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 Recycle glass If you do not recycle this, it will take a million years to decompose.  |
Lisa Cohn of Energy Efficiency Markets interviews Jeff Smith, a host for HDTV and the DIY Network, about deep energy retrofits. How are they different from energy audits and what are their benefits? Check out his website at www.thegreenedhouseeffect.com. Click Arrow to Play In a reversal of the “McMansion” trend of years past, new homes are being built with less square footage — but make up for it with smart energy efficient design. “Home buyers are finding that they would prefer to spend their housing budget on lower energy costs and features, rather than sacrificing that quality for more space,” said Central MS energy rater and home builder Gary Smith. This sentiment was mirrored in the 2007-2008 Consumer Preferences Survey conducted by the National Association of In 2008, this was reflected in average home sizes that went from 2,629 square feet in the second quarter down to 2,373 square feet in the fourth quarter. Going forward, eighty-eight percent of builders have expressed their plans to build smaller houses than in the past, according to data provided by NAHB’s economics and housing policy group. This new trend has been attributed to several factors. Baby boomers are becoming empty-nesters and are looking to downsize from the large house they previously needed to accommodate their family. The recent recession has also caused people to tighten their belts and make financial decisions that are reasonable for their economic situations. Home buyers are also becoming more environmentally aware and are looking for ways to lower the cost of home ownership. Whatever the reason, home builders are adapting to the needs of their consumers. “Because builders are expected to deliver the same quality product in a smaller package, it’s forcing them to be creative in how they design the layout of the house so that the home owner feels comfortable and sees their home as the perfect fit for them,” said Smith. Some ways in which builders are addressing this challenge are by increasing the ceiling height, installing ENERGY STAR appliances, offering more energy efficient windows, and incorporating an open floor plan that makes the home appear larger and more spacious. It is also important for builders and home buyers to sit down and do a serious evaluation of what features are most important to their lifestyle wants and needs. The builder can then design the floor plan to accommodate these requirements so that the home owner has the space that they need, rather than more space than is necessary. You can find a builder in your area to help you create the home of your dreams no matter what size. Contact The Home Builders Association of Jackson online at www.hbajackson.com or call 601-362-6501. Gary Smith is president of Energy Rated Homes of Mississippi and can be reached online at www.garynsmith.net or by calling 601-856-6102. 
This program is scheduled to begin April 22nd, 2010.Eligible Appliances under SEEARP:
Most of us are familiar with the popular TV show, Deal or no Deal. The show has a good formula for how to negotiate: There is pressure, tension, drama and expectation; it follows a lot of the patterns of negotiating. Negotiating the deal is sort of a lost art. Not everybody knows how to negotiate because in the past we didn’t have to. This week Roland Nairnsey, new home sales expert, shares his top seven negotiation tip to bring everybody up to speed. Click Arrow to Play
If you talk to 10 different people you’ll most likely get 10 different answers to “What does green mean?” You’ll hear everything from “Yes, we’ve gone green at my office by buying recycled copy paper!” to “Green…sure I bought one of GM’s new SUVs, they’re environmentally friendly. See, the commercials place their vehicles in a forest setting?” Actually, General Motors is a member of the Coalition of Vehicle Choice, an organization that opposes clean air legislation and laws directed at reducing auto emissions. Huh, are you sure? Yes, check it out! What about housing? When you purchase a home and the builder makes a green declaration how can you tell if he’s done the right thing or just blowing smoke to ride a wave of hype!?! There are two basic types of Green Certification programs in America today. The builder or owner verified program and the unbiased 3rd party verification. The NAHB Green Building Standard, LEED-H, Energy Star, Earth Craft and Green Built are some of the more promenant certifying bodies in the US. Certifications Certifications for green construction are awarded upon successfully adhereing to the particular specifications of their respective programs. Typically, points are awarded for specific energy or resource efficient principles. Other areas of note are water efficiency, indoor air quality and home owner education. Verification Verification for green is typically an indepth technical visual inspection process that confirms program adherence and includes performance testing. This test is provided by highly trained “energy raters” who deterime, amoung other readings, how air tight the building is and how well the heating and air conditioning system operates. For more info about green building contact me toll free 1-877-809-6139 or online at http://www.greenbuildinginspector.com. Home Inspections and Energy Ratings in Central Mississippi at http://www.garynsmith.net Click Arrow to Play  The home builders association is bringing the CGP – Certified Green Professional designation course back to Central MS next month. I got this notification from Spence over at the association:
As chair of the green building committee I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have about the course and/or the speaker. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how building energy efficient can help save you money.
