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Archive for April, 2008
New Guidelines Make It Easier To Go Green
Monday, April 7th, 2008
Before
After
Green living is about the whole enchilada. It’s about doing a lot of little things, and maybe even a few big ones, that improve our lives, the environment and our economy. Our homes play a crucial role in the equation. New-home buyers are finding an increasing number of communities built in varying shades of green, and that’s a great trend. But what about the rest of us living in our existing, not-quite-so-green homes?
Most people want a greener home. Who wouldn’t want to reduce their power bill, be more comfortable and provide a healthier place for their family? Home remodeling is a $200 billion-a-year industry and is expected to double during the next five years as our housing stock ages. Every remodel, repair or upgrade represents an opportunity to go green.
What options do we have and just how do we go about deciding what to do first?
Green building programs and guidelines have traditionally focused on new construction, not remodeling. The American Society of Interior Designers Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council recently launched the nation’s first green residential remodeling guidelines. This excellent resource is available online at www.greenhomeguide.org.
Organized into the 10 most common remodeling projects, the Regreen Residential Guidelines are designed to provide professionals and homeowners with resources and tools to green existing homes. The guidelines can be applied to a variety of projects, from remodeling a kitchen to executing a full-scale renovation.
Even if you aren’t thinking of greening your home at the moment, browsing through the Regreen Residential Guidelines will undoubtedly result in some light bulb moments and flashes of inspiration. The well-illustrated 182-page document is chock-full of examples and case studies. It is not a technical how-to manual but strikes a good balance between detail and readability.
The Regreen Residential Guidelines will provide useful information to contractors, homeowners, elected officials and other policy-makers. As we tackle the issues of our time, such as climate change, growth, energy and economics, having the right tools is essential. This one should be in everyone’s toolbox. It’s a compendium of best practice guidelines and educational resources for sustainable residential improvement projects.
The thing about tools is that even the best of them serve no purpose if they are not used wisely. We now have a resource that can quite literally help us transform our community, but we must use it. Don’t wait for the other guy — it’s about you and me. We have a job to do, so let’s get to work!
Regardless of your budget or your home’s age, size or condition, there is something in the Regreen Residential Guidelines that makes sense for your situation. The cool thing about greening an existing home is that you can do it in small, incremental steps. Each improvement can build on previous ones and they are often complementary.
For example, adding extra insulation might be a good initial investment to make a home more energy efficient. Getting ductwork tested and properly sealed can eliminate costly leaks, a common problem. Changing out some windows might also lower energy costs. If the time comes to install a new air-conditioning unit, perhaps it can be downsized due to the home’s improved efficiency, a result of the previous improvements. At this point, adding a solar electric system would be much more cost-effective due to the home’s reduced electrical needs.
Putting some thought into the process is much better than implementing haphazard projects with no plan. Taking a holistic, integrated approach is the best way to go and the Regreen Residential Guidelines do a good job explaining how.
Tags: Architecture, ASID, Aspen, austin, Award Winning, Bath, Boca Raton, Brand Ambassador, california interior designer, Celebrity Interior Designer, Commercial, Construction, Contractor, Custom Furniture, dallas, Decor, Decorating, Design, Expert, Expert Witness, famous interior designer, Furniture Rentals, green, HGTV, Home, home design, home remodeling, Host, houston, Interior Decorator, interior design, interior design expert witness, Interior Designers, kitchen, La Quinta, LEED, los angeles interior designer, Miami, new york, Orange County Interior Designer, Palm Beach, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Santa Fe, Remodel, Renovate, Residential, Space Planning, Spokesperson, Staging, sustainable, Top Interior Designer
Posted in Green Building, Green Living | No Comments »
Architectural Digest’s Westweek 08 at the PDC ASID Green Building Panel
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008
Last week I moderated a green building panel at West week. We discussed strategies for using green materials and building processes. The audience was comprised mostly of interior designers, so I decided to keep it light and show some pretty pictures of recent green projects and devulge information about where to find the green materials. Sarah Rich, an editor from Dwell shared some of the projects being featured in Dwell’s Off the Grid section. Kris Kimble revealed his plans for edu-retailer Greenhive, 40,000 square foot green market places built around a green library. Greg Loosvelt from Earth Pledge shed light on the methods and benefits of green roofs. I’m a big fan of green roofs. In addition to preventing some of the nasty runoff into oceans, lakes and rivers, they help heat and cool the interiors of buildings. They’re also some of the most peaceful and private places you can be. While we’re all so busy thinking about the health of the planet in regards to being green, Mary Cordaro reminded us of something equally important, our individual health. That’s when it hit me. This is how I deal with objections to cost when trying to make clients understand about why to go green. Most of my clients have no problem throwing down $150 for a 3 ounce bottle of face cream but they look at me funny when I tell them to finish the walls with Earth Plaster for an extra $2.00 per square foot. (Love the Earth Plaster! Looks beautiful and absorbs and releases moisture as needed.) Using less toxic materials which don’t offgass poisonous chemicals might be good for more than just the face- your entire epidermis will thank you. Check out Mary Cordaro’s website www.h3environmental.com for more scientific information. The panel was packed, standing room only, and I think most people walked away thinking, “this makes sense and it’s easier to do than I thought.” That was my big goal for the day, that and having a great time at Westweek- mission accomplished!
Tags: Architectural Digest, Architecture, ASID, Aspen, austin, Award Winning, Bath, Boca Raton, Brand Ambassador, california interior designer, Celebrity Interior Designer, Commercial, Construction, Contractor, Custom Furniture, dallas, Decor, Decorating, Design, Dwell Magazine, Earth Pledge, Expert, Expert Witness, famous interior designer, Furniture Rentals, green, Green Building, green roofs, H3 Environmental, HGTV, Home, home design, home remodeling, Host, houston, Interior Decorator, interior design, interior design expert witness, Interior Designers, kitchen, La Quinta, LEED, los angeles interior designer, Miami, new york, Orange County Interior Designer, Palm Beach, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Santa Fe, Remodel, Renovate, Residential, Space Planning, Spokesperson, Staging, sustainable, Top Interior Designer
Posted in Events, Materials, Public Speaking | No Comments »