[Greenbuilding] Greenbuilding Digest, Vol 4, Issue 9
John Porterfield
john_m_porterfield at yahoo.com
Sat Oct 7 20:26:36 CDT 2006
Hi George and other Green Building readers,
National Energy Services Network is the base for Home Energy Rating System standards. The website is www.NATRESNET.org. Here you will find standards for HERS training curriculum design, standards for testing HERS raters, standards for conducting a HERS rating, etc. Resources (VERY rich web site) include studies that show homebuyers demand (pay more for) houses with lower energy consumption >> http://www.natresnet.org/ratings/resources/appraisal/default.htm
Perhaps the strongest incentive for builders to have their product certified to an energy performance standard is the $2,000 Builders Tax Credit >> http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=154658,00.html
HERS rating establishes that new construction qualifies for Builders Tax Credit.
Other aspects of green building also save $$ as does reduced energy consumption, though, for example, reduced house-related health costs (see www.healthhouse.org) are not as direct as utility bills that compare favorably. I like to think that every person will do their part to minimize damage to our Planet. It's nice to know that one can simultaneously increase tax free income, and now take energy tax credits with certain efficiency improvements.
The Energy Star leaders in WI notice that promoting construction to an energy performance standard may not appeal to the broad public, perhaps due to prevailing belief that codes and "latest products" ensure efficiency. More important are Best Practices that extend beyond what products provide and what Code Officials can enforce. Best Practices are within the scope of builders/subs, and are the focus of professionals who certify construction to energy standards.
The message is: buyers must demand certification to an energy performance standard. Elected officials and non-profit/for-profit developers can also initiate this demand.
For State-by-State activity with Energy Star in residential construction see
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=qhmi.showHomesMarketIndex
For the vast majority of houses, those "already built," there is the "home performance with Energy Star" performance standard.
My firm believes that most older housing can have energy consumption reduced by 50% by addressing: insulation, air tightness, windows/doors, equipment, and distribution/control (perhaps all must be addressed to achieve 50% cut). For existing construction, where the big energy savings opportunities will be found, we don't have a compelling measurement study that confirms this 50% potential.
We believe owners should pursue substantial load reduction before considering alternative energy. If one is willing to pay above-market prices for utility supply, perhaps green tags that stimulate alternative energy where it displaces construction of coal-fired power generation maximizes impact.
Strategically,
John Porterfield
Chicago, IL
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: http://www.ecobroker.com????? (George J. Nesbitt)
2. Re: Mulit Family Green Certification (George J. Nesbitt)
3. Re: ***Forest Stewardship Council: A listoftheirlatest lying
certifications!*** (George J. Nesbitt)
4. Re: certified (& non-certified) wood stoves (George J. Nesbitt)
5. Re: [BULK] concrete vs block vs ___ foundation wall
(George J. Nesbitt)
6. Re: http://www.ecobroker.com????? (GrenSheltr at aol.com)
7. Re: Cork Flooring (Clarke Olsen)
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:08:43 -0700
From: "George J. Nesbitt"
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] http://www.ecobroker.com?????
To: Greenbuilder list
Message-ID: <45271A3B.8080202 at idiom.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I have seen one Realtor locally that is an Ecobroker, and I have
visited their website. But I don't know what an Ecobroker is yet. Are
they promoting the EEM's (Energy Efficient Mortgage's), green building
programs, or what? I do know that there is effort here in California to
develop a Green Mortgage, it will be tied to GreenPoints, and it may or
may not work with other green building programs too. LEED for homes is
working with Fanie Mae. And RESNET (www.resnet.org) which was created
because of the EEM is working to change the program so that is more
valuable and used more. People are working to get GreenPoints in the
Multiple Listing Service. The energy savings are what justifies
mortgage, not the other green items.
Bill Hutchins wrote:
> http://www.ecobroker.com
>
>
>does anybody have any experience them?
>
>
>thanku,
>bill
>www.heliconworks.com
>
>
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------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:08:56 -0700
From: "George J. Nesbitt"
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Mulit Family Green Certification
To: Greenbuilder list
Message-ID: <45271A48.50307 at idiom.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
GreenPoints witch was developed by Alameda County Waste Management
Board is a California based program that is slowly gaining ground and
becoming a Statewide program. You can download the guidelines from
www.stopwaste.org, there are multifamily, new construction and
remodeling guidelines. Build It Green is overseeing the program,
www.builditgreen.com, for more info.
LEED for Homes is in Pilot, California is part of the pilot, you can
download guidelines from the USGBC's website, an updated version will be
released in about a month for public comment and member voting, with
full release in June 2007?
