Green Building and Remodeling

Nancy H. Taylor, author of "Go Green: How to Build an Earth Friendly Community," will be online Wednesday, April 23 at 2 p.m. ET to explain how activists, urban planners, construction companies and individual homeowners all will play a role in reducing our impact on the planet.

Submit questions and comments before or during the discussion.

Taylor has written a weekly column called "Going Green" for the last five years for the newspaper Planet Jackson Hole and is working with a committee to draw up green building guidelines for the town of Jackson, Wyo., and surrounding Teton County.

Find more discussions from this series.

____________________

Nancy H. Taylor: Hi Nancy H. Taylor here to answer your questions about Going Green!

_______________________

Reston, Va.: Should homeowner associations be required to allow the installation of solar panels and wind turbines?

Nancy H. Taylor: Yes they should. Most of the objection to solar panels has been the reflective surfaces and as new thin film and laminate panels become available, this will no longer be an issue.
In Europe they are using small wind turbines that look like stove caps and these should be less visually offensive as well.
Try to get the homeowners association to look at photos where these two renewable features have been integrated well.

_______________________

Bethesda, Md.: We in Montgomery County have a County Executive who has purchased a huge new Pope-mobile-like SUV, with taxpayer-provided driver. It has darkly-tinted windows. Don't you think we would be better off if our county executive drove himself in a compact Prius>

Nancy H. Taylor: That would be more in harmony with the times, we are finding our county administrators very receptive to new green changes, it seems to be a matter of education and receptivity; maybe with a bit of peer pressure thrown in!

_______________________

Driggs, Idaho: I read an article about upgrading old buildings rather than tearing them down to build new green buildings. That article said that the energy used to tear down old and build new with the life expectancy of the new translated to a higher energy cost that upgrading the old building with new energy efficient products. And that older buildings were oriented to make the most of sun in the winter and shade in the summer.

Is all that is true? If so, is there a time of construction, or are there conditions of the older building that make the reverse true?

Nancy H. Taylor: There are so many factors in remodeling an old building but it is generally more efficient to re-use the old building and recycle as much of the old lumber and windows as you can. Disrupting pristine land to create a new building does take much more energy. Many of the old buildings in Driggs seem to be well built, and should be able to be renovated using less resources.

_______________________

Fairfax, Va.: Hi, I'm going to remodel my kitchen sometime in the next couple of years and I'd like to know what kind of non-toxic and earth-friendly materials are available for counters, floors and cabinets.

I know that counters with recycled glass in them are available, but they are in the range of $50 to $90 per square foot. That seems kind of ridiculous. Are these prices going to come down soon?

Also, what do you do with the floor, cabinets, counter, sink and appliances that you get rid of when remodeling?

Nancy H. Taylor: I'll address what to do with the old fixtures first. There should be near by some kind of salvage business or home recycling business that will come collect your old fixtures. If not, try donating them to Habitat for Humanity ReStore which should be nearby too.
Richlite countertops should be more affordable than the recycled glass ones. Richlite is made from recycled newspapers with a non-toxic resin.
I have a cork floor in my kitchen that I love, it is insulative, easy to clean. Bamboo may not be so good for a kitchen, but it works for all other kinds of floors.
There are ready made cabinets from recycled wood and also composite materials like sesame seeds and a sorghum wheat product called Kerei board.
As far as prices coming down soon, maybe not soon, but as more green products come on line, and more homeowners like yourself ask for non-toxic products, the prices should begin to fall. Good luck with your remodel!

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Thank you for being here -- so how do you think that we prevent this "going green" from being more than a fad? Recent Gallup polling has shown that Americans don't seem to be anymore concerned about climate change and global warming than 20 years ago. I believe that if we can demonstrate that "going green" will help to reduce expense we might have a chance otherwise the cause might be dead in the water. Your thoughts?

Nancy H. Taylor: I love this, it is fun. Thank you for being here too. The Green movement is growing and at least the folks I come in contact with seem to be more concerned about climate change with every new report from the IPCC.
I think the movement will grow both from the Grassroots community level and from policy changes at the top. They are bound to meet somewhere in the middle so we will see real change.
The corporate world does not want to be left behind either, so they are making changes in their products as well as in the manufacturing process, and we will start to hear more about that too. Go to Treehugger.com to get the latest information on what is going on, particularly outside the US.

