Living Green

Live Broadcast a Success

Many thanks to the folks we interviewed on the air during our live radio broadcast at this year's Green Home Seminar and Tour at Blacksburg Recreation Center.  Steve Ayers did a fabulous job emceeing the show, and I enjoyed chatting with Abi Convery, formerly of the New River Valley Planning District Commission; Ed Tuchler of Shelter Alternatives; Colin Arnold of the Community Design Studio at Community Housing Partners; and Bill McGuire of Builderscrete/Auz-Bloc.

Here are some of the themes we covered:
*The increase in people's awareness of environmental issues, as well as the increase in participation at the Green Home Seminar and Tour.
*The usefulness of home energy audits, like those performed by Blacksburg's Energy Check.
*Green Home Remodeling: The importance of taking an holistic approach to green home improvements and envisioning the home as a system of components working together for energy efficiency and health.
*Small steps individuals can take to improve the energy efficiency, comfort, or health of their homes.
*Auz-Bloc product and the open house we were to hold at 153 Gracie Lane in Floyd on Sunday, April 27th.

Green Moments on the Radio

You may be familiar with the NRVLiving Radio Show on WPIN 810 AM, which my teammate Jeremy Hart broadcasts every Saturday morning from 10:00 - 10:30.  If you've never heard it, you should - it covers everything from the most recent mortgage market news and homeowners insurance insights to local commercial property developments and home improvement tips.

The month of April will be a particularly great time to tune in to the NRVLiving Radio Show, as each broadcast will feature a "Green Moment" with news or tips regarding sustainable housing.  These green snippets are teasers for a full one-hour LIVE remote broadcast from the New River Valley's Green Home Seminar at the Blacksburg Recreation Center on April 26th from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.  We'll be interviewing vendors, participants, and speakers, and offering all kinds of neat green tips and news.

One of the most exciting aspects of the live, on-site broadcast is that it will be hosted by YOURS TRULY.  Am I nervous?  You bet!  But with teammate Steve Ayers assisting with the production, I think we'll do a fine job. 

The Green MOB Strikes Again!

Curious about green remodeling?  Wondering how to lower your energy costs?  Want to visit some environmentally friendly homes?  Mark your calendar for April 26, 2008 to attend the 2nd Annual New River Valley Green Home Seminar and Tour!

The seminar will take place at the Blacksburg Recreation Center, 725 Patrick Henry Drive, from 9am until 12pm.  Seminar speakers are:

• Ed Tuchler, Shelter Alternatives and Colin Arnold, Community Housing Partners on “Green Remodeling: Retrofitting Your Home;”
• Terry Clements, Virginia Tech on “Landscaping for Energy Conservation;” and
• Bryan Walsh, Solar Connexion on “Residential Solar Technology.”

Local area green building businesses and organizations will exhibit their wares and services to the public from 8am to 1pm.

The tour, held from 1-5pm at houses throughout the New River Valley, will feature area residences that are extremely energy efficient in their design and construction, utilize renewable energy systems, or utilize local building materials.

Registration is $15 per person or $25 per couple through the Blacksburg Parks and Recreation website: https://recreation.blacksburg.gov or by calling 540.961.1135.  Exhibit and sponsorship opportunities are still available.  For more information, visit nrvgreenmob.blogspot.com.

The New River Valley Green Home Tour and Seminar organizers are: Association for Energy Conservation Professionals (AECP), the Community Design Assistance Center at Virginia Tech (CDAC), NRV Living Real Estate, New River Valley Planning District Commission, The Sage Soapbox, Shelter Alternatives, Town of Blacksburg, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and YMCA at Virginia Tech.

Download greenHomeTourPoster8x11-032408.pdf

Auz-Bloc is green - and it supports the local economy

I wrote yesterday about our seller clients who are walking the green walk.  Today I want to tell you more of the story...

