, we can't really be edgy, but that doesn't, that doesn't keep us from, you know, making people smile, being a little bit silly sometimes. So, you know, throwing a wrench in the gears as we can being government. But the other thing, like I said, and I and I keep going back to this, because it's so so, so important. We really do rely on partners and partnerships and engagement with like minded organizations and individuals. We're looking at a pilot right now where we're going to start working with influencers. So like minded individuals that you know, feel that energy efficiency is important for Canada and are willing to amplify our message. Because it means something to them. And so, you know, we're looking to maybe be a little bit more innovative and a little bit more creative. But our bread and butter is really knowing who our audiences and what they want from us. Energy Star sells itself in that it already puts money back into people's pockets. It's already recognized by governments and utilities. And so it's, it's, you know, the subject of a lot of incentive programs and rebates. So that in and of itself draws a lot of eyeballs. And then what we do is just okay, we know that people are there to save money. Great. So here's some more tips. Here's other things you can do.   Dan Seguin  32:59 Good. I I'm assuming that you travel a lot within within your job, sometimes. Yeah. If you had to book some, some time on a plane, and you would be in a position to select your dream seatmate. who would it be and why?   Dianna Miller  33:19 Okay, this is gonna be a really boring answer. It would be somebody who falls asleep just like I do. I mean, seriously, like, if my flight is over three hours. I like to have a window seat. I stick my head on the bulkhead, and I and I literally, I just, I put in earplugs. I do, like, I'm so boring. I was   Dan Seguin  33:37 not expecting this. Yeah. Okay. Okay, I hope you enjoyed the old school rapid fire we had a few seconds ago. I'll give it a shot again. All right, with a few more Beatles or Drake, Drake. Cats or dogs? Definitely dogs, scotch or wine? Neither. Okay. Yoga, or CrossFit. I don't exercise.   Dianna Miller  33:58 Okay.   Dan Seguin  34:01 I'm allergic. Okay, Diana, we've reached the end of the podcast. So thank you so much for joining us today. If someone wanted to reach out and connect, how would they do it?   Dianna Miller  34:12 My best advice is to go and I'm not just saying this to brush people off either. It's to go to to go to one of our social media accounts and inbox us or to go to energy startup dc.ca and contact us that way. And the reason being because there's somebody on my case to answer them because somebody actually manages the cap, and they can make sure that I get back to people.   Dan Seguin  34:34 Okay, okay, good. That's fair. And in closing, folks, from homeowners to small businesses, right through industrial buildings, programs are available to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to help protect our planet tomorrow. And for the future. Check out the ENERGY STAR website. I will have the link on the show notes. Again, thank you very much for joining us today. Thank you for joining us today. I truly hope you enjoyed this episode of The thinkenergy podcast. For past episodes, make sure you visit our website hydroottawa.com/podcast. Lastly, if you found value in this podcast Be sure to subscribe. Anyway, this podcast is a wrap. Cheers, everyone.

Every wonder the process of how a innovative new product hits the market? Well it is never really the same each time but today we hear an incredible story of how a small startup in San Fransisco solved a problem that a large scale plumbing manufacturer could not figure out. Hear the origin story of Nebia and how they solved an age old problem and turned it into an innovative shower product called the Quattro that got picked up by one of the largest plumbing manufacturers in the United States and is set for release in Fall of 2021. This amazing showered atomizes the water for a full shower experience while using half as much water as required by Watersense faucets. They have achieved around 1 gallon per minute without sacrificing a great shower experience. Their Kickstarter campaign has raised millions of dollars for this amazing product. Check it out here and be the first to own one of these amazing showers: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nebia/nebia-by-moen-quattro-4-powerful-shower-modes-50-savings?ref=b2hds9 We appreciate our program sponsor Pella Windows and Doors of Wisconsin. Thanks for listening to reach us visit: www.homebuildinghero.com Twitter: @building_hero Facebook: www.facebook.com/homebuildinghero Instagram: @homebuildinghero Email us: homebuildinghero@yahoo.com To learn more about my building company and to inquire about building visit Belman Homes Lastly please pick up a copy of my new Amazon Best Selling book "Leadership Growth Hacks" at https://amzn.to/2ZBRuN3 -David Belman/Home Building Hero

