Archive for the ‘Green Living’ Category

It’s Earth Day today, and in fact, it’s the 40th Earth Day to be celebrated since its inception.

In the past forty years we’ve come a long way in changing our ways to protect the earth, but as much progress as we’ve made we still have a lot of work ahead of us. Remember Al Gore on the scissor lift pointing out the spike in data? We need to make sure he doesn’t have to reach any higher than he already is to show our impact.

The inconvenient truth about getting on board with greener practices is just that, it can be slightly inconvenient to abandon our old routine and commit to a new one. It can be inconvenient to buy products that may cost more money. It can be inconvenient to actually think through all of our actions beforehand. But, in the end, if everyone took more time to consider their actions, maybe the end result would be a healthier planet for us and for our future.

Here are some of my resolutions for the coming year to help out the Earth, maybe you’ll want to add these resolutions to your list too:

1. Avoid “hypernesting”:  Hypernesting is a term I recently read about from the Apartment Therapy book The 8 Step Home Cure by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan. It’s the perfect name for the increased interest homeowners have of buying more and more things to outfit their home. With all the buying going on, and not a lot of getting rid of anything we are faced with an overload of “stuff,” hence, a constant need to “organize”.  But, as Gillingham-Ryan suggests, it’s not so much that homeowners “are in need of more organizing; we need to manage our consumption, let go of our stuff, and learn how to restore life to our homes.”

Managing our consumption is the key. Stop buying simply to buy. Just live simply. The less you consume, the less waste you’ll produce and the less waste that will go to landfills. Every time I go to Target or Ikea, I’m going to re-think my impulse purchases to make sure they are actually things I really need.

2. Make My Home More Energy Efficient: While my home could do with a new set of windows, I’m not sure my budget is going to allow for it. But there are other smaller things I plan on doing like lessen my use of vampire power, run of all of my laundry on cold, turn of lights when I’m not using them, and researching other tricks for reducing my energy use little by little.

3. Start Composting : Ok, all I have to do for this one is get the appropriate receptacles and convince the people I live with that it won’t smell. I grew up with a compost heap and have always felt guilty living life without one ever since. I think this year it’s time to get back into the habit, especially since I’ve been working more on gardening than ever before.

Composting is a great way to keep bio-degradable waste such as fruit and veggie scarps out of the landfill and back into the earth. Here’s a helpful government website to get you started.

4. Use Green Cleaning Products: I’ve already started purchasing greener products such as Seventh Generation cleaning supplies for my home. But, I really want to look into more options, Such as baking soda as an all purpose cleaner, and a lemon slice as an anti-bacterial agent for cleaning cutting boards.  I’m sure there are so many more of these eco-cleaning tips that are just as easy and affordable.

5. Consider a Rain Catchment System: I would love to be able to set up a rain catchment system at my house to have a water source for gardening, or even washing my car. Check out my previous post on these cool systems.

6. When Doing Home Improvements Use Eco or Recycled Products: If you’re going to be remodeling, think about the impact of your materials. While there is an array of beautiful, new recycled and sustainable materials, you may also want to consider re-using older materials. At the Rebuilding Center in Portland you can find hundreds of reusable windows, doors, and even sinks and bathtubs. Instead of adding to the landfill, why not re-purpose something so it never becomes junk in the first place.

For more about green building and an eco lifestyle check out our Green Living Section.

I’m always looking for ways to save.

Whether it’s killing off vampire power with items like the Smart Strip power strip, or trying to use the least amount of paper products in my kitchen that I can get away with, I am a person who likes to save money and the environment.  It’s a powerful combo, and one that is catching on with more and more homeowners.

Lots of small household upgrades pack a double punch of money savings and eco savings. Your front door for instance. Did you know that replacing exterior doors can save you money? By upgrading your exterior doors to steel or fiberglass you will gain five times as much insulation as with an older, dated door. Better insulation means you don’t need as much energy to heat and cool your home. These doors generally also include built in weather stripping, another great way to trap in heat and stop drafts.