Auz-Bloc is a locally owned and operated company that manufactures and sells the Auz-Bloc product, which is the American version of a similar Australian product called Timbercrete.  Timbercrete was developed "down under" by a potter who wanted to build his own sturdy home affordably.  Using cellulose, cement, sand and binders, and other  materials to create a building block with unique qualities, Peter Collier invented a material that impressed researchers and inspectors with its durability and stability.  Mr. Collier patented his product and started a company - Timbercrete - that allows other local business people to open Timbercrete franchises.  That's what Auz-Bloc is - the first and only Timbercrete franchise in the U.S. - right here in Floyd, Virginia!

The use of recycled raw materials and the franchise concept are two major keys to the sustainability of the Auz-Bloc/Timbercrete product.  The block is made of materials, like sawdust, reclaimed from other industry's waste.  In our area, large forest products companies that harvest trees for timber framing create a lot of sawdust waste.  Instead of burning or composting the waste (which could create problems with pollution or space), this sawdust can be used in the production of Auz-Bloc.  In addition, the raw materials come from LOCAL industries, so they don't have to be shipped half-way around the world (thus saving fossil fuels and preventing pollution from transportation).

Walking the Walk

In my blog, I do a lot of talking about green stuff, particularly as it relates to real estate and the home environment.  If you look around, you'll see lots of folks talking the talk about green.  But who do you know who's actually walking the walk?

I know a family who's walking the walk.

At the NRVLiving Real Estate Team, we were thrilled when this family decided to work with us to sell their home - not only because their home is exquisite, but also because their home offers unique green and energy efficient features.  The house is constructed of a revolutionary material called Auz-Bloc, which is new to the U.S.  The block, also known as Timbercrete, is made of sawdust and other waste materials from the local timber industry.  So in addition to turning one industry's trash into a treasured building product, it helps reduce the pollution involved in transporting the raw materials and finished product from the manufacturing site to the construction site.

Auz-Bloc also touts its energy saving qualities, claiming to offer up to six times the insulation capacity of conventional bricks.  Our sellers didn't just take the product's word for it, though; they had an energy audit performed to assess the home's energy efficiency.  After blowing in some additional insulation in the attic and plugging some air leaks (nothing related to the Auz-Bloc itself), the home qualified for 5 Stars on the Energy Star certification scale.

What is Energy Star?
Energy Star Qualified Homes is a national program that qualifies homes based on energy efficiency.  To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC) and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.

The Energy Star Scale
In order to certify the energy efficiency of a home, it must be tested by a qualified and independent energy "rater" according to the Home Energy Rating System (HERS).  The HERS scale goes from 0 (the most efficient) to 500 (the least efficient).  Here's how Energy Star explains the ratings:

The lower a home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is. A home built to code scores a HERS Index of 100, while a net zero energy home scores a HERS Index of 0. Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS Reference Home. Thus a home with a HERS Index of 85 is 15% more energy efficient than the reference home and a home with a HERS Index of 80 is 20% more energy efficient.

Our clients' Auz-Bloc home achieved a HERS rating of 81, which means it is 19% more efficient than the index home.  On a scale from 1 Star (lowest HERS ratings) to 5+ Stars (highest HERS ratings), our clients' home received 5 Stars!

The upshot
Okay, big deal...what do the 5 Stars REALLY mean?  The 5 Stars really mean that this house's energy efficient features will provide more comfort (particularly in terms of indoor temperature) and save its occupants money on utility bills.  How much money, I can't say, because that's influenced by fluctuating fuel prices and the weather.  I've been told that the utility bills for this 2235-sqft house average less than $100 per month; the Home Energy Rating Certificate has the bills estimated at less than that.  Compare that to the bills for my own house, which at approximately 1300 sqft averages $100 per month, and you're talking about a significant per-square-foot savings!

The energy efficient features of this home are just a few of the reasons this house is such a great deal.  For more information, contact me or my teammate Jeremy Hart!  (Home listed and marketed by Jeremy Hart, REALTOR.  NRVLiving Real Estate Team - Real Estate. Simplified. Coldwell Banker - Townside, REALTORS. Blacksburg, Virginia)

NRV Green Home Tour opportunities

The very first-ever Green Home Tour in the New River Valley enjoyed a great reception this past spring, so the event's organizers have decided to give it another go next year.  In the six short months since the 2007 seminar and tour, the GREEN buzz has risen louder and louder.  But GREEN building is more than just a passing fad; people are demanding homes built with non-toxic materials and energy-efficient features.

