As reported by NPR, Columbia University recently conducted a study where they asked people about the most effective ways were to save energy --- and as a general public, we're well off the mark!  From NPR....

HILL: Yeah, pretty much. Basically researchers asked people what one thing they could do that would be the most effective thing to save energy and people said turning off the lights.

CHIOTAKIS: Well that makes sense, what's wrong with that?

HILL: Well, turning off the lights and other curtailment activities, as researchers like to call them, may not save as much energy as we think. A better choice might be making efficiency improvements, like installing energy-efficient light bulbs or driving non-gas guzzlers.

CHIOTAKIS: So what are the things, Adriene, we do that we think save more energy than they actually save?

HILL: Well, so there's turning off the lights. There's driving slower on the highway -- maybe stepping it down to 55, people think that saves more energy than it actually does. Unplugging your phone charger -- again, these things do save energy, but not as much as people guess.

CHIOTAKIS: And what do we under-rate? What saves more than most people think they save?

HILL: Driving cars that get better mileage, using room air conditioners instead of central air, and running more efficient appliances.

BUT WAIT!  THERE'S GOOD NEWS . . .



This Saturday (September 25) from 9am to 4pm you can learn all about saving energy, and living sustainably at Harrisonburg's First Annual Green Expo. 

Don't waste the next few months doing web searches and making phone calls to try to learn about improvements you could make to your home, or technologies or products you could use in a new home.  This Saturday you can spend an hour or two going from booth to booth speaking directly to the experts!  Take a look at the long list of companies that will be present!

Plus, you can learn a lot about these four notable speakers!

1. Dave and Lee O'Neill - Owners of Radical Roots Farm - speaking about Farming sustainable foods
2. Andre Viette - Owner - Viette Nurseries - speaking about Eco-Friendly Gardening
3. Charles Bowles - Building Scientist for Earth Craft Virginia - speaking about building and remodeling homes to be efficient
   
4. Ralph Grove - Sierra Club Shenandoah Group - speaking about The Sierra Club history and current priorities

So, come one, come all --- this Saturday over at Eastern Mennonite University --- to Harrisonburg's First Annual Green Expo!

We're now less than four weeks away from the first residents moving into the brand new upscale condos in the East Wing of Urban Exchange located in downtown Harrisonburg.  Click on the image below to view updated construction photos.

Get up close and personal (thanks to unanticipated loud construction equipment) with Harrisonburg mayor Kai Degner, and hear about the upcoming Mayor's Sustainability Summit to be held in downtown Harrisonburg.



As Kai mentioned, the agenda for the Summit will be formed around the interests and desires of those in attendance, but may likely include topics such as:

• renewable energy
• local foods
• preparing for a post peak-oil world
• green space
• bike share programs
• energy conservation initiatives
• climate change

Kai's theory is that the first step towards making any of these large scale community changes is to create dialogue in our local community.  It is bound to be a fun and thought-provoking day.  Mark it on your calendar....

Mayor's Sustainability Summit
Saturday, May 30, 2009
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Starting and ending in Court Square Theater
View more details by clicking here.

Over the past few months I have been educating myself about green building techniques (for example: What Is An Earthcraft House?), but I have also been picking up some tips on what existing homeowners can do to make their homes more green, and energy efficient.

Here are some low-cost ways to live green around your home:

1. Install CFL lightbulbs (save lots of electricity)
   
2. Install low-flow showerheads (save water too)
   
3. Start a compost pile (save the landfills)
   
4. Plant trees (shade trees around a house can reduce heating bills)
5. Insulate hot water heater (avoid unnecessary energy/heat loss)
6. Weatherstrip and caulk doors and windows (seal those leaks)
7. Collect rainwater to water plants (save tap water for drinking)
8. Paint with low- or no-VOC paint (avoid those toxins)
9. Replace air filters (improve indoor air quality)
10. Install a programmable thermostat (don't heat an empty house)
11. Plant native plants (avoid the need to water heavily)

If you're willing to spend a bit more, here are some medium-cost ideas:

1. Conduct an energy audit (find the problems)
2. Tune up the HVAC system (efficient heating systems heat efficiently)
3. Install a tankless water heater (stop heating water endlessly)
4. Insulate attic and other areas (stop needless heat loss)

Do you have other ideas of how to live greener in your current home?  Please share!

I'll be posting even more information that I have learned from these Green Building courses over the next few weeks, but if you have specific questions before then, feel free to call (540-578-0102) or e-mail (scott@cbfunkhouser.com) me.

I recently attended an EarthCraft certification course to learn about the EarthCraft program --- a green building certification program that has been endorsed by our local builders association.

I'm going a step further this week, spending all day Thursday and Friday in Hampton Roads in a training course for the National Association of Realtors' Green Resource Council.  This training will provide me with the knowledge and awareness of green building principles applied in residences, commercial properties, developments, and communities --- it is bound to be a busy few days.

If you have questions about building (or buying, or selling) a green house in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County, I'd be happy to share some of the information that I have learned already and will be learning later this week. 

More to come...

Before I attended an EarthCraft training this week, I had heard of EarthCraft homes, and had been in EarthCraft homes, but I couldn't have given a very good definition of what they are, and what makes such a home different from a traditionally built home.

Here's what I now know about homes that are certified as "EarthCraft Houses"...

1. Higher Quality - an incredible focus is put on building homes as "tight" and as energy efficient as possible.  This is not to say that all non-EarthCraft homes ar of lower quality, but that in general, EarthCraft homes are of higher quality than traditionally built homes.
2. Lower Cost - because these homes are more energy efficient, the homeowner will almost always pay less for electricity and water in an EarthCraft home.
3. Healthier - an EarthCraft home uses fewer building supplies with VOC's and other chemicals and allows fewer outside air contaminants in because the homes are built to be much "tighter" than a traditional home.
   
4. More Comfortable - with such a significant focus on insulation, air flow, and controlled ventilation, an EarthCraft home is often much more comfortable to live in, with fewer drafts and with more consistent temperature and humidity.

Another perspective that was helpful for me as I came to understand EarthCraft homes was to better understand the 300+ criteria for which an EarthCraft builder can receive points.  The criteria fall into the following categories:

• Site Planning
• Energy Efficiency Building Envelope and Systems
• Resource Efficient Design
• Resource Efficient Building Materials
• Waste Management
• Indood Air Quality
• Water Conservation
• Homebuyer Education
• Builder Operations

As you can see, the EarthCraft program encourages well-built, energy-efficent homes --- which is a benefit to the homeowners and the environment!

I spent the day today at an EarthCraft certification course learning about how to build higher quality homes, that are healthier, more comfortable, and have lower utility costs for homeowners.

Click below to watch a brief interview with Aaron Yoder, the president of the Green Building Committee of the Shenandoah Valley Builders Association.



I learned a lot today, which I'll continue to share over the coming weeks in this space --- but if you are considering building or buying a green home, please be in touch --- I'd love to fill you in on what you should be looking for in a builder and a home.

It shouldn't be a surprise that a landscaping company would be a good source of information about living green --- but despite that, I was delighted to find some good reading about green living in Fine Earth's most recent newsletter.

Fine Earth is one of many landscaping companies in Harrisonburg, and according to their web site, they are in the business of "creating outdoor solutions that complement your lifestyle."

Click here, or on the image, to read the full newsletter.