How tiny is too tiny?

To begin to answer that question, check out these links:

• Micro Compact Home


• Micro Mini Home


• Would you live in a micro home?

A house with no furnace

An environmental lawyer and a partner at a design firm are building a house that will require no active energy inputs — no oil, gas, or electric heating. In chilly Massachusetts, it will rely exclusively on insulation and architectural design. Check out the details, with video and slide show, at the New York Times’ report.

Contractors emphasize construction waste management

A new survey of contractors reveals that managing construction waste is the second-most important green practice to these building pros. The report from McGraw Hill Construction, highlighted in a McGraw Hill press release, included these results:

• By 2013, McGraw-Hill Construction projects that the green building market will be up to 25 percent of all new construction starts by value, equating to a $140 billion market.
• 61 percent of contractors rate waste management plans as the second-most important aspect of green building, just behind energy efficiency.
• The United States generated 143.5 million tons of building-related construction and demolition debris in 2008, but only 28 percent (40.2 million tons) was reused, recycled or sent to waste-to-energy facilities.
• The biggest drivers behind sustainable construction waste management practices include client demand (82 percent) and government regulations (81 percent). Competitive advantage (77 percent) and increases in education and awareness (75 percent) are also cited as major influencing factors.   

McGraw Hill is in the business of producing research-driven papers that it then offers for sale. But the company releases choice factoids from the research to whet the appetite of potential customers.

Denim: the last straw in insulation

I've blogged before about using straw as insulation, and straw construction is still in the news. But Habitat for Humanity is putting an even more unusual organic fiber to use in new houses: denim. The charitable organization has been recruiting college kids in drives to collect used jeans -- for example, in West Virginia, South Dakota, and Kentucky (see photo) -- which are then recycled into insulation. Check out this article on the program in Agweek, and the campaign's official site. And, surprise surprise, the denim drive is co-sponsored by the Cotton Inc. people: good press for cotton companies, and warm houses for the poor. The denim is made into insulation by Bonded Logic.

Dollars from dachniks?

With housing starts still in the tank, maybe builders should set their sights a little lower ... at the market in dachas, small country homes, and cabins. If anyone has some disposable income in this economy, it may be the dachniks. You can take your inspiration from this survey of five modern cabins from Dwell.

Is it green? - revisited

I've blogged about the argument over whether eco-friendy McMansions built a long car-commute from work can be called green at all. Here's a great article from Sustainable Industries that takes a look at the different sides in the debate. In regard to the new LEED and NAHB standards, the article says:

LEED-ND awards as many as 10 points for building in “preferred locations” such as on infill sites; another eight points for encouraging less use of cars; and points for bike networks, proximity to jobs, schools and other services. ... The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is also developing a green building standard. According to Kevin Morrow, program manager for green building standards there, saying that a home constructed on a cul-de-sac is not green is a specious argument. ... Much like LEED-ND, NAHB’s standard offers points for building on infill, for repurposing abandoned or decaying suburban developments such as failing malls or so-called “greyfields,” or building on brownfield sites. There are also points for adding walkways, bike paths and other urban-focused development patterns.

Check out the entire article.

How will the recession hit the home channel?

Well, seems that we are officially in a recession -- and have been for about a year -- something that's not news to us in the home channel, from retail mom-and-pop hardware stores to large tract builders. But where do we go from here?

Leanne Tobias of GreenBiz.com thinks that the government can spend us out of the recession, and if the Feds are going shopping, might as well get them to buy green. I think that may be a help, sure, but compared to the billions and trillions of greenbacks being juggled and dropped all over Wall Street, I have to wonder if requiring the government to put Energy Star fridges and air conditioners in office buildings is really going to solve our problems.

Besides, what about housing?

If money is short and you always wanted to live in a hobbit-hole, there's a $5,000 option for you (photo, above right). This earth-sheltered house, designed by an artist in Wales, England, "was built with maximum regard for the environment and by reciprocation gives us a unique opportunity to live close to nature." All for about "1000-1500 man hours and £3000."

If you do not want to build-it-yourself, the optimism of the folks behind the $100K house is refreshing. This is an effort to create affordable green housing in urban Philadephia, and the brains behind the work, Nic Darling, sees reason to keep hope alive:

I may be crazy, overly optimistic or both, but I don’t think we are screwed. In fact, I think we are in one of the best positions possible at this time and place. The real estate market in Philly, while down, has remained fairly strong compared to the smoking craters that have replaced housing markets in many other parts of the country. It has been particularly good for houses selling under $300,000 and that is right in our wheelhouse. ... In addition, we have seen an increase in consumer knowledge regarding the real costs of home ownership. Maintenance, taxes and utilities have finally (we hope) become a part of a home buyer’s consideration. Rather than simply looking at the monthly payment, people are starting to consider the total expense of home ownership, and this bodes well for homes like ours. Our houses will require less maintenance, use half of the utilities (compared to a code built home) and offer a ten year tax abatement (can you say $75 a year in taxes?). They are simply less expensive homes to own. ... People also seem more and more willing to pay for green.