Last but not least, if you upgrade to an EnergyStar approved exterior door you can apply for a tax credit of 30% of the cost of the project for up to $1,500.

Looking for other ways to save? Here are some other tips: 

Green Building with Joel Fraley of The Neil Kelly Company
Energy Efficency: Put Your Refrigerator to the Test
Falling Rain = Falling Utility Bills: Rain Catchment Systems

Seems that everywhere you look green building is the talk of the construction industry. While some contractors and companies just talk about it, others have dedicated years to learning about the industry and growing with it. 

The Neil Kelly Co. based in Portland, Oregon has been dedicated to the green movement for many years. Spearheading a green construction focus in the West, the company can claim to have built the first LEED certified building in the West.  Being a model for green excellence takes a dedicated team, and I’m lucky to be able to feature an interview from one of them, Joel Fraley. Joel is a great person to interview on this topic since he has both experience in the field and knowledge from being an active member in professional associations for the green building movement.

Joel has been a designer with Neil Kelly Co. for the past four years. Prior to that he ran his own business designing and building custom furniture and interiors. He first got involved in green building in the late 1980s as a carpenter working on historic renovation projects. Joel is currently on the Steering Committee for the Portland Metro HBA (Home Builder’s Association) Green Building Council. He has also been a member of the US Green Building Council since 2001, showcasing his dedication to the movement.

If you’ve been wondering what going green in your home is all about, Joel has got your answers:

1. How do you define “green building,” and why do you think it is so important? 

The definition of green building is to significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of homes on the environment and on the homeowners. Green building continues to increase in popularity and importance as we deplete our natural resources and energy costs continue to increase.

We have also learned the importance of a healthy indoor environment as it relates to our overall well-being. Many construction products contain chemicals that can be harmful to people with environmental allergies and decrease indoor air quality.

2. What are the best ways that a homeowner can make green choices during their next remodel?

Focus on ways to improve energy efficiency, first and foremost. Concentrate on sealing air infiltration and improving indoor air quality, improving insulation and the efficiency of your mechanical systems. We offer a Home Performance audit that will spell out the costs and benefits of these projects in great detail. This is the best way to make a direct impact on your energy bill.

When it comes to specifying products for your project, do your homework and make sure that you are choosing products with a proven track record of environmental responsibility. Due to the increasing popularity of green building, many manufacturers are marketing their products as “green” simply to increase sales.

(Neil Kelly Co. Custom LEED Home - Photo via Green Talk)

3. Many homeowners think that choosing green materials and techniques will only add money to their budget. From your experience, is this a true statement?

No. Many projects that were considered cutting edge a few years ago now enjoy mainstream acceptance. Examples include compact fluorescent light bulbs, no formaldehyde added building products, recycled content tile and countertop materials, cork and Marmoleum flooring, dual flush toilets and many others. Public awareness of these products continues to increase demand and lower prices. You can make a real commitment to sustainable products without affecting you overall budget. 

4. What is the most interesting green building project you’ve worked on?

Our “company retreat” outside of Telluride, Colorado was a vacation cabin built entirely of construction materials salvaged from other projects, which would normally end up in the landfill. I also worked on several Earthships, which use passive solar, old tires, aluminum cans and other recycled materials for their construction. 

(Neil Kelly Co. Custom LEED Kitchen)

5. What green products and materials for the home do you use or recommend?

Neil Kelly cabinets are made using responsibly forested woods, no-added formaldehyde agriboard case/drawer materials and low VOC glues, adhesives and finishes.

Whenever possible, we will often reuse existing materials or fixtures and work them into the new design.

Other products we specify include Marmoleum and cork flooring, recycled concrete or porcelain countertops, quartz countertops, dual flush toilets and many others. We also use a lot of salvaged woods for countertops or trim.

6. What is the best piece of advice you can give a homeowner considering starting on their first green home improvement project?

