Archive for the ‘Built Green and Sustainable Living’ Category
aging in place, Boomer issues, cohousing, Cohousing fair, real estate, Seattle PI Real Estate Professionals blog, sustainable living
In Boomer issues, Built Green and Sustainable Living, For Buyers, Remodeling and style trends, real estate, sustainable living on November 13, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Homes and lifestyles are changing. The dream of the suburban home with a yard, the two (or three) car garage filled with 2 cars still works for some people, but many people are rethinking how they want to live. A lifestyle is emerging all over the country and in the Puget Sound area called cohousing. Cohousing is the new extended family, a community in which people live and work together to maintain the neighborhood. Think sustainable living, smaller carbon footprints, the synergy of community, and you have some of the principles of cohousing.
Want to learn about it? This weekend there’s a cohousing fair in South Seattle where you can learn more about the communities and the cohousing lifestyle. I wrote about the cohousing fair on the Seattle PI Real Estate Professionals Blog. If you click on the link you’ll find out more information about the fair and the communities that exist around Puget Sound.
There are several cohousing communities on the eastside. Clearwater Commons, New Earth Song Cohousing, which is right next door to Songaia Cohousing are all located in Bothell, Washington. New Earth Song has a focus on seniors and helping them to stay in their homes, age-in-place, and not move to communities that are just for seniors.
Cohousing may or may not be for you, but it’s good to know about alternative real estate and living choices. Things are no longer the same, as we all know, and many people are curious about more affordable, greener ways of living. Check it out!
Bellevue, Bellevue Washington, green building, Issaquah Undressed, Mercer Slough Environment Center, Pacific Science Center, sustainable living
In Bellevue, WA, Built Green and Sustainable Living, Energy conservation, For Homeowners, Local news and information on November 7, 2008 at 4:01 pm
The City of Bellevue and The Pacific Science Center have joined forces in Bellevue to create The Mercer Slough Educational Center. Here’s a link to a great article written by Kathleen Cragun on Issaquah Undressed regarding the new eco-friendly center down by the Mercer Slough in central Bellevue. I wasn’t able to make the opening for the center, but think people should know about Bellevue’s commitment to eco-friendly, “green” ideals and the partnership with the Pacific Science Center. Kathleen took some great photos of the center which has some wonderful architecture and eco-friendly designs.
I also found a link to an article written about the metal spans used to build the center.
“The Environmental Education Center uses energy efficient Span-Lok hp metal roofs in Cool Metallic Silver to limit heat island effects, demonstrating how homes can be “green” using metal.”
The center will provide training in “green” techniques for people of all ages. Come on down and visit the center at 1625 118th Ave SE in Bellevue. It’s a hop, skip, and a jump from I-90 and downtown Bellevue.
ASF, green building, Joseph Vance Building, redcuing carbon footprint, SAF tours, Seattle Architecture Foundation, Seattle Architecture Foundation Tours, South Lake Union, sustainable design, sustainable living, sustainable materials, The Terry Thomas, Weber Thompson
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Energy conservation, Real Estate News, Remodeling and style trends, architecture, real estate, sustainable living on October 6, 2008 at 4:31 pm
From the Seattle Architecture Foundation Newsletter:
The Terry Thomas: An Elegant, Environmentally-Correct Approach to Design
When: Friday, October 17
Group 1: 10:00am
Group 2: 11:30am
Cost: $15 advance registration required. No walk-ups accepted. Register online or call the SAF office at
206.667.9184.
Where: Weber Thompson offices in The Terry Thomas. 225 Terry Ave., N., second floor Joseph Vance Building: Historic Building, Modern Green Design
“Seattle Architecture Foundation is partnering with Weber Thompson to present The Terry Thomas: An Elegant, Environmentally-Correct Approach to Design, a one-hour guided tour. The Terry Thomas is a highly sustainable, commercial building located in the South Lake Union neighborhood. Wrapped in windows, it is a building designed along a modern aesthetic with a combination of time-tested strategies from the pre-HVAC era and complimentary new technologies.
