Bitter northwest winds after snowstorms made it unbearable to go outside. If any region should have energy efficient features built into their codes, it should be New England!

Green building codes in Connecticut & New Hampshire

In the fall of 2011, Connecticut adopted the 2009 International Energy Construction Code  (IECC) for all building permits. This was an improvement over the 2006 version with tighter requirements for lighting, duct sealing, HVAC and insulation, but it only applies to residential buildings under three stories. This, to me, is not enough. Sad to say I grew up here!

New Hampshire is not much better, even though they use the 2009 IECC statewide. There does not seem to be a push to build beyond this code, but some communities have begun to use the International Green Construction Code (IGCC). New Hampshire has never been known as a progressive state, but there are pockets of forward thinking people!

Green building codes in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is another state using the 2009 IECC, but Boston is using a Stretch Building Code, which is 20% tighter than the IECC. Boston plans to cut city emission by 25% by 2020, so making green building mandatory is helping to achieve that goal. The mayor is also aware that the city can lose funding if it continues to build traditionally.

Cambridge has a green building zoning amendment with LEED standards for large developments. Certification is not required, but buildings need to be built to LEED standards. Standards for green roofs, solar and wind are also in the code.

Green Building in Vermont

Vermont has its own Residential Building Energy Standard (VTRBES), which was written in 1998 and revised in the fall of 2011, based on the 2009 IECC. Up until January 2011, the code only applied to residential properties. Now a commercial version has gone into effect with elements of the 2012 IECC included. New home construction, additions, repairs and renovations come under the new code, and there are also performance requirements. The code is very detailed and clear.

Energy efficiency in Maine

Maine’s green building standards were revised in August 2011, based on the 2009 IECC. In July 2012, the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code will be in effect statewide, although a few communities are already implementing it. R-values will go up in walls, ceilings, floors, slabs, foundations and crawl spaces. Windows and skylights must be more energy efficient, too.

Rhode Island, energy efficiency, and LEED

Rhode Island seems to be the most progressive. It was the first state in the nation to adopt the International Green Construction Code (IGCC)! The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) sponsored the development of the IGCC. The AIA had the carbon neutrality goal of the 2030 challenge in mind, and ASTM is the scientific end, developing international standards.

The ICGG is a mandatory high performance standard that can be expanded with LEED certification, which is voluntary. It is also an overlay for all the other I-category codes. The final draft will be available in the spring of 2012.

Barriers to green building in New England

One reason government entities don’t adopt more stringent building codes is that they get a lot of pressure from contractors and home builder associations. Contractors feel these energy efficient changes are not cost-effective. They don’t see the end results of energy and financial savings, only that they have to put a little more out up front. Aren’t they passing those costs on to their clients?

I think contractors want the easy road. They want to do things the way they’ve always done them and not learn new rules, new materials and new processes. They won’t be able to avoid it for long, though! Soon, green building codes will be the only ones.

A group of contractors, solar installers, architects and designers met with a consulting company for several months to find out what the industry would benefit from. Hours of brainstorming sessions and fine-tuning details led to the High Performance Building Ordinance of 2009.

Taos was one of the first communities to add energy efficiency and green features to its building codes. This was cutting edge at the time. A HERS (Home Energy Rating System) score of 85 was now required on new homes of less than 3000 square feet. That number was to gradually decrease to 70 by 2012. This was a huge triumph for our community as well as an example for other forward thinking towns.

What does a HERS score mean?

The lower the number of a HERS score, the more efficient a building is. A model building is 100, so a score of 70 means that building is 30% more efficient than an exact building of traditional construction built to a minimal code.

HERS is achieved through efficient HVAC systems, windows, lighting and appliances, as well as site development, water conservation, insulation and the use of renewable energy. You can read about the energy audit and HERS score of 88 I received after remodeling my ranch house.

Santa Fe also has a Residential Green Building Code with various levels the way LEED is set up. A HERS score of 70 is required for homes under 3000 square feet.

Evolving green building codes in Four Corners region

Parts of Colorado are very progressive. Some communities, such as Boulder and Telluride, have written and passed green building codes. Boulder has a mandatory Green Points Program for commercial and residential properties. A HERS score of 70 is required for new homes up to 3000 square feet. A remodel must score 100, which is still 15% more efficient than the International Energy Construction Code (IECC).