First and foremost, concentrate on the improvements that will add the most long term value to the house. Consider getting a Home Performance audit so you can address the specific areas that need the most work. When it comes to choosing products, buy local whenever possible to support your local economy and reduce transportation. Do your homework and make sure the products you select are truly sustainable and have a proven track record.

Thanks for sharing all your green expertise, Joel.

Got green building on the brain? Here are some past “green” posts you might like: 

Falling Rain = Falling Utility Bills: Rain Catchment Systems
Green Home Gift Guide
Breathe Better: Home Air Quality

Ever wondered just how much your different home appliances cost you each year in terms of energy costs? Well, now you can.

Energy Star has created a site dedicated to helping homeowners understand the impact of their refrigerator on the planet and their options for lessening that impact. By submitting some simple information about your home’s refrigerator you can find out the annual actual cost.

The site also offers information on state recycling programs, Energy Star refrigerator models and much more. The state by state break down of rebates is helpful. For example, if I upgraded my refrigerator, and recycled my old one, I would get a $30 rebate from the state of Oregon.

A refrigerator is often seen as the biggest electricity culprit in the home. Because of this, some brave people have decided to ditch their fridge altogether. While you may think it’s an impossible task, some claim that it’s not as daunting as one might think. I’m not convinced, and for now I’m keeping my fridge…no matter what the cost.

If you think of Portland, or any place in the Pacific Northwest, the first thing you probably think of is the rain.

The rain falls and falls and falls most of the year.

But a truly happy Portlander is someone who doesn’t mind the rain (makes for a great reason to stay inside and enjoy a lazy day) but is also someone who likes to preserve the natural beauty we have in the region. That means doing what you can to lessen you’re impact, and making the most of the resources you have.

One increasingly popular way to preserve resources in Portland is to install a home rain catchment system. The name sounds fancy, but it’s basically just a way to store non-potable rain water for uses such as lawn irrigation, watering your plants, or washing your car.

(Bureau of Planning and Sustainability)

By collecting rain water in these systems it helps preserve our limited resources of potable water for purposes where drinkable water isn’t essential.  Plus, you’ll be using less water from the tap, which means lower water bills every month.

Most systems involve some kind of downspout from your roof down to a catchment barrel at the bottom.  You can find out more about these basic systems and your utility savings on the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability’s website. They offer numerous resources to help you understand all the different aspects of rainwater harvesting.

The part of these systems I like is how you can turn them into an interesting focal point of your home, and more and more Portland homeowners are catching on to this trend which I see popping up in neighborhoods across the city.

Most systems use a basic plastic container to collect water. It’s not pretty, in fact, it’s pretty ugly. But right here in Portland there is a store where you can get a handmade wood barrel that’s actually nice to look at, and it made out of salvaged wood. The Rainbarrel Man Co. crafts many different kinds of barrels based on the kind of system you plan to install. Here’s an example of the barrels:

You’ll also have to figure out how you are going to funnel the water from the roof to the barrel. The obvious answer is downspouts, but the more interesting answer is rain chains. These little cups will transport your water down and into the barrel and adds an eye-catching, artistic feature to the outside of your home.

(RainChains.com)

(Re-Nest)

Check out some other posts for more ways to “green” your home:

What LEED Means for You: Learn about LEED guidelines for construction, and how it can change your lifestyle.
Green Materials - Cork: This renewable resource is pretty cool for your floors and for other home projects.
What the Stimulus Means for Homeowners: Find out how your home can benefit with tax credits for home improvements and first time home buyers.

One of the first LEED qualified buildings, and the first LEED skyscraper in New York, is  the 7 World Trade tower.

(Building Exterior - Wired New York)

As I mentioned in my previous LEED post, using natural light and resources is a big part of creating a LEED building, and 7 World Trade does just that with its design. The exterior of the building involves lots of windows and glass that let’s in light. The design encompasses clear, low-iron glass which allows for lots of interior light and reflectivity. There is a layer of stainless steel spandrels behind the glass to help reflect all the sunlight coming in through the ultra-clear glass.

