Posts published during April, 2009

2 comments

April 28, 2009

2009 National Green Building Conference

NAHB National Green Building ConferenceComing to Dallas, Texas on May 8 – 10 is the 2009 National Green Building “the green of green” Conference. The Green Building Conference is where residential “green” building industry professionals to network and exhibit their products and building materials.

 

Attendees of the event include green home builders of single-family & multifamily homes, remodeling contractors, green architects & designers, land developers & planners, green product manufacturers, and remodeling contractors.

 

Industry professionals will be educated on the developments in green building and will be provided the necessary tools and ideas needed to stay competitive and to grow in the green housing industry.

 

T. Boone Pickens will be guest speaking at the event on the topic of alternative energy, natural resources, and water & energy conservation.

 

An award ceremony will be held to recognize representatives of green design, new home construction, green advocacy efforts, and remodeling projects. The National Association of Home Builders will also acknowledge the achievements of green building programs and initiatives of local and state home builder associations.

 

This year’s National Green Building Conference is going to be held at the Hilton Anatole Dallas, an extraordinary resort that features priceless art collections, fine dining, the stunning seven-acre Anatole Sculpture Park, walking trails, a fish pond, tennis courts, and a full-service fitness center at the Veranda Club & Spa. Room rates listed on the NAHB website are $174 plus taxes per night.

 

0 comments

April 23, 2009

Mandatory Zero Energy Homes in California by 2020

California Wind Turbine

California Wind Turbine

The Assembly Natural Resources Committee in California is aggressively seeking a zero energy home bill that would require all new homes in California be zero energy by 2020. Under the proposed bill, zero energy new homes would help to decrease the state’s dependency on fossil fuels and natural resources.

 

The bill is designed to have new homes constructed with solar power or to be powered by nearby wind geothermal plant, which would allow each home’s electricity utility bill to essentially be eliminated. Advocates of the proposed bill suggest that the system could be set up similarly to a giant battery. The grid would store energy produced by homes throughout the day to power homes during the evening when energy use spikes.

 

Lori Saldana introduced the bill last year and while the Assembly passed the bill, it was later denied in the Senate. Saldana says that nearly one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions is directly related to the cooling and heating of buildings. In the proposed bill, the greenhouse gas emissions would be substantially reduced.

 

Opponents argue that newly constructed homes are already energy efficient and that a better solution is to target existing homes, which have a more detrimental impact on fossil fuel use.

 

Estimated costs to upgrade an average home to a zero energy home could range between $15,000 to $50,000. Saldana is confident that this expense would not be entirely passed on to either the builder or the homeowner; but that federal tax credits, state rebates, and the decrease in energy use would ensure that the investment is a sound one.

 

California officials are leaders in pushing energy conservation and in reducing the carbon footprint that new construction leaves on the planet. If the bill does pass, it would undoubtedly be a great move towards saving our planet.

 

See more:

http://www.newhomessection.com/blog/zero-energy-homes-in-california-could-be-mandatory-by-2020/2009/04/12/

http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/11/07/zero-energy-homes-in-california-by-2020/

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/7949

1 comments

April 14, 2009

Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

CFL Bulb

CFL Bulb

By changing the light bulbs in your house to compact fluorescent lights (CFL’s) you can save about $45 in electricity cost per light bulb. Another way to save energy is to implement shading can save up to 40% of cooling costs.

 

Planting trees in strategic areas will save the home owner about $100 – $250 a year in energy costs. Be sure to turn televisions, computers and DVD players off, not just leaving them on standby, will make a significant difference in how much you will pay on your next utility bill.

 

If you replace a washing machine that is older than 1994, you will save up to $110 a year on your utility bill. Purchasing Energy Star approved appliances, or even an Energy Star approved new home, you can save your family up to 50% more money than non Energy Star approved appliances.New washing machines come standard with the Energy Star and can be purchased for less than $1000. These washers will not only conserve energy but will also conserve water as well.

 

Other ways to conserve water is by changing your shower head. For an investment of $10 or less you can save $50 to $75 per year on water bills and $20 to $50 more per year on energy bills (depending on your current shower head and utility rates). Every new shower head should pay for itself within the first year.