Telluride also has a detailed residential green building code, but Denver only adheres to the IECC and the International Residential Code (IRC). That’s not bad, but communities need to be pushing the energy efficiency envelope and building beyond code.

Like the rest of the Four Corners states, there is no statewide green building code in Arizona. Individual communities, such as Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale, are writing their own. Tucson and Pima County have written a voluntary Net Zero Energy Code for new construction and remodels. Buildings will be certified after one year of operation. Too bad this is not a mandatory building code, but it’s a great start!

Utah lags behind in green building codes

Utah seems to lag way behind the rest of the other Four Corners states. There is no statewide green building code, and most communities are not writing their own. In 2005, it became law that all new and renovated public buildings must be at least LEED Silver certification, but that is not a mandatory building code covering all aspects of building.

The Park City Area Home Builders Association has created Build Green Utah, which is a voluntary rating system. This is not a building code, but is a precursor to mandatory green building.

Room for improvement with state green building codes

As you can see, we have a long way to go! Only with legislation and building codes are emissions going to be cut and resources conserved. The Taos High Performance Building Code has an opt-out clause, which most of us did not want. If a contractor chooses not to build to the code, they pay a fee instead. This does not help get green homes built! At least the money goes to the state weatherization program, but still, this was not a great idea for most of us.

Contractors squawk at the slight extra expense to build for energy efficiency, but they forget that green buildings are more in demand. By not building green, they aren’t competitive, and they lose a lot more than the 5% or so to add green features.

Green building codes should be mandatory in every municipality in the country, or overridden by a state or federal code.

It’s become apparent that the future won’t be defined by technology, so much as it will be defined by the culture that drives that technology.

And since we spend an enormous portion of our time at work, it makes sense that what we do while we’re there has equally enormous impact. For those of us who work in offices, this means a changing office culture when it comes to sustainability. But, how does this play out?

Writer Tal Baron is here to talk about how sustainability and office culture are beginning to merge.

***

Green building regulations are not only changing the way buildings are constructed, but such regulations are making an impact on how the traditional office operates. One example of green policies changing office culture around green issues is the almost universal enactment of smoke-free building policies. Some companies are making green policies a part of typical company practices, such as paperless checks, placing company manuals and handbooks online and purchasing recycled office products as much as possible.

Some states offer incentives for buildings that make an effort to go green. This usually applies to energy conservation. In 2010, California became the first state to implement state-wide green building regulations, with other states set to follow suit. The impact of these regulations is being felt in the everyday office environment. Businesses benefits from financial incentives to go green across the board, not just with new construction efforts. Many offices are implementing green options when remodeling or updating existing office space.

Green office culture examples

Aside from design efforts, the impact of green regulations is changing the general work environment. Many companies are shifting to green policies. The New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado provides employees with a flexible work schedule and access to gym facilities, including an on-site climbing wall. Patagonia, an outdoor clothing manufacturer in Ventura, California, pays employees an extra $2,500 if they drive an eco-friendly car to and from work. The shift in the structure of the office environment can mean substantial savings for companies due to fewer sick days and increased productivity.

Green office culture empowers office workers

The days of being stuck behind a desk in an office building with fluorescent lighting and minimal exposure to the world outside are quickly dwindling down. A variety of new green policies and regulations established by the federal government are setting the tone for today’s office culture.

The typical office today has more natural light, along with computers that are more energy-efficient. Environmentally-friendly vending machines are designed to be more efficient with newer models allowing employees to use their own reusable cup instead of dispensing a new cup with each use. Some offices are installing occupancy sensors that reduce power and dim lights when a room is not in use.

Small businesses, in particular, are more likely to benefits from the perks associated with shifting to an eco-friendly work environment. Many states and municipalities offer tax breaks to companies that demonstrate an effort to reduce waste and implement green building regulations. This includes everything from changing office lighting to replacing energy-consuming office equipment.

The future is smarter

The office of the future is being defined not by space age technology, but by placing an emphasis on embracing nature and implementing policies that reduce our collective carbon footprint.

***

Thanks, Tal!