(Plaza at 7 Wolrd Trade via Wired New York)

The building also focuses on using recycled materials. Thirty percent of the structural steel from the building is from recycled steel sources. For the interior, recycled materials were used for insulation and various other projects.

The building attempts to lessen its impact by being incredibly conscious of resource use. There is a large park and green area around the building for public use which is watered from collected rainwater. The collected rainwater is also used to cool the building. Steam from the heating system of the building is reused to generate some power for the building too. Tenants of the building have their individual power use metered to encourage them to conserve what resources they are using.

(Building Interior - Wikipedia)

A friend of mine happens to work in the building, and, by all of his account the building is spectacular. He always talks about the big windows and how beautiful the building is, it’s actually a place he looks forward to going to everyday, and ultimately I think that’s what I like about LEED. It’s about making spaces that make humans glad to be there. 

The first in a two part series on LEED requirements for homes.

Part One: Ever wondered what the acronym LEED means? Learn what these guidelines are, and how they are forging the way for a new philosophy in urban planning, green building, and how we live.

Have you ever heard of LEED?

I’d heard of it and seen it in ads for new buildings trying to prove their “green-ness”, but I didn’t really know what it was, let alone what it would mean for me.

But then, a few weeks ago I was talking to an engineer friend when he happened to mention he was working towards being a certified LEED member.

Talking about LEED with this friend, he shed some light on what exactly the government entity really does. The more I looked into it the more I realized LEED really is relevant to the everyday homeowner.

LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a set of guidelines made by the government to create a benchmark standard for green building.

Sure, some of the guidelines are just complicated technical things, but what really interested me about it was how many of the guidelines were very simple and encompassed issues beyond just the construction world – it’s more involved in creating a shift in philosophy, a philosophy that is moving towards making buildings and communities that are move livable and useable for everyone.

Here are some aspects of the LEED guidelines that interested me the most:

Home Placement for Better Living and Protection of Land

Many of the guidelines refer to the placement of homes. This can involve many aspects of the location and the site including protecting the surrounding land by not disturbing prime soils or endangered species.

Meeting LEED requirements also calls for home sites to be placed in socially and environmentally responsible ways in relation to the larger community.  Basically this means you want to place your home near already existing resources and infrastructure. Living in an existing neighborhood with close grocery stores, libraries, and churches is good for you because it means you can live a lifestyle where you can walk, bike or take convenient public transportation to things without getting into your car and having to drive. Which for me, would definitely improve my quality of life! And save resources!

Creating Connections with the Outdoors and Maximizing Free Resources

Another LEED guideline is to use materials and building techniques that maximize energy efficiency. In itself this is always smart whether your house is LEED certified or not. One way that LEED emphasizes energy efficiency with smart building design is illustrated by their use of windows.

(LEED LivingHome featured in Dwell Magazine)

By installing windows that maximize solar intake you don’t have to use electric lighting as much as you would in a home with few windows. It can also help in winter by encouraging daylighting, or passive heating, from the sun. But the benefits aren’t just about reducing your energy usage. 

I have always been happiest in homes which I describe as being “flooded in light.” Homes that have big windows that let in lots of natural light make your home feel bigger, more airy, and allows for people to feel a connection with the outdoors which can often be lost in the day to day shuffle of life. Using natural light in home design seems like a no-brainer, since ultimately the more sunshine a person gets, the happier they tend to be. 

Friday: Part 2 – A look at the first LEED Building: 7 World Trade

I constantly preach about making the most of the space you already have before adding on, or moving on to another home.

Here is a great example of my favorite sermon.

A family featured in Sunset Magazine went from this garage:

And created this design maximizing their underused space by adding a gabled roof to create a loft space, and adding a bedroom office/play space and a bathroom to make a complete guest area:

The 400-square-foot final product:

In a time where the name of the game is not only waste less, but also spend less, this project epitomizes “smart remodeling.” Money is saved by using an existing space instead of creating a brand new addition, and of course fewer materials have to be used to create the space. More green for your wallet and the planet.