_______________________

McLean, Va.: Hello, do you know of any affordable ways to integrate wind power into the home? I'm thinking of something like a small windmill type of device that could attach to the roof. Thanks!

Nancy H. Taylor: I do not know the name of them, but they are small stovepipe looking units that fit on to the peak of a roof. They have been used in Europe and especially in a development just outside of London for residential windpower. I am sorry I do not have the product name, but many new, small turbines are coming on line, and you should be able to get them in the US soon. Best of luck with your project!

_______________________

Richmond, Va.: Green roofs: I live in a 100-year-old home with a tin/metal roof with a slight pitch to it -- could a "green roof" go on top of the tin roof?

Nancy H. Taylor: I do not think so, although it would be up to your green roof installer to tell you for sure. Usually the green roof needs to be well attached to the roof, and my metal roof sheds snow quite quickly.
Also the roof needs to be able to bear the load of a green roof, the soil, and plants and the water they capture adds up to quite a roof load. So check out your structure first, then see if you can find a way to attach a non-skid surface to the metal roof. Hope it works, but you might think of other ways of insulating first, before embarking into a whole new roof.

_______________________

Rockville, Md.: Do you know if there is still a tax deduction for installing energy efficient (energy star rated) windows?

Thanks

Nancy H. Taylor: I think that one has disappeared but I am not a tax authority! It was my understanding that the tax credits for insulation expire in Dec. 2008.
But much can change in D.C. with the new energy bill. Keep asking questions and even write to your senators and representatives to get them to include more credits in the new energy bill. We need a break for all of these green things we are doing, being offered incentives from local, state and federal taxes will certainly help.
One last note, if you installed the windows as part of an energy audit, sometimes the utility will help you defray the cost.

_______________________

Kensington, Md.: We just moved from an apartment to a single family house and are dismayed at our increased energy consumption, even though we are doing all the right things (lower thermostat in winter, turn off lights, use CFLs, etc.) We have a limited budget, but would like to make some changes to further reduce our footprint. How do we figure out which changes will have the most impact and bang for the buck? For example, to reduce cooling bills, is it more important to get a ridge vent, an attic fan, or a more efficient CAC unit (even though our existing one is old but still works).

Nancy H. Taylor: Usually insulation gives you the most bang for your buck. Find out what levels of insulation you currently have in your house. Check the attic and crawl space or basement and especially the corners where cold and hot can enter a building.
Use a non-toxic insulation, like blown in cellulose or fiberglass without formaldehyde, or for a small space Ultratouch which is made from recycled blue jeans.
An attic fan can help exhaust the hot air an recirculate, but I bet insulation is the key to reducing your carbon footprint! If your insulation is fine, get an energy audit and do a blower door test to find out where the energy is all going.

_______________________

Springfield, Va.: Do you have any insight on what it takes to get developers to go completely green? For example there aren't any developers building zero-energy housing in the D.C. area. At what point will they recognize the wave of the future? I would think that there would be good demand for such housing in this area despite the general housing slowdown.

Nancy H. Taylor: I think that consumer demand for green housing will be one factor. As folks want to live in an energy efficient home that will not make their kids sick (from toxic paints, carpets and stains etc.) then the developers will get it. Green real estate is doing better while conventional housing is falling.
Also county building regulations are going to start requiring builders to be greener. The energy code specs that we use greener ideas and building materials are getting greener as well.
Work with your town and city planners to get these regulations going. We are doing this in Jackson Hole with an all volunteer committee, but it is working.

_______________________

Anonymous: Have we focused too much on the automobile on our planning decisions, and how may we change planning to get people to walk, use mass transit, and other modes that pollute less and are healthier?

Nancy H. Taylor: Smart growth and Neighborhood Development ideas are addressing this. There are only a few areas around America that really have walkable communities, but the EU has used this idea for a long time. Parts of London are eliminating the car during busy business hours.
As developers plan subdivisions they should be required to provide bike paths, walkable paths and ways that the residents can access public transportation as well as schools with ease. Perhaps as the price of fuel increases, people will begin to think about leaving their cars behind and look for housing that does not require a long commute in an SUV!

