A Cup O' Joe

Cold snow and piping hot coffee, can't beat that!

Did you see that stocky, forty’ish guy in the Starbucks queue? Stupefied. Thinning hair with worn Carhartt jeans and a threadbare button-down chamois shirt. Perplexed by terms like half-caf, tall, short and venti. He approached the counter apologetically muttering “I’d like a medium black coffee” to muffled sniggering by the barista’s and sharp looks of disdain from surrounding patrons? That may have been me.

I’ve eliminated much clutter and complexity from my life. With few vices left, coffee remains a ritual. I’m not sure whether it’s an indulgence, a staple, or real addiction. I yearn when it’s gone.

Not a complete Java ignoramus, I have sampled many coffees with enticing names from, and in, exotic places. Lately I prefer the Hazlenut Creme blend from New England Coffee. When it’s on sale I buy up as much as I can and brew it daily for my long commute. The label tells me it has “Rich, nutty overtones in a special blend of medium-roasted South and Central American beans” to which I respond “Sure, whatever...it tastes good, does the trick, just like the comfy old T-shirts I refuse to part with.”

A Mug’s a Mug

This past holiday season my wife surprised me with a small, expertly wrapped gift box on Christmas morning. She rocks, you can learn more about her here. With great care I opened the package, just like you’d see in one of those commercials where the guy unwraps to unveil the key for a shiny late model luxury car. I was delighted to find a new 16 ounce travel coffee mug. Could not have been happier. Simple, functional, utilitarian, durable...years of use ahead. Easy to please? Not so much.

Like many coffee drinkers, I’ve used dozens of travel mugs, some bought, some freebies. Some were dishwasher safe, some melted. Some stainless steel, some ceramic or plastic. All held coffee well, some kept it warm, some leaked immediately, many with time and use. Most imparted no change to the flavor. Most were misplaced or made their way to the landfill.

The new gift mug had simple, pleasant lines; the right amount of “heft”; a very secure cover; and a dual liner to help keep liquids hot or cold. Sure signs of a good product, right? Well, yes, good functional design but that’s just the beginning of the story.

The Big Attraction

What attracted me most was how this cup was designed. Not its shape and function, but how the designers set to the task of creating it. In my hand I have the result of Eco-designed gear. Conceived using Product Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a practice I believe in and increasingly pursue in products that I buy.

Using LCA, designers are compelled to invent in non-traditional ways. Their challenge goes far beyond fit, form and function, becoming a cradle-to-grave, or better yet, cradle-to-cradle effort where thought and consideration is given to embodied energy, that energy consumed in production, use and disposal of a product. Affects on users and our environment are paramount and managed by considering toxicity. Durability is deliberately improved, and end-of-life recycling planned for rather than presuming “final destination landfill.” We, consumers, end up with a solid coffee mug that works well, lasts a long time, doesn’t cost more than you would expect to pay for a travel coffee mug, and the system minimizes impact on humans and our environment. Little to dislike here.

Kudos to Aladdin PMI for doing the hard work up front on their Sustain® product line. (In the interest of full disclosure, I am not compensated in any way for this write up...just one guy giving credit where it is due) In an age of rampant green-washing, Aladdin produces product with valid green claims. Here is why:

• They start by using 100% recycled food-grade polypropylene material, no new elemental extraction is used in the production of this mug.
• They state that the material is free of PBT...good for my longevity and durability.
• They plan for disposal, making a product that is easily recycled...from previously recycled materials.
• Packaging is eco-friendly, minimized and recyclable.
• They educate consumers on why we should reuse a mug rather than tossing out disposable cups daily...it all adds up. Is this educational resource self-serving? Yes, they are in business to sell coffee mugs...nothing wrong with that.

Back to My Mug

The product does what it is intended to do, and it does it well.

• It keeps my coffee piping hot.
• It fits in my hand well.
• It’s cup holder friendly.
• The cover, with just a few threads, closes quickly and securely, it’s not press-fit with a tendency to become loose like many other travel mugs.
• It’s dishwasher safe...I’ve washed it a dozen or so times...not leaking yet
• The spill resistant flange on the cover is wider on one end so I don’t have to fumble around trying to figure out which way to turn it as I drive.
• It’s microwavable
• It’s durable...I’ve bounced mine off the garage floor already and it hasn’t leaked.

