When you hear the term “hackerspace” you might conjure an image in your head of early ‘90s cyberpunk films that depicted cyberspace and the art of hacking with brightly-colored swirling computer-generated graphics with flashing bits of code set to a techno soundtrack while stylish teens typed intensely on tricked-out Compaqs. But in the case of the Ferndale-based nonprofit organization i3 Detroit, “hackerspace” doesn’t even refer to computers.

Unless you've been living in a cave you've probably heard the many green-minded arguments for why you should make your home more energy efficient. But what you might not realize is that there are compelling reasons beyond reducing the size of your carbon footprint. How about comfort? Better living has inspired one Ferndale resident to become an envangelist for Michigan's BetterBuildings program.