by Patrick Sughrue I hitch-hiked to the Haight in 68. Food for the asking at Hara Krishna, a place to crash not far away I learned that simplicity is the way. Built a cabin on the back of my old truck, a flat-head 6 to make it run “Be Here Now” is my book of …

Building “green” means lots of different things for homeowners as well as homebuilders. This isn’t surprising considering the array of green building certification programs in the United States today, such as Energy Star, LEED, ICC-700 National Green Building Standard, Earth Advantage, and Passive House (see “Green Home Certifications” sidebar). Despite the differences, the most important …

A structural insulated panel (SIP) roof has no embedded lumber in the structure, and therefore nothing substantial for attaching PV array and solar hot water mounts. Single or double lumber splines could be put into the panels, or I-joists at 4-foot intervals could be added. However, the thermal bridging that they would create are at …