Tal Baron writes for Smart Meetings, an online event planning resource and meeting venue finder.

Cheers,

Rob.

Somewhere along the line, an addition was put on, and the new floor plan did not allow for good air circulation. The place was hard to heat. I heat with wood, and I was burning seven cords a year in two woodstoves! As soon as I moved in, I added large sunny windows. I couldn’t imagine a winter without sun in the house!

Propane was the fuel source for cooking and hot water. The cost was going up, and my girls were becoming teenagers, which naturally meant more showers and laundry.

Life in the ranch was getting expensive.

Retrofits in time for the 21st Century

In 2007, I retrofit the house to cut my energy bills. I added an attached solar greenhouse and solar hot water. I beefed up the insulation in the attic and installed low-e windows. I think replacing the north facing, single-pane sliding glass door alone was a huge benefit! I changed the floor plan for better air circulation, and I brought in natural gas, getting rid of the expensive propane. I bought a front-loading washing machine, which cut down on fuel and water right away.

When all was said and done, my energy bills were cut by more than half! I am now burning 2-3 cords of wood, instead of seven. My gas bill is $20 a month, instead of $90. My solar hot water will have paid for itself by this year. My washing machine paid for itself in three years. I did not install solar PV, because my electricity use is minimal. It would not have had the quick ROI of these other upgrades.

Importance of energy efficiency in existing buildings

Buildings account for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption and 13% of water consumption. These numbers tell me that the first place to cut back is through energy efficient retrofits of existing buildings. I must not be alone, because the USGBC (US Green Building Council) stated in December 2011 that there are now more LEED Certified retrofits than new construction. The USGBC had to create a new category, LEED-EB (Existing Building), in 2008 since there was so much energy efficient renovation going on.

Retrofits are beneficial for reducing energy use, as you can see by my own story. They also are keeping the construction industry alive in these financially difficult times when construction is at a near stand still. Energy efficient retrofits are creating construction and energy jobs.

Retrofits, energy efficiency, and home values

In the end, a green building will have a higher value than a conventional building. Commercial tenants are requesting energy efficient space with low utility bills, good indoor air quality for workers and low operating costs. It is projected that, in the very near future, conventional buildings will not be in demand and may give a business a negative reputation. Green building will be more competitive.

Retrofitting is expected to become a multi-billion dollar market over the next few years. For commercial buildings, it will be about value and demand. For homes, it has been and will continue to be about upgrading instead of moving. In this unstable economy, selling is a crapshoot, so homeowners are remodeling, and with their new awareness of the environment, they are going green.

Green retrofit programs, loans, grants

HUD (Housing and Urban Development) started a Green Retrofit Program in 2009. Loans and grants are available to eligible lower and middle-income families to upgrade and preserve affordable housing. Up to $15,000 is available per unit for HVAC upgrades to improve heating and cooling systems, water-conserving fixtures to reduce water use, low VOC products for better indoor air quality, reflective roofing, low-e windows, and Energy Star water heaters and appliances. Again, aside from saving energy and lowering emissions, this creates jobs.

To remodel uses less materials and energy, and then the building uses less energy in the long term. Simple retrofits have the highest and fastest ROI, being a good investment, bringing money in while saving at the same time. Building new can also stress old infrastructure. It’s much more sensible to me to work with what we have instead of starting over. I am all for retrofitting.

It’s so much fun to design for myself again! The final product will be the result of our needs and wants. We have talked about this extensively, and I am clear on how to satisfy our needs.

Our own green built custom home – thinking about what we need

We want a compact one-story house, easy to heat and maintain. We want it to be as inexpensive as possible. This means few angles, which get costly to build. The house will be a rectangle with a simple roof and a concrete slab floor. All our kids are grown, so we only need one bedroom.

We each need a small office. We don’t need a huge living room, since we are either outside, at the kitchen table or at our desks. Neither of us has ever spent much time in the living room.

Green built custom home: light exposure, solar energy, and passive heating

We want the kitchen and bedroom to get morning sun, so they need to be on the east side with big windows. We want a covered porch on the east side off the kitchen to watch sunrises and one on the west side for sunsets. We want a window in the bathroom, so it needs to be against a wall. We want it next to the kitchen to save on the plumbing installation costs. In the future, there will be another building on the north side that we will access through a hallway/entryway, so we need to plan a doorway.