Show Notes https://building-wright.com/ Peter Yost is the person you turn to if you want to truly understand how buildings work: their design, specification, construction, performance assessment. He brings more than 30 years experience in building, researching, teaching, writing, and consulting on high-performance buildings. His expertise ranges from construction waste management and advanced framing to energy efficiency, indoor air quality, moisture management, and building durability.Peter has provided this building-science expertise to leading building industry high performance efforts, including USGBC's LEED for Homes and REGREEN, EPA's WaterSense, DOE's Building America, and IWBI's WELL programs. Peter is a Lecturer for Yale's graduate program in Forestry & Environmental Studies, Technical Director for the web-based GreenBuildingAdvisor, and an Adjunct Faculty with the University of Massachusetts Department of Building Construction and Technology program. A LEED AP, he is a past co-chair of the USGBC's LEED for Homes program, and a certified instructor/course author for the NAHB Advanced Green Building: Building Science certificate program. Peter's work includes both academic and vocational instruction, field research on building products, building investigations, construction document review, and technical research and writing.Peter is an Accredited Building Enclosure Commissioning Process Provider (BECxP)/Commissioning Authority+Building Enclosure (CxA+BE) – University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering and Department of Engineering Professional Development (2016).

Texans can save on the purchase of certain water- and energy-efficient products during the state's Water- Efficient Products and ENERGY STAR sales-tax holidays, Saturday through Monday, May 29-31. Products displaying a WaterSense label or logo can be purchased tax free for personal or business use, including showerheads, toilets, soaker or drip-irrigation hoses, trees, grasses, and more. For a complete list of eligible WaterSense products, visit https://bit. ly/3cHxcXn. The savings also apply to certain energy-efficient products displaying the ENERGY STAR logo, including air conditioners priced at ,000 or less, refrigerators priced at ,000 or less, ceiling fans, fluorescent light bulbs, dishwashers,...Article Link

Special guest host John Farner, Industry Development Director for the Irrigation Association, takes a look inside the make-up of an irrigation system and the maintenance required to ensure the efficient use of water for landscapes.  In addition, guests Julius Duncan, EPA environmental engineer, and Debra Burden, Citrus County Department of Water Resources conservation manager, provide insight on the EPAs water conservation program, WaterSense, and how businesses and homeowners can benefit. Podcast recorded on April 22, 2021

For John's last ever podcast with the Irrigation Association, he is joined by Julius Duncan of WaterSense and Debra Burden of the Citrus County Department of Water Resources to talk WaterSense and their Sprinkler Spruce Up Campaign.

Welcome to another episode of the Everyday Green Home Podcast! This will be my last podcast for the year, and what a year it’s been! When we look back on this past year, my hope is that we are able to see the silver linings that were in amongst all the challenges that we faced in 2020. I’m pulling another great episode from the archives for today’s show. It features my regular guest and co-host, Tony Pratte from The Sound Room, and this podcast will be all about green labels. It’s easier than ever now to have a green household. However, many companies and labels provide misleading information. How do you know if your products are clean? One simple way is to see if it has a green label.  So, in this episode, Tony and I discuss what green labels are and why you should care...spoiler alert, the biggest reason you should care is for peace of mind! That is something we all need right now. We also discuss other labels and companies that provide certified clean and sustainable products and how you can integrate them into your home. I know you’re really going to enjoy this show! Green labels, explained Green labels are labels that show third-party certification for a product, an entire assembly, and sometimes even an entire building. The relevance of the third-party is that they are a separate entity saying that the green label is what it’s saying it is. Why we should care about green labels If third-party certifications did not exist, every company could make any claim at all about a product, even if those claims were not true. Greenwashing “Greenwashing” is a term that was coined around ten years ago when everyone started coming out with all these new “green” products. The idea behind greenwashing is that claims were made about products that were not necessarily true, but the manufacturers were wanting to catch a ride on the popularity of all things “green”. Many customers believe that what they read on labels is true, and therefore make purchases based on those claims. The beauty of third-party certifications (“green labels”) is that those certifications actually back up the claims. Regulations around claims The FCC, or Federal Communications Commission, has regulations about what claims are allowed to be made. In addition, the AMA (American Marketing Association) also has rules that prohibit marketers from making claims that are not true. An industry issue A lot of people, including those in the industry, do not understand what the terms mean, they don’t understand the value of those terms, and therefore, they do not know how to talk about them. Instead, the terms are thrown around loosely without understanding the consequences that come behind that. Meaningless words There are a lot of words used in the food and personal care products categories. One word that is meaningless is “natural”. The goal of green labels The goal of green labels is to give the consumer confidence that what they are purchasing is what has been claimed for that product, material, or home. A green label shows that research has already been performed by an independent party so the consumer doesn’t have to do their own research. This gives the consumer peace of mind. Green labels for the home Many of the products that I curate for you in the Everyday Green Home store have these green labels on them! For products that I list that do not have a green label, be assured that I have taken them through the same vetting process that we use in the National Green Building Standard to ensure that those products meet the requirements of what we would use in a green home certification. The reason why all products don’t go through a green certification process The reason is similar to why not everyone goes through the organic certification process: it’s expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, many small family farms choose not to go through this process. However, it’s an instant marketing flag and is often worth the effort. Green and sustainable? The following labels wrap around all the different characteristics we can find in homes: energy-efficiency, water-efficiency, resource-efficiency, toxin-free or lower toxins, and recycled materials. Green home certification Look for the Energy Star label when you are shopping, because Energy Star covers thousands of products, as well as complete home certification. You can be assured that you are getting a product that is at least 20% more energy-efficient than its standard non-certified product. WaterSense is to water what Energy Star is to energy. My simple advice to people I’m working with towards green certification is to choose all WaterSense plumbing fixtures and toilets in your home or building and you’re done! Many people think these products will be a lot more expensive than their non-certified counterparts, but that is not the case. In addition, you get that extra quality bump because you know somebody has taken the time to go through the process of certifying them. Greenguard Many people have not heard of Greenguard, but if you see this label you can be assured that the product has fewer toxins in it and it meets the California rules for air quality. The Greenguard certification now applies to a variety of products. Who doesn't want to breathe easier? The trend for airtight houses New construction houses are becoming more airtight, and if we’re recirculating fresh air into it, we need to be very careful about what is inside our house because we’re locked up inside with it! If you do more on the energy-efficiency side, with a little bit more thought it can also be better for the indoor air quality side. Cradle to cradle certifications This certification is different from the others because it is based on a book based on the same name. It’s an efficient way of using resources.  Other green labels There are other green labels out there, and I urge you to pay attention and read labels. Green-labeled products are designed to make your life easier and better. There are green-certified homes, too! Food and personal care products are two more categories in which we’ll be seeing a lot more future certifications. Links:  Green As You Go - Paint By Numbers Green Living – Saving Ourselves Green Your Holiday Gift Giving  Curated collection for you  Did you know if you go through EGH for your Amazon and Home Depot orders, you help EGH? This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself.