Whether you roast, grind, and brew your own; or drop by your local gourmet coffee joint for a daily cup, think about using one of these new tankards from Aladdin. Plan for your mug to be reincarnated as a useful product for the next generation.

Sustainable design. ‘Nuff said!

This Was How They Rolled

At Homepath Products we tend to concentrate on the horizon, a habit that’s part of the fabric here and one that helps us envision what the future may hold for homeowners. It’s a component of the value we bring in preparing homes for what technologies soon may come. An internal compass but not a crystal ball. Important lessons come from the past. We’re mindful of this and take note from those who came before us.

A recent Op-ed piece hinted at deeper than obvious economic woes – the first real suggestion that we’re headed for a third depression. Economics, the dismal science – depressing, perhaps – but read on.

I follow many economists, gathering diverse opinion on matters of finance, business, policy, and history. In this case the author is Paul Krugman, one who I often read for logic that proves prescient. Consistently, he shares historic lessons and encourages policy favoring jobs creation and deflation avoidance as opposed to a focus on immediate deficit reduction and the distant threat of inflation. This, of course, comes at the cost of deficit expansion during a time of already ballooning national debt. The Krugman approach (and that of many other smart folks) is counterintuitive. Why spend when the national debt is already so great? Proposed alternatives suggest paying down national debt immediately (while important for discussion, the alternatives are rhetorical, parroting what we've heard for decades) They fail to acknowledge that tax revenues are generated by those who are employed...and at the moment we have eight million who are unable to contribute. The question of reducing national debt comes down to timing. Krugman, borrowing from policy lessons of the 1930’s, points out that avoiding deflation is a short-term survival tactic that eventually shifts to managing inflation – well into economic recovery, as more people are gainfully employed and the lifeblood of a growing economy (personal spending) begins in earnest. Tax coffers grow as a result. Getting there is the challenge. Krugman’s article is one Nobel economists opinion and this blog post is no intended endorsement – rather, we ask: “What if this recession becomes a depression?”

They Endured the Depression But Were Never Depressed

Please indulge me as I share some family history.

My grandparents, typical of their time, lived and operated frugally, preferring a cash over credit-based lifestyle. You may find similar characteristics in your forebears.

Moderation in all, rarely consuming more than necessary nor want for “things” over experience with lasting memories. A contented lifestyle as the world around them accelerated. Products of the Great Depression, they lived many hard-knocks stories, learned well, and shared their wisdom freely. They relied on themselves and their families to get through difficult times and succeed they did. Their wisdom a bequest of sorts.

Perhaps it was youthful ignorance. Maybe just the context of growing up in prosperous times where lessons of the past seemed irrelevant. Having experienced only periodic recessionary hiccups, I heard but didn’t listen. Now, I’m all ears.

Hailing from England and the United States, my grandparents endured difficult economic cycles, fought distant World Wars while family sought refuge in the London Tube system, subsiding on rations – times of true need followed by lasting prosperity. They acknowledged difficulty but chose optimism to pessimism, knowing that progress was created on the foundation of positive perspective. They endured the depression but were never depressed.

This Was How They Rolled

My grandparents witnessed widespread adoption of the telephone, the emergence of private transportation, jets coming of age and the space race. At first wondrous curiosities and eventually meaningful tools. Navigating colossal change, they actively determined needs versus wants and prioritized their decisions. Mundane?, perhaps; Spontaneous?, infrequently; Pragmatic?, surely; Successful?; yes.

Back to Prosperity

Life during their time brought radical change. They adapted to some and chose to ignore others when no “need” was identified. They felt social pressure to do well for their community and endeavored to help improve it. They were civilian in the Middle English sense of the word – abiding by the law and striving, always, for civil discourse over polarizing bias.

They were sports enthusiasts. Ferocious competitors who enjoyed victory but with compassion. They felt no joy in vanquish, knowing that lopsided contests produced no winners. They handled defeat with dignity. They sought betterment in themselves, never reaching their ideals, accepting the imperfection of others in exchange.

They felt entitled . . . to common courtesy, all else was privilege to be earned. They wished to make a difference.

This was how they rolled – with no need for elective courses on ethics, morals or integrity.