Mark April 26, 2008 on your calendar to attend the next NRV Green Home Seminar and Tour and learn more about local sustainable building methods.  Better yet - if you'd like to become even more involved in the NRV's green building movement, sign up to volunteer on one of our organizing committees.  Below are descriptions of the various committees, along with their duties.  If you have interest in learning more, either send me an email or visit the event's website to learn more!

HOME COMMITTEE
The Home Committee envelops all aspects of home recruitment, selection, data
gathering and creation of tour brochure, determination of van route for
carpooling, and suggested bike route.

.    Recruit homeowners
.    Revise questionnaire and materials
.    Evaluate and select homes
.    Compile pictures and data into tour brochure
.    Create maps
.    Determine van route
.    Determine suggested bike route

SEMINAR COMMITTEE
The responsibility of the Seminar Committee is to determine topics for
seminar, determine length of seminar, recruit appropriate speakers, develop
program, collect speaker bios, collect presentations, and determine a
moderator and time keeper.

.    Determine Topics for Seminar
.    Determine Length of Seminar 
.    Recruit Appropriate Speakers 
.    Develop Program 
.    Collect Speaker Bios 
.    Collect Presentations 
.    Determine Moderator and Time Keeper

MARKETING COMMITTEE
The Marketing Committee is responsible for creating and distributing press
releases, posters, flyers, announcements, and any other publicity for the
2008 NRV Green Home Seminar and Tour.

.    Revise existing marketing materials
.    Revise media contact list 
.    Target events for marketing
.    Distribute posters/flyers
.    Set advertising budget
.    Contact media 
.    Identify green marketing methods 
.    Utility bill announcements
.    Designate spokesperson
.    Revise survey for participants 
.    Keep website up-to-date

SPONSORSHIP COMMITTEE
This committee is responsible for developing sponsorships for food,
printing, venue cost, registration costs, etc. Additionally this committee
is also responsible for identifying exhibitors for the day of the event
(includes coordinating with venue and event coordinator for the day of the
event). Additionally, this committee is responsible for developing the ads
for the brochure.

.    Revise Sponsorship Materials
.    Update/Append Sponsorship Contact List
.    Create Sponsorship/Exhibitor Working Spreadsheet
.    Determine number of exhibitor spaces for the event
.    Determine working budget for event 
.    Develop minimum sponsorship targets
.    Coordinate with venue coordinator on tables, needs of exhibitors
.    Coordinate with venue coordinator on food and other sponsored
components 
.    Coordinate with home committee on sponsorship marketing in brochure

VENUE COMMITTEE
This committee is responsible for organizing logistics such as securing the
venue, coordinating with the volunteer committee to ensure that the day of
the seminar and tour all logistics are taken care of.

VOLUNTEER COORDINATION COMMITTEE
This committee is responsible for recruiting and organizing volunteers to
staff homes, the day of the event, and provide support to general logistics.

Green Living and Energy Expo returns to Roanoke

Want to learn the latest on the leading green businesses in southwest Virginia?  Then visit the seventh annual Green Living and Energy Expo at the Roanoke Civic Center November 2-3, 2007.  Organized by the Association of Energy Conservation Professionals, this year's event will feature exhibits, workshops, and demonstrations from more than 70 vendors and organizations.Please come and learn about energy conservation and efficiency, renewable energy, green building, sustainability, and much more. 

Creating a "green" baby nursery

I see I still have some faithful readers out there, despite my lack of attention to this blog over the last month.  My apologies once again for the infrequency of posts - I expect my absenteeism to get worse, however, as my husband and I enter the realm of parenthood.  Yes, that's right - we are going to be first-time parents within the next month (at least, that's what the doctors tell us!).

