I keep seeing all this stuff about green building. When I first saw it I thought -- who cares? But it seems like maybe its getting more popular. My question is do your customers care whether a house is considered green or not?

I'm not sure about the actual construction of a building, but as an interior designer, I can tell you that an increasing number of my clients are wishing to use organic or "green" products on their walls and for decorating purposes. Companies like American Clay that offer decorative plaster that is made from natural materials and companies like Viva Terra that offer organic products spanning from bedding to dinnerware are becoming really popular with my clients.

I don't know a lot about construction but I do know that the technology used to develop the products used to create solar or wind power has gotten better over the years and more people are turning to those options to cut down on energy costs...

Yes, I have plans pick out for a passive solar homw and I will use all the new and green friendly products I can when i build it.

From the standpoint of a customer, yes we do care. I am currently designing a "green" house that will use passive solar heat and energy efficient materials. It really isn't any more difficult to build this way, and the pay off will last a lifetime.

building green is VERY important. the more builders who utilize and promote building green, the better it will be for everyone. i intend to use as many green products in my next home as possible and since that home will be around 4000 sq ft, the greener the better.

PLEASE promote and use green products. the higher the demand for the products, the more varied the selection will be for those who want to use the products.

Yes, yes, yes, I care about building green. It's all about health and making best use of our natural resources in order to save money!

Darn RITE I DO!
I am looking for a home in the shenadoah valley or mountains that is wheelchair accessable with solar heat, etc. If the home is not green, it wont even be considered, period, because a green home will be well worth the wait.
I heard there is a community in Loudon County, VA that is off the grid for power - would love to find it and hope the homes are made with lots of natural meterials! I intend to have a literal green house to grow organic veggies ; )
Susan
Winger1200@aol.com

I saw an interesting segment on Scope about Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture a book by Nader Khalil. This is more of a desert approach but very interesting. You use bags full of sand and stack them securing with wire. The outside was coated with I believe lacquer and milk? They say you can build one of these houses in a week. The structurers are currently being tested in the US. He presented this simple idea to NASA and they are very interested, less payload etc. They resist most of mother natures hazards including earth quakes and floods.

You bet I do. I will soon have to leave my post and beam barn due to a divorce and am intending that my next home will be both "green" as well as built using Universal design guidelines. I suggest that those of you who are builders and designers start focusing on these very desirable elements as they will be the supreme choise of our aging population in the coming years. I myself will consider no other form of housing and have just reached the end of my first 50 years of life, I have the freedom to move anywhere in the US to do so. Additionally I will have my son who is developmentally, though not physically, handicapped. A home following the ADA guidelines will definately enhance both our lives as well as that of my aging relatives and friends who visit. I can not urge you enough to incorporate these practices in you future planning.

I just got my first request from a client for Green design. I know the principles behind it but have never been involved in specifications for green products for interiors. Looks like I will be busy researching and look forward to the experience so I can offer this in the future as well. Does anyone have any good links for sources? Any help is appreciated.
Christy

My company cares about Green Building. As a matter of fact, the houses that we build are not only Green Built houses, but they are also certified as Energy Star houses. We have our houses inspected by an Inspector that is certified with the U.S. Dept. of Energy. The house gets a HERS rating that determines if it qualifies as an Energy Star house. All of the houses that we have built so far (6 of them) have been certified Energy Star. We just joined the Florida Green Built Commission, and realized that our houses were Green Built houses too. This is not only the wave of the future, but a necessary part of our future.

Yes, I believe they do. I use a lot of full spectrum interior paints, particularly Ellen Kennon mixed in the ICI Dulux bases. The ICI line is known for it's low VOC paints. The Sherwin Williams Harmony brand is also very popular with my clients. Five years ago a client wouldn't even know the term VOC, now I'd say about one out of every 6 will inquire about it. Here's a good link

http://www.idec.org/greendesign.html

This message has been edited. Last edited by: funcolors,

Well...yeah...but it depends! People often SAY they want to be ecologically conscious, but if the bottom dollar prohibits it, they often opt for "less than green", IMO.

As a consumer and wife of a contractor, I can say I have rarely heard of any of my husband's customers saying: "oh, NOOOO! Don't do THAT! It's not green!"..

On the other hand...as a the mom of a daughter and grandson w/ asthma...I can say that she is VERY concerned AND much more informed than you contractors would (probably!) like her to be about what's "green"...or just plain healthy!

For instance...she's been researching insulation and is stuck on this soy-based foam. I can't tell you how many contractors have talked "down" to her and tried to convince her that blown-in cellulose "never settles"! (sure!!!) and "won't get into the house" (r-i-i-tght!!!!).

She knows her stuff and has had endless headaches w/people who JUST WON'T listen!!!

So come on, people...wise up! At least hear your customers out! DO WHAT THEY WANT, unless it's insane!

I think customers do care.....

From my own experience once our company started going green our clients seemed to like the direction we were heading. No one really wants to be exposed to unhealthy products or use wasteful building practices if it can easily be avoided.The decision to go green was based more on my belief in sustainable building/landscaping than actually having clients request these services but now that we've gone down that road people will seek us out based on our philosophy.