 


Durability and Adaptability = Wiggle Room

Computers, streaming video, email, texting, smartphones and Twitter were not part of their lexicon, nor was rebooting a PC, healing a computer virus, or the frustration we feel when electric power fades. Interruptions were opportunities for them.

On first glance it’s as though times were uncomplicated – it’s never that simple. The world around them changed dramatically, and like today, the pace of adaptation was daunting. Their lives spanned times of plenty, economic decline, then growth and finally prosperity. They worked hard always, endeavoring to keep scarcity a distant memory, cognizant that excess was insidious and wild overcorrection an inevitable result. Living under these terms shaped their decisions.

They built things and bought things with lasting value – shunning the emerging lifestyle of convenience and disposability. The notion of buying a smartphone today only to replace it with a newer, faster, sleeker model in twelve months would leave them aghast.

They always kept room to maneuver. A trait learned through hardship that seemed intuitive. Wiggle room. Living so created options, the flexibility of choice, and awareness that adaptability ensured survival.

This is How We Roll

At Homepath Products we live by common courtesy and earn all else, striving to learn from the past while preparing for the future.

We provide the eXapath™ in-wall cable pathway system, enabling architects, builders, and remodelers to enhance value for their clients. Ours are infrastructure products of durability that serve the needs of adaptability. eXapath integrates seamlessly in energy conserving construction providing a means for the building to adapt as generations of modern electronics come to market. Wiggle room for home and building owners who know that times will forever change and that lasting structures must keep pace.

To learn more please visit www.homepathproducts.com, feel free to call at (860) 767-1122 or email us at questions@homepathproducts.com.

We look forward to serving you. A privilege we know must be earned.

Part 3: Staggering, Remarkable, Stupendous!

Well, admittedly, it’s not cold fusion, perpetual motion, or antigravity...but this experiment has been worthwhile for the kids and also for Homepath Products.  We’re pleased with results and they confirm our beliefs.

The experiment we’re running with the help of the kids delivered some interesting information...and an opportunity to learn more with further study.

For background on this project see the earlier posts, Part 1 and Part 2. The investigation answers an important customer question about how eXapath affects the energy conserving qualities of insulated walls.


Specifically - ”If that thing (eXapath) is in my wall displacing some insulation, what affect does it have on energy conservation?”

As described in the earlier posts, our test chamber sits outdoors and was designed to create a large temperature gradient between the warmth contained and the cooler outside air. Using a fully insulated cube (Demilec SEALECTION™ Agribalance sprayfoam insulation provided by USInsulation) with an incandescent light bulb as a heat source, we installed the eXapath™ in-wall cable pathway system within one wall and minimized air infiltration with commonly available firestopping caulk and putty. Doing so emulates a typical home installation (see photo), allowing us to determine the affect the eXapath system has on a fully insulated exterior wall.

Once the chamber was built and checked to ensure that everything worked properly, we set it outside, allowed it to stabilize, and began to examine how the system reacted with direct exposure to the cold New England weather. Given that insulation serves only to slow down the process of heat transfer we knew that all surfaces would allow some level of heat energy to escape. We predicted that the various materials making up the walls would generate unique surface temperature profiles and the experiment sets out to demonstrate that. To determine the differences we devised a method for logging the surface temperature for three distinct locations on the walls for comparison to the outside air temperature:

• Intersection of eXapath, insulation and outer sheathing
• Intersection of insulation and sheathing
• Intersection of 2 x 6” stud and sheathing

For temperature readings we scanned (6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 10:00 PM) the target areas daily on the outside surface of the chamber using a Ryobi Tek4 Professional Infrared (IR) Thermometer. The data was tabulated in a spreadsheet and compared to the internal and external air temperature as shown in the chart below.

Through the first four weeks of testing (tests ongoing) the internal temperature fluctuated between 75.3 and 102.5 ℉. The blue line on the chart shows the internal temperature.

During the same period the outside air temperature ranged from a low of 6.0 ℉ to a high of 53.9 ℉. The 100 Watt incandescent light bulb allowed us to drive a consistent level of energy into the test chamber and served to convert that electricity to heat. Consistent heat generation allowed the chamber itself to react to the external temperature...isolating insulation performance to the outside air temperature only. The large difference between the internal and external temperatures provided the strong temperature gradient necessary to force heat transfer to occur between the warm interior and the cool exterior.