We want passive solar heat, so the house needs to face due south, which is the orientation available. We want solar hot water, so we need space for a mechanical room. In the future, we would like solar PV, so we need to site the house to make room for it on the ground, or design a roof that will accommodate it.

Fixed objects to work around

There are existing features we need to work with:

• The driveway is on the west side, so we need a west entrance.
• Since there is a temporary mobile home to the north of the building site, we need to work around the well, septic and plumbing stub-out that are already in place.
• There are tall deciduous trees to the west.

Site planning our custom green built home

• Fence around the house for privacy, since this is on a vegetable farm with employees five days a week.
• Native plantings within that fenced area, as well as strawberry, raspberry and herb beds.
• Southside patio.
• Room for a clothesline.

Planning roof of our green built home

The only thing we are undecided about is the roof style. The choices are flat, pitched or pitched with a clerestory. I have drawn each one out, and all are doable. It’s just a matter of more drawing and taking the solar into consideration. We will talk to a solar installer before we make a final decision.

This is the first step in designing a home, or even a remodel – asking lots of questions, examining your daily life, thinking about the future and being realistic about a budget. Clients aren’t always aware of their daily patterns, but once I ask them a bunch of questions through several conversations, I have a pretty good idea of what they need.

Financing your own green built home

Financing is critical. Get approved through a bank or mortgage broker to find out what you can afford. That information coupled with your needs will get you a house that is livable and affordable.

If you are looking for land to build on, the design process will be a little different. You want to think about your needs in a home, then find suitable land. If you want a passive solar house, you don’t want land that is down a northern slope. No matter how beautiful that land is, if it does not suit your needs, it’s not so pretty.

How to match your green built home with the surrounding area

A house should mimic the surrounding area. If you want a two-story house, you do not want a flat piece of land. Two-story houses belong in the trees or in neighborhoods of other two-story homes. One-story homes fit in best where the vegetation is low-lying. It’s a complete picture – house, site, personal needs.

Our custom green built home in process

Once Daniel and I decided on what we needed, the sketchpad came out. Probably thirty drawings later, I opened AutoCAD and got serious. So far, I have drawn six plans in CAD. We have a really good idea of what the house will look like, because we carefully examined our needs.

Now it’s time for details. From here on in, we need to remain flexible and be prepared for stress.

Photo: Paul Lowry

I was a young, naïve and impressionable college freshman in 1972. I felt like I’d been set free from the chains of high school and parents. There was so much to see, do and learn, I was like a child with eyes and heart wide open.

My housemother was six years older than me. That seemed like a huge gap back then, and her energy was very maternal. She took me under her wing, and I looked up to her.

In the spring of 1973, we visited some friends of hers who lived in a hippie community of geodesic domes. I had no idea what a geodesic dome was, but I learned this was an alternative, energy efficient, lightweight and portable structure. It was so different that it fit right in with the essence of the 60s.

I don’t remember the first time I learned about R. Buckminster Fuller, the engineer who invented the geodesic dome. At a very impressionable 19, I was still toying with the idea of becoming an architect, so I was thrilled to sit inside one.

The origins of the geodesic dome

Feeling stifled by the confines of traditional architecture, Bucky Fuller began developing the geodesic dome in the 1920s. He wanted to create lightweight, strong, comfortable and efficient housing for everyone. ‘Everyone’ is the key word. He believed everyone around the world was entitled to good housing along with transportation, education and a good wage – a good life for all.

Photo: Sookie

Fuller chose the spherical shape, because it holds the most volume compared to surface area. This was part of his ‘do more with less’ philosophy. He incorporated triangles, because they are twice as strong as rectangles. Five triangles in a pentagon shape put together in a sphere is very strong, dependent on tension between the parts, as opposed to compression. Bearing walls are not necessary, so the inside is completely open. The larger a dome is, the stronger, lighter and less expensive it is to build, the exact opposite of conventional construction.

Design advantages of Geodesic dome construction

Doing more with less consequently reduced materials and construction cost. Because of the rounded shape, energy costs are cut by roughly 30%. Good air circulation with no obstructions allows a natural airflow to evenly heat and cool the interior. This makes the dome suitable for severe climates.