Now if there were only more green suppliers....

http://www.growing-image.com

I sure as the dickens care about "green." I bought a concrete block 1945 cottage ranch in Mesa, AZ last year; and have been researching what I can do to make it more energy efficient ever since. I have HUGE windows..which I love..but they're steel frame and single pane..it cost me apprx $300-$400/mo to air condition a 1300 sq ft home last year...and I have lots of trees, grass etc unlike many homes in the area. I'm trying to put together a comprehensive plan as I know what I want will probably be more expensive initially..but as I and the rest of the boomers age, I think its important to plan for efficiencies that will lower my operation costs as I and my home age. Think about the elderly right now who are having a tough time paying heating costs due to oil price increases...and then think about how much worse it could be if the worse-case scenario I saw on CNN.com today would occur...oil at $262/barrel. If I had my druthers I would wrap the whole house in strawbale for more insulation...but space and historic issues prevent that...and don't solve my window problem. If anyone out there has any suggestions on best solutions for window retro-fit or other solutions..I would greatly appreciate it. I anticipate I have at least 30 years worth of projects, and all help is gratefully appreciated.

We can't afford NOT to care about the impact of our buildings on our environment and thus our health. Even if you are not an environmentalist, you want to breath clean air don't you?..air that is free from chemicals and volatile organic compounds>? Most "traditional" building materials contain significant amounts of harmful chemicals that you end up inhaling and/or absorbing into your body. I imagine that most people also want fresh water and access to daylight. These are the things that we need in order to feel well. The idea of designing healthy environments is a huge part of the "Green Building" movement. What we do with the site and where the materials and energy comes from is the rest of the equation. As a Seattle Architect specializing in sustainable design and green building technology, people (my clients) come to me because they care deeply about sustainability and living in a conscious/responsible way.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: anarchitect,

I'm kind of new at this - so I hope this works but I want to address Marcia and seeing the date of her post - not sure if this will get far. But there is a ton of stuff that can be done for her house - all passive technologies - she should be trying to do the reverse of what we do up here in Canada - but insulation is still the answer - think fridge - there are a ton of high performance windows glazings/shades external and internal and insulation that can be used to ensure a comfortable cost effective environment. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Troy

quote:

Originally posted by Marcia:
I sure as the dickens care about "green." I bought a concrete block 1945 cottage ranch in Mesa, AZ last year; and have been researching what I can do to make it more energy efficient ever since. I have HUGE windows..which I love..but they're steel frame and single pane..it cost me apprx $300-$400/mo to air condition a 1300 sq ft home last year...and I have lots of trees, grass etc unlike many homes in the area. I'm trying to put together a comprehensive plan as I know what I want will probably be more expensive initially..but as I and the rest of the boomers age, I think its important to plan for efficiencies that will lower my operation costs as I and my home age. Think about the elderly right now who are having a tough time paying heating costs due to oil price increases...and then think about how much worse it could be if the worse-case scenario I saw on CNN.com today would occur...oil at $262/barrel. If I had my druthers I would wrap the whole house in strawbale for more insulation...but space and historic issues prevent that...and don't solve my window problem. If anyone out there has any suggestions on best solutions for window retro-fit or other solutions..I would greatly appreciate it. I anticipate I have at least 30 years worth of projects, and all help is gratefully appreciated.

Green is getting more press these days but certainly not mainstream. The birkenstock wearing early adopters for sure. For green to become mainstream the prices have to come down. It is exhorbitantly expensive for most "green" products that I have looked at.

Darn Right We Care!!! Check out the Zero Energy home in Dallas built by Anderson Sargent Homes in Waxahachie Tx. Gold Medal Blder of the year.
He has been been building Energy Effencient homes for years. And is usually a speaker at the Renewable Energy Roundup. I was fortunate to take classes from him thru Cedar Valley Col. in Lancaster, Tx. He is also a fan of Susan Susanka of "The not so big House". His insight is based on What works in Houston won't work in Dallas, and what works in Dallas, won't work in Amarillo. The local climates have a great influence on the type and specs of building.I admire the California influence of the Million Roof program. If you read the Renewable Energy websites, it is embarrasing how forward thinking other countries are in the world, and we are behind the curve. Dy

Green is the only way to go! We currently live in the ancestral homestead (c. 1960) which was certainly not built to any environmental standards. Add to that my home-improvement Dad who added vinyl siding and vinyl-clad (although double-pane) windows, and this place is about as far away from green as you can get! But now that Dad has passed over and I'm the homeowner, little by little I'm doing my bit to help the environment.

Green products do seem to be very expensive, and I don't understand why that should be. We have two crumbling stoops, and I want to cover them over with a composite wood material. (such as Trex) I've interviewed four contractors and only one had even heard of the stuff, and he said he thought it would be too slippery. (It's not. We vacation at the seashore where they are slowly replacing all boardwalks, piers, etc. with this material, and it's actually less slippery than wood. And it doesn't splinter - and there's no maintenance)

I was buying no-VOC paint at a local hardware store a couple of years ago, and got into an argument with (guess who?) a contractor. He saw what I was buying and started shouting "That stuff is killing my business! It's a pain in the --- to work with, and it doesn't hold up outside!" I told him that I wasn't using it outside, not that it was any of his business, and that I would use whatever paint I darn well pleased, especially since it doesn't outgas. He said "So what if you have some fumes? Just open a window while the paint is drying!" Obviously, this dolt knew nothing about VOCs and the harm they can do to our health.

I also have yet to find a yard and lawn service that is completely organic, doesn't use gas-powered leaf-blowers and doesn't hire illegal immigrants. So I look after the entire half-acre myself - completely organically. Yes, it's hard, and I have some weeds, and my grass doesn't turn neon-green by March. But I refuse to add to the desecration of our environment, so while I'm steward of this little patch of Planet Earth, I'm going Green all the way!