Heather Merenda wrote:
>Does anyone know of a good national or local green building
>certification for multi family housing?
>
>Thanks
>Heather
>
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------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:15:21 -0700
From: "George J. Nesbitt"
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] ***Forest Stewardship Council: A
listoftheirlatest lying certifications!***
To: Greenbuilder list
Message-ID: <45271BC9.6060003 at idiom.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I think with our current rate of population and consumption increase
there is no way it can be met with FSC (despite it's flaws) or recycled
lumber, or any single solution. With massive reductions which I think
aren't that hard to achieve, sustainable materials and energy will be
more viable and credible, and be able to satisfy a much larger part of
the demand, and ultimate has to satisfy all of it, with a variety of
solutions.
Alan Abrams wrote:
>I believe that if the creation of sustainable housing is to become a
>reality, to become mainstream, to happen at a scale that will support the
>needs of the world, then we **need** sustainable materials via the "gaping
>maw" of the "sleek, centralized industrial products chain." If so, then,
>imho, processes like FS certification need to be fixed, to become legit.
>Perhaps FSC needs a good bashing, but does that mean trashing it as well?
>
>Even to do the small scale projects my company builds, even with a
>"not-so-big" approach, even with advanced framing techniques and engineered
>products, we still need a reliable source of high quality lumber, delivered
>to the site, on schedule, at some rational cost.
>
>I beat my brains out looking for sustainable materials that perform as well
>as conventional ones, at something resembling a commensurate cost, that are
>available next week, not 12 weeks from now, maybe, if the company is still
>in business (read my comments on this listserve from 2-3 mos ago on Crystal
>cabinets made with the elusive Woodstalk).
>
>What it boils down to is that the industry as a whole is not yet ready to
>support our needs, not for sustainable lumber, not for recycling of
>construction waste, not for healthy materials, nor a host of other critical
>resources. I lobby for this every day, to suppliers, local govt officials,
>etc, but we're not there yet.
>
>We **do** need help here.
>
>Alan Abrams
>
>
>
>
>
>>>What's with you?! You should do your own local research, and share it
>>>
>>>
>with
>
>
>>>your community. Being part of the big, sleek, centralized, industrial
>>>products chain--i.e., corporate economic globalization that gobbles up
>>>global resources--the global commons-- into its gaping maw and spits out
>>>
>>>
>a
>
>
>>>seemingly endless line of products that you purchase--IS the problem.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
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>
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------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:49:16 -0700
From: "George J. Nesbitt"
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] certified (& non-certified) wood stoves
To: Greenbuilder list
Message-ID: <452723BC.9090008 at idiom.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
No!
Not even all EPA certified wood stoves are clean burning. The
catalytic converters burn out in a year or less, and then you have a
horribly polluting stove. What you want is an Advanced Combustion Wood
Fireplace that meet the EPA Phase II (1990)standards without a catalytic
converter. There are several manufactures that make them (Regency,
Aladan, Quadfire), you can also get pellet stoves, install with sealed
combustion air supply. Masonry stoves whether site or manufactured,
probably won't qualify (there is one manufactured unit that works, but I
don't know which one, I would have had to have been killed if the name
was reveled to me, so I'm still alive). Gas fireplaces should be Direct
Vent with a high P.4 rating (Canadian Test procedure).
Of course some woods have more energy in them, and burn cleaner. Dry
wood burns cleaner than wet wood. Operator behavior is a big problem,
but I think the Advance Combustion Wood Fireplaces are easier to use and
more forgiving?
For more info go to
http;//energy-publications.nrcan.gc.ca/index_e.cfm "Heating with Wood",
"All about Wood Fireplaces", and "All about Gas Fireplaces".
I have to thank the utility rate payers of California for funding my
education for free. PG&E for offering great classes. And specifically
Skip Hayden (another great Canadian eh?) of the Advanced Combustion
Technologies Lab, Natural Resources Canada.
Reuben Deumling wrote:
>I am curious whether it is possible that (some) non-EPA-certified wood
>stoves are (or may be) comparably clean burning as those that are certified?
>I'm sure someone has researched this and perhaps also knows what the g/hr or
>other emissions thresholds are. I think in the US they are being tightened
>again....
>
>Also, how much of the pollution is likely due to firewood quality (moisture
>content) and user behavior vs. stove design (as certified)? In other words,
>if I have a non-certified stove but use the best dry wood and know how to
>optimize fuel air mixture (I don't ), can I theoretically achieve as good or
>even better performance in terms of pollution than if I am sloppy, have wet
>wood, and use a certified stove?
>
>Finally, are there ways to determine, by, say, looking at the smoke coming
>out of my chimney, if my setup passes muster, or could be improved?
