Well, earlier this year, Woody had some really great opportunities open up elsewhere. He is now working to make his dream of becoming an influential green interior designer a reality, but before he left, I agreed to take up his post here at www.houseplans.info.

I hope you don’t mind if I give you a little bit of an introduction about myself. I sort of stumbled into the world of residential design when I began working in the data-entry portion of The Plan Collection. I didn’t know the first thing about home design when I first started. I’m still not what you’d call a professional residential design consultant, but I have learned a lot about the industry during my time here.

I’ve also never really been too interested in this whole “green” movement (please forgive me). Don’t get me wrong — I love the environment. I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend than to go out adventuring in the beautiful mountains here in Northern Utah. I do my best with my meager funds to make the environment a better place to live for me and for future generations. I’ve just never had much exposure to the “greener” side of things.

Working with Woody really opened my eyes to a lot of sustainable and practical options. So whether you’re like me and you’re new to the green way of life, or you’ve been fighting for the green cause since the beginning, please feel free to comment. Criticism is great, and compliments are even better. I’m just now starting my journey into a greener lifestyle, so please let me know what you think. Thanks!

(P.S. I’ll try to include more info about House Plans. This blog is called HOUSEPLANS.info!)

This home was designed with passive solar capabilities in mind. This wasn’t the only special attention. Consideration was give to everything from the caulking to the type of nails that were used. The home will not only be helping the family to have a home but they will receive a house that can cut down on bills and last for years.

The youth are representatives of a organization called American YouthWorks. Through this program, youth receive both a high school education and the opportunity to learn about construction, and more specifically, green construction. The ability for these youth that have a had a rough time before now to learn valuable working skills is amazing. Not only do they now have the knowledge to perform these jobs but they also receive pay to use towards future schooling or to make a decent living.

This was a great story to see how green home design is not only good for the natural environment but it has its benefits in the social aspect. The article is definitely worth your time and will show you what going green can do for the world.

Recent posts detail this rollercoaster of triumphs and downfalls. A week ago, in his post titled “PV Solar Panel Quote for 100K House”, he laments the $53.9K price tag on the solar system he wished would make the house a zero-energy home (a solar/grid system that would produce enough power to cancel his electricity bill). My favorite line is a heart-wrencher “We wouldn’t even have enough room on the roof to fit enough solar panels…”

Check out Chad’s blog 100khouse.com and see what it takes to build a green home with a tight budget.

I wrote about using old shipping containers to build houses with a few weeks ago. Well here is a great example of a proposed project in Detroit. Designed by architect Steven Flum, in partnership with developer Leslie Horn, the project is waiting city approval. Once received, the condos will end up near Wayne State University.

Other highlights of the story include a 25% cost-to-build savings over condos of similar size and quality, complete re-use of old shipping containers (no new ones), and that cool NASA developed paint insulator.

I was looking for a good example to show how something like this can actually look nice. The condos show an aesthetic that has obviously moved beyond container while remaining refreshingly industrial. For more photos of this kind of construction, visit Container City.

Via Jetson Green and Freep

MKD video 1

MKD video 2

MKD video 3

thanks michelle and preston

The Lightkeeper by Dan Tyree

Now I know I usually write about green building and sustainability. First let me say that I’m fully aware that spreading away from the urban center is a “no-no”, but then again I’ve already shared my feelings about new urbanism. In regards to building big, I have no intention of building bigger than I feel my family needs, I just have a big family… Now that I’ve provided the disclaimer, here’s my attempt to rationalize my decision.

First of all, just look at this small snippet of the view around here (northern Utah):

It looks much the same all around, not to mention a great view of the valley below. To counter-act myself: Isn’t that what I’m trying to protect? It is…

That’s why I’ll do it with straw bales. I would also put in photovoltaic panels (remember, this is a dream home) and wind turbines. By the way, the wind up on that hill is amazing! I would plant my own small forest and turn the landscape into a permaculture garden. When the air car comes out, I’ll be set. I think I’d be pretty carbon-nuetral at that point. Now, if I can only figure out how to get a road level enough for my air car to make the trip…

A note about the designer:

Dan Tyree is a well respected and creative home designer out of Winter Park, FL. His designs contribute a timeless nature to residential architecture that is a kind of sustainability all it’s own. His homes are in many styles inlcuding, but not limited to, beachfront, craftsman, and modern. His work can be found all around the gulf of mexico and up the eastern seaboard, with several others along the western coast. These homes are found in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Bahamas, Grand Cayman Islands, and Honduras. He is a member of the Front Porch Design Society, AIBD, and the National Trust of Historic Preservation. He sell his plans digitally and works in the sunlight.

His plans can be found at The Plan Collection.

Among the featured goodies that CNET found are a power strip that tells you how much power you’re using, a mop that cleans with water alone, a space heater that uses less electricity, and an array of water bottles.

I thought the report was interesting. It’s nice to see companies responding to green concerns. CNET did a good job at explaining the products they featured, and pointing out greenwashing possibilities. Check out the article and research the products. Buying green is as important as building green, and can have farther reaching affects. Here’s your link.

Titled REGREEN Residential Remodeling Guidelines and released last weekend at the Interiors 08 conference in New Orleans, the 182 page document covers topics such as home performance, major addition, gut rehab, and deep energy retrofit. In the interest of definitions, the guidelines state that “green remodeling is the design and construction of projects that reduce environmental impacts of remodeling, including energy, water, and materials consumption; waste generation; and harmful emissions, both indoors and out.” Clearly the effort is focused on a whole-systems approach, denouncing the thought that bamboo floors and recycled glass countertops make a home ecologically responsible. Planning is stressed, and the document is presented in a project-based approach, helping the reader see similar projects, including case studies, and hear comments of those involved. The format is designed to offer specific and thorough help with examples and an extensive strategy library. Consider this a must-have for anyone tackling a remodeling project.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of this guideline is that it’s a guideline. Don’t confuse this with the USGBC’s LEED for Homes. This is not a certification program, just some helpful hints from those who know the most. In a residential situation, certification doesn’t always make sense. Homeowners can still know they’re following the experts without spending extra money on a certificate that doesn’t hold any real value. Now certification will probably help out your equity, and I can see the importance of LEED for Homes with new construction especially. This may become an issue of codes before long. However, the reassurance that we don’t always need to be labeled by the state is a good thing.

Thanks to the USBGC and the ASID. This may be one of the most important steps in the battle for middle-class earth we’ve taken so far.