It seems impossible to believe, but water is scarce and growing more scarce all the time. 

“Go green from the very start.”  

That’s the advice I give clients who come to me with their own home or renovation designs and ask me to build them. Now, don’t get me wrong, I always appreciate their creativity and ingenuity, but I owe them to ask the question: how green is your design?

Working with an eco-friendly architect makes great sense.  They know how to make create a beautiful, functional, livable space so that green builders can bring that vision to life while being gentle on the environment.  

And, of course, there are levels, for sure.  Concepts of environmentally friendly architecture range from the design and build out of mud homes to a focus on high performance in buildings that minimize environmental impact while maximizing energy efficiency. These things are very different, but both very important as we move toward greater responsibility for Mother Earth and a more sustainable future.

I don’t want to debate those today.  We can talk, until we are “green in the face,” about natural architecture — an emerging green trend that incorporates natural materials from your locality into the design and build of your home — eco-friendly design or sustainable building practices.  While they are all different in their environmental benefits, there still is no doubt:  

These ideas, concepts and initiatives ARE the next best thing to sliced bread!

It’s simple. If we design our homes and other structures focused on human health, nature and resource conservation, we can live long happy lives in a lively, healthy world…and so can our grandchildren…and theirs.  If we don’t, we’re just irresponsible and selfish…among other adjectives.

I am a green builder because I care about my customers, their families and their communities.  Because of that I always work with architects and designers who are committed to the environment. They are my partners in green and they work to design our joint projects to be healthy to humans, healthy to the earth and buildable, by me, using advanced building technologies that keep it all honest and sustainable.

It’s about sensitivity — human, cultural and ecological — and it just makes sense.

Whether you are interested in using all-natural and recycled building materials in a new construction project, maximizing the use of local materials in a right-sized home for your family, or simply ensuring high performance — and lower operating costs — in terms of energy efficiency, know that your design is just as important as the build out and the technologies you put in place.

Make sure your builder works with an environmentally friendly architect. It can help you in many ways. Doing so can help you:

• Save money on your project
• Ensure its quality, beauty and design excellence
• Qualify for a number of significant incentive programs

Trust me.  Make sure you or your builder works with a green architect or designer.  Because when you start with a plan designed around green initiatives, everybody wins…for the long haul.

Last week, when I received the first DTE Energy bill since finishing the upgrade to the solar panel array at my permanent model home and business office, I learned that my house - built using innovative green technologies, the latest in sustainable energy systems, the design excellence of a green-minded architect and a lot of TLC -  is powerful . . . very powerful.

So powerful, in fact, that DTE owed ME money last month! Ha!

I think I'm going to frame the bill.

Since I built this home in 2007, my goal has been to get to net zero energy.  We've made a lot of strides and now this 4,000 square foot shingle-style home generates more than 70 percent of its own energy needs - as well as credits from the local energy company!

It's yet another reason to love my house...AND my way of (green) building.

When it was completed in '07, my house was Michigan's very first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum-rated home and as one of the "twelve greenest homes in the nation." Since then, it has achieved even more green certifications and awards.  It uses 73 percent less energy than a typical existing home its size, and generates its own energy using photovoltaic cells and saves energy using geothermal heating and cooling systems.

The update to our array added four kilowatts of photovoltaic cells to our original two. Because of it, I am less reliant on DTE Energy, specifically, and on non-renewable energy sources, in general.  The upgrade reduced our already- low annual energy expenses and also made the house a great testimony to everything I believe in when it comes to building green homes in Michigan or anywhere else for that matter.

There couldn't have been a better investment, as far as I am concerned and I recommend it to you.

By making use of sustainable energy sources, you can:

•  Expect savings every single month because you'll use considerably less electricity from the public utility.
• Hedge against rate hikes. I know you've been getting as frustrated as I have by unpredictable rate hikes.  By generating your own free power, no more worries there!
• Protect the environment.  Solar electricity comes from a clean and renewable source, the sun, and geothermal systems generate heat energy from the earth.
• Increase property value. These are smart upgrades that make your home more desirable and valuable.

 Try it.  Be powerful...like me. :-)

When you're out shopping for a car, the "miles-per-gallon" sticker is one of the first things you look for, right?  You want to know how efficient that car is and how much it costs to operate.  Did you know there is a similar number to consider when you are shopping for a house?

