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Ten Easy Ways To Save Green This Winter

 It's the winter time - duh, it's cold outside - and many folks are looking for inexpensive ways to save dollars AND energy in their homes.  I came across this list from GreenCville.com and thought I'd repost it (italics are mine):

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1. Seal duct work - this is the number one way to conserve energy during the winter.  Duct work can leak heated air into the attic or crawl space if all the joints and intersections are not sealed with foil-backed tape or silicone caulking. (which is another reason Mt. Tabor Meadows is so unique)
2. Seal air leaks to attic - seal all holes from pipes and wires that run in and out of the living space.  This includes light fixtures, pipes, wires, attic stair openings.
3. Seal fireplaces - never use a fireplace as a heat source for your home.  Even as a supplemental heat source, the cold air introduced to a warm home through an open flue isn't as efficient as sealing off a fireplace and using the primary heat source.  For natural gas fireplaces, turn off the pilot light when not in use.
4. Lower thermostat - in the winter, set the thermostat between 65 and 70 degrees during the day and to 58 degrees at night or when away from home for several hours.  Keeping the temperature at 70 degrees is recommended for homes where there are elderly or infants. (this can be hard to maintain in homes that take a long time to heat - a programmable thermostat might help as it allows the home to begin heating at a prespecified time of day)
5. Lower water heater to 120-125 degrees - many water heaters are automatically set at 140 degrees.  Lowering the temperature on your water heater will reduce the amount of fuel needed to heat the water.
6. Change furnace filters every month - This is the number one reason for furnace breakdowns.  Inspect heating and cooling equipment annually.  Have a professional check and clean furnaces once a year.
7. Weatherstrip doors and windows - inspect doors and windows for air leaks.  If you can see daylight around a door or window frame, then it needs sealing.  Air leaks can be sealed with caulking or weather stripping.
8. Insulate water pipes coming from the water heater - insulate the first three to six feet of cold and hot water pipes near the water heater.  Insulating all hot water pipes is not necessary if pipes are lo cated in an attic or crawlspace.
9. Add an insulation blanket to your water heater - wrapping the water heater with an insulation blanket can save heating money by slowing the drop in temperature from the hot water tank as it sits unused.  Inexpensive insulation kits are available at most home improvement stores.
10. Add insulation to attic - when adding insulation, start at the top and word down only after eliminating air infiltration. (I've had clients do this and it drastically reduced their heating and cooling bills)

What are YOU doing to save money on energy costs this winter?

Virginia Tech At the Forefront of Sustainability Issues

I've written before about Virginia Tech's focus on energy research and sustainability, even going so far as to say that the university's focus on these issues is a nice example of putting their money where their mouth is, with no outside pressure.  And I believe that.

And appointments such as these lead me to believe it even more.  Sure, Dr. Leo's appointment is one that is made to further the university's research advancement goals and bring in more money, but you can bet they'll be putting much of these initiatives in place right here on campus. 

Kudos to Dr. Leo and Virginia Tech.  Once again, Inventing the Future.

New Farm Downtown Will Use A Familiar Product

Local Blacksburg residents Jim and Heather Cowan will be building an equestrian facility in the middle of downtown Blacksburg.

That's right - almost smack dab in the middle of downtown Blacksburg.  They're doing it by utilizing a provision of sorts in the property's conservation easement.

What I find interesting is that the farm will be sustainable, and is using a product familiar to anyone who's read this blog in the past year.  The product is Auz-Bloc, also known as Builderscrete.  I say well done to Jim and Heather for choosing this really unique product, and congratulations to Bill and everyone at Auz-Bloc on the new project!

More on Auz-Bloc here, and in the video below:

The Colosseum Wasn't Built In One Day

And this one won't be, either.

A few days ago, I needed a break.  I had been in the office all day working on some things, and my craving for a Diet Pepsi Max (yea, I'm one of the 31 people across the nation that actually like the stuff) kicked in.  One of the many reasons I like my office is that its an easy walk to a local gas station, so I hoofed it down to pick up that invigorating cola and then headed back.

On my way back I passed the site for The Colosseum, so I snapped some photos of the excavation.  It had been a while since I had stopped in and so I thought I'd capture the moment.  Just a lot of dirt right now ...

There's a lot of Blacksburg history in those layers of dirt:

Dozens of piles of dirt looking back towards South Main Street:

Someone's going to have a killer view:

E-Waste Recycling Event

Have old electronics piling up, and don't know what to do with them?  Old computers, radios ... we've all had them at some point, and you've likely wondered what to do with them.  I've got an easy solution for you - bring them to the second annual E-Waste Recycling Event, to be Saturday November 8 from 9 am to 3pm.  And it's FREE.  The event is a joint venture between Virginia Tech and Hollins University.

Click the image below to see the full list.

