Kiley Jacques

Massachusetts

Senior Editor at Green Building Advisor

Managing Editor, Northshore magazine

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Articles

Tom Gensmer, Remodeler and Window-Repair Expert

1 month ago | finehomebuilding.com | Kiley Jacques |Abby Cote

Tom Gensmer gets jazzed about fenestration. From inside his 700-sq.-ft. shop in Minnetonka, Minn., he repairs and restores windows, specifically those dating from the end of World War II through today. The number of homeowners in his market with windows made during this time frame led Tom to the niche services he offers. Tom’s career started nearly 25 years ago with a summer job doing carpentry work for a remodeling firm.
Heating and Cooling With a Dual-Fuel Heat Pump System

Jan 20, 2025 | greenbuildingadvisor.com | Chuck Bickford |Kiley Jacques

The idea of needing to replace your furnace can be cause for a few sleepless nights, given the potential expense. “User-171762” writes in this Q&A post that he wants to move to a dual-fuel heating and cooling system. He lives in a 104-year-old, 1-½-story house in Portland, OR., that has minimal insulation, original double-hung windows, and ducting that was updated in the 1970s. The new system is intended for the 1300-sq.-ft. main floor.
Jeff Patterson, Remodeler and Home-Repair Educator

Jan 16, 2025 | finehomebuilding.com | Kiley Jacques |Abby Cote

With a pleasantly relaxed demeanor, Jeff Patterson says it was his experience as a first-time home buyer that piqued his interest in remodeling work. Later, after acquiring rental properties in the greater Pittsburgh area, he came to fully appreciate the value of building knowledge and skills. Finding quality subcontractors proved challenging. “That’s when I began learning to do things myself, but it wasn’t my thing,” he recalls.
Strategies for Soundproofing Walls

Jan 16, 2025 | greenbuildingadvisor.com | Kiley Jacques

You know how the sound from that TV in your den comes right through the bedroom wall and you can hear every word? Or the annoyance you feel when your neighbor’s lawn maintenance crew comes every Saturday afternoon right when you want to take a nap? How about the sound of that interminable music in Energy Vanguard’s automated answering system? Well, I can’t help you with that last one (do we even have music?), but let’s talk about soundproofing a wall.
Salvaging Traditional Homes

Jan 14, 2025 | greenbuildingadvisor.com | Chuck Bickford |Kiley Jacques

In the U.S. Craftsman bungalows, long prized for their complex yet elegant detailing and spatial warmth, are no longer valued as a worthy real estate investment. Fewer people want to live in one, let alone own one. Abandoned, they fall into disrepair. Despite the structures’ stunning examples of fine craftsmanship, owners regularly tear them down to make way for new construction, or to make the property more appealing to potential buyers.
The Importance of Regenerative Materials

Jan 13, 2025 | greenbuildingadvisor.com | Justin Wolf |Kiley Jacques

“What are we set on earth for? Say, to toil . . . ” begins the sonnet “Work” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. We are here “to wrestle, not to reign” with “odorous oil” she writes, implying we are earth’s stewards, not its master. And in the end, the “least flower, with its brimming cup, may stand.”Two centuries on, we no longer have the luxury of Browning’s passive optimism.
The Importance of Regenerative Building Materials

Jan 13, 2025 | greenbuildingadvisor.com | Justin Wolf |Kiley Jacques

“What are we set on earth for? Say, to toil . . . ” begins the sonnet “Work” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. We are here “to wrestle, not to reign” with “odorous oil” she writes, implying we are earth’s stewards, not its master. And in the end, the “least flower, with its brimming cup, may stand.”Two centuries on, we no longer have the luxury of Browning’s passive optimism.
How Airtight Can You Make an Older House?

Jan 9, 2025 | greenbuildingadvisor.com | Kiley Jacques

One of the best things you can do to improve your home is to make it more airtight. Yeah, it’s good for energy efficiency, but that shouldn’t be your main motivation. It’s good for indoor air quality. A good air barrier keeps those pollutants from your garage, crawlspace, basement, or attic out of the air you breathe. It’s good for comfort. It eliminates the drafts and makes it easier for your heating and cooling system to do its job. And, it’s good for noise reduction.
New York City’s Local Law 97 Begins Reporting Period

Jan 6, 2025 | greenbuildingadvisor.com | Justin Wolf |Kiley Jacques

When New York City passed its greenhouse gas emissions reduction law, also known as Local Law 97 (LL97), in 2019, the general response from vested parties was a mix of celebration and caution. The law’s intent from the outset (its formal title is the Climate Mobilization Act) is to gradually decarbonize nearly every large building in NYC that exceeds 25,000 of gross square feet, with the goal of achieving wholesale net-zero emissions by 2050.
3D Printing and the Affordable Housing Crisis

Dec 9, 2024 | greenbuildingadvisor.com | Justin Wolf |Kiley Jacques

When it comes to building more housing, arguably the greatest obstacle is scalability. How can we build fast and efficiently enough to close the gap on the country’s housing crisis while not exacerbating existing issues concerning labor shortages, labor costs, and supply chains? If and when we begin to make up ground, how do we avoid flooding the market and creating another housing bubble? The answers to these and likeminded queries have eluded us.