The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score is a number describing the energy efficiency of a home as it compares to a house built to code. The score is based on the results of tests performed - on everything from heating and cooling systems, to windows, lights and appliances, to the building envelope itself - with highly specialized equipment.  The tests include a blower door test (to test the leakiness of the house) and a duct test (to test the leakiness of the ducts), among many others. Results are then fed into an approved software program that analyzes results and provides the final number.

What to look for . . .

The lower the better.  The HERS rating has a scale that begins at zero for a home that generates as much power through renewable energy on site as it consumes. Very few homes fall into this category, though. In fact, the scope of HERS scores in the real estate world today is quite wide. For instance, a representative existing home has a score of about 130, while a typical newly constructed home comes in closer to 100. 

Homes that qualify for an ENERGY STAR label must have a HERS score of 86 or less and that's good, but there's still better.  Fairly recently, the U.S. Department of Energy posed a challenge to the homebuilding industry to go even greener and build a new generation of high-performance homes. To qualify for the program, a home must score 70 or less on the HERS. Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption. 

When you think about that, what we accomplish in energy efficiency is really something to be proud of.  Fireside Home Construction recently built an affordable, custom, 1,900 square foot (finished space only) green home with a HERS score index of 50. That's 41 percent more efficient than a base Energy Star rating score!  In addition to making us proud, the low score contributed to helping us achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum rating (the highest possible!) and keeps the home's operating expenses low, as well.  "M&M's Li'l Ranch's" estimated total utility (heating, cooling, hot water, electricity and service charges) bills add up to only $80 per month! 

And that's not even as low as it goes! Our 4,000 square foot headquarters in Dexter, Mich., started out with a HERS score of 37.  Recently, we added four kilowatts of new solar panels to our original two and started generating about 70 percent of our own energy needs.  We can't wait to see our new score.  It may become the number forever associated with "The Fireside Challenge." 

So find out just how many "miles per gallon" your home gets. Call a professional, let them conduct the tests and then take the steps to improve your score.  It's worth it.

There’s no question that one of the easiest and least expensive ways to give your home a facelift is to splash some new paint around. Before you do, though, think green. Paints contain a wide range of chemicals that can be extremely harmful to people and to the environment.  This makes painting an area where some forethought and a little shopping around can really make a difference.

Here’s why. Regular paint releases low-level toxic emissions into the air for years after application. This is because of the high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) needed — until recently — to ensure the paint’s durability.

Indoors, where these emissions are concentrated in sealed, virtually airtight homes and workplaces, this air pollution can be a health hazard, causing headaches, dizziness and other ailments. Outdoors, they contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone.
 
If your interior decorating needs allow and you want to avoid these problems for health or environmental reasons, shop for natural, zero-VOC paints — like lime wash, milk wash and clay paint — for indoor use.  If that’s too hard to commit to because of the limited color choices, don’t worry!  Low-VOC paints and coating options provide a very good, environmentally responsible choice, as well.

On the outside of your home, where exterior paint can contribute to air pollution and contaminate ground water and drinking water supplies, choosing to go green makes even more sense.  Look for no- or low-VOC, no-formaldehyde paints and avoid alkyd or solvent-based paints. These contain hundreds of toxic ingredients.

Don’t worry about quality issues.  We’ve come a long way and many innovative paint companies have worked hard to overcome paint’s traditional health and environmental challenges. Reputable paint companies, like Sherwin-Williams, are now manufacturing eco-friendly coatings that still look just as good, if not better, than older paint types.  They are also ensuring that those of us who care about the environment can “breathe easy.”  These paints have also been created for modern life with features that include low-sheen, easy-clean, one-coat or long-lasting…so, why debate or even think about it any longer? Just go green!

Because even tiny amounts of lead can permanently damage a child’s growing brain and result in IQ loss, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems, renovation firms are now required (since April 22, 2010) to be certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in lead abatement practices.

The new rule is called the "

Ensuring the beauty of your home’s exterior can be challenging when going green, but it is well worth the effort in terms of ensuring your home’s durability and for eliminating hazards to people and the environment.

There’s a lot to consider in this seemingly simple decision, though, so it’s definitely worth seeking help from an expert in making your siding decisions. After all, the answers are not necessarily "cut and dry." There are many "shades of green."

For example, if you are worried about pollution, you may wish to avoid vinyl siding because it may contain polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. When PVC is manufactured (or if it is ever burned in a fire or incinerator), it creates a great many deeply concerning environmental pollutants, including dioxin, a potent carcinogenic.