The Bottom Line

As anticipated, all surface temperatures remained near to but slightly higher than the outside air temperature. It is hard to discern because the readings were all very close, but the lower line on the chart displays:

• Outside air temperature
• Surface temperature where eXapath, insulation, and sheathing intersect
• Surface temperature where insulation and sheathing intersect
• Surface temperature where 2 x 6” stud and sheathing intersect

The bottom lines, literally, show that the section of wall where the insulation displacing eXapath system is installed performs as well as sections of wall completely filled with insulation. This confirms the hypothesis that installing the eXapath system in the exterior walls of a sprayfoam insulated structure is not detrimental to the energy conservation of the structure itself. Slight variation was shown by each material but temperature profiles of each construction material combination were very close...almost indistinguishable graphically.


A Closer Look at the Data

To assess the relative performance of the various building material combinations we sorted the data table by outside temperature in descending order. Doing so helped to reveal the performance trends more clearly. After that, we compared the variance between the external temperature and the various building material combinations...this step amplified the reported results revealing a bit more about how each material fared relative to the others under test. In essence, the outside temperature records become a reference line (zero) and the temperature difference for all other materials is plotted against the external temperature to highlight performance differences.

The main finding with the second chart is that temperature variance, compared to external air temperature, falls largely above the blue reference line...slightly higher temperature than the outside air. This is what we expected to see given the large temperature gradient between inside and outside the chamber. In cases where the surface temperatures fell below the blue reference line there is a strong correlation to rising outside temperatures....in these instances we believe the temperature changes of the construction materials lagged behind the more rapidly rising outside air temperature.

The interesting point, and the primary purpose for running this test, is that the eXapath system shows no real performance degradation despite displacing some of the insulation within the wall.

Questions Remain

It should be noted that IR thermometers offer an accuracy of ± 1.5% compared to the actual reading. In addition, the operating range for the thermometer itself ranges from 30 to 122℉. While making measurements, care was taken to keep the temperature of the IR thermometer within the operating range recommended by the manufacturer to maximize accuracy.

The Experiment Continues

To confirm the trends revealed in the experiment and support the findings of the IR thermometer we are extending the experiment to verify our findings.

While having an energy audit performed at our site we asked Chris Rhodes of Right Angle Home Inspections, a Building Analyst certified by The Building Performance Institute (BPI) and certified Level 1 Thermographer, to use her FLIR B-360 Infrared Thermography Camera to evaluate the test chamber. Our hope was to create visual identification of thermal bridging occurring through the test wall of the chamber in order to show differences between building material combinations,

The photo to the right is an infrared image of the test chamber that reveals "hot spots" or areas where heat energy is leaking out of the chamber. For clarity we've labeled the positions where the eXapath system is installed, where only insulation exists, and where a 2 x 6" stud intersects with the outer plywood sheathing. This image confirms our findings.

The three small purple patches indicate the position of digital temperature sensors we've added for phase 2 of the experiment. In phase 2 we hope to generate more detailed information to gain a more precise understanding of the differences between each building material combination.

So the experiment continues...after our "furnace" burned out the kids and I peeled caulk from around the cover seam and removed the heavy lid...it provided the curious sensation of opening a sarcophagus. We added a new 100 Watt light bulb, replaced and resealed the cover, and are ready for phase 2 readings.

Please check back with us for more updates soon.

Part 2: Kids Don't Suffer Self Imposed Limits - We Can Learn From Them

This is part 2 of a series addressing the great questions customers ask.

As mentioned in an earlier post, we view this investigation as a unique way to bring science out of the classroom and into the real world. A way to engage the creative minds of our kids in a practical exercise that reinforces what they are learning in school while we answer a question that our customers have.

Whoa! Did You Say Hollow?

”If that thing is in my wall displacing some insulation, what affect does it have on energy conservation?”

The short answer is that the eXapath in-wall cable pathway system does not present a problem with energy conservation...but it’s a complex question that deserves thorough investigation and a complete response. Getting to that answer is, well, a science project in heat transfer, an adventure into the second law of thermodynamics.

Our Investigation

We assembled the gang, discussed the main question, and then probed more deeply, encouraging the kids to think of approaches to investigating the affect of the eXapath system on energy conservation.

