Posts by Paul Biebel
When Prudence and Presumption Collide
by Paul Biebel, President, Prudent Living, Inc. It was on February 10, 1989, when this builder and his architect suddenly discovered that life guarantees nothing. Of course, we knew this was technically true, as most thinking people do, but we weren’t living as if we believed it. In fact, everything we were doing and how…
Read MoreVermont Home Tour
Passive-solar homesite: We designed our home to function at a passive-solar level by positioning the majority of windows to face the sun. This meant our home would be placed on the site almost on the compass points with the least amount of glass facing north, and the maximum glass facing south. Our intention was to…
Read MoreThe Way of the Future
by Paul Biebel, Founder and President, Prudent Living, Inc. If I were a prophet, I would predict that: • The development of Renewable Energy and Strategies for Sustainable Living will prove to be as important to the 21st century as indoor plumbing, electricity, and the telephone were in the last century. • Renewable Energy and…
Read MoreHow’s That Work? – Debunking Energy Myths
by Tim Biebel, Vice President, Prudent Living Inc. Marketing firms always present their products in the most positive light possible. In their defense, that is their job. In your defense, you need to be aware that some things aren’t always “AS SEEN ON TV” when it comes to energy efficient upgrades to your home. It…
Read MoreNIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard)
by Paul Biebel, Founder and President, Prudent Living, Inc. Last summer, I attended an evening SEON (Sustainable Energy Outreach Network) conference in Brattleboro, Vermont. It was a Building Science Guild meeting where Representative Margaret Cheney was the keynote speaker. She had just returned from a visit to Europe and was sharing a presentation about the…
Read MoreExpect Rain
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once wrote, “Into each life some rain must fall.” Must is the key word in this simple phrase. If some rain must fall into each life, sometime, the most prudent approach is to be prepared. The word “pre-pare,” originating around 1525 AD, is from the Latin praeparāre, means to make ready beforehand.…
Read MoreNet Zero – Buy the Numbers?
When evaluating the purchase of a renewable energy component (solar in particular) just how important is that “break-even” number, anyway? Well, it makes very little sense for anyone hoping to advance the merits of solar energy and high performance construction to avoid an issue that, for most consumers, is a key driver in the decision…
Read MoreNet Zero – Is It Worth It?
A net zero home is one that generates as much energy as it consumes over an annual basis, but is it worth the extra expense? If you have ever pondered this question you would be well served to join us next on Thursday the 29th for a workshop titled, “A Tale of Two…
Read MoreThe Value of a Human Life?
Reflections on Forty Years of Building Codes by Paul Biebel, Founder and President, Prudent Living, Inc. Forty-three years ago, when I was just starting to learn different facets of the building trade, I worked as an unofficial apprentice to a licensed electrician in his eighties who had been around since the days of Edison –…
Read MoreDown the Up Staircase
How an Eyesore Became a Centerpiece When Tom and Sarah purchased an 1870 farmhouse and barn in West Windsor, Vermont, in 2003, their farm was already famous. For example, they were told by several locals that “Good Morning, America” had once used the barn as a backdrop for one of their programs. And a 500-piece…
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