A written set of "green" principles for all CP & AH track courses

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Permalink Reply by AB O'Brien on June 22, 2009 at 8:19pm

This is a good idea Paul. Not only should we have a set of "geen" principles we need to think about cost cutting "regeening" goals for rehab, since that is the hot topic with NSP funds. I think it should start sooner than "what type of materials to use" - how about incentives - 1. Reduction in permit fees. granted on the NHAB gold, silver and bronze ratings after completion? The fee reduction is applied to the listing price with the green certification as a plus. I know that there is a move in Missouri to do this since they don't have a green code and they need to encourage builders to go green.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara Conover on June 23, 2009 at 10:26am

Yes, AB, I agree. Green characteristics of both the rehab and new construction sides begin with organization and program wide written policies. My problem with your fee reduction incentive is that it is not within the power of the practitioner, and so is part of a different, but equally important set of principles outside the nonprofit producer's shop. Name that other set for us, and maybe say more about it.
My next reply here will address low/no cost green choices for affordable housing production (rehab and new) to be established pre-production.

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Permalink Reply by AB O'Brien on June 23, 2009 at 1:53pm

Hey Barbara see you got suckered in also! In answer to your question - I think we need to establish a list of incentives by state. In our training classes we could show the participants what is available in their area. I am sure that this info is put together some where.
a. what states gives permit reductions as incentives. (I will reply with complete info concerning this).
b. tax credits
c. rebates
d. utility company assistance
What else?

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Permalink Reply by Paul Webb on June 24, 2009 at 8:32am

That is an excellent approach, AB. You might be surprised how little info is put together anywhere, but if anyone can find it it will be AB.

So, we'll have national, climate zoned, and state specific categories. That will be a welcome innovation for nonprofit practitioners, since most national "green" systems rules are "one size fits none."

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Permalink Reply by Paul Webb on June 23, 2009 at 11:32am

Thanks Barbara and AB. I think the incentives feature is actually a pretty good first item on the green principles list, and I think, Barbara, that AB means for the nonprofit practitioner to proactively offer the incentive for green work having been done. And I think, AB, that Barbara doesn't know how the nonprofit would be able to offer permit fee reduction without some government entity's power to reduce fees.

Clarify, if you would. Which fees ? Paid to whom ?

And, good on ya AB for mentioning NSP. Including NSP NSPII and GRP considerations in our discussions and eventual product is VITAL.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Webb on June 23, 2009 at 1:23pm

This is the climate map we were all going to put on the classroom wall as a visual reminder to us and the class about green & energy etc.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara Conover on June 25, 2009 at 1:40pm

"Easy" green from construction viewpoint:
Using 2X6 walls, 24" on center, rather than old standard 2X4 walls, 16" o.c. (better stability, better energy efficiency, and less expensive, due to less wood used)
Using zero-VOC paints (no off-gassing, price not significantly higher compared to regular paints, now available everywhere)
Better site-usage, placing houses closer to street, leaving larger back yards for recreation and gardening, and less space used for extended, impermeable driveways
Using locally produced items to avoid long-distance shipping expenses and fuel (we use kitchen cabinets made in our county from wood grown in the next county)
Provision of clotheslines, where allowed (remember the wonderful smell of sheets dried in the sun?)
Use of local plants for landscaping (list available from county extension service) to avoid plants that need regular maintenance and watering
Feel free to add to this list of low-cost greening!

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Permalink Reply by AB O'Brien on June 26, 2009 at 1:09pm

Since I am in the cold mid-west (not my choice) my green tip is insulate your foundations using rigid insulation concrete forms ICFs that hold the concrete in place during the curing process and serve as an extra layer of insulation for the foundadations once things have dried. If you don't use ICFs, consider adding a 2-inch layer of rigid closed cell foam insulation to the exterior of the foundatation before backfilling.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Webb on June 26, 2009 at 8:19am

Nice work from AB & Barbara, right Tim ?

AB's "liability & risk" message has been eaten by the digital wonderland. Repost as a "reply" ?

There is now enough material in this discussion to extract the substance, delete this discussions, and start a new one with the usable points restated, maybe in list form ?

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Permalink Reply by Paul Webb on June 29, 2009 at 9:05am

This week is the last for this discussion. It is time to extract content, organize and begin refining the shape of product to be applied to our courses. Would have been better to get more participation, but it's ok. The new discussion may spark a reaction, eh ?

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Permalink Reply by Paul Webb on June 30, 2009 at 9:08am

On the "risk" side of green we also have the dilemma of requiring all CF lights, saving a great amount of energy, but NOT requiring a safe means of dealing with the mercury they contain. Mercury in soil, water, fish is not a trivial matter. The exponential increase in the number of CF bulbs will vastly increase the quantity of mercury, despite the lower amount in each bulb.

Thoughts ?

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Permalink Reply by Brian Drake on August 1, 2009 at 7:17am

One solution for lights; though not a low cost one, is LED based lighting. While not a great option for single bulb emplacements or directed reading lights since their light output is still low to moderate; they are great replacements for any spots, indirect and chandelier systems.

If you really want to get into greening your lights you can use light-pipes; either through the solar-tubes from the roof or through the newer plastic fiber-optic based light pipes. Using CFL's in only high-light requirements and LED's in low-light setups gives a very good; low waste heat and low energy usage option. You then reduce the risk of improper disposal by putting stickers in the high-light /CFL emplacements directing them to local recyclers like Walmart.

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