The city of Austin has done well during the recent real estate crisis. Austin has been included in many “Top 10” lists, including those for home buyers and home sellers. The city has also been recognized for its embracing of green building. The Austin Green Building Program offers many tips on how to build while [...]
The city of Austin has done well during the recent real estate crisis. Austin has been included in many “Top 10” lists, including those for home buyers and home sellers. The city has also been recognized for its embracing of green building. The Austin Green Building Program offers many tips on how to build while being environmentally safe, and how to live that way once construction is complete. Many local builders use these guidelines to ensure quality green homes are built properly.
The Building Program bases its suggestions on Austin’s specific climate. Recommendations for heating and cooling the home are made based on the area’s relative humidity, annual rainfall rates, and winds. After studying all of these factors, the Program is able to advise builder how best to use natural resources. For example, it is recommended to build the home with the broad side facing north or south to avoid overheating during sunrise or sunset. Skylight use should also be limited for the same reason. Too much heat absorbed by the home will increase the need for an air conditioner. It is also recommended to use vents and reflective heat barriers on the roof to keep an attic cooler. Lighter color shingles will also keep the home cooler.
There are many more suggestions from Austin’s Green Building Program, for any part of new home construction. Since renewable resources are so necessary, many recommendations will offer a rebate or other benefit for using green planning. Be sure to look into how much building green can save you right now, and in the future.
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) will be changing the process for green building certification in January 2009. Certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program has become extremely popular since its inception in the year 2000, with over 1,500 building having received certification and 11,000 more applying for it.
LEED awards [...]
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) will be changing the process for green building certification in January 2009. Certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program has become extremely popular since its inception in the year 2000, with over 1,500 building having received certification and 11,000 more applying for it.
LEED awards points toward three levels of rankings – silver, gold, or platinum – by examining five key areas in a building’s design: sustainable development on the site, savings in water use, energy efficient lighting and temperature control systems, use of recycled or environmentally friendly materials, and quality of indoor air.
There have been growing complaints, however, that the application process is awkward and illogical, with small items like a bicycle rack and large expensive features such as an HVAC system receiving the same number of points toward certification. This is what the USGBC seeks to change.
The USGBC asked for public comment earlier this summer in a 30 day online forum that ended on June 22nd. The resulting new version, called LEED 2009, will revamp the rating system, streamlining it into one system and allocating points differently. The new system will be more flexible, more able to adapt to a continuously evolving industry as newer and better techniques and materials are developed, as well as accounting for different regions of the country.
The USGBC feels this new process will not only encourage builders and developers to incorporate environmentally friendly practices and materials into their construction, but will encourage innovation and make it easier for builders to seek LEED certification.
The demand is rising for more information about graywater systems – those systems that reclaim and reuse waste water from the bathtub, shower, utility sink and washing machine. (Toilet, dishwasher and kitchen sink waste water contains human or organic waste and is excluded from graywater systems.) Recycling the graywater involves filtering it, sending it to [...]
The demand is rising for more information about graywater systems – those systems that reclaim and reuse waste water from the bathtub, shower, utility sink and washing machine. (Toilet, dishwasher and kitchen sink waste water contains human or organic waste and is excluded from graywater systems.) Recycling the graywater involves filtering it, sending it to a storage tank, and then either using it to water the landscape or draining it below the surface of the yard where it eventually joins the groundwater.
Installing a graywater system can be difficult: it requires a separate drainage system for the bath, non-kitchen sink and washing machine water, a filter system, a storage tank, and an irrigation system to deliver the water to landscape plants. In addition, there should be a way to reroute the water into the regular septic system or sewer should the need arise.
This reuse of waste water ensures that clean, drinkable water isn’t used on the lawn or plants which don’t really care how it tastes. It reduces the amount of discharge going into the sewer system, taking demand off the treatment plant. A few important issues need to be taken into consideration before installing a graywater system, however.
It may be difficult to procure the permits needed to install a system as local health and safety agencies are understandably wary that graywater may leech into and contaminate drinking water. It’s advisable to use biodegradable laundry detergents for obvious reasons, and avoid chlorine bleach. It’s also probably a good idea to at least consult a professional plumber, if you plan on doing it yourself, as he or she can give you guidance on the proper and safe way to install such a system.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, is the standard by which Austin’s building projects are measured these days. Developers seeking LEED certification must meet stringent requirements for reduced waste, conservation in energy and water use, healthy environment for occupants and employees, and demonstrate their commitment to environmental conservation and [...]
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, is the standard by which Austin’s building projects are measured these days. Developers seeking LEED certification must meet stringent requirements for reduced waste, conservation in energy and water use, healthy environment for occupants and employees, and demonstrate their commitment to environmental conservation and responsibility.
Austin lays claim to starting the green building trend. The city government has been at the forefront of providing incentives for home and office builders to apply sustainable building practices as they plan and develop residential and professional properties.
Austin recently hosted the Austin Green Living & Home Products Expo, April 18 through 20, at the Austin Convention Center to showcase new products and designs and offer workshops for consumers to learn simple ways they can change their lifestyles and products they use to help contribute to a more environmentally friendly future. Small changes such as using compact fluorescent bulbs and reusable shopping bags can make a big impact when a lot of people get involved.
The Expo featured builders, landscaping architects, producers of renewable and alternative energy sources, and natural, organic, and fair trade products. Mayor Will Wynn spoke about his Climate Protection Plan, introduced in 2007 to raise awareness and set some goals for sustainability for the city. His aim was to set an example for the rest of the state by encouraging area home and business developers to study ways of lowering energy costs and use and he?s leading by example. In an article in the Austin Chronicle, he stated “my home electricity bill is $28 again this month. I’m also driving a fifth what I used to”. His hope is that the city will set an example for the rest of the country and, indeed, the world.
