Green Building | The Middleton Group

Frugal House Framing

Posted on May 20, 2009

Image via Wikipedia

Carpenters love wood. The smell of fresh sawdust on a crisp fall morning, the slap and ring of hammers on boards, the sturdy feel of a new house frame—what’s not to love?

(Via EcoHome: Most Read Product Reviews.)

Sustainability Requires Durability

Posted on March 23, 2009

: Image via Wikipedia

A great piece on why we must build durable buildings to be “green” buildings. A new house or new building is not very “green” if the life expectancy is 50 years compared to 100 or 200 years.

Green buildings must be durable buildings. If you double the life of a building, no matter what the building is made of, you halve the environmental impact of its construction. But aren’t we building durable green buildings?

(Via Greensource Magazine.)

Sustainable building design contest (makezine.com)
Green Building Council calls for “building MOTs” (businessgreen.com)
Green Building and Remodeling for Dummies, Author Video (wileyptnews.com)

Stimulating Green Building

Posted on February 25, 2009

Whether you think the recently passed stimulus bill is good for our country or not, there are some provisions for green building and renewable energy.

The economic stimulus bill supports green building priorities to the tune of $79 billion, with support for energy-efficiency, renewable energy, and green transportation projects.

(Via BuildingGreen.com News.)

The Stimulus Bill Tax Credit Guide: Great Green Stuff Obama Will Help You Buy (treehugger.com)
Obama’s stimulus bill green lights green spending (lightbulbs.org)

Longevity, Durability, and Recyclability Make Metal Roofing a Good Choice for Sustainable Building

Posted on February 24, 2009

There is a house in Omaha, Neb., that is unlike any other in the state—perhaps the country. Built under HUD’s Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), this “Concept Home” is loaded with 60 of the best technologies and products home building has to offer and is seen as a model for the future of home construction. The roof the agency chose to use on the house is made from metal.

(Via EcoHome: Most Read Product Reviews.)

Green Building Can Be Sensible and Cost-Effective

Posted on January 9, 2009

Sustainable building experts at PCBC provide tips for going green without breaking the bank.

(Via EcoHome: Alternative Building Materials.)

Green Building Can Be Sensible and Cost-Effective

Posted on November 12, 2008

Sustainable building experts at PCBC provide tips for going green without breaking the bank.

(Via EcoHome: Alternative Building Materials.)

Yesterday, Laura and I attended a LEED for Homes review seminar. Overall it was a full day of information, from marketing LEED to going over every credit point in the program. I learned a lot about the program, and it cleared up a lot of confusion we had about providers and raters.

LEED for Homes works a lot differently than the commercial version. The USGBC recognized that builders don’t always have an architect on the team or have design done in-house. To help builders through the process and expedite everything, they started the LEED for Homes Provider network. It looks like this approach will be much more efficient than the commercial version, and lessen the burden on the LEED AP’s. By the way, there currently is no LEED for Homes AP accreditation, but it will be available next spring. Most likely one of us will get the LEED AP accreditation, and the other will get the LEED for Homes AP accreditation.

Vapor Retarders and Air Barriers

Posted on August 28, 2008

A primer on air barriers and vapor retarders.

Air barriers, which prevent air leakage, and vapor retarders, which control moisture diffusion, are both important for controlling moisture in a building envelope.

(Via BuildingGreen.com News.)

Building Green = Durability

Posted on August 15, 2008

christiania, grass roof, august 2007 This commentary explains perfectly our decision to design and build “Green”. Building for the long haul and building correctly not only saves materials and energy, but saves the owner money in utility costs and repairs.

No matter whom I speak to about green building, the conversation always seems to circle back to what I and many consider to be the most important aspect of a sustainable home: durability. It’s a term I define broadly as a house built using proper installation techniques, with an awareness of building science principles and the right combination of products and details that will keep it leak-free, mold-resistant, and rock solid for years to come.

Via EcoHome Magazine