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The Grupe Co. is one of 150 builders committed to collectively building 220,000 high-performance homes by 2012.
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You can't gauge the truth of an opinion by the frequency of its repetition. Exhibit A: Builders' opinions concerning energy, insulation, heating, and cooling. A fair percentage of these beliefs — derived in part from product marketing, obsolete recommendations from "experts," and oft-repeated tales...
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Modest investments in existing buildings can reduce carbon emissions and utility bills by as much as 20 percent or 30 percent, yet few affordable rental property owners are making the necessary changes. Financial incentives and visible benefits are necessary to move energy efficiency forward.
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As Daniel Wallach lay in bed the night after a devastating EF5 tornado razed the southwest Kansas city of Greensburg, he felt fortunate–the twister missed his Stafford County home 35 miles northeast of Greensburg by 2 miles. It would have been easy for Wallach to just be grateful he didn’t lose his...
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When builder Mike Scarlett signed on to participate in the HBA of Greater Dallas Green Built Parade of Homes, which debuted in September, he had never so much as built an Energy Star house. But he rose to the challenge, hiring a consultant to help him decode such eco-measures as spray-foam...
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With a range of options for Energy Star–rated appliances, recycled content, and low-VOC finishes, the kitchen is one of the easiest places to go green. And you can bet it’s the most noticeable. One place to start is with one of the most visible energy hogs in the room: Cycle by cycle, the...
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The first time I remember hearing about green building was in the early-'70s, when a perfect blend of hippie culture and rising oil costs resulted in, among other things, houses called "earth ships" that incorporated wall systems made from old tires filled with dirt. But also, through some hits and...
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The home building industry is finally embracing energy efficiency, if February's International Builders' Show (IBS) in Orlando, Fla., was any indication. It sometimes seemed like every manufacturer among the convention's 1,900 exhibitors was touting the energy-saving properties of its products...
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Imagine Homes doesn't build houses like they once were built. But this doesn't mean the company is forsaking the traditional home construction ideals of care and craftsmanship. It just means Imagine is building homes with an eye toward site sensitivity, energy and water efficiency, and indoor air...
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It all started with the goal of building an affordable, healthier, more durable, near-zero energy home that could resist natural disasters and be faster to build than a standard wood-frame house.