It’s always a good idea to inspect the garage door “before” you attempt to operate the door from the push button. You To prevent unforeseen damage to the door or to body and limb I usually pull the rope on the opener and test the door manually before proceeding to test the opener. Experiance has taught me to walk lightly and proceed with care. I wonder if this guy even knows where his tools are. Leaving them in the garage door is a great way to assure himself of getting more tools for Christmas.   Jo Usry Executive Director JAR I few months ago I spoke with JAR Executive Director Jo Usry about the idea of adding an option for Green or/and Energy Efficient homes to be showcased in MLS. This past fall the option’s were added. Thank you Jo!
What’s the GRC? It was established by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Association of REALTORS®, and was founded to make the knowledge of green real estate practices available to everyone. They say:
The following is a list of green entry fields, guidelines and best practices organized by MLS systems across the US.
To see this article or learn more about the GRC visit: http://www.greenresourcecouncil.org/greening_the_mls.cfm [fsrep-filter-1]  I found this great article from Green Building Advisor.com. Installing rigid foam on the outside of a house is a great way to double the R-value and eliminate air leaks. Large sheets of foam insulation, screwed and sealed to the walls or roof, can cover or replace conventional sheathing and create a continuous barrier to heat loss or gain—something you don’t get with cavity insulation alone. We wrapped the house in this video with 4 inches of polyisocyanurate in two staggered 2-inch layers. This thickness strikes a balance between ease of installation and maximum R-value. If the foam is any thicker, it’s hard to hit studs when driving screws. Plus, combined with 5-1/2 inches of cellulose in the stud bays, 4 inches of rigid foam brings the wall up to a respectable R-40. Foam sheathing needs to be tight and sturdy 1. Use bug screens and flashing below the foam My crew and I bend aluminum or galvanized steel sheeting so that it extends up behind the foam and out past the bottom edge far enough to nail to the bottom of the wood strapping. Then we nail a strip of window screen several inches wider than the flashing to the vertical part of the drip edge, leaving enough length to wrap under the foam and over the bottom of the strapping that holds the foam in place. 2. Build plywood boxes to span deep window openings 3. Fasten the foam with plywood scraps before the strapping goes on Solid-wood strapping screwed through the foam into every stud will pull the sheathing tight to the framing and provide a solid nailing surface for siding and trim. The 3/4-inch space this leaves behind the clapboards does two things: it leaves plenty of room for any water that gets in to escape; and it allows the foil facing on the surface of the polyisocyanurate foam to act as a radiant barrier, boosting the insulating value of the wall. 4. Stagger all layers of foam, caulk all outer edges, tape all seams We use construction adhesive or silicone sealant where the foam laps wall plates and outside corners. Housewrap tape goes over all seams and inside corners, and where foam meets windows and doors. 5 Use the right tape for the job —David Joyce is a partner at Synergy Companies Construction. The home in this video was designed by Building Science Corporation in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Program.
By encouraging and promoting green building, we’re helping Mississippians save energy by encouraging builders and individuals to construct their homes more energy efficinatly and to follow the NAHB’s guidelines for green construction. In short, we’re helping bring green building to Mississippians! Green building practices promote improved indoor air quality, water savings, energy savings and a home comfort level that also increases in value. The best part…green building is affordable. Building Green is Smart! |
 I know Gary Smith to be an upstanding individual of outstanding character. He is a multifaceted pioneer of the home inspection profession and a good friend.You can be confident in your selection of Gary to perform your home inspection or to provide any other of his many inspection product offerings. I recommend Gary Smith without hesitation. Hollis Brown Home Inspector Directory |
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ARRA allocated $2.8 million to Mississippi to develop and administer a residential rebate program for the purchase of ENERGY STAR-rated appliances. MDA’s Energy Division will partner with utility companies and retailers to promote the program statewide, encouraging Mississippians to replace existing, energy inefficient appliances with new ones. This rebate program will save energy and stimulate the economy by encouraging consumers to replace old appliances with new ENERGY STAR qualified models.
There is no doubt about it. Green is hot! It’s everywhere! But with respect to housing what’s the difference in “Green Verified” and “Green Certified”?
may have a booby trap waiting to “spring into action”.
The idea is catching on all over the US. Now I see that NAR’s Green REsource Council (GRC) is promoting and supporting the options by publishing some examples.
The National Association of Homebuilders recently published a list of their most active Green Building Verifiers from across the country. I’m proud to say, we made the list! With 13 green home verifications located from the MS gulf coast to the TN state line we’re named one of the top verifiers.