>
>Books, websites, or other expert advice is also most welcome.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Reuben Deumling
>
>
>and this from yesterday's local paper:
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------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:57:18 -0700
From: "George J. Nesbitt"
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] concrete vs block vs ___
foundation wall
To: Greenbuilder list
Message-ID: <4527259E.4070707 at idiom.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Use Faswall block, it is going to be manufactured in Oregon very soon
www.shelterworksonline.com. It is a recycled wood and cement block
with/without rockwool insulation, poured concrete core. Depending on
your soils and loads you may be able to do without a footing, or dig
some piers. A pier and gradebeam foundation is easier to form and pour.
Lawrence Lile wrote:
>I've done this job, using a treated wood foundation. I would not do
>that again, I had more faith in treated wood back then. Jacking up the
>house, then putting the foundation under it is no easy task, and we did
>a lot of it in the mud. Yuck. Well, I was 25 and a lot stupider back
>then.
>
> I would recommend anything but concrete. Concrete block can make a
>great foundation, and lends it self more to the DIY'er, IMHO.
>
>Pouring a wall under an existing house sounds like a logistical problem,
>compared with placing blocks. Would you jack the house up too high,
>then let it back down on the concrete wall? Would there be room for the
>concrete truck to swings it's chute between the top of the wall and the
>house? I dunno.
>
>Concrete block foundations are more common in the South and West for
>some reason. More brickmasons, probably. You'll still probably want
>some kind of poured footing though, under the concrete blocks. Can't
>think of a greener alternative to concrete blocks, unless you can go
>with some kind of recycled or fly ash content bricks.
>
>--Lawrence Lile
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
>[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Reuben
>Deumling
>Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 11:47 AM
>To: Greenbuilder list
>Subject: [BULK] [Greenbuilding] concrete vs block vs ___ foundation wall
>Importance: Low
>
>I plan to replace the 6x6 posts supported by brick piers every 7 feet
>around the perimeter of my 1894 house with a "real" foundation one of
>these days.
>The house is basically a small rectangle sitting on a basement with
>roughly 3' walls below grade. My question is whether the foundation wall
>could profitably be made of blocks (and if so of what material) rather
>than being poured concrete. I am assuming the footing would have to be
>steel reinforced conrete either way. I also plan to lift the house
>approximately two feet in conjunction with the foundation replacement to
>allow for headroom in the basement. I plan on doing the foundation work
>myself.
>
>Other questions would be
>--how building codes (or inspectors) generally view alternatives to
>poured foundation walls, --what relative (material) costs of the
>alternatives would be, as well as --any environmental, thermal, or
>structural pros and cons of concrete foundation walls vs. other
>alternatives.
>
>I've calculated I'd need about 9 yards of concrete for the wall if I
>were to pour it.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Reuben Deumling
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>
>
>
>
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 07:57:45 EDT
From: GrenSheltr at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] http://www.ecobroker.com?????
To: greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
Message-ID: <3b6.8179a08.3258f039 at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In a message dated 10/6/2006 12:12:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
billhutchins at earthlink.net writes:
http://www.ecobroker.com
does anybody have any experience them?
Bill - as a long time Realtor and green builder - I looked into this, deemed
it just a promotion method - was supposed to be a way for Realtors to also
market lots of listed for sale green homes, but has gotten little market
penetration - and had a yearly fee to stay "certified" so I declined to participate
Thanks
Linda Lloyd
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 09:23:26 -0400
From: Clarke Olsen
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Cork Flooring
To: "Mike Jones"
Cc: greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
Message-ID:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
The difference is probably in it's density. Regular (yellow) carpenters
glue
should work, you might try - carefully - to re-roll in reverse to help
it lie flat.
If you can't hold it flat, you need to use contact cement, a tricky
move on a floor.
Clarke Olsen
On Oct 3, 2006, at 7:40 AM, Mike Jones wrote:
> Greetings All!
>
> I recently found a roll of cork approximately 2 - 300 sq ft. in my
> father-in-laws warehouse which he doesn't care about. Its the type
> used to
> make bulletin boards in schools for teachers to post things on. I was
> wondering if anyone knows if there is a difference between this and
> the cork
> used for flooring applications.
>
> How would I go about using this to make a floor? I have tried to glue
> this
> stuff before to make a board for posting things on, but because it has
> been
> rolled for so long, it wants to lift. Are there any specially
> formulated
> cork glues out there?
>
> Any advice or experiences with cork floors would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> M Jones
> _______________________________________________
------------------------------
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End of Greenbuilding Digest, Vol 4, Issue 9
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