The 100K house may not be as elfin and fey as the 5K earth-sheltered house, but the former is LEED Platinum rated, and it features indoor plumbing and a bathroom, so it has that going for it. Which is nice.

But what about that recession? The conventional wisdom holds that luxury properties will still do well -- and my cousin, who sells and installs very high-end millwork in upstate New York, says he's doing okay. That seems to give anecdotal weight to what the conventionally wise think. To the extent that the wealthy also are looking for green products, there may well be a sweet spot there.

And if Nic Darling is on to something, there's another opportunity for affordable green housing, in addition to the high-end projects. I hope he's right.

Size matters

Building material dealers and home builders looking for hope in a down housing market often talk about the market for luxury homes, because the rich are still building, and the market for green homes, because homeowners want to save on fuel costs while helping the environment. The sweet spot there is the Green McMansion, an exceptional creature known for its geothermal heating, solar panels, certified wood, and large footprint. But can a large home be a green home?

Opinion columnist Monique Cole says, well, not really:

Big homes ... often are built far from urban centers. The rulers of these prairie castles must therefore burn fuel to get to work or an airport. Bigger homes also require more upkeep -- think of the landscapers, housekeepers, window cleaners and dog walkers who have to commute to service the home and its occupants. Adding solar panels and cork floors to one of these mansions is a nice touch, but is this going green, or is it green-washing?

The Socratic Gadfly adds, Heck No!

Throwing some recycled materials into a house that size sounds like it’s being done for the reason many jetsetter elites buy carbon offset credits — It’s the modern equivalent of indulgences.

But Low Impact Living says a LEED Platinum McMansion is better than any other kind.

Eco-mansion haters sometimes ignore an inconvenient truth: Huge homes are constantly getting built, and most of these are anything but green.

On the other hand, the 100K House has a different take:

Perhaps, instead of thinking of how large a house should or should not be, we should consider how much space each individual needs, a sort of square feet per capita idea.

I think that's an idea worth pondering.

Another eco-pod for you!

I've already blogged about pod-treehouses, but here's another option for those who love Elves and Ewoks, or just want to live like them.

Here's the latest in treehouse living from a German firm, Baumraum. Thanks to Dwell for the tip.

Container homes in the news

I've read three recent green blog posts on prefab housing made from recycled shipping containers, and who am I to buck a trend? Inhabitat and Greener Buildings both posted about the SG Blocks version, one of which is the showcase home at the currently running West Coast Green show.

The other post, in Ecolect, is a multifamily urban development in Salt Lake City, pictured to the left. The development, City Center Lofts, features ...

• Constructed from 50% recycled materials by weight
• High-efficiency air-to-air heat exchanger and HEPA filtration
• No- or low-VOC paints, sealants and adhesives
• Green planted roof
• Natural ventilation
• Low-E, high performance insulated windows
• Demand (instantaneous) hot water heaters
• Secure bicycle storage at street level

High-end builder offers free solar roof

Shea Homes, which offers a line of "Shea Green Certified" homes, is offering free solar panel roofs with new homes. Sold through its high-end Trilogy brand, the builder claims that the panels can reduce energy bills by 60 percent. The deal is part of a partnership with BP Solar.

Compare to my previous items: Ikea selling solar panels, back-up system for solar power users, builder opens solar division, and solar homes in California. Seems clear to me that solar energy is an up and coming trend throughout the home channel.

Have a ball with this prefab house

Here's a European prefab house that's formed in the shape of a truncated icosahedron -- that's the same shape as a soccer ball. Made by Easy Domes, the units are built of sustainable and recycled materials. And yes, that's grass growing on top. From the Web site, it looks like the company will ship overseas, so it's an option for American homeowners who want an energy-efficient prefab green house, or who want a funny looking round house, or who really really like soccer. Thanks to Inhabitat for the tip, and there's more info here.

Sierra Club to help build green homes for injured vets

The Sierra Club is partnering with Homes for Our Troops to include eco-friendly materials and processes when making new houses for severely injured vets. The partnership includes a grant from the Sierra Club Foundation of up to $1 million over the next three years. According to a press release,

The grant will be used to explore new technologies and products designed with environmental and energy conservation concerns in mind, include a higher degree of green building into its homes, and fully participate in the Energy Star Program and the LEED Program that was recently established by the US Green Building Council. These energy efficient homes will provide long-term economic and environmental benefits to these veterans and their families.

News reports suggest green building is gaining steam

From across the country, green builders are being quoted in news reports. Here are a few that leapt out at me while Web surfing today ...

