Magnetic Refrigerators
Magnetic Refrigerators
Oak Ridge National Laboratory and General Electric have teamed up to create a revolutionary new type of refrigerator that uses magnets to create cold, also known as the magnetocaloric effect (lowering or raising the temperature of the material by changing the magnetic field).
Ultra-Efficient Heat Pumps
Ultra-Efficient Heat Pumps
The Building Technologies Office is ushering in the next generation of heat pump systems, which warm and cool your home by moving heat from one space to another. A fuel-fired, multi-function residential heat pump that can reduce primary energy consumption by 30 percent.
Clothes Dryers
Clothes Dryers
The same concept behind heat pump technologies that keep your home comfortable can also be used for another important application: drying your clothes. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and General Electric are developing a new type of clothes dryer that uses a heat pump cycle to generate hot air needed for drying.
Smarter, More Connected Homes
Smarter, More Connected Homes
We live in an increasingly connected world -- the same is true for our homes. New electronic devices and appliances can now be linked to the Internet to provide real-time data that makes it easier to understand and lower energy use.
Next-Gen Insulation
Next-Gen Insulation
Insulation is one of the most important ways to reduce your home heating and cooling costs. The Industrial Science & Technology Network is developing new foam insulation made with environmentally friendly and advanced composite materials that ensure heat doesn’t escape from the attic, walls and other areas of the home during cold winter months.
Advanced Window Controls
Advanced Window Controls
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Pella Windows are working on new highly insulated windows that use sensors and microprocessors to automatically adjust shading based on the amount of available sunlight and the time of day to ensure proper lighting and comfort, saving consumers energy and money.
Reflective Roofing Materials
Reflective Roofing Materials
Cool roofs coated with materials containing specialized pigments reflect sunlight and absorb less heat than standard roofs. Expect these types of roof systems to get even “cooler” due to new fluorescent pigments developed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and PPG Industries that can reflect nearly four times the amount of sunlight of standard pigments.

Energy-Saving Solutions

From heating and cooling to electronics and appliances, it takes a lot of energy to power our daily lives. Our homes use 37 percent more energy today than they did in 1980. But without energy efficiency -- through technology innovation and federal energy conservation standards -- this number would be a lot higher. In fact, even though our total energy use has grown, our energy use per household is down about 10 percent, despite that our homes are larger and contain more devices.

Energy Conservation Solutions

27 April 2024

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Should I Hire a Kitchen Designer?

Category: Home improvement tips

Have you been altering the setup of your kitchen or are you thinking about using pretty much exactly the exact same design as your older one? A lot of individuals anticipate that new appliances and cabinets are all that are required to receive a fantastic new kitchen. After all, the fundamentals of a contemporary kitchen have not changed all that much from the previous hundred years; a sink using a well pump, a toaster and a ice box are not too different from a 21st century kitchen. Is there actually a need to make a new strategy?

It's true that kitchens have not changed that much from the past hundred decades, but these items within the kitchen have shifted a lot. In reality, improvements in technology and materials have shifted substantially every few decades. While homework, cooking and cleanup remain the core purposes of almost any kitchen, there are several improvements which were created, enhancements which you may omit from the strategy, with no input from an authority in the area.

Another thing to think about is that your old kitchen might have been nicely thought out, but more likely it was made by a builder to find the very best looking kitchen to the smallest amount of price. Tract houses weren't built with individuals in mind as much as with cutting prices and looking fine. If for no other reason than this, then you need to look at hiring a kitchen designers mechanicsville, md that will assist you plan the most effective possible brand new kitchen.

A kitchen designer's experience is about creating a kitchen work effectively, professionally, optimizing appeal, function and storage. Kitchen designers understand about what works and what does not. They learn from brand new and previous customers what they do and do not enjoy about their older kitchens. They could allow you to select and integrate features that are ideal for your specific requirements and how to avoid pitfalls in kitchen layout. At length, a kitchen designer may draw strategies on your kitchen. The programs help you to visualize the new kitchen in addition to supplying the essential documents to get a license and plans for the contractor to work out of.

Just how Much Can a Kitchen Designer Price?

The cost is dependent largely upon if they're selling you their style service or when the service is bundled with something else, for example your kitchen cupboard buy. After the cost is bundled in with other goods or solutions, it occasionally drives the item price, however in other situations, for example with home centres, the layout service is included as well as the merchandise prices continue to be competitive with other merchant's prices.
An architect is generally the most expensive option, and as we describe below, might not be your very best choice . Other kitchen designers will likely be about half of the price of an architect or less. But their comprehension and merchandise understanding, coupled with understanding of low priced retailers could lead to a net savings for your whole project. Free service suppliers will change in grade, so make sure you have recommendations and pick a retailer using a large showrooms and choice to guarantee accessibility to the products which are ideal for your job.

Who's Willing to be Your Own Kitchen Designer?

There a Great Deal of Individuals who claim to possess the ability to design a Kitchen, nevertheless, their ability levels change. Here's a listing of professionals that frequently choose the job of kitchen layout: architects, contractors, kitchen builders, cabinet vendors, appliance vendors, kitchen designers, interior designers and interior decorators. While architects need accreditation in most states, the prerequisites for different designers differ by state and oftentimes everyone can provide their services as a kitchen designer.
The particular knowledge that will assist you attain kitchen nirvana. Besides this greater price, most architects don't maintain on kitchen goods and tendencies, nor do many have the vital insights provided by a professional in kitchen layout. The choice of a kitchen designer could possibly be made a bit easier by choosing a designer, but communication is crucial, which means that your interview of this designer and recommendations from buddies are overriding is picking the ideal individual to help you.
Though a number of those "designers" who operate at these retailers might be little more than glorified purchase seekers, many retailers employ certified designers that are qualified to help you. The primary drawback of working with a in-house designer is that they'll rarely indicate a product if they don't provide it or whether it may otherwise lower their complete sale. Choosing a retailer with a huge selection is a great approach to overcome this dilemma.
No matter the hourly price of a different kitchen designer, they might just wind up saving you money, by assisting you to receive the Commission from a few retailers, it's still sensible to compare costs to ensure you're receiving a fantastic deal.