 “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” -Loren Eiseley      Wikipedia defines water as is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance which provides no calories or organic nutrients.   Yet water is vital for all known forms of life.   What role can builders, raters and providers play in the protection of this unique natural resource?     Seasoned water efficiency professional Jonah Schein from the US EPA joins Ryan Meres, Program Director at RESNET on the podcast to give us updates on the EPA WaterSense and HERS H2O programs. We delve into how HERS H2O is used to achieve the WaterSense Label as well as discuss a recent RESNET/EPA Pilot Program for WaterSense v2.0.  We learn how the WaterSense Version 2.0 pilot has developed the necessary feedback on how to best support the building industry whilst ensuring that the needs of home buyers are met. In the course of our discussion Ryan and Jonah reveal how raters, providers and builders can and should get involved in rating homes for water efficiency. Ryan covers the eligibility, criteria and steps involved in becoming a HERS H2O Rater or Provider including the online training. Tapping into Jonah’s extensive background, we also explore the importance of water efficiency and conservation efforts. For more information on the RESNET HERSH20 program, visit: https://www.resnet.us/about/hersh2o/   You’ll find information on the EPA’s WaterSense program at https://www.epa.gov/watersense RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.   Pros can learn more at www.RESNET.us/professional  Consumers can learn more at www.RESNET.us Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US

Today I will be talking with Dr. Peter Wampler, a professor of Geology at Grand Valley State University. He is involved with many cool projects related to water but today we will focus on this amazing initiative that Grand Valley has kicked off called Making Waves. With the close proximity of the Grand River and Lake Michigan, it's no wonder why water is so important to this University and the surrounding community.   Follow us on social media @sustainabiliME.pod Making Waves: https://www.gvsu.edu/makingwaves/ Tip of the week: Faucet Aerators - https://www.epa.gov/watersense/bathroom-faucets#:~:text=WaterSense%20labeled%20faucets%20and%20faucet,you%20can%20save%20even%20more.

