Energy Solutions Home
The green building exhibit at the 2012 Eco Experience will feature a series of displays about how to enhance the performance of your home or living space, called the Energy Solutions Home.
This exhibit will demonstrate many ways to improve efficiency, comfort, safety, and environmental impact. Take your pick of low-cost solutions or more extensive renovations. Find out how to do it yourself, or discuss options for paying for it, and how to select a qualified contractor.
Home performance
Decide to improve the performance of your home.
Explore the environmental impact of a typical Minnesota house. This interactive display will test your knowledge of energy and green building information. Use the computer kiosk to find opportunities to take action and read examples of how other Minnesotans have improved their homes.
Exhibitors and partners
Minnesota Department of Commerce 
Center for Energy & Environment
University of Minnesota Extension
Home assessment
Start with a home assessment.
Get help to consider all your options before starting home improvements. The display will be staffed by experienced home auditors demonstrating use of an infrared camera, blower door and other energy efficiency testing options.
Exhibitors and partners
Minnesota Building Performance Association
CenterPoint Energy
Affordable Energy Solutions
Cocoon
House Green
Minnesota Building Performance Training Network
Neighborhood Energy Connection
Residential Science Resources
Home lighting options
Choose the best lighting option for each space.
Choose exactly the lighting you need for each room, from brightness, to color, efficiency or long life. In this display, walk through lighting selections featuring many new products in vignettes of a bathroom, living room, office, and kitchen area.
Exhibitors and partners
Minnesota Department of Commerce
CERTs | Clean Energy Resource Teams
U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR program
Windows and doors
Rehabilitate windows and doors.
This display demonstrates the options for rehabilitating existing windows and doors. It features a window and door that will have portions that are in need of repair and sections showing options such as weather strip replacement, caulking, jamb insulation/air sealing, window film, and sash replacement.
Exhibitors and partners
Home envelope
Air-seal and insulate the house from basement to attic.
Discover how important it is to air-seal all leaks to the building exterior before you insulate the basement, attic or walls. Interactive models in this display show ice dam solutions, best practices for story-and-a-half homes, advanced deep retrofit options, and more.
Exhibitors and partners
Minnesota Department of Commerce
Quarve Contracting, Inc.
Extreme Panelworks Technologies
Panelworks Plus
SustainMax LLC
Saving water inside
Save lots of water with simple repairs to toilets and faucets.
Learn simple ways to identify water leaks in toilets and learn what to do to save lots of water (and some money too). The display showcases the latest in WaterSense labeled ultra-low-flow fixtures, faucets, and showerheads. Remember, saving hot water reduces both your water and energy bills.
Exhibitors and partners
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Castle Building & Remodeling
Kohler
U.S. EPA WaterSense program
City of Chanhassen
Minnesota Rural Water Association
Green materials and efficient appliances
Select materials and appliances that have a lower environmental impact.
Find out what makes each green material more environmentally friendly than the typical product. This interactive display lets you discover the story behind the material. See affordable ENERGY STAR labeled kitchen and laundry appliances to include in your next home improvement project too.
Exhibitors and partners
Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC)
Invest in energy-efficient mechanical equipment to improve air quality in your home too.
Gain awareness of how heating, ventilation and air conditioning mechanical systems are essential to your comfort and safety. Visit the display and learn how to decide whether it’s time to replace HVAC equipment. Explore the many benefits of investing in efficiency.
Exhibitors and partners
Renewable energy
When considering renewable energy, select a technology that will perform well at your site.
Get a clear understanding of your options for positioning a renewable energy installation. The hands-on solar siting display shows changing positions of the sun through the day and seasons. Use the display to see how roof location and trees impact solar potential. Learn about siting requirements for small wind and ground source heat pumps. Find out how to make major renovations “renewable-ready”.
Exhibitors and partners
Landscaping
Use landscaping to shade the walls, conserve water, and attract beneficial insects and birds.
See how landscaping provides much more than just exterior decoration. The performance of your home can be improved by planting for cool buildings, integrating food crops, infiltrating stormwater, and practicing low-input lawn and yard care. The display will feature garden examples and landscaping ideas including pollinator gardens, ornamental grasses, drip irrigation, and permeable pavers.
Exhibitors and partners
Field Outdoor Spaces
Paying for it
Check out financing and loan programs, incentives and rebates to pay for home improvements.
Get some help figuring out your financing options. In addition to knowledgeable staff, the display will feature an interactive link to a website that lists all available incentives and rebates.
Exhibitors and partners
Neighborhood Energy Connection
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
