Makerspaces: Making a Difference for the Planet

Makerspaces: Making a Difference for the Planet

We’ve been doing Earth Day blogs for years, so coming up with a new Earth Day blog post topic was challenging.  Then, it turns out a topic was right under our noses.  Recently, Small Planet Supply joined Lacey MakerSpace.  We joined to be able to get comfortable with machinery we don’t have now but might purchase in the future.  However, once we learned more about what was available at makerspaces, there was several reasons why these spaces deserve a bit of recognition on Earth Day (and every day). 

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Clearing the Air: Choosing Between Centralized and De-Centralized HRVs

Clearing the Air:   Choosing Between Centralized and De-Centralized HRVs

Next month, Small Planet Supply is hosting a webinar featuring our own Eric Fenno, discussing the difference between centralized and decentralized heat recovery ventilator systems and what to consider when deciding which type of system is best for your home or build.  This is the first time that we’ve offered this webinar.  We wanted to know more about the webinar and what will be covered, so we sat down with Eric Fenno to learn more about what he has planned.

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Policy Pitfalls: How “Mid-Stepping” Refrigerant Policy is a Mis-Step for the US and Canada

Policy Pitfalls: How “Mid-Stepping” Refrigerant Policy is a Mis-Step for the US and Canada

Sometimes it’s good to take make change gradually and sometimes it isn’t.   A recently released report about refrigerant transition policy concretely challenges how the US proposed “mid-step” path for lower GWP refrigerants can damage our health, our economy, and our planet.  Whether the current policy direction is driven by industry incumbency or patent laws, the consequences have potential to be dire for everyone.

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New Harvest Open: Further Enhancing the Future of Home Heating

New Harvest Open: Further Enhancing the Future of Home Heating

Starting next month, Harvest is rolling out an exciting upgrade to its already impressive Harvest pod system. This will be known as Harvest Open, and now homeowners will gain even more flexibility and compatibility in choosing their heating solutions. Harvest pods now seamlessly integrate with most heat pumps using a 24-volt control interface, a much-requested configuration. Dubbed Harvest Open, this allows homeowners to select the reversible (DX) heat pump and air handler that perfectly fit their needs, while still allowing the Harvest system to maintain control over energy use, thermal storage, and delivery.

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SIGA Rissan 430 Corners: Cut Corners on Time, Not on Quality

SIGA Rissan 430 Corners: Cut Corners on Time, Not on Quality

In the fast-paced world of construction and home improvement, building professionals are constantly on the lookout for innovative solutions to increase the quality and efficiency of their work. SIGA Rissan 430 Grey corners are a new product that can decrease the time it takes for high-performance window installation. Here’s more about how this product can improve your approach to window installations:

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Tight Seal, Big Savings: Increase Airtightness with SIGA Fentrim® Grommets

Tight Seal, Big Savings: Increase Airtightness with SIGA Fentrim® Grommets

When thinking about constructing homes or offices that are airtight and save energy, there’s a lot to remember and it can be easy forget about the small things. But it's those small things, like where pipes and wires go through walls, that can make a big difference in airtightness. That's where Fentrim® Grommets from SIGA come in.

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Eleven Reasons We Love Zehnder HRV and ERV Systems

Eleven Reasons We Love Zehnder HRV and ERV Systems

This January marked the eleventh year Small Planet Supply has been selling Zehnder HRV and ERV systems in the western USA and Canada.  Since then, we’ve sold thousands of systems to homeowners and multi-family builders.  In honor of our eleven years of selling these amazing Zehnder systems here’s eleven reasons why we love Zehnder HRV and ERV systems and why they are a good choice for your home or project.

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Build Your Knowledge About the 45L Tax Credit

Build Your Knowledge About the 45L Tax Credit

Next month Small Planet Supply will be hosting a webinar on the 45L tax incentive available to residential builders with Greg Lasher.  Greg Lasher works as an energy efficiency consultant representing Better Built Northwest.  We sat down with Greg Lasher to learn more about Greg Lasher, what next month’s webinar topic and more about Better Built Northwest.

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Indoor Air Quality During the Holiday Season

Indoor Air Quality During the Holiday Season

The holiday season is a busy time of activities and excitement as families and friends come together to celebrate. Amidst the merriment, it's easy to overlook a crucial aspect of our surroundings—indoor air quality (IAQ). As you decorate your home and prepare holiday meals, potentially unidentified air quality issues that may catch you by surprise. In this blog post, Small Planet Supply delves into the indoor air quality challenges that the holiday season presents and offer actionable solutions to ensure fresher air for you, your family, and your guests.

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Your Zehnder System Commissioning

Your Zehnder System Commissioning

A Zehnder system is an investment in your home and your family's health. Did you know that some homeowners don't get their systems commissioned and (unbelievably) some homeowners haven't turned their systems on?