…this tour explains how the project reduces its carbon footprint, the workings of the passive cooling system, strategies employed to reduce water usage by 50% and energy usage by 30% and how the building has met its original vision of thoughtful sustainable design and a workplace that contributes to the occupant’s well-being, satisfaction and productivity. “
_____________________________________________________________________________________
When: Tuesday, November 11
Group 10:00am
Group 11:30am
Cost: $15 advance registration required. No walk-ups accepted. Register online or call the SAF office at206.667.9184.
Where: Joseph Vance Building lobby, 1402 Third Avenue
“Elements of the project include restoring the building’s terra cotta façade, original ceilings, terrazzo floors, and operable windows, and updating the facility using sustainable materials, systems, and fixtures. Custom window shades and light shelves help preserve energy and maximize natural light while controlling heat gain and glare.”
————————————————————————————-
I’m really excited to see The Terry Thomas. This is one of the first buildings to be built in years with no air conditioning! The building is designed to maximize air flow/cooling through the use of sun shades, louvers, light colored roofing, and an interior courtyard. This tour ought to be interesting and filled with valuable information regarding “green building.”
Better Business Bureau Recycling language, carbon footprint, CFLs, compact flourescent light bulbs, Energy conservation, energy incentives, Energy rebates, energy star, heating ducts, Home Depot, King County Green Tools, McLendon's IKEA, Puget Sound Energy, recycle, recycling, save energy, save money, sealing heating ducts, sustainable living
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Debra Sinick, Energy conservation, For Buyers, For Homeowners, For Sellers, energy incentives, energy star, sustainable living on September 26, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I think I’ve become a Sustainable September, energy saving, recycling groupie! I’ve been to four classes in the 
last couple of weeks and have
learned a lot about energy savings, etc. As part of the Sustainable September, I attended the workshop last Saturday which focused on ways to save energy. There are many things one can do to save energy, some are very simple and inexpensive, others are more costly and result in long term benefits. Everyone has to decide what works best for them. But everyone should do at least something to change and reduce his or her carbon footprint.
Here’s some of the information I learned about ways you can save money and energy:
Let’s start with CFL’s, one of the easiest and least expensive ways to save energy and money. Change your light bulbs to CFL’s, compact fluorescent lighting. It’s important to convert your high use areas, the kitchen, the bath, and bedrooms, to CFL’s.
But where do you recycle your CFL’s at no cost?
Are there incentives out there to save energy? YES, and Puget Sound Energy has several available:
- Insulation: up to $1600
- Natural Gas Furnace: $350
- Air Source Heat Pump $200-350
- Tankless Water Heater $150
- Clothes Washers $50-100
- Storage Water Heater $50
- CFL’s Discount $2/$20
Other tips are not to close off rooms and heating vents. I always thought it was practical to close off vents and close doors in unused rooms, but apparently not! It causes the heating system to work harder and less efficiently.
People and heating companies, tend to forget about the heating ducts when installing new heating systems. The sizing and installation of heating ducts is critical to an effective heating system. Heating ducts should be sealed off , but not with duct tape! Mastic is a better way to seal ducts. Aerosol spraying of heating ducts is another way, although more expensive, to seal heating ducts.
Places to contact for more information:
Contact Puget Sound Energy or look at their website. There’s a wealth of information there. Energy advisors can help you save, save, save and give you the most up-to-date information above the rebates mentioned above.
built green, denim insulation, eco-friendly, Ecohaus, go green, green remodeling, Greenworks architecture, ice stone, paper stone, Seattle Tilth, Seattle Tilth Lawn and Garden Care Hotline, Solstice Landscapes NE, Sustainable September
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, For Buyers, For Sellers, Local news and information, Remodeling and style trends, architecture on September 15, 2008 at 7:24 am
Sustainable September, an event designed to help people “go green,” is happening in Kirkland and on Seattle’s Eastside through the month of September. On Saturday, I attended the first set of classes. Lesa McIntyre from Greenworks Architecture spoke about ways to ”go green.” Lesa McIntyre mentioned a very interesting concept for builders, investors, and home purchasers. As an architect who works with “green principles,” she is able to look at older homes to determine whether the home could be remodeled with “green” principles more effectively than building a new home to “built green” standards. She considers the lot, its sun and wind exposure, and placement of trees in her analysis.
Here’s some of the other information she presented:
- Look at the products under your sink. Throw away all the chemicals.
- Built Green is a great website to learn about rebates for “built green” materials.
- The msds sheet available for products is the materials safety data sheet which will identify any carcinogens. (something new that I learned)
- Learn where building materials come from. This will help determine whether shipping bamboo from China or cork from the east coast has a greater carbon footprint.
- Ecohaus, formerly Environmental Home Center, a store with a plethora of eco-friendly materials and advice is on Northup Way in Bellevue.
- Denim insulation is a great recycled insulating product for homes.
- Ice stone and Paperstone are great countertop materials.
- Marmoleum and cork are eco-friendly flooring products.
- Reclaimed materials, such as timber, are the best option for reducing the carbon footprint of building and remodeling.
- Carpet is one of the least safe products that goes into a home. If you must use carpet, go with 100% wool with a jute (natural) backing. Lesa suggested 100% wool area rugs so they can be easily cleaned.
Tristan Heberlein from Solstice Landscapes NW discussed ecologically friendly landscape design. His three principles for “green” landscaping are:
Feed the Food Chain:
- Add compost at least every 2 years
- Don’t use landscape fabric as it will deplete the soil of necessary nutrients.
- Use medium wood chip mulch.
- Corn gluten is a natural way to minimize the seeds from weeds germinating. The treatment last for up to 6 weeks.
If you wouldn’t put it on your skin, don’t put it on your plantings.
If you build it, they will come:
- If your soil is healthy, it will create food for insects and birds.
- Plant a lot of flowers, salvia, and the autumn joy sedum to attract honey bees.
- Provide circulating water.
- Bird Feeders
- Built rockeries and walls with crevices for insects.
Need good, free advice? Contact Seattle Tilth’s Lawn and Garden Care Hotline at 206-633-0223.
Add new tag, AIA, American Institute of Architects, contest, d, Dwell magazine, green building, green design, modular design, modular homes, sustainable building, sustainable design
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, For Buyers, For Sellers, Remodeling and style trends, real estate on April 22, 2008 at 3:57 pm
This just in my inbox today: Dwell Magazine’s Green Award, is a contest sponsored by Dwell magazine and the American Institute of Architects. Through June 20th, the sponsors are looking for the best “green” or sustainable projects. According to Dwell’s criteria, projects will be judged on the basis of functionality, originality, sustainability, and cost effectiveness. The prize? $2000 towards a future “green” project.
I’ve been subscribing to Dwell magazine for a few years now and find them to be on the cutting edge in many of their articles on sustainable, affordable home design, materials, and styles. The magazine also has articles about small homes, remodels, furniture, and modular housing. All interesting stuff.
built green, carbon footprint, Craigs List, Earth 911, eco-building, Ecohaus, Healthy Yellow Pages, King County, Northwest Eco Building, Re-store, real estate, recycle, Second use, sustainable, Urban Hardwoods, Windermere
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, For Buyers, For Sellers, real estate on March 17, 2008 at 1:33 pm
In honor of wearing “the green” on St. Patrick’s Day, I thought I’d share these resources and sources for built green and sustainable living. I wrote a post a few weeks ago with some suggestions from a Built Green classI took over at Windermere Real Estate taught by Rachel Shindler and Thor Peterson.
The two had assembled a terrific list of books and other sources, some free, in the Seattle area to learn more about sustainable living and building and built green techniques.
FREE Seattle/King County area resources for green building:
Seattle Public Utilities
Sustainable Industries magazine
Natural Choice Directory of Puget Sound
Healthy Yellow Pages
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Northwest EcoBuilding Guild
Earth 911
Sources for Built-Green Materials:
Ecohaus, formerly Environmental Home Center
This is a treasure trove of environmental information, products, and materials. You have hit the jackpot if you go here.
Flor Company-
makes carpet tiles which can be put down in unique patterns and is easily replaceable.
Urban Hardwoods:
salvages hardwood trees and turns the wood into “one of a kind” sustainable furniture.
Looking to recycle?
Craig’s List:
Offer it for free on Craig’s List, it will be gone.
Second Use
Restore- will dismantle and reuse stuff. In turn you can get credits to buy some of their materials or a tax credit.
Great reading material:
It’s Easy Being Green by Crissy Trask Gibbs
The Green House by Alana Stang and Christopher Hawthorne
What’s Toxic, What’s Not By Dr. Gary Ginsburg
Naturally Clean Jeff Hollender and Geoff Davis
Low Carbon Diet David Gershon
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Carnation, Duvall, Frank Lloyd Wright, Issaquah, Kirkland, Lincoln Logs, log homes, real estate, Seattle/Eastside, Woodinville
In Bellevue, WA, Built Green and Sustainable Living, For Buyers, For Sellers, King County Real Estate, Remodeling and style trends, Woodinville, WA, real estate on March 10, 2008 at 7:55 am
There’s been a lot of press this past week about the torching of The Street of Dreams homes. My previous post was about this story. People were horrified by this senseless act. When reading other posts about the event, particularly the one on The Seattle P-I Real Estate Professionals blog, I noticed another thread in the blog comments about the tragic event, many people were voicing an opinion against the mega-houses The Street of Dreams shows represent.
I thought this might be a good time to visit a different form of American architecture, log homes.
Log homes evoke the past, a sense of adventure, and the “Wild West.” We think thoughts of Abe Lincoln and Laura Ingalls Wilder. The rustic nature of logs brings people close to the wood in its natural state. For some, it can create the perfect ambiance of a rustic, warm getaway and still be a primary residence. A log home is a great antithesis to today’s hectic lifestyles.
There are a number of log homes all around Seattle’s eastside. Most are in areas such as Union Hill or in cities like Duvall, Carnation, Fall City, Woodinville, and Issaquah. However, there are log homes everywhere. There’s a great log home in my neighborhood in Kirkland, one on Market St., and one on Rose Hill.
One recent issue of Realtor Magazine had a interesting article about log homes. According to the article, log homes were first seen in this country in the 1700’s. Early settlers had to make do with what was available. Without “city” conveniences and lumber mills, the full logs did the trick. Homes were often built without nails since nails were scarce.
Remember Lincoln Logs? My brothers had those when we were kids. Lincoln Logs were toy sets for building log homes. The toy logs had the same notched style construction as the original log homes. When I read the above article, I discovered Frank Lloyd Wright’s son created Lincoln Logs. I wonder what his Dad would have thought!
The Log Council , a member of NAHB, The National Association of Home Builders, is an industry trade group and information resource. Numerous architects and builders specialize in log home design and building. The above linked article will give you a great introduction to the concept of log homes in the 21st century.
built green, eco-terrorism, Seattle/Eastside real estate, Street of Dreams, sustainable materials, WA, Woodinville, Woodinville real estate
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Local news and information, Real Estate News, Woodinville, WA, Woodinville, WA Real Estate, real estate on March 7, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Amazon, Calder, Eastside, hiking fishing, King County, lakes, Microsoft, Mt. Rainier, Olympic National Park, Olympic Sculpture Park, Puget Sound, Seattle, Starbucks, traffic
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Exploring the Eastside, King County, WA, Local news and information, Uncategorized on February 25, 2008 at 10:58 am
What are your top 10 reasons to live in the Seattle or on the Eastside? What are your fave 10? I read a post this morning about the Ten Reasons People Move to Seattle from the BINC blog. Pretty interesting list. I think most of the reasons listed in the post fit either Seattle or the Eastside.
Here’s my list, which embellishes on the ideas posted in the BINC article.
I love the mountains, the lakes, the sound, the islands, the trees, the green, and the fact that the snow is on the mountains, but not in my backyard.
I love being close to 3 important national parks, Mt. Rainier, Olympic National Park, and North Cascades National Park.
I love that I could go hiking,
`
boating,
skiing, walking, running, fishing.
I love the cultural sophistication here. We are not LA, NYC or Chicago, but we have great theater, great art, a wonderful sculpture park,
and wonderful restaurants.
I love the excitement and energy brought to Seattle/Eastside/ King County by the top companies located here, Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks.
I love the culture in which people are starting to pay attention to their carbon footprints and thinking green.
I love the mild weather, even if it is gray in the winter.
I love the summer. I don’t want to be anywhere else.
I love being surrounded by Puget Sound
and Lake Washington.
I love that jaw dropping feeling I get each time I see Mt. Rainier pop out.
The BINC blog comments on the great transportation system, but it’s the system in the heart of Seattle. There is a great bus service all over King County, but traffic is a pretty serious problem, with no clear resolution.
Our location is what drives many of us to live here and the traffic is what drives us a little crazy!
So what’s in your fave 10?
energy star, green building, home building, low flow showerheads, real estate, sustainable materials, Windermere Real Estate
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, For Buyers, For Sellers, Local news and information, Remodeling and style trends, real estate on February 16, 2008 at 8:40 am
Suggestions for reducing your carbon footprint.
The hot topic, the cool color, in today’s real estate is green, built green, sustainable materials, carbon footprint, LEED certification. These are all becoming familiar terms.
On my Kirkland blog, I wrote about a free Built Green seminar at Kirkland City Hall. Ironically, I was already signed up for a “Green Built” class through Windermere Real Estate’s education program that same day. Not only did I learn a great deal at the class, I earned 3 credits for continuing education. Realtors have take continuing education classes.
Since most of you reading this blog are not running out tomorrow to find a built green home or remodel your current home with built green principles, during the class I asked the question:
”What can people do if they aren’t planning a “built green” remodel? What can be done everyday for minimal cost?”
Some suggestions to reduce carbon footprint on a daily basis:
Listen to Eastern cultures and remove your shoes. Shoes are the single biggest home polluter in homes. Shoes bring all kinds of dirt and toxins into a home.
Have a “walk off” mat at the front door that can be hosed down.
Household cleaning products are just as important as building green. Use cleaning products that are natural substances such as baking soda, vinegar, water, citrus and Bon Ami. Bon Ami is a product that has been around for decades. ( those of you over 50 may remember your mother cleaning with this when you were a kid)
Read the labels on cleaning products. If a label says something is harmful if swallowed, think about whether to clean with it.
Use compact fluorescent bulbs. Make sure they’re energy star certified. Recycle these bulbs properly as they contain mercury. (I didn’t know this one)
Put bathroom fans and thermostats on timers.
Weatherstrip the bottom of entrance doors.
Use low flow showerheads.
Go natural and buy wool carpet. Carpet is one of the worst home pollutants. The Carpet and Rug Institute will certify carpets as “green”,however, the carpets are not third party certified.
Solar tubes provide light in dark spaces and are more energy efficient than a skylight.
Is there more you can do to limit your carbon footprint? You bet. This list is just a start. Some of the things are common knowledge and others are not. Feel free to add suggestions. I will do another article listing some great free resources and books on reducing your carbon footprint and built green ideas.
Bellevue, Bellevue Botanical Garden, holiday lights, WA
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Exploring the Eastside, Local news and information on December 17, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Bellevue celebrates the holiday season again with a fabulous lighting display at The Bellevue Botanical Garden. This year the lights have gone “greener”. Many of the displays are using LED lights, rather than incandescent lights. Not only are these lights energy efficient, they are also more vibrant in color. The garden lights are open from 5:30 -9:30 PM through December 31st, so there is still time to enjoy the beautiful display. Check out the spider web and the gorgeous palm trees! The event is free, but parking at the garden is $5.00. There is off-site parking available at Wilburton Park, just down the road.
Here are some more great photos I found on meetup.com taken by John Forsberg.
Below are the photos I took on one cold evening stroll through the garden. Even though it was cold, the light display made it well worth the trip.
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Local news and information on November 9, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Did you know…
• Since 1973, King County’s urban tree canopy has decreased 40%.
• In one year, 100 trees are able to convert 5 tons of CO2 into oxygen.
• One acre of trees can absorb the CO2 produced by driving your car 26,000 miles.
• Just one 80-foot beech tree can remove the CO2 generated by two households in a day.
• Over a 50-year period, one tree provides $62,000 worth of air pollution control.
I learned these all important facts listed above, when I looked at the Live Earth website earlier today.
Tomorrow is your chance to help decrease carbon emissions by volunteering to plant a tree in one of Seattle/Eastside’s parks. Governor Gregoire has declared tomorrow, November 10th, to be the first Carbon Offset Day.
This website will give you all the places where events are happening.
Sign up today.
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Exploring the Eastside, Local news and information on September 21, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Go see chickens, take a hay ride, meet the farm animals. Enjoy fresh produce and cooking demonstrations with chefs “outstanding in their field” (pun intended), music, and more on Saturday, the 22nd of September. The 9th annual Harvest Celebration Farm Tour will be happening all over King County from 10 AM-4:30 PM.
There are some great small farms which provide wonderful food and produce for some of Seattle and the Eastside’s best restaurants and supermarkets, such as The Herbfarm, Wild Ginger, Seastar, Whole Foods, and PCC Natural Markets. This will be your chance to “get a taste of farm life” and find out about local foods at their source.
At the forefront of this event are several important organizations. One group is the King Conservation District, which is dedicated to supporting farm life. The organization supports sustainable farming, environmental safeguards, and conservation. Washington State University King County Extension is another of the farm tour sponsors and works hard to promote farming in King County. Other groups associated with the tour are the Cascade Harvest Coalition and Puget Sound Fresh.
In Boomer issues, Built Green and Sustainable Living, Local news and information, Remodeling and style trends, real estate on September 14, 2007 at 4:36 pm
All my hot buttons in one place: real estate and financing , emergency preparedness, seniors, and Built Green issues! Wow, good stuff for all to see and learn about. The Master Builder tour of homes began today and covers new construction sites in King and Snohomish Counties. Tour hours are from noon-6 PM each Friday to Sunday from the 14th to the 30th. A number of the popular builders, including Camwest, Burnstead, Murray Franklyn, and Shea homes are involved in the tour. Learn about the latest new construction styles, in addition to learning about Built Green issues, emergency preparedness classes, home warranties, and mortgages. Given the latest in the mortgage industry, the mortgage classes should be hot ones. For a class schedule, check out the Master Builders Tour of Homes Classes
In Built Green and Sustainable Living on July 26, 2007 at 6:08 pm
“Built Green” is pretty exciting stuff especially if you read my last post in which I talked about taking a 100 trees to build one 2000 square foot home. I keep reading about all these great things that will help us all to have a smaller “footprint” on earth and I will continue to add these articles to my blog. There are lots of suggestions made in this article from Realtor Magazine. Some materials presented here are new on the market and some have been around for a while. Some of these items can cost more initially to install, but often will last a lot longer and cost less to use. The added benefit is that these materials will have less of an impact on the environment.
This article mentions copper roofs. I was not aware that copper roofs can last a century! (I know most of you are saying, who cares, I am not going to live that long.) Copper roofs can take all kinds of weather and the material can be recycled. Typical composition roofs have a life span of 20, 30 or 40 years.
Low-E glass, something that has been available for a while, is most cost effective when the winds are blowing in the winter or the summer sun streams in. These windows can have a dramatic impact on cooling and heating bills.
Induction cook tops channel the heat to directly to the pots and therefore, does not heat up a large part of a stove top surface. This is more efficient but also has the added benefit of minimizing burning anyone who accidentally touches the cook top.
Reclaimed wood is becoming increasingly popular in furniture and home building design. I mentioned in my post about The Seattle Street of Dreams that recycled paper was used in one home for counter top. Bamboo and reclaimed wood are also being used for counter top surfaces.
Timber construction is also becoming more popular, think large beam construction. The cost to install timbers is far less than it is to use finished boards from a tree.
Check out the full article to find out about more material and fixtures that are environmentally friendly.
In Built Green and Sustainable Living on July 26, 2007 at 1:46 am
How many trees does it take to build a home? I had no idea that if you build a 2000 square foot home, it would require 26,700 board feet! This number just blew me away. One 20 inch, 42 foot long tree will produce about 260 board feet, a small fraction of what you would need to build one home. So if you are building this 2000 square foot home, it will take 102 trees.
This explains why you see these swaths of trees clear cut on the mountains around here when you take off on an airplane. Take a look the next time you take off from SeaTac. Many of these trees are going to be used to build homes all over the world.
A recent article in the Seattle Times talked about how much wood, concrete, glass, etc. it takes to build a standard home. It amazes me that we have not run out of natural materials thus far. It certainly puts building green way up there for consideration.
In Built Green and Sustainable Living on June 9, 2007 at 7:06 pm
At my monthly networking meeting, Forum XXII, we heard from the Seattle Master Builder’s Association about the Built Green program.
http://www.builtgreen.net/index.html
The website had a lot of terrific information about sources for “built green” materials, architects, builders, remodelers, and building standards. “Built green” is our new real estate buzzword. There is a growing emphasis on environmentally friendly building and the use of sustainable materials. Our listings in the Multiple Listing Service will soon be able to reflect the “built green” status of a home. If a home is listed as “built green”, the builders will have had to follow certain standards to achieve this status. “Built green” homes can range from a 2 star to a 5 star level. If a home is built to the 4 or 5 star standard, which has stringent requirements, all of the construction and materials must be independently verified. Certificates are issued to homes that meet these standards. In the future, home buyers will be able to search on line for “built green” homes.
Of the 10,000 new construction homes built in King County last year, only 15-18 were certified as the star 5 “built green” homes, the most stringent level of “built green” homes. Most of these homes were built by a builder in Seattle, Michele Rose.
Most homes categorized as “built green” are built to the 3 star level. Quite a few homes in Issaquah Highlands meet this standard. The Dwelling Company built a number of “built green” homes in the Highlands.
Some of the other builders mentioned who have built some “green” homes were Bennett Homes, http://www.bennetthomes.com/. Bennett Homes is known for “built green” homes in Suncadia, on the other side of the Cascades. Other local builders range from some of the larger builders, such as Camwest, http://www.camwest.com/ and Chaffey Homes, http://www.chaffeyhomes.com/, to high end custom builders such as Bender Chaffey, http://www.benderchaffey.com/.
Some thoughts about building green:
Materials can be somewhat more expensive for “built green” homes, however, the cost savings for energy efficiency usually more than compensates for the initial building cost. Check out this website on federal tax credits for energy conservation:
http://www.dsire.org/
Other thoughts:
If you start from the get-go when building a home, it is far cheaper to build green than to start doing some add-ons,
Hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, such as tile. stay cleaner than carpet. It was recommended that main living area be finished with hard surfaces because many people wear shoes throughout their home. Shoes bring in all kinds of contaminents.
Ventilation has become so tight the air in homes can become stale and is not fresh.
The gasses from glues used during standard construction can be emitted for up to 30 years after construction.
These thoughts sure make one want to think of a healthy home!
In Built Green and Sustainable Living on April 22, 2007 at 12:55 am
As everyone knows, tomorrow, the 22nd of April, is Earth Day. It seems as if for a lot of years people ignored Earth Day. I remember it being quite a big deal when Earth Day began in the 1970’s. Now there is a renewed interest and awareness which seems to have begun with Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth. The awarenenss level with global warming, pollution, etc. has increased dramatically.
I came across this website called www.41 pounds.org. Apparently, the average junk mail we each receive every year comes out to 41 pounds. Imagine the amount of waste that is created! Even if the junk mail is recycled, there is energy used to create the paper, print the mailings, send the mail, and to recycle this junk.
So if 100 of us contact this website and asked to be removed from “junk” mail lists, we could potentially save 4100 lbs of mail! Over two tons of junk!
http://www.41pounds.org/
For more about Earth Day, you can check out:
http://www.earthday.net/
Anyone up for the challenge?
Eastside Real Estate Buzz