Remodeling your kitchen is a project that adds value to your home, but it can also get pretty expensive. We’ve got 3 kitchen renos you can get done for under a thousand bucks to add style and convenience without draining your bank account! Plus… Moving into an apartment doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice your décor desires. We’ll have simple apartment decorating ideas that will make your apartment feel like home AND still make sure you get that security deposit back at the end of your lease. Saving water becomes more and more important this time of year. But rather than rely on your kids and family to use less water, WaterSense fixtures can actually do the water saving for you! We’ll tell you how to find faucets, toilets, showers and sprinklers that can do the job, without wasting water. Dishwashers make life easier, but could your dishwasher be shortening the life of the dishes it’s cleaning? We share 4 things never to place in that marvelous cleaning machine. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions about, eliminating smoke odors, installing proper drainage behind a retaining wall, eliminating weeds, installing an indoor pool, repair or replace a leaky roof Do you have a home improvement or decor question? Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remodeling your kitchen is a project that adds value to your home, but it can also get pretty expensive. We’ve got 3 kitchen renos you can get done for under a thousand bucks to add style and convenience without draining your bank account! Plus… Moving into an apartment doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice your décor desires. We’ll have simple apartment decorating ideas that will make your apartment feel like home AND still make sure you get that security deposit back at the end of your lease. Saving water becomes more and more important this time of year. But rather than rely on your kids and family to use less water, WaterSense fixtures can actually do the water saving for you! We’ll tell you how to find faucets, toilets, showers and sprinklers that can do the job, without wasting water. Dishwashers make life easier, but could your dishwasher be shortening the life of the dishes it’s cleaning? We share 4 things never to place in that marvelous cleaning machine. Plus, answers to your home improvement questions about, eliminating smoke odors, installing proper drainage behind a retaining wall, eliminating weeds, installing an indoor pool, repair or replace a leaky roof Do you have a home improvement or decor question? Call the show 24/7 at 888-MONEY-PIT (888-666-3974) or post your question here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn about the EPA's WaterSense program and how it can benefit you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about the EPA's WaterSense program and how it can benefit you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shannon Harris is President and Co- founder of Fuse Living - a residential development firm and interior design studio that specializes in urban infill and sustainable projects. Fuse Living was founded in 2012 with the intention to create healthier, smarter long lasting homes and lifestyles by setting an example for future building. The homes that Shannon designs and builds follow Energy Star, Indoor AirPlus, WaterSense and LEED green building programs as the baseline for a Fuse Living home. At the end of this year, Shannon will have completed the construction of 28 residences. With both development and interior design Shannon and Fuse Living are able to take a home from the drawing board, through construction, and finish with furnishings for the most optimal ways of living. To find out more about Shannon and Fuse Living follow their instagram @fuseliving or reach Shannon by email at shannon@fuseliving.com Please Like, Subscribe, and Comment below! #FuseLiving #interiordesign #urbaninfill #sustainable #projects #longlastinghomes #greendesigns #greenliving #lightbulbs #greenhomebuilding #healthyhomes #arizona #growth #success #podcast #InspirationwithGrulerNation #inspire #gruler #inspiration #GrulerNation #GrulerNationPodcast #gnp #arizonapodcast #scottsdale #yesphx #phx The Gruler Nation Podcast is a show that focuses on conversations with interesting "Level 10" people passionate about changing the world with their work, relationships and ideas. The show is hosted by Robert Gruler, an attorney and founding partner of the R&R Law Group, a criminal defense law firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona focused on helping good people charged with crimes move forward with their lives. Interested in being on the show or have a guest recommendation? Email Robert directly at robert@rrlawaz.com or visit www.robgruler.com for more information. Support the show (https://www.ericshouse.org/donate/)

Busiello Building SRL discuterà di cose importanti per costruire una casa, Busiello Building SRL è una delle migliori società di costruzioni a Napoli, Italia e Gabriele Busiello è amministratore di questa società, Busiello Building fornisce i servizi di appalto generale, servizi di gestione della costruzione , architettura e design tecnico, ristrutturazioni, riqualificazione, interior design e grandi progetti. Cose importanti 1. Conosci i tuoi numeri Prima di iniziare a costruire la tua nuova casa, esegui alcuni numeri per determinare se puoi permetterti di costruire la casa che desideri. La maggior parte dei piani delle case offre un costo per costruire uno strumento (di solito a una tariffa nominale) per darti una stima accurata dei costi di costruzione in base a dove stai costruendo. I numeri includono i costi di costruzione, le agevolazioni fiscali, i fondi per l'anticipo e il conto slush e altri calcoli correlati. 2. Controlla la reputazione del tuo costruttore Molti costruttori sono là fuori, ma non tutti sono uguali. Fai una piccola ricerca per scoprire quali costruttori hanno la migliore reputazione. Se cerchi informazioni online o ricevi consigli da familiari e amici, scopri se un costruttore è rispettato per fare un lavoro di qualità oltre ad essere puntuale. 3. Costruisci pensando alla rivendita Non importa quanto ami la casa che stai costruendo, è improbabile che sarà l'ultima casa che possiederai mai. Sapendo questo, dovresti essere consapevole del suo potenziale valore di rivendita. Non aggiungere così tanti aggiornamenti da sopravvalutare la tua casa per il quartiere. E non scegliere nulla di troppo fuori dal comune. Chiediti se le funzionalità che stai considerando di installare potrebbero fare appello ad altri. 4. Pensa al verde Assicurati di fare le tue ricerche per massimizzare l'efficienza energetica nella progettazione della tua nuova casa. Il tuo architetto e costruttore può aiutarti a garantire che le tue finestre siano rivolte a sud in modo da ottenere più luce possibile riscaldando la tua casa. Ti consigliamo di assicurarti che bagni, lavanderie e garage si trovino sul lato sud della tua casa e abbiano piccole finestre per ridurre al minimo la dispersione di calore. Trascorri del tempo scegliendo i tuoi sistemi di isolamento e HVAC, nonché elettrodomestici ad alta efficienza energetica e rubinetti e servizi igienici WaterSense. 5. Non dimenticare il pugno Parte della fase finale della costruzione di una nuova casa è di andare oltre la "lista dei pugni". Un elenco di punch è un elenco creato alla fine della costruzione che mostra cosa deve ancora essere fatto o cosa deve essere riparato sulla nuova costruzione. Tu e il tuo appaltatore creerete questo elenco la settimana prima della chiusura quando passerete per l'ultimo passaggio. Dovresti prendere appunti ogni volta che visiti il ​​tuo cantiere o fai una passeggiata.