It's important.  From their website:

Along with many other serious issues facing our environment, the world is experiencing a crisis in electronic waste. Toxic materials such as lead, mercury, chlorine and bromine are commonly used in producing computers and other electronics, and if these devices are dumped into solid waste systems after they have outlived their usefulness, the toxins can seep from landfills into groundwater or be released by incinerator emissions or ash.

Hazardous e-waste is often sent to developing countries for recycling. However, once there it is often simply discarded. Even if recycling occurs, the process used in those countries is very dangerous to workers and pollutes the general environment.

Load up the cars, and bring in that old stuff.  There are a LOT of items they'll take, but some they can't - check their website for a more comprehensive list.  It'll be held at the old Blacksburg Middle School, 501 South Main Street in Blacksburg.

Thanks to Natalie for pointing this out!

Another Shade of Green

Saw this article in the New River Valley Current this weekend regarding Progress Street Builders' new NAHB Gold Standard program.  As the owner of a home built by Progress Street Builders, I can speak firsthand to their attention to detail - in this case, they're paying attention to things that have a greater purpose.  And as you'll see in the article, Don is putting his money where his mouth is - Kudos to Don and the team at Progress Street
Builders ...

(Dear Roanoke Times - would you please publish these articles online so they don't have to be written out in their entirety?)

"EarthCraft, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) ... all are promoting sustainable building techniques, energy-efficient usage of space and materials, and long term, cost-effective approaches to design.

Progress Street Builders, whcih, since it started the eight-year old Village at Tom's Creek project, has been known for a sustainable building approach.  It has incorporated aspects of energy efficiency into its homes for nearly a decade.  Now its Roanoke development, Colonial Green, and a new spec house in the Village at Tom's Creek, will incorporate the NAHB Green Building standards, according to Don Hughes, operations manager.

The spec house, a four-square will not stand out architecturally from the rest of the houses in the Village, said Hughes.  And neither will it be significantly more expensive.  In pursuing the NAHB standard - it has chosen the Gold Standard, the ones Hughes said best fits their focus of sustainability.

'Green building is not a term I'm terribly fond of,' he said.  'It's so ambiguous, so we use the term sustainability, which indicates where you build and how you build.  The majority of our construction work, in The Village at Tom's Creek and in Roanoke, has been green since the inception of The Village.  It has a lot inherent characteristics, with the ability not just to look at the house but also the community.  NAHB looks at the community at large, and we felt it was a really importatn component.'

Hughes explained that his company's green building approach uses smaller lots and larger continuous green spaces.

'One of the reasons we took on the Gold program was that we've been doing this throughout our company's history, and we wanted to utilize it to the greatest extent,' said Hughes.

According to NAHB, its building standard 'will maintain the flexibility of green building practices while providing a common national benchmak for builders, remodelers, and developers ... It is based on the three-year-old NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines, but enhanced to include residential remodeling, multifamily building, and lot and site development - also the first of their kinds in the country.  It also reflects advancements in requirements in the International Residential Code and other changes that serve as indications of the dynamic nature of green building.'

Hughes said the program is more flexible and meets their needs as well as the characteristics of the New River Valley.  For instance, he said, prior EarthCraft certifications (although they may have changed recently, he added) would not allow a program that used septic systems.  While it is a very good program, said Hughes, in some areas of the New River Valley septic systems are necessary.

'This house [in The Village] will be certified under both programs,' he said.

The NAHB program requires a third-party, independent verification that involves both a blower-door test and a duct-blaster test to check air leaks. 

'We go through a complex analysis of each house.  The program gives you a broad range of meeting certain performance criteria, and we can address those objectives in a multitude of ways,' said Hughes.

Although Progress Street Builders chose the Gold Standard, when building subsequent homes it will offer homeowners a choice as to which level of home they want.  The seven key green areas that the standard addresses are site, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, homeowner education and global impact.

Hughes said Progress Street Builders' houses didn't have to go trhough any major changes, because the company's standard specifications already were in line with both EarthCraft and NAHB certifications and goals.

His company has concentrated on creativerly building air barriers, bringing HVAC systems inside the conditioned envelope, yet still turning out a house that is both energy efficient and cost effective.

'As long as you build carefully, not using exotic materials, you don't have to build a house that is compromised in livability or in its aesthetics.  You'll drive by this particular home and it will not look out of place.  It's going to be in complete architectural harmony with the community,' said Hughes.

Progress Street Builders is so confident of the NAHB Gold standard that Hughes is offering homeowners who live in NAHB Gold Standard houses an energy-usage program that guarantees a certain energy usage for two years - in units rather than in dollars - that will reimburse the homeowner for overages.

'When we build and test and have third-party verifications, we feel very comfortable in guaranteeing energy usage.  it's something we have monitored in model homes and in our personal homes,' said Hughes.