_______________________

Albuquerque, N.M.: For over four years I tried to build a wonderful green home, one floor 1750 sq. ft., made of cement, R-26 SIPs panels in the walls, R-50 SIPs and tin roof, with solar heated radiant floors and even re-radiant panels for cooling, lots of fans, and energy-efficient appliances. Sure enough, after three official bids by general contractors all estimated about $350,000 for the construction and their profit margin. The solar portion alone was about $50,000. The problem with that was it would be a mortgage of about $2200/mo! At 45, and I earn slight above a median income, this would be a life sentence of outrageous debt. I think the problem was the contractors pump up their costs for custom solar homes because they are not the cookie-cutter type of construction and involve new materials and techniques as well as they tend to think "those that can afford a custom solar house are rich" and therefore inflate their costs. Is there anyway to get reasonable costs for a custom solar home affordable for the average person?

Nancy H. Taylor: I sympathize with your dilemma. What if you eliminated the PV, plumbed and wired for it, but did not install at this time; then oriented the house to take advantage of passive solar with enough mass to absorb the heat, (see chapter 2 in my book Go Green for the specifics on this) www.nancyhtaylor.com, you can order it there.
Also a SIP home should not cost more if it is all pre-planned with the plumbing and wiring speced before hand and cut at the factory. It is a new building method and perhaps your builder was not so familiar with it.
All across the country the USGBC says that Green building is competitive in cost.
I know the costs of building materials may vary in different parts of the country, so try to spec as many local materials as possible. You are on the right track and if you eliminate the PV for now, see if you can get the cost down. Also look into a "green mortgage" that will give you a discount for building green.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: We want to do all the right things; we moved from the outer to inner suburbs, use mass transit, and are renovating an old (1922) home. But going "green" is problematic; geo-thermal sounds great but they say the break-even point is something like a 10,000 square foot house (and ours is not)! Eucalyptus cabinets cost more than cherry. Gray-water recycling is a no-no (in case a 3-year-old drinks from my toilet? Please...) How can we do more than just buy energy-star appliances and new windows but not break the bank?

Nancy H. Taylor: Can you re-insulate and use passive solar? Opening up some Southern exposure and putting some kind of mass absorbing floor like brick or tile or a bit of poured concrete can really help with your energy savings. Also solar hot-water for your domestic hot water needs should have a payback of about 2 years.
You are right geothermal is not right for you and also there have got to be more affordable cabinets made of reclaimed wood, or non-toxic composite boards which are coming on line soon. Gray-water is tricky too.
So do what you can, you are on the right track and see what easy things you can do until the technology gets more affordable to add more. Best of luck with your remodel, this may take some more effort but it is totally worth it especially if you have kids!

_______________________

Annandale, Va.: We are really interested in using recycled materials as kitchen countertops but the glass resin or recycled concrete seems to be much more expensive than even granite.

Any ideas on green countertops that are cost effective?

Nancy H. Taylor: I think that Richlite is a good product made of recycled newspapers and non-toxic resin. Also Marmoleum which is usually used for flooring can be used on a kitchen counter if you can be clever with the bullnosing for edging.
Check with salvage stores which often have counter-top size remnants. Recycled tile is good, and pouring your own colored concrete can work if you are good with the material otherwise can be tricky. Hope this helps, see the resource section of Go Green for more counter top websites etc.

_______________________

Reston, Va.: What would you list as the top 10 green actions that everyone should be doing to today?

Nancy H. Taylor: The top green actions are:
1. Wake up to how our actions are tied to global warming
2. Think before you shop, travel and build about the least consumptive way to do it.
3. Change your lightbulbs to CFLs until LEDs come on line
4. Precycle, do you really need this new gadget made in China?
5. RRR, reduce re-use and recycle
6. Read Cradle to Cradle and think about how you can implement the ideas
7. Use public transport, carpool, bike, walk and enjoy your neighbors
8. Be sure your home or workplace is running as efficiently as possible
9. Buy local, organic sustainable food
10. Keep the faith, things are changing fast, become part of the movement and have some fun doing it with your kids, and families and neighbors and co workers, together we can make a difference!

_______________________

Nancy H. Taylor: So Sorry I did not get to all of your questions. Thank you so much for joining me, and for all of your interest in going green. To contact me further see my website at: http://www.nancyhtaylor.com where you can learn more about Go Green: How to Build an Earth-Friendly Community.
And thanks so much to Washington Post Chat for hosting this forum.
Earth Day may have passed but keep the Earth and all of its children in mind as you go through every day!
Warmly,
Nancy H. Taylor

_______________________

washingtonpost.com: Go Green

_______________________

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.