The kids learned about home design and construction. We discussed framing, sheathing and all the stuff hidden in walls. Namely - insulation, drywall, vapor barriers, siding, wiring, pipes, vents, etc. We then discussed various heating systems  and how insulation helps slow down the process of heat transfer from warm to cold...inside to outside during the cold winter months. To make it official I uttered “the second law of thermodynamics” one time only, noticed the kids eyes rolling, and reverted to energy conservation and the importance of efficiency in homes.

Much of the discussion revolved around insulation and how it takes advantage of the thermal properties of air to slow down heat transfer. We showed the kids several types of insulation including fiberglass batting, cellulose, and a relatively new form called sprayfoam. For our project we selected sprayfoam for its unique ability, when applied, to find its way into all cracks and voids that might otherwise allow air infiltration. The foam cures in minutes while trapping air and offers high R value (resistance to heat transfer). For this experiment we needed to emulate insulation in a full scale home so we contacted local insulation experts for advice.

Air that is moving or circulating is ineffective as insulation but “trapped”, “still”, or “dead” air offers good insulation. A key goal in construction and weatherization is to minimize air exchange or infiltration. With eXapath, the preferred installation includes firestopping caulk where the system penetrates the shoe or plate of a wall. In addition, the exposed eXapath pipe is blocked with a cap or pliable firestopping putty.  An unintended benefit of firestopping is the creation of a closed system containing still air...a good insulator.

How Good is Good?

To answer the question of how the eXapath system affects an insulated wall we needed a way to control some variables and isolate the effect of the eXapath system. We turned to the kids for their ideas and were enlightened by their grasp of the complex variables involved...they truly see no limits.

The kids envisioned building an estate tricked-out with geothermal HVAC, solar photovoltaic electricity, wind power, abnormally thick walls to hold more insulation, a heated pool, horses, lots of horses...and a piranha infested moat.

I did my best to explain that their ideas were terrific but slightly beyond the scope of our plan and budget. After negotiating a bit we settled for an insulated 5 foot cube with 2 x 6” walls, floor and cover. For a heat source we opted out of geothermal and chose a top-of-the-line 100 Watt incandescent light bulb powered by mundane but readily available AC electricity. The idea is to create a strong thermal gradient between the warm internal temperature and the cooler outside air. We anticipated that the “system” would constantly fight to reach equilibrium as outside temperatures fluctuated and that by checking the temperature along the wall precisely where the eXapath was installed we would learn more about the affect of eXapath on energy conservation. In addition, using traditional framing, we could collect additional data from a wall section backed by only insulation and where a 2 x 6” stud met the sheathing. Doing so should allow us to compare traditional construction methods with those using the modern eXapath system.

Building the Chamber

All walls, floor and cover are modular and built by Bogaert Construction using 2x6” framing materials with 1/2” CDX sheathing. Local experts from USInsulation filled the modular wall cavities with 5 1/2 inches of Demilec Sealection Agrilbalance®, a 3/4 pound semi-rigid sprayfoam.

The six components (walls, floor, cover) were then assembled by the Homepath Products team, kids included.

We added the light bulb and installed an internal temperature sensor. After giving the system a dry-run to test the heat source and internal temperature sensor we sealed all internal joints with Great Stuff™. To minimize convection we added HILTI CP-618 firestopping putty to plug the exposed pipe of the eXapath system and then sealed all external seams with silicone caulking.

What We Expect to Find

For data collection and to allow meaningful comparison we plan to use a number of temperature sensors. One is housed inside the chamber to keep tabs on the internal temp and to verify that the heat source is still functioning. We also plan to monitor the outside air temperature. Ideally, the skin of the chamber should equal that of the outside air temperature, indicating that the insulation is 100% effective in conserving energy. The second law of thermodynamics tells us that heat transfer can never be stopped, only slowed down.

Therefore we expect readings from the skin of the chamber to be slightly higher than the outside air temperature. This will confirm that some heat is escaping through the materials within the walls. For external readings we plan to use an Infrared (IR) thermometer to monitor target markings for the wall section where eXapath, insulation only, and a 2 x 6” stud are located. The chamber itself is oriented so that the target wall faces north away from direct exposure to sunlight...this minimizes solar radiation as a variable in raising the skin temperature.