The aerodynamic shape of a geodesic dome makes it wind and hurricane resistant. The even weight distribution and low center of gravity make it earthquake resistant. A dome is very lightweight yet incredibly durable. Parts were easy to ship to a site and assemble, making the dome a great temporary housing situation that could be moved.

Applications of geodesic dome design

The geodesic dome was patented in 1954, the same year Fuller began to develop a Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science, defined as, “the effective application of the principles of science to the conscious design of our total environment in order to help make the Earth’s finite resources meet the needs of all humanity without disrupting the ecological processes of the planet.” Being sensitive to the planet is not a new concept.

The military (oddly for rebel and out-of-the-box thinker Fuller) was one of his largest clients. They needed sturdy shelters that could be erected quickly for servicemen overseas. Domes have also been used extensively as radar covers.

Russell Township-ASM Headquarters & Geodesic Dome, designed by John T. Kelly in in 1958. Photo: Ohio Office of Redevelopment

Geodesic dome design and use in the 21st century

Today, there are hundreds of thousands of geodesic domes around the world from the Epcot Center at Walt Disney World to the Biosphere in Arizona to the humble solar greenhouse, The Growing Dome. The geodesic dome is one of the most cost effective and energy efficient structures there is, and it can be used in just about any building scenario.

I don’t know whatever happened to that dome community I visited, but I imagine those durable homes are still standing and have many good decades ahead!

Photo: Greg Webster

Cordwood masonry, or stackwall construction, is an excellent do-it-yourself way to build a house. It’s inexpensive, labor intensive and does not require any special skills. Local materials, which are sometimes scraps, can be used, making it an environmentally friendly building method.

In Siberia and Greece, cordwood buildings date back 1000 years, although there is no clear beginning of their history. They have also been found in Scandinavia. In the 1800s, cordwood homes and barns were cropping up in the US’s upper midwest and Canada. They were called Depression Housing in the 1920s and 30s. Building materials were expensive and unavailable, and these were made with local materials.

Cordwood construction process

Logs 6”-24” long are placed in a bed of mortar with the ends sticking out just a bit. Mortar is placed between each log only at the two ends, making a space in the middle, which is traditionally filled with sawdust and lime for insulation. Spray foam can also be applied as the wall gets built. The construction method essentially creates two walls that are insulated in between. Here are some excellent photos of the cordwood construction process.

Wood scraps can be used for this. Sometimes, if you heat with wood, there are pieces too big to burn and too gnarly to split. These are great candidates for a cordwood wall. One homeowner built his cordwood home from discarded telephone poles. If you have a wooded lot, you can cut your own.

Other sources are downed trees in the forest or scraps from a wood mill. Whole, round logs may need to be split so they dry out evenly. All wood must be completely seasoned. If it dries and shrinks in the wall, air can infiltrate. Also, wood with moisture in it may rot once installed.

The cement mortar can have sawdust and/or paper added, recycling even more materials. This also cuts back on concrete, which is very energy intensive to make. The more eco-friendly option is cob (mud) for mortar. This is another local material, and cracks can be repaired quickly and easily.

The shape, design, and efficiency of cordwood houses

Cordwood lends itself to a circular structure, which is a very efficient use of space. Another option is a post and beam frame that is filled in once the roof is on. Instead of corner posts, squared logs called quoins can be stacked for strength, and cordwood masonry walls built in between them.

Decorative touches are easy to add. Arches above doorways and windows are easy to build. Colorful glass bottles can be placed in mortar along with the logs. Other sturdy wall decorations can be added into the mortar as permanent wall art.

Cordwood homes are energy efficient, because the concrete acts as thermal mass holding heat that radiates into the house. Because there are no studs, air is not transferred from inside to outside (thermal bridging). A 16” wall has an approximate R-value of 20, and a 24” wall is about R40. A round cordwood home heats and cools easier, since air flows without wall obstructions.

Aside from being energy efficient, cordwood houses have great acoustic qualities, and they have a natural, rustic look to them. They fit in well in a wooded setting.