Lone Star used to get one or two calls a month from consumers interested in building green homes. Now, it's a few calls a week. (paraphrase) John Brooks, owner, Lone Star Custom Homes, Central Indiana.

More and more home builders, suppliers and contractors are building green in Southwestern Illinois. The member-driven Home Builders Association of Greater Southwest Illinois held its sixth program on green building since February 2007 to talk about how and why to build green. ... Since the Home Builders Association of Southwest Illinois' first green building program, attended by only two industry people, 100 industry insiders showed up July 30 ... "I build green because of my kids," said speaker Matt Belcher, owner of Belcher Homes, Custom Sustainable Homebuilding, based in Wildwood, Mo.

"People say that you've got to have geothermal and solar energy," said Court Airhart, president of Airhart Construction, which is building homes priced from $500,000 to $1 million in the western suburbs of Chicago.

"Everyone wants to be green today. Green practices are being introduced into every aspect of life. It's what people want, it's what the planet needs, and building manufacturers and builders are responding," said Brian Harlan, Harlan Corp., Eastern Pennsylvania.

"There's just so much growing in the green market. It's a growth area for our members, and it's our future," said Bob Filka, chief executive, Michigan Association of Home Builders.

Also emblematic of the trend: articles on How to sell your house as green and How to avoid eco-fatigue.

An outpouring of help for those suffering after floods

The recent flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, hit that community pretty hard. But many people are pitching in to help the city get back on its feet.

• Massachusetts teens are helping to rebuild the town library.
• FEMA and local builders are working on reconstruction.
• A few hippies have set up a free kitchen for volunteers, serving organic food, natch.
• And a manufacturer of an eco-friendly mold-killer maker has sent a team to help with the clean-up.

By the way, the mold-killer product is also being sold at Cedar Rapids' Edgewood Do it Best Hardware & Rental Center. The store has sold more than 400 units, according to store co-owner Kelly Lauderdale.

New building panel features high percent of recycled content

Temple-Inland's new gypsum sheathing product -- GreenGlass Fiberglass-Faced Gypsum Sheathing -- hits all the right buttons as an eco-friendly product, according to a company release. Up to 90 percent recycled content? Check. Mold resistant? Check. Moisture resistant? Check. Fire resistant? For the thicker version, check.

According to Jim Hannan, a company spokesman, “We’re very confident about the mold and moisture resistance offered by this product, not only because of the natural resistance properties of its fiberglass facers, but because of our TemShield Mold Protection that’s engineered into its gypsum core. In fact, it scored a 10, the highest score possible in laboratory mold-resistance testing."

New England home builder creates alternative energy division

Cambridge, Mass.-based S+H Construction just opened a new Renewable Energy Division. From a company press release:

S+H's Renewable Energy Division designs, integrates and installs solar electric power, solar thermal hot water, and geothermal heating and cooling systems. Their services include everything from system design and installation through maintenance of residential equipment as well as energy conservation consultations. S+H is a fully certified turnkey installer and performs all of the paperwork necessary for homeowners to qualify for and obtain the significant rebates offered in Massachusetts to those who install PV.

The company's green building Web page will undoubtedly be updated soon with more info.

Research offers insights on green home buyers

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and McGraw-Hill Construction have released preliminary results of a study on attitudes towards green home construction. One million households were surveyed to find those who had purchased green homes in the last three years. Some highlights of the research:

• The vast majority (83%) said their new homes offered lower operating costs, lower energy bills (79%), and lower water bills (68%).
• Going green was the top reason cited by survey respondents for remodeling their home (42%).
• 70% of buyers are either more or much more inclined to purchase a green home over a conventional home in down housing market. 
• More than half (56%) of those surveyed who have bought green homes earn less than $75,000 per year; 29% earn less than $50,000.
• Overall, lower income buyers say they found tax credits and government programs, indoor air quality benefits and green certifications to be the most important incentives for them to buy green homes.

Complete research results will be released in the fall.

Beazer Homes uses green car to motivate sales force

Beazer Homes' Charleston-Savannah Division won this custom-detailed Smart Car as the prize in a recent internal sales contest. Salespeople in the division will get to drive it, saving gas while boosting Beazer's eSmart program to sell energy-efficient homes.

"Zero Emissions House" gets big PR boost at G8 meet

With reports in the Wall Street Journal, NBC News, and other media outlets, the news that the Japanese government has sponsored a "Zero Emissions House" in time for the G8 meeting in Hokkaido, Japan, is getting pretty big play on the Internets. The house showcases the latest green home products, from the wind turbine and solar panels that fuel it to the energy efficient lights and appliances inside. Did I mention the Honda Asimo robot that serves tea?

Here are a couple links for more info:

• Pink Tentacle translated the original Japanese government info and graphics. (Thanks for the picture above!)
• Japan's Corporate News Network has more technical details.
• Sharp is launching a solar-powered TV at the house.