The Energy Collaborative Show
Our civilization has an insatiable appetite for consuming energy. The media seems to perpetuate the obscurity of this global issue through obfuscation and polarizing views. Listen to Jonathan and William embody their over-the-air personas as Papa Jonny Dub and Don Willie C. They search for truth and solutions to energy efficient Green Building and home improvement strategies, environment wins and losses, current energy news, and more. They use humor to make these seemingly complex and dry topics more digestible. Listen, Learn, and Laugh.
News on Energy, EV’s, and Chris Farley’s Cousin?!
The Energy Collaborative Show
Join us for another scintillating episode of The Energy Collaborative Show. We talk about minions, gas furnaces, the good and evil in building design, football stadiums, and Chris Farley’s brother?! Live to dream and dream to live in a cleaner, more energy-efficient world… We talk, you should listen!
An Interview with Tyler Dotten from Elemental Energy - Solar Incentives, Battery Storage, and More...
Sun of a Beach, what the heck is happening in the Solar Industry these days? For many of our 80 million listeners, adding Solar to your home or commercial building is still one of the best ways to move towards electrification. The Solar industry is making another comeback with help from the Inflation Reduction Act and other local incentives. Listen to our interview with Tyler Dotten of Elemental Energy, a Portland-based solar company, as we uncover everything from cost-saving incentives to upgrading your current system with a battery backup.
How To Dress Your Home - Proper Layering For The Building Envelope
The Energy Collaborative Show
Have you ever wondered if your home is dressed appropriately for the weather? Probably not because that’s weird, but maybe you should… Listen to the NWECB crew use the analogy of dressing yourself for the outdoor elements to explain the importance of proper layering in your home’s building envelope. Understanding how your home should be dressed is critical to being warm, comfortable, and safe.
Multi-family Developers Play Find The Money!
The Energy Collaborative Show
You’re Back! The NW Energy Collaborative has been hard at work consulting a sea of green building multi-family projects. After a busy few months, we finally had to come up for some air! This episode introduces Cousin Jimmy, AKA JimBT. It explores how to help developers, architects, and proper managers fund their multi-family development projects through Federal incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act and other loan programs. Listen as contestants play the popular game show “Find The Money” and embark on a journey to build more green, sustainable buildings without breaking the piggy bank.
Interview With Tom Prevish, President of NW Engineering Service Inc.
The Energy Collaborative Show
Engineer, educator, hydrogen fuel cell expert, loving father, civil war historian and reenactor, building commissioner, space shuttle engineer, and more. Listen to our interview with the President of Northwest Engineering Service Inc.Tom Prevish, as we explore his vast knowledge of the world of energy, science and engineering.
The Heat Pump Store
The Energy Collaborative Show
Get ready for some hot talk on the latest episode of our podcast, featuring the owners of the Heat Pump Store! We had a blast chatting with them about everything from job training to owning your own company, and of course, the importance of top-notch customer service. These folks really know their stuff, and they've got the expertise and experience to keep you cool (or warm!) no matter the weather. Plus, they're just plain fun to talk to!
We Like Big Batteries and We Cannot Lie
The Energy Collaborative Show
Electric vehicles, cell phones, tablets, and laptops are all powered by one type of battery, Lithium Ion. Have you ever wondered how these batteries work or where the components came from? What exactly does “lithium ion” mean? Does the word “cobalt” mean anything to you? It should -- we are a society that relies on a global supply chain. Willy C and J Dub dig deep in this episode to learn more about cobalt mining and battery technology in general. Listen up!
Is Rooftop Solar Right For You? PROS & CONS
The Energy Collaborative Show
Admit it, you’ve been tempted by those compelling free YouTube Solar ads. “FREE SOLAR?” Come on, people, any time a company uses the words “free,” it ain’t! In this episode, Jonathan and Will discuss the pros and cons of purchasing a solar system for your home. Will, with previous experience working as a Solar Installation Project Manager, and Jonathan, a proud owner of a 7.5 kW solar system and also good-looking, provide some insight into the questions you should ask before you cut the check. Tune in, everybody!
It’s So Cold In This House!
The Energy Collaborative Show
It is winter, people! For those of us who live in the upper half of the United States, its colder than a Yeti’s toes in a snowstorm. But you have a warm house to take shelter and keep those toes warm, right? Maybe not?! Considering the majority of the homes in the United States were built before 1970, prior to insulation being mandated by building code, you may need some extra blankets to stay warm in the winter months. Before you call your HVAC guy or add another electric space heater to that bedroom, listen to Jonathan and Will discuss the reasons why its so cold in this house. Learn what you can do about it without breaking the piggy bank. From Insulation and fenestration to air-sealing, the Inflation Reduction Act credits and rebates are here for you to stop burning your money to stay warm!
An Interview with Joe and Brian at Electrify Now
The Energy Collaborative Show
Listen to Will and Jonathan as they explore the evolving and challenging topic of mitigating climate change. We interview varying leaders and experts searching for viable perspectives on long-term solutions to this global problem. In this episode, we sit down with local Portlanders, Brian Stewart and Joe Wachunas as they discuss their mission to empower everyone to create a clean energy future. Electrify Now!
Ventilate or Suffocate - Why is ventilation so Important to Your Home?