After the initial shakedown we moved the chamber outside into the cold New England elements and allowed it to stabilize for forty-eight hours. Once stablized we began logging temperature readings.

The testing is underway, please check part 3 of this series for interim results.

Part 1: Customers Ask Great Questions

Thoughts on jobs, kids, innovation, entrepreneurship...and our approach to economic recovery.


While writing this post I stumbled across a New York Times article written by Op-ed Columnist Thomas L. Friedman entitled “More (Steve) Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”. The piece resonated, inspiring me to take a short detour and disclose a bit more about what we’re up to at Homepath Products.

Friedman discussed federal policy-making concerning job creation through innovation. Paraphrasing, he suggests that the current administration should bolster job creation by stimulating our youth through creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. “What the country needs most now is not more government stimulus, but more stimulation. We need to get millions of American kids, not just the geniuses, excited about innovation and entrepreneurship again. We need to make 2010 what Obama should have made 2009: the year of innovation, the year of making our pie bigger, the year of ‘Start-Up America.’”

Friedman continues “to reignite his youth movement, he [President Obama] should make sure every American kid knows about two programs that he has already endorsed: The first is National Lab Day. Introduced last November by a coalition of educators and science and engineering associations, Lab Day aims to inspire a wave of future innovators, by pairing veteran scientists and engineers with students in grades K-12 to inspire thousands of hands-on science projects around the country...The president should also vow to bring the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, or NFTE, to every low-income neighborhood in America. NFTE works with middle- and high-school teachers to help them teach entrepreneurship. The centerpiece of its program is a national contest for startups with 24,000 kids participating. Each student has to invent a product or service, write up a business plan and then do it.”
 
In general I agree with Friedman. More innovation begets opportunity for success; more success stimulates innovation, in turn, growing the pie and fueling economic expansion. He presents some well conceived ideas echoing an industrial era economist named Joseph Schumpeter who espoused “creative destruction” and focused on the importance of entrepreneurs to strong economies. Friedman adds a noteworthy twist...that is to nourish the innovation and entrepreneurship process through exposure during youth.  I find this compelling and believe it may help sidestep the tendency toward risk aversion that sets in with age. This notion parallels what we’re doing in our own small way here at Homepath Products.

For many reasons I traded in the security of corporate America to pursue this new venture called Homepath Products. One (of many) important goals was to spend more time with family. For years I noticed opportunities slipping away while I focused on career, a universal dilemma faced by all parents and those with aging forebears...a challenge with few good answers...part of life.

At Homepath Products we innovate, we experiment, we teach, we are a startup and our kids play a vital role in what we do and, perhaps more importantly, why we do it.

Reflecting on Friedman’s assertion that youth should be energized to nurture creativity and become entrepreneurial consider the following. Our kids also need opportunity to grasp the interconnected nature of things and events, to learn risk taking, and to become aware that they have a voice in matters seemingly beyond their sphere of influence...beneficial lessons for adulthood.

Many regular readers of this blog know that Homepath Products recently introduced the eXapath™ in-wall cable pathway system. With this innovation we aim to improve how homes are designed and built, complementing energy conservation while preparing the structure itself to change as consumer electronics evolve. Not an easy task when wires within walls compete for the same space as insulation.

To see where kids come into the picture you must first understand the product.

Energy Conservation and Upgradeability

One of the many features of eXapath is that, once installed and hidden by drywall, it can be located using a common density-based stud finder. This benefits the home or building owner by enabling the addition of outlets from floor to ceiling. After generations of occupancy the structure remains prepared to adapt when new consumer electronics come to market...without disrupting the insulation envelope.

In shallow inside 2x4” framing, outlets can be added from either side of the wall, in effect serving two rooms. Great for speaker wiring, HDTV, Mirror/TV’s, computer wiring, automation, that sort of stuff.

With deeper outside walls important questions come to light. Today, most exterior walls are built using 2x6” construction. The wall cavities are then completely filled with insulation, except where studs, wires, waste pipes, and electrical boxes reside.

Picturing the installation in an exterior wall, eXapath sits toward the inside of the cavity, in direct contact with drywall. Viewing the system from above note that eXapath has an “H” shape to accommodate our unique snap-in outlets.

