Yummy!

I found a way to equate green construction to the Marine Corps, so why not create an analogy between sausage and standard construction.

Now, every time you bite into your next sausage link you will think about us.  Why is that?  We all know what goes into making sausage, however we really don’t care to know much about the process.  Much like your home.  I would prefer not to know what went into the most houses.  Unfortunately, since I am a renovator and a new builder, I get to uncover the jewels left behind for us under the Sheetrock.  Ever go to a new construction site and think “thanks God this is not my house”?  There is trash is the duct work, urine in the bathtub, who knows what type of human waste in a five gallon Sheetrock bucket.   I have seen much worse which I cannot post on my blog.  Of course not on our construction sites.

Why the graphic images?  Well, green home building is a completely different process.  A green home is more than the products that go into the home, it is the process of how it is built that makes it green as well.  Green homes are not like sausage, they are kind of fun to watch going up.  The sites are cleaner, the trash is recycled, and the duct-work is protected.  You would think that this is code, it is not.  It is just good builder practice.

We at The Hoots Group, are so confident in our site cleanliness, that we are showcasing one of our projects on Facebook and have a website for it.  Since it will be built to EarthCraft House and LEED for Homes standards, you can be assured that there is “no sausage making on our site.”

Visit our latest green (non-sausage) project at the Midtown Green House.  To to get your own organic house visit The Hoots Group

My allergies have been acting up recently and I am not sure why. Got them to calm down a bit with some antihistamines. I would not consider myself to be chemical sensitive where any chemical causes my body harm, but my lungs and nose do prefer a clean environment.

As a child, I had allergic reactions to many things such as dust mites, mold, and dust, plus other common elements in the air of most houses. As I grew older (and more educated), I realized that I had sensitivities to VOCs and HAPs. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are solvents or other chemicals that are found in most components of the house and in cleaners and other household chemicals. Whenever I use Windex or or types of cleaners that have harsh chemicals in them, I sneeze.   Sometimes, this will trigger and allergic reaction that will cause my nose to be sensitive to other items like dust or perfume that usually do not bother me.

Sidenote: I have been studying the household cleaners even more over the past few years since we are a green builder and I have come to realize that they chemical may be making your home sicker!  Many of our greener client just use vinegar and water.  This solution may even kill more bacteria that antibacterial cleaners that you are using now!

While I have been using this as an excuse to not clean up since it makes me sick, I could not use this excuse yesterday for my wife’s birthday. It was her special day and I wanted to help her out so she would not have to work at all.

I went to Home Depot to get a new steam mop to do quick hygienic clean ups for our office and I came upon some microfiber rags in the cleaning section. The package stated that all I need was water and the rag would not leave any residue and the surface would be clean. Before I took the rags to the office for the quick clean ups, I tried them on our kitchen. For once, I could clean up the kitchen without sneezing! Plus the microfibers worked so well on the different surfaces, that we are now able to get rid of the chemicals since they clean better with just water.  They had special rags designed for glass, stainless steel, and general purpose that all exceeded my expectations when I used them.

In the past, I was accused of being allergic to work.  Now I have proof that I am just allergic to the harmful chemicals that so call help us clean!

Here is a plug for one of our clients. We made their home more comfortable and energy efficient.

I’m Randy Merrill, the owner of Cartridge World Atlanta and I’d like to share with you an idea to help save you money, help the community and save the planet with no inconvenience to you. We are currently saving Mount Vernon Presbyterian, Pace Academy and The Lovett School thousands of dollars a year on their ink and toner and we would like to do the same for you.

Our business is simple and successful. We take the empty casings of ink and toner cartridges and completely remanufacture them in our Vinings workshop. Through this process, we have a higher success rate vs. original manufacturer for a new cartridge or toner off the shelf. As a result, we are able to provide a savings of 25%-40% on each piece. Importantly, the dollars spent by you and your school go directly into our local economy, not overseas, which helps our community.

Finally, we recycle to reduce landfill waste. One toner casing requires 1 gallon of oil to make, produces 3.5 pounds of waste and remains in the landfill for 450 years. Our remanufacturing process reuses your casing and reduces waste.

We also offer free delivery for orders over $100.

We can save you money, put your printing dollars back into your community, help save the planet and our delivery (orders > $100) is free.

It would be our pleasure to provide you with a quote and you can compare the savings for you and the benefits for our community and planet.

For a short time only….