The Energy Collaborative Show
Let’s face it, it’s winter and it’s cold! The holidays are here, and you are spending more time indoors with coworkers, family, and friends. Mr. FLU, Madam COVID, and RSV Junior to name just a few of these insidious diseases have been waiting for this opportunity to propagate. You are cooking more for the holiday extravaganza and the windows are closed up. This is a recipe for sickness! Listen up folks, ventilation is important to your health and many of us are not doing it right. Listen to Willy C and Papa Jonny Dub talk about the importance of proper ventilation. Ventilate or stagnate and Suffocate!
Make a Plan, Get Your Money Back From Uncle Sam
The Energy Collaborative Show
Let’s face it, as a homeowner, you work hard for your money. You have to pay for your mortgage, utilities, phone bill, groceries, and that pair of expensive sassy jeans your daughter says she needs! You also pay an unfounded amount of income taxes, property taxes, and sales taxes, just to name a few of Uncle Sam’s ominous money vacuum. What if you could take a chunk of that money back to repair and upgrade your home? Maybe you could lower your utility bills, improve the home’s durability, and improve your overall comfort. YOU CAN! Listen to Willy C and Jonny Dub talk about how to make a plan to take your money back from Uncle Sam.
Green Building Certifications - The Good, the Bad, and the Monopoly
The Energy Collaborative Show
Have you ever wanted build a green certified home? What does that actually mean? LEED? NGBS? Earth Advantage? Will and Jonathan take on the Green Building Policies in Oregon and Portland. Listen to us as we simplfy the complex world of green building certifications.
The Book of Dave - Chapter 1: House of Horrors
The Energy Collaborative Show
Willie C shares the a story in the book of Dave. An experience purchasing an old home in Portland, Oregon. After having to spend over $20,000 in the first year of home ownership, Dave realizes he may have sealed the deal on a true "House of Horrors."
Don’t be Stupid, Get a Heat Pump!
The Energy Collaborative Show
Your AC unit crapped this summer during the heat wave. What should you do? Buy a Heat pump, not another Air-conditioner! A heat pump is not only a heater it is also a highly effect air-conditioner. Listen to Will and Jonathan discuss why heat pumps are the way to go.
Blacked out & Locked Out
The Energy Collaborative Show
The IRA is going to be a big deal! No, no… not the Irish Republican Army or the Individual Retirement Account you put money into hoping to retire with someday; It’s the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022! President Biden signed the massive bill into law on Sunday, August 16th, 2022.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is ambiguously named as it is not yet evident how it will raise $300 billion, which in turn will lower the deficit and decrease the current record-high inflation rate. In fact, the bill includes everything from subsidies for healthcare, initiatives to lower prescription drug costs, various tax provisions including a 15% minimum corporate tax, investments in bolstering the IRS, to a multitude of energy incentives and green building construction tax credits. Maybe the bill should have been called “The insulin-price-reduction-diet-plan, as the IRS gets fat eating the scraps from large, rich corporations that contribute infinitely more climate emissions and who generally oppose the saving the planet Act.”
Despite my feeble attempt to add levity, Will and I will breakdown the irresistible tax incentives and rebates that everyone should know about. What's in it for you?
The Inflation Reduction Act - What’s In It For You?
The Energy Collaborative Show
The IRA is going to be a big deal! No, no… not the Irish Republican Army or the Individual Retirement Account you put money into hoping to retire with someday; It’s the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022! President Biden signed the massive bill into law on Sunday, August 16th, 2022.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is ambiguously named as it is not yet evident how it will raise $300 billion, which in turn will lower the deficit and decrease the current record-high inflation rate. In fact, the bill includes everything from subsidies for healthcare, initiatives to lower prescription drug costs, various tax provisions including a 15% minimum corporate tax, investments in bolstering the IRS, to a multitude of energy incentives and green building construction tax credits. Maybe the bill should have been called “The insulin-price-reduction-diet-plan, as the IRS gets fat eating the scraps from large, rich corporations that contribute infinitely more climate emissions and who generally oppose the saving the planet Act.”
Despite my feeble attempt to add levity, Will and I will breakdown the irresistible tax incentives and rebates that everyone should know about. What's in it for you?
Are you Afraid of What's in your Attic?
The Energy Collaborative Show
Jonathan and Will discuss the deepest, darkest depths of your attic and why it's important to know what's up there if you want your home to be comfortable and energy efficient.
Are you afraid of your attic? When was the last time you poked your head through the attic hatch, pulled those stairs down, or opened that knee-wall attic in your room upstairs? Do you even remember what you put in the attic? Most likely — Christmas decorations and boxes from that printer you bought 3 years ago. If you haven’t looked in there for a long time, or ever, here are a few reasons why you should overcome your fear and take a peek in your attic.
Attics are more than just a place to store holiday decorations and excess wrapping paper – they serve a vital purpose in your home, including your overall comfort.
NW Heat Wave - Why is my Home so Hot in the Summer?!
The Energy Collaborative Show
The Pacific Northwest has been struggling with another week of record high temperatures and let’s face it, you are miserable! You haven’t been sleeping well, and your home is simply hot and uncomfortable. The few comfortable moments you experienced recently were when you went to the freezer section at the grocery store… or maybe when you picked up the kids at the neighbor’s new, swanky air-conditioned house!
Here in the Portland Metro area most of the homes are older, un-insulated, and simply not updated. Many of these houses don’t even have air conditioning installed at all. As a sweltering homeowner, you are wondering — "why did I pay so much for this house that is so uncomfortable most of the summer." It leads to this week’s question…. Should you finally break the piggy bank and get one of those fancy new air conditioners?