As we expect the arrival of Baby "Pistachio," we are working on some remodeling, rearranging, and cleaning projects in our house.  In addition to tiling and re-doing a bathroom, building a home office, and adding storage in our laundry room, we, of course, are putting a nursery together.  No major renovations in the baby's room, just some new carpet, fresh paint, and hand-me-down baby furniture.

What are we doing "green," you might ask?  We're making a few non-conventional decisions with our projects, I believe.  You can read what GreenHomeGuide recommends for nurseries, and see how we compare.

We have purchased no-VOC American Pride paints for the nursery, as well as a no-VOC Safecoat finish for the bare hardwood floors and cabinets in the adjacent room.  We had to have these shipped from Nature Neutral in Charlottesville, VA, which is about 2.5 hours away, so there are some environmental costs to figure in for the transportation. :(  My mother-in-law has promised to do as much painting as she can do in a week's time, so hopefully we can actually get the paint completed before Pistachio's arrival.

Unfortunately, the new carpet we've chosen for the nursery is just regular ol' carpet with VOCs and all.  I don't know if this is less evil than the old carpet, which had pet smells from the previous owners and had experienced an aquarium leak.  I picture it had all kinds of yucky organisms living in it.  We're on the schedule to have the new stuff installed this week, which should give the carpet some time to off-gas before the baby comes.  We'll also make an attempt to vent the fumes to the outside, so that we're breathing as little of the toxic chemicals as possible.  Sorry, Baby...I do feel guilty about the toxic off-gassing.

All of our nursery furniture, with the exception of a glider rocker that was a birthday gift to me from my in-laws, was either handed down or purchased used.  So in that way, we're recycling!

While we're really excited about the new addition to the family, we hope Pistachio can hold off his or her arrival until we've gotten our projects completed.  As we get closer to the due date (September 6), you'll hear less and less of me, but I hope to get back on the ball with my blog posts once we get into a baby care routine.  If you care at all to hear about some of the environmentally friendly baby care plans we have, feel free to visit my baby blog.

Green real estate news is everywhere!

You don't have to be very observant to notice that news about "green" is reaching us every day, whether it's an article in the newspaper, a blog on the Internet, or an ad on a billboard.  Today, I received an email from my mortgage company with advice on how to improve my home with green upgrades to be friendly to the environment and add value to the property.  Quick and to the point, the article provides an introduction to some of the most prominent green home upgrades.

Sustainable trends in real estate

REALTOR Magazine recently published an online article about "What's new on the green scene," describing the motivation behind the proliferation of green building products, highlighting a number green building trends, and defining several green-related terms.  Since green building is my "thing," I am familiar with most of the trends they have mentioned in this article, but they did include several ideas that are new concepts to me.

Two of the highlighted green building concepts that were new to me are induction cooktops and a new attic heat blocking material called TechShield.  The attic heat blocking material is particularly interesting to me, as the attic of my home (converted to a master bedroom) gets pretty stifling hot in the summer (but that's a topic for another blog).

Induction cooking involves the use of electromagnetic fields that cause the cooking vessel itself (i.e., the pot or pan) to generate heat.  Once the cooking vessel is removed from the element or the element is turned off, the electromatic field is broken and the heat generation stops.  One really neat thing about this is that the cooking surface itself does not stay hot once the vessel is removed, so theoretically this system saves energy.  Right now, the technology requires that the vessel be magnetic, so all of your cookware would need to be iron.  Developers, however, are attempting to create new technologies that can use other cooking materials.

Simply described, the heat-blocking LP TechShield roof sheating consists of a layer of an aluminum foil product laminated to Oriented Strand Board (OSB).  The product claims to cut heating and cooling bills by 20%, by deflecting solar heat gain in the summer and retaining indoor heat in the winter.  Most roofs are sheathed by OSB structural panels anyway; this product adds an extra layer of heat "protection" along with the OSB.  Roof finishing materials and insulation are installed normally with the use of this product.  Alas, it appears this material must go in new construction or on new roofs, and cannot be retrofitted onto an existing house.

The REALTOR magazine article is quite informative and easy to read.  Check it out, and make sure you read all the way to the end to learn why EcoBroker has been identified as a key "green" term for all REALTORS' vocabularies.