If you are more concerned about landfill waste, you need to know that vinyl siding use has its benefits in this regard. During manufacturing, for instance, it actually uses less energy than either wood or aluminum, and, after use, it can be recycled. In the event that it ends up in a landfill, it is chemically stable and no harmful chemicals leach out of the material to pollute the environment.

Other choices that are more green during manufacturing include sustainable options like solid wood, fiber cement, metal, engineered wood, stucco and stone, but eco-conscious users of these materials should pay careful attention to the resins and adhesives they must use for these projects. Many of them may have an off-gassing effect. Users should also be conscious of energy or natural resources used in maintaining their selection.

In Michigan, I like to use fiber cement siding. Why? I like it for its longevity, its appearance, the fact that it is both fire and storm resistant and because color choices are virtually unlimited!

No matter what type of siding you decide on for your home or project, consider its impact on energy use. If you are looking to maximize energy efficiency in an existing home, you might consider insulated siding. It includes a rigid foam insulation that is fused behind the exterior surface of the siding panel. Since the insulation is contoured to fill the gap between the siding and the building on which it is installed, it reduces thermal bridging and therefore delivers　maximum energy efficiency — and maximum energy savings — along with durability, low maintenance and lasting beauty. It can also qualify you for beneficial tax credits.

So many decisions, I know, but consider this: there are a LOT of good choices!

Many people think insulation works the way a winter coat does. It’s true in many cases that "the thicker, the better," but it works on a different principle. You can’t just pile it on and keep warmth in and cold out, or vice versa. You have to seal it in. Air escapes and enters a home when a "thermal bridge" lets it in. A thermal bridge is a path of entry and escape created when two poorly insulated materials come together. It is a primary cause of energy inefficiency and the high heating and cooling costs that come with it. Insulation attempts to make that "bridge" disappear. The right insulation creates a "thermal break" that reduces air leaks and, in doing so, energy costs.

When we talk about insulation, we talk about "R-values," or the product’s "thermal resistance" value. While it seems to make sense that increasing the R-value of your walls and roof — the building envelope — would increase the resistance, it doesn’t always happen that way.

Poor installation often results in gaps, over-compression or settling (of blown-in insulation). The end result can be lower R-values in the installed product than what is listed on the purchased product’s label.

If you’re not sure that you can get it right, hiring a pro is really the way to go.

Don’t get me wrong. There are air sealing and insulation activities you can do yourself. If careful and precise, a homeowner can often insulate attic floors, basements, new or open walls, and crawl space walls on their own. Blown-in and sprayed-in insulation, though, are best left to the professional installer, no matter what.

If you are taking on an insulation project on your own, remember the two main ingredients of the "secret sauce:"

• Insulation needs proper air sealing to work well.
• Only someone with the right equipment and necessary training can identify and quantify air leakage and combustion safety problems.

If you do choose to tackle insulation efforts yourself, have an experienced and trusted third-party contractor check your work.

This home is in a nice upscale neighborhood on the west side of highway 14.  We have completely removed the old kitchen, appliances and plumbing and also an 18' full wall that divided the kitchen from the sunroom.  Work as follows

 Monday 3/22/10  Removed all appliances, moved them to lower level to install in new kitchen we have installed there.  Built temporary wall to keep dust out of main house and covered all hardwood floors for protection.

 Tuesday 3/23/10  Granite tops removed and all cabinets taken loose from walls.  Some cabinets moved to lower level and installed in lower level utility store room. We moved about 8 lineal feet of upper and lower cabinets.  We did this and installed a nice Formica top for work space at no charge to the owner as our appreciation for being such great clients.

 Wed 3/24/10  The plumbers were in and disconnected and capped all plumbing drain and supply lines and the electricians re routed all wiring from the wall to be removed and added new for new recessed lighting and the new appliance locations.

 Thurs 3/25/10  Our Fireside Home Construction crew of 5 men arrived and built a temporary wall to support the floor system above as we removed the dividing wall.  We then installed a 3 ½" x 14" x 23' long support beam to support the floor above since we took out the dividing wall.  All this complete and cleaned up.

 Friday 3/26/10  Drywall men showed up and repaired all affected drywall and put on the first coat of drywall mud.

Saturday 3/27/10  Trim carpenter arrived and spent the day, inserting and repairing new hardwood flooring where the gaps were from the old cabinets.

Monday 3/29/10  Today and tomorrow all new cabinets will be installed and be ready for templating for new granite tops on Friday of this week.