The Worst Thing About Greenbuild

This is a rather minor complaint, and probably one which I should not be making at all, given the environmental implications of the objects under discussion, but I was sorely dissappointed with the quality of the "SWAG" available at Greenbuild this year. People who know me well acknowledge my rather bizarre hobby of collecting little foam give aways, or "SWAG" aka "stuff we all get" (See my collection above). All I could find at Greenbuild was one lousy little football, a common design that I already have from other vendors. Where are the unique ones like the Port a John, the lighthouse, or, possibly my favorite, the Big Ass Fans donkey? When I was in the construction business, we had enormous amounts of swag (although, sadly, no little foam thingies). Tote bags, night lights, magnets, travel mugs, coffee, mugs, you name it - it was a way of life for us (or maybe just for me). So I have little patience for businesses that don't have creative marketing items. I returned home from Greenbuild dejected, with nothing to show for my efforts crawling the show floor except a fistful of jump drives and one little football. Where has the creativity gone?

Trailer Park Trash Goes Green

I had the privilege of watching modular homes being built in a factory recently, then watched them being installed on the job site, and I must say, I am pretty impressed. These are two homes that when complete will be LEED certified, as well as meeting the requirements for EarthCraft House and the new NAHB Green Building Program. Modular homes, also known as Systems Built, are a far cry from the old “mobile home” that was rolled to the site and finished with an aluminum skirt and a couple of pink flamingos for good measure. While each component is roughly the size of a mobile home, they are assembled on site into medium to large homes that to all but the most knowledgeable visitor look no different from a stick built home. While the details vary among manufacturers and specific models, the basic idea is the same: Homes are built in sections, finished between 50% and 70% inside and out, shipped to the job, installed on a foundation, and completed in the field. The homes I saw came out framed, insulated, wired, plumbed, drywalled, interior doors and most of the trim installed, and primed, ready for the finish coat of paint. In the field they install drywall to cover the joints between boxes, install flooring, roofing, siding, and a few other details and the house is done. I understand the costs to be similar to site built, but the construction schedule is compressed by ½ to 2/3, reducing carrying costs, and the quality control is very good due to the fact that most of the work is done in a factory setting with no weather or temperature issues to deal with. I have to admit that I was skeptical, and I think that there is certainly room for improvement in the process, but overall, this system has won me over. I would seriously consider building a modular home for myself.
Builder: New World Home

Long time, no blog

I’ve been out of the loop lately, but will be more diligent about keeping current. Just got back from Greenbuild Expo in Boston the US Green Building Council’s annual conference. I haven’t been to this one in a few years, mostly because until now they have paid little attention to the residential market, so I found little of interest for me there. This year marks a big change at the USGBC with the official release of the LEED for Homes program and the ReGreen remodeling guidelines. This year featured a full day devoted exclusively to home builders and renovators, and it was very well attended. There were both keynote speeches and educational sessions, as well as a reception and full access to the exhibit hall. Interestingly, in the middle of probably the worst housing market (and overall economy) in generations, the mood was surprisingly upbeat. I heard few of the concerns that are frequent in builder and remodeler circles about work slowing down. This seems to reinforce my unscientific research that green builders and remodelers are faring better than those that aren’t. I don’t mean to suggest that green professionals are immune to a slowdown, just that those who have staked their claim in this market have already established a point of differentiation by being green, giving them an advantage in a crowded, shrinking market.