After all the work that has gone into designing and installing a system that will provide fresh air to your home, commissioning is the final step to make sure that air flow in your home is happening exactly as designed. Our new USA commissioning agent, Sarah Nuamah, has written a brief blog post about what you can expect in the commissioning product and we provide an introduction to Sarah.

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WaterDrop Systems Making a Splash in the CHPWH Landscape

WaterDrop Systems Making a Splash in the CHPWH Landscape

This year's been an exciting year for Small Planet Supply's WaterDrop line. The first factory assembled systems have been installed and system monitoring is has begun, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee toured our plant and distributors have been selectted for Washington, Oregon, California and British Columbia. Throughout 2023 the WaterDrop team has been working on new features for both our current systems and our Phase Change Material projects that are worth learning about. Small Planet Supply and WaterDrop CEO Albert Rooks details these innovations in this blog post.

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Homeowner Karen Harrington Shares Harvest Thermal Experience

Homeowner Karen Harrington Shares Harvest Thermal Experience

Before introducing a new product like Harvest Thermal, Small Planet likes to ensure its value for our customers' energy-efficient homes. To provide more than just our endorsement, we connected with Karen Harrington, an environmental activist and the first Harvest Thermal user in the Pacific Northwest.  Karen, a climate activist involved with Portland’s Climate Reality chapter and legislative efforts in Oregon, shared her insights about Harvest Thermal with Small Planet Supply’s Josh Palmer. Karen's has had first first-hand experience with Harvest Thermal, having installed it into two homes: one in Berkeley and one in Portland.  

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Rancho Cielo: Age is No Barrier to Building a Sustainable Building Future

Rancho Cielo: Age is No Barrier to Building a Sustainable Building Future

With all the emphasis on the importance of designing energy-efficient buildings, it can sometimes get lost that there also needs to be a qualified workforce to build them.  There can also be the assumption that this can only be done at the post-secondary level.  Rancho Cielo’s building construction academy in Salinas, California demonstrates that solid construction skills can be taught to even younger participants.  Rancho Cielo Construction Academy is one of several vocational programs run by Rancho Cielo. Participants in the program range from ages 16-24 years of age.

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Governor Inslee Tours WaterDrop's Manufacturing Plant

Governor Inslee Tours WaterDrop's Manufacturing Plant

On Friday, September 8, Governor Jay Inslee and his wife, First Lady Trudi Inslee, visited our WaterDrop manufacturing plant for a tour. The purpose of the tour was to demonstrate to the Governor the innovative water heating technology that is being produced almost in his backyard.  It was also an opportunity to showcase the partners and agencies who have helped move the WaterDrop system from an idea into a reality.

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UL-CSA Certification Process Completion Means Fresh-r Now for USA and Canada

UL-CSA Certification Process Completion Means Fresh-r Now for USA and Canada

Remember last year, when Small Planet Supply introduced Fresh-r? We were so excited to offer this amazing decentralized HRV system to our customers. This innovative heat recovery ventilation system, built in the Netherlands, was a perfect choice for new and retrofit applications, as well as for Small Planet Supply. Fresh-r had already been certified in Europe and the Fresh-r team were ready to start the UL - CA Certification process and have the first units to the USA as soon as the process was completed.

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SpacePak Webinar Packed with News You Won’t Want to Miss

SpacePak Webinar Packed with News You Won’t Want to Miss

Next month, Small Planet Supply will be hosting a SpacePak webinar with FlowTech’s Zach Liske.  SpacePak is a relatively new product at Small Planet Supply but one that is gaining popularity for customers, installers, and specifiers.  These low-refrigerant systems provide heating, cooling, and hot water in one package, making them an ideal choice for those who want an all-in-one mechanical system. Small Planet Supply currently sell two Spacepak Systems products: the Solstice Inverter Monobloc (SIM) and the Solstice SIS Inverter Split System. 

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Clearing the Air: Szabi Fekete on IAQ & Balanced Ventilation

Clearing the Air: Szabi Fekete on IAQ & Balanced Ventilation

Next month, Small Planet Supply will be hosting a webinar with Zehnder America’s Szabi Fekete.  In his role providing quotes and sales support to customers, Szabi has been able increase his already substantial knowledge of Zehnder systems that he had gained in his nine years as a service and commissioning agent.  Small Planet Supply’s past Zehnder webinars have been popular but often focused on the same theme.  Szabi’s presentation next month will be focused on indoor air quality and air quality standards.   We sat down with him to learn more what he has planned. 

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Three Innovative Ways to Use SANCO2 Water Heaters

Three Innovative Ways to Use SANCO2 Water Heaters

SANCO2 Heat Pump Water Heaters were a paradigm shifter when Small Planet Supply began carrying them in 2017.  It seemed incredible that a water heater could achieve a COP of up to five while using a natural refrigerant with a GWP of less than one.  The ability of a SANCO2 heat pump to produce an abundance of hot water began to spark the imagination of homeowners, innovators, and mechanical system designers alike.  This blog post highlights three ways to utilize a SANCO2 in projects of all sizes, from smallest to biggest.

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