Learning from the Past: Adaption & Simplicity
Let’s take a look at another vernacular house design and think about ways it relates to green home building for Bryan-College Station. Today’s building style under examination is the shotgun house.
Learning from the Past: Breezeways
What other building types and techniques from the past can direct our development of green building? Let’s take a look at the “dog run” or “dogtrot” house. This type of building contained two separate rooms or structures that were connected by a single large roof. The connection created a breezeway or “dogtrot” between the structures that pulled cooler air through the space and created a pleasant, covered outdoor area.
Learning from the Past: Thermal Mass Walls
It is often said that learning from the past helps us avoid future mistakes. Could it be possible that techniques and constructions methods for homes 100 years ago could help shape and guide our green building ideas of today?
Transforming Single-Family Homes: Connection
There was a recent article in the opinion section of the New York Times that very poignantly identified the need for changes in the housing industry, especially the rising need for thinking-outside-of-the-box in regard to single-family homes. What are some changes in designing that should take place? And how can these changes be beneficial to you, your community, and the environment?
“Green” Your Home: Remodels and Repairs
Remodeling is a great opportunity to “green” your home. It’s just another reminder that you don’t have to build a completely new home to make it environmentally conscious and efficient. Take for example an article in the Journal of Light Construction yesterday. It discussed how the decision to replace siding on a 120-year-old home in Massachusetts turned into an opportunity to add insulation to the home and make it more thermally (and there for energy) efficient.
Cutting Useless Energy Use
Practically anything you leave plugged in uses energy even when it isn’t on. Some devices that bring up digital displays when they’re turned off draw in more energy than when they are on! So, how can you stop this useless use of energy that gets added to your utility bill without breaking your back by unplugging every single plug?
Your Roof Will Be Better If It’s Green!
A whole new meaning to green building! Picture from Emory Knoll Farms Cities can
Fellow Green Builder
I had the pleasure of speaking with Paul Spadone today. Paul has a green building company very much Like Stearns Design Build but the poor guy is stuck in southern California. He recently completed an award winning LEED Project.
Hot Weather Air Conditioning Efficiency
Our temperatures have already been in the upper 90's in the Brazos Valley. Make sure that your AC is running well. We recommend these three steps:1. Change your air filters every month. 2. Have your AC equipment checked and serviced in the spring. 3. Check your ducts for leaks. This is a huge source of energy loss in most homes. Unfortunately this is not part of most new home inspections.
And, of course, if you are building a custom home or remodeling an existing home, there is a great deal that you can do to insure efficiency.
Spring Repairs
The best investment in the value of your home is repairs. Repairs includes things like painting, replacing rotten wood and fixing broken hardware. Spring is the best time to do these repairs. So here is a nudge encouraging you to get those "honey-dos" done. And, of course, we are available to help. We do honey dos.