If this is a DIY project, professionals will need to be called in for the foundation, plumbing and wiring. Building permits will also need to be acquired, and code must be followed. Other than that, cordwood masonry is a simple, inexpensive way to build an energy efficient home with a natural look.

In 2010, China surpassed the US as the biggest emitter of greenhouse gasses. It also surpassed India as the largest cement consumer in the world. China consumes more electricity, most of which is coal generated, than the US, and 16% of China’s water goes to construction. At this pace, energy consumption is expected to reach 35% of the national total by 2020.

The economy is growing quickly, and millions of people are relocating to urban areas every year. This means housing and work places are getting built at record speed. China is expected to build 50 new skyscrapers and produce half of the world’s new construction by 2015. That is just a few years away!

Rapid urbanization and the worst polluting record on the planet make China a prime candidate for energy efficient building. With all this proposed development, there is no reason for it to not be sustainable.

Emerging green building in China

In 2005, energy efficient design standards became mandatory. In 2008, the China Green Building Council was established, driven by the central government with mandatory standards.

The Three Star rating system is slowly replacing the voluntary system from MoHURD (Ministry of Housing and Urban Development). The goals of each are to conserve land, water, energy and materials while improving indoor air quality and creating buildings that cut energy use by 50-65%.

Obstacles to green building practice in China

There are obstacles with green building, though. Builders do not see the benefits. They perceive that adding green features increases the cost almost 30%, when in reality, that figure is 3-5%. There need to be financial incentives for developers to embrace green building.

China has the technology, but they are lacking design knowledge, contractors, engineers and a reliable supply chain of materials. They need to work with the US, the UK, Australia and Europe, which are more advanced.

Green building examples – Olympic Village, Bejing

Bejing’s Olympic Village, built for the 2008 summer games in Beijing, is a stunning example of green building, serving to reduce emissions and educate the public and the world. There are 42 residential buildings on 160 acres, and they are 50% more efficient than similar buildings in the city.

They have sophisticated energy saving systems: solar, geothermal, wind and recycled wastewater for heating and cooling. Buildings have heavy insulation, low-e windows and green roofs. The landscaping consists of native, drought tolerant plants and is watered with gray water. Most of the exterior area is green space, with parking underground.

It’s not to say China can’t do it. They are just becoming aware of environmental and energy issues very slowly.

12th Five-year plan

The 12th Five Year Plan was approved in March 2011. Climate change, energy and the environment were mentioned and addressed through green building. Here are a few highlights.

• reduce energy intensity and CO2 emissions 17%
• generate 11.4% of energy from renewables
• create financial incentives for energy conservation and emissions reductions
• reduce water consumption 30%
• increase forest cover 12.5 million hectares by 2015
• build energy efficient affordable housing

Despite these conservation efforts, oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear power production will be increased over the next five years. On the other hand, inefficient power plants are being closed at a rate of 1 every 1-2 weeks. Too bad all those plants will not be replaced with renewables!

Green building is the way forward in China

As renewable energy gets more developed in China, new industries will be energy efficient technology, waste management, recycling, wind, solar, biomass and hybrid and electric vehicles. The solution to China’s pollution and energy consumption problems are green building, clean transportation and renewable energy. Strides were made over the last five years. I am eager to see the 13th Five Year Plan.

1. Jetson Green

This is probably my favorite green building blog with cutting edge homes and design explored every day. These guys cover every aspect of the industry you can think of – Passivhaus, solar tech, tiny house, water, energy and so on. Jetson Green is never dull and always full of news and inspiration.

2. Brute Force Collaborative

Mike and Aaron are the collaborators in this business and on the blog about ‘sensible, intelligent green design’. They feature architects, projects and building techniques to make their point. Follow Mike on Twitter for interesting discussions and great info. @bruteforceblog

3. Sustainable Cities Collective

Just like the name says, this blog is all about sustainable urban development. From building, transportation and infrastructure, it’s all here. I’ve learned things here I never thought about (country mouse that I am!), so I find this fascinating and expect to be kept up to date on all urban issues.

4. Arch Daily

The most up-to-date information for architects, designers and consumers, Arch Daily claims to be the most read architecture site on the internet. I don’t doubt it. They cover building projects, products, events, interviews, competitions and more. Architects rave about it and use its information every day.

