Choosing Smart Building Products
Now that winter is almost history, many of us will turn our thoughts to those construction or remodeling projects we’ve been putting off. Whether you’re redesigning your kitchen or bath, installing a sprinkler system or deciding between different siding options, in order to make your hom...
The Goals of Green Building
You've heard about it and read about it. "Green building," "sustainable construction," or as I prefer to call it, "high-performance building" has been the fastest-growing segment of the building industry for several years now, and there appears to be no end to the growth in sight, even though the co...
The James Learning Center
On a recent weekend outing to Prescott, Ariz., I had the pleasure to tour the James Learning Center at the Highlands Center for Natural History, which turned out to be a wonderful learning experience. Located on an 80-acre site in the Prescott National Forest just outside of the quaint town of Presc...
Burnside's Inn: A Model Green Home
When it comes to building homes, Bob Burnside sees shades of green. “A lot of people say it’s [either] green or it’s not,” he explains, referring to today’s typical home. “Well, that’s not always the case. Let’s find incremental improvement. Let’...
Watch Your Water!
Nothing drives me crazier than seeing lawn sprinklers going off during a rainstorm. Potable water is a precious resource we must manage carefully and responsibly. By adopting water-conserving strategies and making use of a growing number of products on the market today, homeowners can not only ...
High-Performance High-Rises
As the sustainability movement continues forward, many construction projects of different types are starting to become more focused on greenbuilding. I'm receiving calls from developers I've never heard of on a daily basis, asking how they can make their projects more sustainable or even LEED (Leade...
How Does Your Home Rate?
The word on the street is that 2007 will be the "tipping point" for green building. Undeniably, green building has turned the corner over the last year or so, and residential green building rating systems are helping to develop the market.These programs quantify what "green" really means by ...
How Low Can You Go?
During the summer months, many smart homeowners turn their thoughts from indoor to outdoor home improvement projects. But outdoor ventures like new lawns, landscaping and gardening can be among the biggest water-wasters around.Water is an important resource that needs to be used more efficie...
Smart Resolutions for 2008
Now that our whole world seems to be turning green, you may be asking yourself what you can do in 2008 to become more responsible, lower your energy and water bills, and help make your home a healthier place for your family to live. There’s a plethora of information out there, so sorting ...
Three Basics of Energy Efficiency
While trying to develop material for this month's column on home energy efficiency, I thought long and hard about which new strategies or cutting-edge products I should write about to enlighten you. I considered high-performance windows and fenestration systems, the latest light and motion sensors, ...
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