With a footprint of 3 3/8” square, 2 to 3 inches of space is provided for insulation. Once installed, eXapath becomes a permanent hollow pathway for low voltage cables enabling moves, adds or upgrades at any time.


Whoa! Did You Say Hollow?

This is a good example of the great questions customers ask...and how they are asked: 

”If that thing is in my wall displacing some insulation, what affect does it have on energy conservation?”

The short answer is that eXapath does not present a problem with energy conservation...but it’s a complex question that deserves thorough investigation and a more complete response. Getting to that answer is, well, a science project in heat transfer. A look into the second law of thermodynamics. So, we asked ourselves, in addition to a complete answer, what other benefit can come from this investigation?

Aligning with personal goals the question presents an opportunity for us to bring science out of the class room and into the real world. We’re asking our kids to participate in the exercise in order to help bring practice to much of what they learn in school. We’re involving them in problem definition, design of experiment, measurement, data collection, and analysis. With exposure to an academic project with real world implications, we hope the kids will appreciate that their studies do ultimately prepare them for bigger things. In this case we tie the learning to commonly discussed ideas like energy conservation and sustainability. The students vary in age and academic level but all study the basics including mathematics, global studies, earth science, language arts, etc. They’re actively learning of our interconnected world and often work with abstract problems in homework assignments. Their school teachers bring practice to lessons while reinforcing major points and we hope this magnifies their effort while adding more fun and meaning to the process.

Get ready kids!

Please checkout Part 2 of this series: Kids Don’t Suffer Self-Imposed Limits - We Can Learn From Them

For interim results, skip directly to Part 3: Staggering, Remarkable, Stupendous!

Forgotten...Not Gone

(Please dedicate time to read this post completely and investigate each link within. There’s a story here that needs to get out and I’m unable to do it justice in a simple blog posting. Your help is needed)

2009 has been a wild year for my family, me, and many others.

We started a new company with a new idea and launched the effort during the most challenging economic climate in many decades. Putting it mildly, the stress has been high, the stakes higher, and uncertainty higher yet. We’re not alone in being challenged. Our hurdles pale in comparison to those of many others.

Epic disaster

Do you remember Hurricane Katrina from August 29, 2005? Seems like a long time ago doesn’t it? Apparently the event is no longer newsworthy as I don’t recall a mainstream story about it for some time. I just figured most were back on their feet and continuing to recover. Out of sight, out of mind.

Besides, we’re in a recession, fighting two wars, hotly debating healthcare reform, and unemployment is up. Collectively, we’re trying to figure out how to get through it all.

How wrong I was.

I stumbled across @katrinasos on Twitter. A new “avatar” attempting to create a voice by way of social media. As I often do, being a veteran of business and witness to the cold ways of the world, I chalked it up to just another scam, almost dismissed it. I don’t know why, but I clicked their link...opening a portal into one family’s drawn-out struggle to recover from a disaster most of us have forgotten. Hardship...or scam?

Stark reality and a testament to courage

Very skeptical, I began to investigate the story and asked a few close friends to do the same. I checked out their blog and learned a bit more of their considerable plight. Racket...or simply victims of dire circumstance?

A picture emerged. A fairly young family with Jason and Sadie at the helm, prideful parents of five children. Both web development educators, scraping together finances to feed the family and rebuild their lives by teaching at competing community colleges near the Mississippi coast. What’s left of their home sits roughly twenty miles inland and about eighty feet above sea level. High enough to avoid the storm surge, but too close to avoid the devastating winds of Katrina, or escape the fine print of home insurance contract language. Notably above sea level, unlike many of Katrina’s victims...but ineligible for most government assistance programs. Viewing desperation as defeat...but remaining undefeated, a strong family, heroically facing the challenge of rebuilding after having their home erased by the storm...more than four years ago. If you’re feeling the pinch of the great recession, imagine handling it as a footnote to Katrina.

We’ve all heard of “falling through the cracks” right? Well, their story provides a clear example of how that can happen...to anyone.

Still...skeptical.

Trapped, at wit’s-end, creatively clearing hurdles

So, what do you do when you’re caught in the tangled and intricate web between mortgage contracts, inadequate and confusing homeowners insurance, inaccessible disaster assistance, family obligations, and mother nature? That’s the scenario...and this family is finding ways to persevere.

