Edgar Dworsky is the treasurer of a small Somerville, Massachusetts condo complex that was built back in 1987. He loves where he lives except for one, quite large, problem. Water leaks have plagued the complex since it was built. Durin…
Even cavemen knew that fire was dangerous. But, ironically, we have 21st-century people blithely building fires right in the middle of their furnished, wood-filled, carpeted, upholstered and bookcase-jammed condominiums. And they want s…
My last column discussed how the approach to greening your individual condominium unit is different from greening a single-family home. To complement the efforts private unit owners may be taking in their homes to reduce environmental im…
The buzzword in energy today is “sustainability.” More than the installation of the sexiest new technology, sustainability is a melding of renewable energy and energy efficiency. It’s a blend that forms the foundation of the Northeast Su…
Perched on the banks of the Connecticut River and a stone’s throw from Vermont rests the town of Hanover, New Hampshire. With an Ivy League college, a hospital and the Appalachian Trail all finding their place in or their way through th…
Mom was right. Her admonition to “turn out the lights when you leave the room” is as valid today as it was a generation ago. And yet many condominiums today, while energy-conscious in so many ways, seem to feel it’s better to jus…
Lighting in the U.S. alone accounts for approximately 22 percent of all electricity used, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. It is no wonder that in the current economic and environmentally-sensitive climate a lot of effort is…
When it comes to being green, New England’s condos have gone far beyond recycling bins. They’re doing everything from recycling water and switching to cleaner propane-powered gasoline lawnmowers to installing bike racks and walking trai…
Public utility companies like NSTAR and National Grid are going the way of Bell Telephone, which for over a century was simply “the phone company,” the sole provider of telephone communications delivered over its vast infrastructure. Now…
Q My condo association wants to make it a rule that all garage doors must be closed at all times and cars cannot be left in the driveway. My garage door does not close or open properly in the winter time so I am forced to leave it open…