Window Shades, Blinds, and Awnings | GreenBuildingAdvisor.com
Some excellent ways to reduce solar heat gain without spending a ton of money on new windows.
We use windows to give us views, fresh air, and passive solar heating in the winter, but are there good ways to modify them to prevent too much solar gain in the summer? Yes, and new research from BuildingGreen (my company) and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) tells us which “window attachments” are worth using.
(Via GreenBuildingAdvisor.com.)
Product Review: Daylighting & Skylights – Daylighting, Skylights – EcoHome Magazine
Homeowners love to let the sun shine in.
But builders and architects know that flooding rooms with natural light—through windows, skylights, solar tubes, light wells, clerestories, and other building-envelope penetrations—can create problems, especially in northern and southern regions where heat loss or heat gain often accompany any increase in glazing. Bringing natural light deep into a home’s interior, whether for new construction or renovation, also can require difficult and costly building efforts but can reap huge rewards in efficiency and comfort if implemented effectively.
(Via Ecohome Magazine.)
Air Leaks or Thermal Loss: What’s Worse? | GreenBuildingAdvisor.com
Beefing up R-values and reducing air leaks are the twin rallying cries of builders focusing on energy efficiency. Regardless of the particulars of the house design, more insulation and fewer air leaks make houses more comfortable, more durable, and less expensive to heat and cool.
(Via GreenBuildingAdvisor.com.)
A Slow Economy Doesn’t Change the Rules of Bidding – Fine Homebuilding Article
Contractors say that too many homeowners and architects are naive in their reliance on the bid process as the major tool to lower project cost, and that they ignore the negative impact this process can have on the quality of construction, the level of service provided, and the development of the trust needed among all the parties for a successful outcome. If builders see that a bid process is not supported by thorough drawings or structured to ensure that all bidders develop accurate costs, they feel competitive pressure to provide lower bid figures that increase the chances of getting the job rather than finishing it the way the owner intends.
(Via Fine Home Building.)
Green Roof Outfitters
We met these guys at the Sustain SC conference last week and were really impressed with their green roof product. Basically, they manufacture small trays out of 100% recycled content that get planted with native drought tolerant plants. These trays sit directly on top of whatever roof you want to use, as long as the structure is strong enough to hold the extra weight.
The world is realizing the importance of having more sustainable practices, achieving greater environmental performance and efficiencies, and producing less of an environmental impact. The GRO Modular green roof system is a modern, cutting edge system of applying green roofs to most any situation. Green roofs have many benefits alone, but used in conjunction with the GRO Modular technology, the benefits increase exponentially, and can weigh heavily in a Cost-Benefit Analysis.
Unlike traditional green roofs, GRO Modular green roof systems offer easy installation and an instant green roof. This lightweight modular system arrives pre-planted and ready for placement. The all-inclusive GRO Modules include: a 100% recycled content container with a built in drainage & reservoir system, filter fabric layer, lightweight growing media and established hardy plants. Each component of this modular system is engineered to work synergistically with one another, creating an optimal environment for the green roof to thrive.
Read more about them on their website.
Building with a Shade of Green in North Charleston
The future of construction is focused on a color we’ve all heard a lot about. The Sustain South Carolina 2010 conference is focused on all things green from reusable material to better building practices. Tim Kottyan is the green design manager for Harris Construction. “The core philosophy is doing it right. Doing it sustainable and justifying the cost up front for the savings in the end,” he said. “Green building and changing the environment we live in cannot start with one building. Although it’s a start, this needs to be part of a community effort,” said John Hansen who helped organize the two day event. He says countless jobs will also be created though the green building movement.
Via ABC News 4.
Residental LEED Projects Already Surpass Commercial Projects in Total Certifications
Interesting that LEED for Homes is outpacing the commercial version.
I noticed a while back from the USGBC updates that residential certifications were quickly catching up to their commercial counterparts. A USGBC Update from 03.11.10 there are now 5,000 ‘residential’ certifications and 4,890 commercial projects in existence, though there are still slightly more commercial registered projects… amazing growth considering the first LEED-NC system was released over ten years ago while LEED-Homes was only launched in April of 2009…
(Via Real Life LEED.)
6 Prefab Houses That Could Change Home Building
Affordable prices, cool design, easy delivery. What’s not to like?
5 Markets Expected to Fare Best in 2010 – Yahoo! Real Estate
Good news for the Charleston area. Let’s hope it results in more business for everyone!
After a dour year where housing prices fell more than 12% nationwide, will 2010 bring sunnier tidings?
The short answer: only a tad in a select few places but overall not really.
The five areas that Moody’s foresees home prices performing best in 2010 are: Tacoma, Wash., (an increase of 2.44%); Memphis, Tenn., (up 0.99%); Pittsburgh (up 0.89%); Charleston, S.C. (up 0.18%); and Seattle (decline of 0.50%). (These five markets are culled from data on Moody’s Economy.com and based on the largest 100 metro areas.)
(Via Yahoo.)
Recycled Countertops Offer Alternatives to Mainstream Products
Recycled countertops are like the students in your high school class everyone envied: they are blessed with stunning good looks and amazing social skills, too. Recycled surfaces offer the benefits of being socially conscious without sacrificing style.
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