For more information on Hughes and Progress Street Builders, check out their website.  This article is just in time for the Roanoke Energy Expo.

Green Living & Energy Expo in Roanoke

Don't forget that November 7 and 8 is the Green Living & Energy Expo in Roanoke ... loads of exhibitors, presentations and more on topics like new ways to heat and cool your home, limiting your use of fossil fuels, and more.

It's a big deal to have an event like this in Roanoke - shows us that the two valleys (Roanoke and New River Valley) are continuing to get more serious about making sure we're good stewards of the tremendous resources we have here.  And it's gaining attention elsewhere - check out some of these other great alternative energy links, courtesy of Carnival of the Green and Jim Duncan.

Have You Considered Biking To Work?

It's Sustainability Week in Blacksburg, which means we should be focusing a little bit more on minimizing our impact in the communities we live in. 

One of the ways to do that is to bike around Town.  Have you ever tried it?  Blacksburg is a pretty bike-friendly town, at least more than most, and it's pretty easy to get around from place to place via pedal power.  It's great exercise, the main corridors of Blacksburg (Main Street and Prices Fork Road) have bike lanes, there are bike racks around Town (although not enough, in my opinion) to lock your bike to, and if you decide you've had enough pedaling and need a ride, most Blacksburg Transit buses have bike racks.  The current Huckleberry Trail takes you out to the Christiansburg mall, and will eventually go even further than that expanding the number of retail, grocery and entertainment options you can reach by bike (if you decide you don't want to visit the new First & Main).

What about riding your bike to work?  Sure, it's getting colder and most of us aren't going to head out into the cold for a commute to work - it's hard to signal, ride and drink coffee all at the same time (and until they get seat heaters for my bike seat like they have for my car, I'm tempted to stick with my routine thank you very much)!  One of the unintended benefits of higher gas prices this summer though, was an increase in the number of people using their bikes to commute to work.  I know I did, and my wife did as well.  And when the winter weather breaks a bit and we have that balmy winter day, I'll get the bike out and do it again.  It's a great way to get around, and just in my industry there are more and more real estate agents - like Dru Bloomfield, Jim Duncan and Tony Arko - who are using their bikes more and more. 

So ... what's your commute look like?  Here's mine:

Less wear and tear on roads, less vehicle emissions, less fuel usage, more caloric burn ... We talk about the high quality of life we have here in the New River Valley, isn't the opportunity to do something that's good not only for our bodies but the community we live in just another way we can support the mission of Sustainability Week, and make it, as Jim calls it, a lifestyle shift.

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They Call It The Tower of Power

Coal-fired power plants.

Critics say they're dirty, that it has enormous leave-behinds in the form of ash, pollutants like sulphuric acids, arsenic and loads of carbon dioxide, not to mention the costs - both quantifiable and non-quantifiable - for mining, disposing of leave-behinds, and illnesses in the local communities.

Doesn't sound like a really pleasant thing to be around, does it?  Did you know that Virginia Tech has it's own power plant, and that it's fueled by coal, that dirtiest of fossil fuels?

Before you jump up and start making picket signs, check out this article by 16 Blocks Magazine - it might just give you a different perspective on new ways that 800 pound gorilla we call Virginia Tech is discovering to serve an increasing demand while minimizing its' impact.  Think it isn't working?  The systems installed in the Virginia Tech facility have resulted in "a ninety percent reduction in emissions and a smoke stack that hardly seems to smoke at all. By industry standards, an emissions opacity of ten percent is considered good. VTPP's opacity hovers between two and three percent, a level of smoke invisible even in broad daylight."

THAT's making a difference.

More photos of the plant on Flickr.

Just announced today, Tech's new energy initiatives.  It's all part of Sustainability Week here in Blacksburg.

16 Blocks Magazine supplied the photo.

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Dazed & Confused Concerning Affordable Housing in Blacksburg

The Current yesterday ran a "forum" piece regarding the proposed Blacksburg workforce housing project that's been hotly debated; it appears that the forum was a response to this October 5th editorial. 

Please tell me this was a joke.  Honestly.  I'm confused as to the message this sends to community residents.