From the manufacturer:

“I’m sure you are aware of the Energy Star Appliance rebate going into effect in GA, but I wanted to forward this just in case. Energy Star certified Solar Water Heating systems do apply, and our systems are Energy Star  …rebate is in place until the funds are exhausted, which could easily move quickly.

GA:
GA’s is going into effect on Feb. 12, 2010. GA’s pays $199 until the $9.3M runs out (all appliance rebates).
GA Rebate

Contact us today to get a free quote on your house  Fresh World Contact.

Here is a previous post updated with this rebate: more…

Want to learn more about the business of green building?  Come here me talk at the joint session of the Green Building Council and Remodeler’s Council.  If the current title does not work for you- Try “Making Green Sustainable.”

See you there.

Thanks to everyone that help us have a successful year in 2009 and we look forward to starting some fun projects in 2010 as well.  I know the economy is rough, however deferred maintenance on your house will cost you if you leave repairs exposed to the elements.  A crack in the paint today is rotten trim tomorrow if not addressed.   Weatherization not addressed today leads to high energy bills tomorrow.

Duct tape is a Southern tradition for home repair, however will not save you money in the long run.

The next segment in the My Design Partner series is water heating.

All water heaters are created equally correct?  I wish. Unfortunately they are not, and making a bad choice in a water heater can cost you a lot in operating costs.  The water heater is the second largest consumer of energy on most residences. more…

We are a Velux Solar Hot Water dealer and installer. On one of the installations that we completed this year we accidentally heated the water with the sun for 4 months!  The intent was to heat the water with the sun with an electrical backup, however this was not the case for that period of time.  There was a disconnect attached to the water heater that was not working, however we did not realize this until we got several days of overcast and the sun could not heat up the water. The whole time they did not have to pay a dime to heat up their water.  Here is post from my homeowner about their experience- Lake Claire LEED

On average- in Atlanta you will save around 85% on water heating using a Velux system because the sun can preheat the water so the secondary heat source rarely has to kick on!  According the DOE the average payback is between 3-7 years.   Solar thermal is 5-10 times as efficient as tankless water heater in most cases and the payback is faster as a result.

To see how Solar Thermal works visit Fresh World.

The next segment in the My Design Partner series is roofing.

Remember your parents being proud by giving you the basic essentials to include “a roof over you head?”   Well- not are roofs are created equal.  Some roofs are good enough to pass code and last a few years and others are designed to last for several generations. more…

The next segment in the My Design Partner series is flooring.

In any type of renovation or new home build you will have to pick out or refinish the flooring in your home. There are many options to choose from along with some new and exciting new options that have just come on the market.  Flooring can add warmth and beauty to the home and in many cases makes or breaks the overall design.  Sometimes all you need is a fresh coat of paint and a new floor and the room will look new again.

more…

As part of the My Design Partner series we are going to discuss HVAC.

Choosing the best HVAC for your house is not always any easy thing to decide upon.  Especially, when you are forced to make a decision quickly when it breaks when there are extreme temperatures outside!  It is best to have a plan in place (better yet a quote) before your system breaks.

In the Southeastern US there are several options that are readily available.  Standard heat pumps (heating and cooling), Furnaces (heating) with AC (cooling) , and Geothermal (heating and cooling)  are the most popular. more…

Forward:

When designing a building a house or remodeling a home, how are you to know that you are getting the best options from your contractor?  Their goal is not only to make money, but to keep you on budget as well.  Unfortunately, in doing so you are not given the option to choose from the best categories when your house is being designed for you.

Our company, Fresh World, is a partner is a group called My Design Partners.  What is a “My Design Partner”?

“My Design Partners is a select association of the most innovative manufacturing and service providers in the custom residential, remodeling and construction industry. Through this premiere network, independent businesses collaborate to offer remodelers, builders and their clients a comprehensive, concierge level service that streamlines and enhances the design and building process with unsurpassed results.”

Fresh World will be hosting a discussion with the rest of the partners on Good, Better, Best design tips as they apply to designing various components of your home.  From Heating and Air and water heaters to Counter-tops and Flooring, we will discuss the various levels on the options that are currently available in the marketplace.  These options will help you better make good decisions when you are faced with either budget constraints or if you want the best on available and are not sure what that is!

I will will put my 2 cents worth in based on my design/ build experience and my partners will comment on my posts and offer even more information.  Check back often or RSS to the post and comments so you do not miss any thing in the series.  The category will be “Good, Better, Best”  AND “My Design Partners” on the sidebar.

Other posts in the “Good Better Best” series:

Introduction to My Design Partners

Flooring

HVAC

Roofing

Water Heating