February 10, 2012   1-877-631-2845

You are here: Home / Archives for green homes

Five Visions of Sustainable Low-Impact Homes

November 4, 2011 By 3 Comments
photo: Redesign Day (http://www.redesign-day.com)

Eco-homes literally come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. Some are fantastically conceived and high-concept. Others are modest, and  certainly could be considered practical during our current era of shifting values when it comes to consumption. In this special guest post, writer Alex Levin expands upon five home designs that have sought to minimize the impact of a carbon footprint. Some of them are kind of wacky.  With every "wacky" idea, comes the potential for the future. Do you see … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Green Building Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Energy Efficiency Upgrades, Pt. 2: Savings In The Long Term

June 24, 2011 By 2 Comments
energy efficiency light blubs

Upgrading a home in order to cut your utility bills, while also making the most out of the power you do draw upon is a part of what it is to be a savvy homeowner. In part 2, and the last, in his series about his own household energy upgrades, writer and homeowner Ryan Boots weighs in on some strategies he considers to be long-range strategies for energy efficiency as it relates to a reduced energy bill. *** As I explained in my previous post about energy efficiency upgrades, I have owned … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency Tagged With: , , , , ,

Energy Efficiency Upgrades, Pt.1: What Actually Works

June 10, 2011 By 2 Comments
ceiling-fan

Green living and energy efficiency are hot topics in areas as wide as scientific journals, construction best practices manuals, and even blogs like this one. But, one major ingredient to moving green building into the mainstream is by individuals making informed choices about how to implement ways of reducing their draw on the energy grid. Ryan Boots, a resident of Houston Texas and a dedicated DIYer and homeowner, talks about his specific experience in this, the first part of a two-part series … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency Tagged With: , , ,

How Energy and Water Conservation Can Save You Money

March 2, 2011 By 4 Comments
Energy Efficiency

Renewable energy is getting more and more attention as people are becoming aware of our finite natural resources. Solar is my favorite, since I’m such a sun-lover. I have installed solar hot water at my house, and after only six years, the system will have paid for itself, and my hot water will be free! The best way to save money with solar hot water or solar electric (PV or photovoltaic) is to cut back on your energy use first. You’ll save money doing this in preparation, then you will save … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency Tagged With: , , , , ,

Houseboats: Sea of Green Living

February 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
house boat with flowers canal scene amsterdam holland

Being raised in a suburban setting as I've been, and then having moved around a bit in urban areas as a starving student, and even living in another country for a while, I've had a unique perspective on what "home" means in contrast to my upbringing. And by this, I mean about what my expectations are of things like floor space, the size (and necessity) of a yard, the proximity of neighbors, and other aspects of what a house, home, domicile, family dwelling, means. As such, I thought I'd look at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Green Building Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Easier Way To Find A Green Remodeling Contractor

November 17, 2010 By 4 Comments
Green Contractor

Today's guest blogger is Woodrow Aames, a regular blog contributor over on ReliableRemodeler.com, who put out great articles about homeownership and particularly how to connect with the right contractor for your given project.  Luckily for us, some of their writers have contributed material to this blog before. In this case, Woodrow talks about the business of finding a green remodeler, using a tool we all know and love; The INTERNET! *** Everyone will tell you, the best way to find a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Green Building Tagged With: , , , ,

Reclaimed Homes Key To Green Building and Affordable Housing

October 13, 2010 By 6 Comments
Modular Home Reclaimed Materials

So, with homeowning being way, way out of reach for many people, and with resources rapidly becoming more scarce, a solution that addresses both problems, both very pressing ones at that in the 21st century, is required. So here it is; affordable, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing homes can be created by using sustainable building practices on a mass scale. We've talked a bit about this on this blog when we've looked at modular homes, and how they reduce carbon footprints, and how more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Green Building Tagged With: , , ,

Green Bathroom: Goodbye Mold, Mildew and Costly Water Bills

September 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
White Bathroom and silver fixture

Today's guest post is from Margaret Everton of Calfinder's Remodeling blog, on the subject of how to keep your bathroom clean, healthy, and above all green ... *** With remodel costs averaging about $10,000, you want your bathroom to sustain in every way possible. But you may be wondering, as many homeowners do, how in the world you can “green” a bathroom without gutting it from the fixtures up. The solutions are surprisingly simple. Fresh, Green & Mildew-Free Your bathroom … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sustainability Tagged With: , , , ,

Green Building & Solar Energy:The Rapid-Fire Growth

August 25, 2010 By 4 Comments
solar energy growth

Today's guest post is from Dan Harding, resident solar expert at CalFinder, a site that is (among other things related to home improvements) intent on the education of homeowners as to the benefits of residential solar energy and technology. Today, Dan talks about how solar energy is an emerging and evolving technology into the mainstream for homeowners and the construction industry, along with some of the very compelling reasons to investigate solar power as an investment in your home, and as … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency, Sustainability Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Three Stunning Eco Friendly House Designs

July 28, 2010 By 3 Comments
Beccles House

Today's green building piece is from Becky Striepe, a green blogger with a love for elegant, eco-friendly design.   Becky talks here about three eco-friendly homes that have impressed her.  Take a look. *** Whether you're talking about homes made from natural building materials or ones that focus on efficiency and alternative energy, eco-friendly homes save on money and resources. Eco friendly houses aren't just better for the environment - they can be gorgeous examples of unique design. Here … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Green Building Tagged With: , , , ,