When all else fails

The combination of their Twitter presence and blog is an open appeal for help...any help. Please note that the appeal is a last resort. They need building materials (even scraps happily accepted), moral support, legal guidance, volunteered labor, tools and, of course, money.

My thoughts began to shift...how could I help? Having just started a new company I have little to offer. What’s the right thing to do? Is this for real?

Meet the Heberts: One family climbing back from Katrina.

Imagine storm-taping the windows, shoring up loose objects in the yard, and departing to ride out a hurricane? Then returning to find remnants of what was a happy home, life’s greatest investment, and a half-decade long scrape back to normality?

After introduction through Twitter a few emails were exchanged. I did some more investigating, scoured the web for news stories related to Sadie and Jason...found none. I also used Google Earth and Maps to verify location, matching site facts to what appeared in their blog and the associated Flickr photo site. All matched. Either a very well orchestrated ruse or, perhaps, truth to their tale?

Empathic but still skeptical, I contacted Jason by phone. We spoke at length as he proudly described details of their project. Designs prepared personally, out of necessity, with great thought and caring for the needs of the family.  A level of detail I simply wouldn’t expect from someone attempting to make off with free building materials.

Jason was happy to share, his angst evident, as he recounted the setbacks of unscrupulous contractors who escaped with their construction funds leaving shoddy results, major rework, and mounting expenses. He stumbled through the chronology of events choking back emotion a number of times. I witnessed a proud man, a husband and devoted father, doing everything within his power to right the foundering ship. I ended the call believing this was simply a family trying to get through it, and disappointed at my own cynicism.

This “avatar” has a voice, personality, kindness and emotion...like people we all know...enduring...prevailing.

Veneration.

It’s how you respond that matters.

In the Hebert’s I found a strong couple shouldering massive burden. Probably like many others in the region affected by Katrina...no longer newsworthy...but still scratching their way toward a better existence.

Resilient. They continue to respond despite numerous setbacks and entrapment under crushing conditions. The Hebert’s are making a go of it. Digging deeper than many in this bountiful country can, or should, understand. Doing what they can to carry on...with an arduous path ahead. They’re sharing their plight, documenting progress, even providing tips so that others might avoid going similar circumstance. Decent souls.

We can help.

At Homepath Products we produce the eXapath™ in-wall cable pathway system. It’s a practical building subsystem that enables modification to or upgrading of low voltage cables, even after the walls are closed up. Ideal here because it allows the addition of wall outlets, from floor to ceiling, providing flexibility for the Hebert’s to easily add or upgrade at a future time.

Given the stage of reconstruction eXapath is a good fit and within our means to supply. We’ve donated the system, it solves a problem...it will help the Hebert’s...we wish we could offer more.

We can help in other ways...you can too.

Along with donating products we’re hoping to use the connected nature of the internet to help get their story out. We encourage others to do the same.

Check out the Hebert’s blog, decide for yourself. If you feel their cause is worthy, consider contacting them with help of your own. At minimum, please share the story with others who may be more able to help.

Thanks for taking time to read this post and considering the needs of one family, not forgotten...and far from gone.

Enjoy the holiday season.

Change...Why Fight it When You Can Master It?

Stuff

Let’s face it, we acquire plenty of stuff. As we amass belongings the value seems obvious. Once gathering dust, its relevance diminishes. It just happens. Making the time to organize, donate, sell, recycle or otherwise dispose of it takes effort...and the activity always seems timed precisely with more pressing issues...like yard work or filling out tax forms. So it grows...leading to “need” for larger spaces. If you really think about the “stuff” we collect, and assess it from a needs versus wants standpoint...much of the “stuff” offers little value. Once we have unnecessary stuff, the dilemma of disposal enters. Clutter. Why start?

Like tropical fish, our footprint grows to the size of the aquarium we swim in...or something like that. I’m not suggesting that we live in confinement but I do recommend that, when planning our spaces, a thorough review of needs is more sensible than defaulting to anticipated overspill.

While You're In There...

Nascent opportunities for architects, builders and remodelers

Sustainability. Hard to define...easy to toss around in conversation.

I’m actively learning about sustainability. As I delve in, what becomes clear to me, is that I know a fair amount...but my proficiency pales in comparison to what remains for me to learn. Do you know this feeling?