This label certifies products that use water efficiently, while maintaining peak performance. Learn more at:  http://www.CurrentCast.org.

John joins the new co-hosts, Kristin Smith-Ely and Anne Blankenbiller for the revamped BWTL podcast. We talk WaterSense, Trump's California water announcement and other tidbits.

John joins the new co-hosts, Kristin Smith-Ely and Anne Blankenbiller for the revamped BWTL podcast. We talk WaterSense, Trump's California water announcement and other tidbits.

John, Brent and Elizabeth are back and discuss John's jury duty, water on the moon and news out of WaterSense.

John, Brent and Elizabeth are back and discuss John's jury duty, water on the moon and news out of WaterSense.

In this episode, John and Elizabeth share highlights of their recent trip to the National Conference of State Legislators annual meeting and another update on WaterSense. Brent then gives background on his time at Niagara Falls and the power of water!

In this episode, John and Elizabeth share highlights of their recent trip to the National Conference of State Legislators annual meeting and another update on WaterSense. Brent then gives background on his time at Niagara Falls and the power of water!

Join us as we cover a variety of water-related topics including Smart Irrigation Month, current irrigation research, the 2018 farm bill and WaterSense authorization. We also talk sharks, play the Birthday Game and get a Tip of the Day from Brent.

Join us as we cover a variety of water-related topics including Smart Irrigation Month, current irrigation research, the 2018 farm bill and WaterSense authorization. We also talk sharks, play the Birthday Game and get a Tip of the Day from Brent.

In this episode, we give updates on the new administration's first week of work in Washington. From the status of cabinet positions related to water to trade decisions, John, Brent and Elizabeth give context to some recent activities.

In this episode, we give updates on the new administration's first week of work in Washington. From the status of cabinet positions related to water to trade decisions, John, Brent and Elizabeth give context to some recent activities.

John, Brent and Elizabeth reunite to discuss some current events and their potential effects on water.

John, Brent and Elizabeth reunite to discuss some current events and their potential effects on water.

​Join us for a conversation about the Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program (think Energy Star, but for water).

​Join us for a conversation about the Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program (think Energy Star, but for water).

Want to save water in the bath but make sure you still get the flow or flush to do the job?  Tom & Leslie have tips on how to swap out water wasters with WaterSense fixtures and faucets that can do the job and cuts costs.  Plus get tips on how to get Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to save water in the bath but make sure you still get the flow or flush to do the job?  Tom & Leslie have tips on how to swap out water wasters with WaterSense fixtures and faucets that can do the job and cuts costs.  Plus get tips on how to get Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Find out how to install an efficient sprinkler system. Get tips on working with a WaterSense certified irrigation specialist on a sprinkler system that conserves water. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to install an efficient sprinkler system. Get tips on working with a WaterSense certified irrigation specialist on a sprinkler system that conserves water. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out if a leaking faucet should be replaced with a WaterSense faucet. Learn tips about inspecting leaky faucets and how to replace them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out if a leaking faucet should be replaced with a WaterSense faucet. Learn tips about inspecting leaky faucets and how to replace them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to improve water pressure with a new shower head.  Find out about WaterSense rated products with new technologies that increase shower pressure with less water through the showerhead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn how to improve water pressure with a new shower head.  Find out about WaterSense rated products with new technologies that increase shower pressure with less water through the showerhead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices