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    • August

      25

      2012
    • 2165
    • 0

    25 Places to Donate Your Stuff

    I think we can all agree that we probably have too much of something or items that serve no real purpose in our homes, whether it’s clothes, DVDs we never watch, unused kitchen gear, the list goes on. National charity organizations like Goodwill and the Salvation Army are always great places to donate, but while looking for more specific ways to donate some children’s toys I came across multiple websites for children’s hospitals that are collecting gently used books and toys for their waiting rooms and activity centers.

    This got me thinking that there are likely lots of ways to donate items to fill a direct need. I find it incredibly motivating to think of de-cluttering in this way; if someone else can put my stuff to better use, that’s exciting.

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    • August

      25

      2012
    • 3074
    • 0

    Will Micro Apartments Go Macro?

    Construction has begun on an infill project at 38 Harriet Street in San Francisco that its developer, builder, and module supplier believe could determine whether micro apartments remain a highly publicized curiosity or are seen as legitimate housing alternatives for young urban professionals seeking cheaper, greener, and walkable living spaces.

    “There are a lot of eyes on this project, a lot of interest,” says Naomi Porat, president and co-founder of Zeta Communities, whose factory in Sacramento, Calif., is close to completing the 12- by 65-foot modules that will be used to construct an 11,775-square-foot four-story wood-framed building squeezed onto a 3,750-square-foot lot in this city’s South of Market Street (SoMa) district. That building will contain 23 micro apartments measuring around 300 square feet each, with nine-foot ceilings, kitchens and baths, washers and dryers, and multipurpose built-ins for storage and workspaces that can convert to sleeping areas.

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    • August

      25

      2012
    • 1810
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    Atlanta considers new storm water rules as part of rainwater harvesting program

    A renewed push is underway in Atlanta to harvest rainwater and improve the management of storm water in an era of sustained drought.

    Rainwater harvesting is one proposed response to the need for better management of water resources. Credit: Southeast Rainwater Harvesting Systems Association

    Advocates say a regional rainwater harvesting program could produce more than 20 million gallons of water a day. That represents about 16 percent of metro Atlanta’s net consumptive use of about 125 million gallons a day, according to the latest figures maintained by the Atlanta Regional Commission.

    Two efforts are ramping up to improve the management of the region’s water resources: The drafting of potential new storm water regulations in Atlanta that would apply to all new homes, and to certain additions to existing homes and commercial properties; And, a renewed push throughout the region to encourage property owners to harvest rainwater.

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    • August

      25

      2012
    • 1335
    • 0

    Report: Energy retrofits surpass new green buildings in benefits

    Brand new green buildings are always white hot.

    But experts have long been touting the environmental benefit of green buildings’ slightly less sexy cousin: Retrofitting existing buildings with green upgrades.

    Now there is proof.

    A groundbreaking report released earlier this year found that it is unequivocally greener to retrofit an old building than construct a new green building, no matter how many high-tech bells and whistles are in the new construction. “The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse,” was commissioned by Preservation Green Lab, a project of the National Trust for Historic Preservation with support from The Summit Foundation and in partnership with four companies, including Skanska Group.

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    • August

      25

      2012
    • 1853
    • 0

    The Trend in New Construction, to Extreme Green or Net Zero

    The trend in new construction and retrofits can only be described as “extreme green” or “net zero.” Venture capitalists have plowed more than $4 billion into the development of sustainably designed, energy efficient buildings. Now, they are looking at ground-breaking technologies to further develop this space, according to a report just released by Boston-based Lux Research.

    To understand investment activity in the green buildings space, Lux Research analysts have followed 332 venture transactions— amounting to $4.06 billion in 160 companies— since 2000. Of the 332 investment rounds in companies that offer technology and materials for green buildings, 152 were series A investments and 83 were series B. Start-ups from North America have attracted 77 percent—or $3.1 billion— of the green building VC invested so far.

    Last year, however, nearly 50 percent of the funding—totaling $445 million—went into 15 late-stage investments, signaling the maturation of the first wave of green building start-ups.

    Meanwhile, new opportunities are emerging in a number of leading-edge areas, including integrated design, on-site power generation, energy services and the advanced building envelope.

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    • August

      25

      2012
    • 1973
    • 0

    dan price: my tiny house

    with a refreshing contrast to the seemingly budget-less, material extensive projects published around the internet, dan price’s
    ‘tiny house’ offers a more sobering sustainability in construction and consciousness. the concept revisits the basic principles of a site,
    finding that perfect natural balance between sun, shading, ventilation, and a water source. ‘primitive living’ is above all a process of
    discovery that requires time to intimately understand the terrain, the materials and more importantly your own personal needs.
    the project challenges the very question of human necessity with regards to our culture of ‘living.’

    the dwelling is embedded into the ground, with a larger perimeter than the actual oval form of the main living space to leave room for
    future expansion and for ease of building. thick plastic covers the floor as a water barrier and wraps over the vertically placed 2×6
    wood planks. paving stones line the inside of the partition to secure the footprint from shifting while thin strips are screwed laterally to
    the upper sections to reinforce the circular shape. 2×4 wood members are stacked along their short axes to create a type of large laminated
    beam as the roof, capable of supporting the soil that will eventually insulate the entire construct. holes are cut out of the shell to make
    a door and angled skylight, inviting light and views, with flashing elements to seal the connections and keep wood and water separate.
    from this point, each person possesses the ability to customize their new home to their individual desires as this is, after all, the basic unit of what every other project stems from.

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    • August

      25

      2012
    • 3142
    • 0

    PT bamboo pure: green school, bali

    An amazing structure, conceived by John Hardy. After meeting in indonesia, john hardy and his wife cynthia conceived of the ‘green school,’ an educational village community amongst the jungle and rice fields of bali, to spread their sustainable altruistic message through an alternative education system to locals and foreigners alike. they called on balinese practice PT bamboo pure to work out the technical design aspects of the entirely bamboo structure. the plentifully supplied asian wood was utilized to benefit from the potential of all its properties to become structural, decorative,
    recreational, used as flooring, seating, tables and several other fixtures. the local vernacular finds a new relationship fused with contemporary
    design strategies throughout the assembly of the components that make up the entire campus.

    the design of the ‘heart of green school’ finds itself anchored around three lineally located nodes from which all other programmatical
    elements radiate in a spiraling organization. at each anchor point, interweaving bamboo light columns span the full height of the structure
    ending in a wooden ring framing a skylight with intricately ornate mullions. a fluid helical thatch roof stems from each main
    vertical support corkscrewing to allow light to reach every space, with deep overhangs to protect the open air interior. three main
    staircases serve three floors with multi-functional areas and varying levels of privacy to accommodate the various activities.

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    • August

      22

      2012
    • 1511
    • 0

    Zero Net-Energy Ready Homes to be Certified by Energy Department Partnership

    For people who think Passive House is a Fad.

    On Monday, August 20, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a newpartnership between the DOE Challenge Homeprogram and the Passive House Institute US to cooperate on the promotion of various levels of high-performance buildings on the path to zero net-energy.

    This news is a huge development for the passive house community and for PHIUS. The endorsement of PHIUS+ passive house certification through the DOE instantly makes passive house the most energy efficient option for builders, designers and developers who want to achieve a zero energy building. This recognition will go a long way toward making passive house mainstream.

    This took a lot of time and effort, and we owe thanks to Sam Rashkin, Chief Architect at the DOE, whose knowledge, vision and determination were critical to the effort. (Sam was the keynote at last year’s North American Passive House Conference.)

    So, how does this partnership change current PHIUS+ passive house certification and what do consultants need to know?

    In a nutshell: not much. A passive house already fulfills most of the Challenge Home requirements – certification essentially remains the same process with a few minor additions! Those additions are very good improvements, making the home even better. Indoor air quality requirements ask for low VOC materials and the water efficiency requirements establish a reasonable savings baseline, all good things.

    The Challenge Home requires rigorous third-party, on-site verification, which already is part of PHIUS+. PHIUS+ certified RESNET Raters already use an advanced passive house checklist created specifically for passive houses. (This testing protocol is actually more rigorous than the one the Challenge Home is using.)

    What Challenge Home brings to the table that PHIUS+ did not before is a more formalized exterior water management and flashing checklist. Having seen quite a few bad water management details during certification so far, we are happy to add a more formalized process to assure the long term durability of the house. QAQC is crucial to assure quality in execution, actual performance and peace of mind for the client we found.

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    • June

      23

      2012
    • 2248
    • 0

    Passive Solar Design Basics

    Passive solar design begins with the simple idea that you can build a house that uses natural heating, cooling, ventilation and daylighting. These homes require much less fossil fuel energy to heat and cool than conventional homes do, which is better for the environment and saves passive solar homeowners money. Passive solar homes are comfortable to live in because they are designed to radiate heat in winter, maintain a comfortable year-round temperature, ventilate naturally, and let in plenty of natural light.

    I became interested in sustainable design, specifically passive solar design, as a young architect

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    • June

      23

      2012
    • 1852
    • 0

    Zehnder America, Inc. is Recognized for its Cutting-edge Residential Heat

    Zehnder America announces that it has completed the 3rd party testing of the Zehnder ComfoAir 350 HRV and has joined the Home Ventilating Institute (http://www.hvi.org) who is making these test results public. This breakthrough is the confirmation that Zehnder America is leading the way of the next generation of Heat and Energy Recovery Ventilation Systems in North America. Zehnder’s ComfoAir 350HRV with its counter flow heat-exchanger recovers over 90% of the room temperature. As a result, during a cold winter day, the incoming fresh air into the ho

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    • June

      22

      2012
    • 2394
    • 0

    Japanese ‘Light House’ | Optimising Natural Light Without the Heat

    With extensive benefits, natural lighting is a key focus for the modern interior designer. Natural lighting in green buildings is even more important, and the balancing act between natural light allowance and solar shading is a challenge for designers around the world.

    A clever piece of innovation from a Japanese architectural firm, however, demonstrates that extensive natural lighting does not have to mean thermal gain. Architectural firm Takeshi Hosaka architects have developed the ‘Daylight House’ in Yokohama

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    • June

      22

      2012
    • 1605
    • 0

    Yes, U.S. Oil and Gas Production Is Increasing, but Energy Efficiency Is Still the Number One Resource

    A variety of recent articles have trumpeted how U.S. oil and gas production is up. For example, Daniel Yergin, in a New York Timesop ed, notes that U.S. oil production has increased 1.6 million barrels per day since 1998 and that a further 0.6 million barrel increase may be possible this year. He also notes how shale gas is now 37% of U.S. production, up from 2% a dozen years ago. And he quotes President Obama as saying that shale gas development had by 2010 supported 600,000 jobs (this includes direct, indirect and induced jobs). EIA notes that U.S. oil production in the first quarter of 2012 is at the highest level since 1998. These increases are largely driven by advances in hydraulic

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    • June

      22

      2012
    • 1779
    • 0

    All Decked Out: Eco-friendly Deck Sealers

    ‘Tis the season to enjoy al fresco dining, but first you might need to re-stain your deck or patio furniture to enhance and protect the natural beauty of the wood. If water doesn’t bead up on the surface, it’s time to protect it from the elements to ensure it’ll last a long time.

    Opt for stains and finishes that aren’t comprised of harsh chemicals that may be harmful to your kids, pets and the environment.

    Whether you’re looking for

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    • June

      22

      2012
    • 1823
    • 0

    Is the GSA switching to a new green standard?

    The General Services Administration, the “landlord” of the federal government, soon might uproot its longtime standard for green building in favor of a fresh face.

    The GSA since 2003 has required construction adhere to varying standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design system. An initial review in 2006 identified LEED Gold, the third of that system’s four tiers, as the benchmark for new construction.

    “It was kind of the only game in town,” said Joni Teter, sustainability and green building programs advisor in the GSA’s Office of Federal High Performance Building.

    Now, The Green Building Initiative’s

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    • June

      22

      2012
    • 1497
    • 0

    Top Ten Net Zero Buildings

    Several of the world’s top 10 net-zero buildings are in the U.S., including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado, the proposed NYCTech campus and the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in New York state, and the Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies in Ohio. These structures use — or will use — a variety of energy-saving technologies to achieve net-zero status,

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    • June

      22

      2012
    • 2058
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    Top 5 Permeable Driveways

    Driveways and other parking areas are typically paved with asphalt or concrete, and are not only unattractive, but detrimental to the environment. When it rains, debris and pollutants flow off these impervious surfaces into our waterways, many times via the sewer system, which contributes to stormwater runoff pollution. See the top 5 examples here……..

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    • June

      2

      2012
    • 1328
    • 0

    New Guide Helps Appraisers Factor Energy Efficiency into Valuations

    Energy costs are the single largest expense for commercial buildings. IMT seeks to develop and deliver new methods and approaches for appraisers and lenders to use in considering the influence of energy performance on commercial and residential property values. IMT works with appraisers, real estate agents and other real estate professionals to increase the recognition of energy costsand energy performance in commercial property valuation. IMT’s work in this area includes research, continuing education for professionals and promoting enhanced methods of documenting and benchmarking

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    • June

      2

      2012
    • 2220
    • 0

    Ventilation in Passive Housing – Why Doesn’t Airtight Housing Choke?

    We know that ventilation is incredibly important in developing comfortable and practical interior design – but when we’re dealing with a passive house; a highly energy efficient building that is known for its key feature of airtight insulation – the means of ventilation are paramount.
    The passive house design means that through high levels of insulation and window energy efficiency, airflow into of out of the building is limited. A complete lack of fresh air amounts to an unliveable building.
    Equally important as this highly energy efficient design – which generally gets all the media attention – are the ventilation processes that, as anyone who deals in passive design development knows, are the key element in providing liveable interiors.
    However, air quality issues are not the only problem that faces a building that doesn’t ‘breathe’. Moisture can develop, causing mold and.

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    • June

      2

      2012
    • 1444
    • 0

    Energy efficient home nets cash for owners

    If things go as planned, Ashley Warren and Anthony Spicer won’t pay an electric bill at their new home in Whitley County. They’ll be getting a check from the power company instead.

    The couple and their three daughters recently moved into a house designed to use 90 percent less energy for heating and cooling than a conventional home.

    The house also has solar panels on the roof that generate power to sell back to the electric company.

    Spicer said the electric bill at the house they rented before moving averaged $350 to $370 a month.

    “It’s going to mean everything” to get rid of that payment, Spicer said. “We’re going to be able to buy things we couldn’t normally buy because of this.”

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    • June

      2

      2012
    • 4850
    • 0

    Light 12-Glazed Window on the Horizon, at R-38

    In the USA, most windows are probably single- or double-glazed and some builders will use triple-glazed windows for Passive House and other high-performance homes. But in Hanover, Germany, a 12-glazed window prototype by Mariusz Paszkowski and Antoni Kostka was the star of the recent International Passive House Conference, according toDer Standard. Check out these windows with aerogel!

    The two scientists, in conjunction with SUPERWINDOWS, showcased INVIS160stack and INVIS160tweed, and both of the prototypes are about 160 mm thick, though they weigh no more than a double- or triple-glazed window unit.

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Costs of Custom Homes

The first thing most people want to know is: What does it costs to build a 3000 sqft custom home in the Atlanta, GA. market?  The first thing you have to calculate is the square footage you want.  Once you have that, the numbers below give you a good starting point.

Adjusted Square Foot Calculation:

New Construction:

Renovations:

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