5. Freshome

I love this blog for design news and ideas as well as posts about architecture. The ideas here are, well, fresh! Furniture, kitchens, storage, architecture, homes and apartments – they cover it all room by room.

6. Dwell

My hard copy of Dwell is the only magazine I read cover to cover as soon as it comes. From architecture to furniture, events, trends and people, the magazine and the blog are packed with information I enjoy and can use. More than once I have shared a link with friends and colleagues and gotten Ooh!, Aah!, Beautiful! and Let’s do it! in return. THAT is great testimonial!

7. Home Design Find

Just because my friend, Susan Kraemer, writes for Home Design Find doesn’t make me biased. I was reading this blog before she came along, but she adds so much! In-depth reporting on architecture and design trends inside and out make this an informative and forward thinking blog. One of my favorites.

8. Dezeen

When I started school for Residential Planning, Dezeen was the first site they sent us to. It covered everything we needed to know about residential, commercial and retail design inside and out and top to bottom from flatware to architecture. If I needed inspiration, this is where I came. I think it’s the most complete design site and surely the most likely to keep us up to date on trends.

So, we’ll see at the end of the year if these blogs lived up to my expectations. Like I said, these are just a few. There are many others I read, but these are the ones I frequent most often. Maybe new blogs will pop up, too! If you have design blogs that you feel are indispensable, please feel free to leave them in the comments. Here’s to a productive, creative 2012!

A lack of interest coupled with no government or real estate industry involvement stalled the movement. With the current economic atmosphere though, industry professionals needed to expand their businesses and began to include green design. With international investors interested in Russia, a rating system needed to be devised to remain competitive. Hence, the Russian Green Building Council (RUGBC) was formed in 2009.

RUGBC adapted the UK’s BREEAM rating system to be climate specific, since the weather is much more extreme in Russia. LEED is also used, but not as much as BREEAM.

Russian consumption and green building

Russia’s energy consumption is three times that of Europe and twice that of the US. Buildings are outdated, and the government is becoming aware of the negative environmental effects of energy inefficiency. President Medvedev would like his country’s energy use cut in half by 2020 to improve the health of the country, and up until now, he wanted Russia to meet its Kyoto requirements. [Ed: Russia has decided not to extend Kyoto beyond 2012, along with Japan, and (to my shame) Canada]

A law was passed in November 2009 mandating energy conservation and efficiency. Ratings will be required and posted on the outside of the building. Energy audits will be conducted, and the lifetime energy cost will be analyzed. Energy requirements will every revised every five years to stay current with technologies.

Challenges for green building in Russia

Because green building in Russia is an emerging market, there are many challenges.

• There are no government incentives, so the private sector is solely responsible for development.
• Planning takes longer, and the delay is seen as an inconvenience instead of an investment.
• Rewriting BREEAM and LEED for local conditions is time-consuming.
• People need to be educated. Builders and contractors don’t know about green building or certification systems. New contractors are needed for energy audits, irrigation, green roofs, recycling systems and other facets of the building and real estate industry.
• There are more green products and services than there are qualified builders.

As these obstacles are overcome, green building will catch on. RUGBC’s role is to raise awareness and educate all industry players and create a networking platform to keep disseminate the latest information.

Green developments in Russia

Despite the challenges, permits have been submitted for large, mixed-use, green developments. PepsiCo’s Frito Lay manufacturing plant in Azov is LEED certified. It uses 18% less energy and 40% less water than a similar facility. High performance lighting and abundant natural light have cut electricity consumption.

An Active House, Activny Dom, has been built as an experimental showcase home near Moscow. It is built to passivhaus standards with heavy insulation, an airtight envelope and solar orientation. Solar PV, solar hot water, a geothermal heat pump, shading and automatic window openers make it almost net zero, producing most of the energy it uses.

This home will be open to visitors to bring awareness of green building, energy systems, and building methods, being monitored all the while. It will eventually be lived in, and monitoring will continue. Efficiency is seen in the operation of a building, not just its design.

A slow road

It’s a slow road in Russia as far as green building, but as people become aware of the environmental and health benefits, materials and technology will become more readily available. Industry players will get involved, and some day, green building will be mainstream.