Quotes include:

• "Residents ... would have the convenience of having elementary, middle and (proposed) high schools; churches; parks; recreation fields; and grocery and other shopping located one mile or less from their neighborhood"
• "Blacksburg Transit service would be extended to the site ..."
• the residents would enjoy "social and environmental benefits of living in an EarthCraft designed and certified community -- the first such proposed project in Virginia"

Why is the Blacksburg Housing and Community Development Advisory Board determining that the best place to put an affordable housing project is outside the Town limits?  At least on the Harding Avenue site we were attempting to annex the property so that it'd be within the Town boundaries and it has easier access to downtown, but to say the Merrimac Road location is the best solution is crazy.  The whole goal of the project is to find a location where residents can easily interact with things happening within the Town while utilizing current roads, public transportation and walking and biking trails, but as it is now the Merrimac Road location is outside of Town limits, and provides no easy alternative to get in and out of the downtown area other than Price's Fork Road.  I haven't driven it - yet - but I'd guess the Merrimac Road location is nearly 5 miles from Main Street and College Avenue, widely regarded as the "center" of downtown.  The Harding Avenue location is maybe half that, and for the most part follows established bike paths and suburban streets?  Furthermore, to extend Blacksburg Transit just to serve this community smacks of "thank us for our generosity."  The Harding Avenue had a bus stop literally yards away, eliminating the need for heavy rerouting of buses and scheduling. 

The forum goes on to say that the project will be green and efficient, and will be the first such project proposed in Virginia.  If they're referring to affordable housing that may be the case, but I don't think it's the first EarthCraft certified community in the state, nor is it the first in Blacksburg.  

I have a hard time understanding why Merrimac Road makes more sense.  I think it just reeks of elitism and ulterior motives, and I hope you can work it out with the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors to fix this one.

Dazed and confused.

Sustainability Week in Blacksburg - October 20-25

I mentioned Sustainability Week recently, but there wasn't much information available. 

Now, there's a lot more.

• What is Sustainability Week?
• What's happening?  Short version or long version.

Why is this important?  Taking care of our environment is more than a fad, it's the right thing to do.  We have a legacy to leave - what will it be?

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A Few Things To Take Note Of In Blacksburg

As I mentioned last week, the Town of Blacksburg is using Twitter to broadcast news and notes to citizens regarding things happening in the Town. 
I love the idea, and yesterday I saw two things posted that caught my eye, so I took a screenshot from my phone and posted it here:

* a reminder that carboard can now be recycled during the weekly pickup.  Just make sure to break down the pieces and lay them under your blue bin when you set it out.  They must be less than 3 feet long by 3 feet wide when broken down.  You can find out more regarding the Recycling guidelines at Blacksburg.gov/recycling.

*  Sustainability Week in Blacksburg is coming up, October 20-25.  More information to follow - there's not much on their website right now, but they do have the Executive Summary from last year (see below)

Download 2007_sustainability_summary.pdf

Don't forget to fill out the survey the Town is distributing, asking for  citizen input on Downtown issues.  The deadline for submission is September 15th.  I can't find anything on the website about it, so here's an image of the form that you can print and send in.  Topic #1 for improving Downtown - provide an electronic copy on your website of the form you want people to fill out.  (It may be there, I'm just not seeing it).

Blacksburg Running Dry?

On a bike ride this evening, I noticed destruction and carnage where a Blacksburg landmark once stood.  Where am I going to get my Makers Mark?

It's the state-run ABC store that once stood at the corner of Country Club Drive and South Main Street.  I'm sure the demolition is all part of Kroger's planned 30000 square foot addition to their current store.  But never fear, upon further investigation I found the new location, open just in time - SHOCKER - for football season!

It's in the same shopping center, and obviously the students have already found it.  Your investigative reporter signing off ...

By the way, have you noticed all the bikes on the roads these days?  I think it's a great thing - I'm seeing dozens of people commuting, riding to and from class, or just getting some miles in.  I think it's great, and I hope people will continue to ride despite what the current rate of gas might be.  By the way, you might want to check out gasfreecommute.com - measures how many calories you're burning on each ride, as well as how many gallons of gas you've saved, and pounds of carbon gas you've prevented from being let off into the air.

And one more thing ... if you're looking for a new bike, or need to get your new set of wheels tuned up, don't go anywhere without first talking to the folks at East Coasters.  GREAT staff, awesome selection of bikes and accessories ... you will not regret it.

Furman University Backs Up Their Commitment To Sustainability

My wife Natalie sent me this video of a building that's just opened on the campus of Furman University.  It was built to LEED-certification standards, will serve as a model home for one year, then be turned into campus facilities and offices.

You can find out more at Furman Cliffs Cottage ... it's nice to see an organization like this take sustainable design seriously.  Make sure to check out the photo gallery on the site, as well.

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An Insider's Look At Blacksburg's Mount Tabor Meadows

On Tuesday, I was fortunate enough to have the chance to see up close and personal a new home community being built in Blacksburg.  The community is called "Mount Tabor Meadows", and it's a project being built out by Green Valley Builders.  I've mentioned it briefly before.

So what?  There's a lot of construction going on around Montgomery County, what's so special about this one?

Mount Tabor Meadows is building these homes to be Earthcraft-certified, and they're working hard to assure that each home exceeds the Earthcraft standards.  It's one of the first times in recent memory that we've seen a builder locally truly practice the green model with new construction on a large-scale basis, and I'm glad to see it come.

A link to the project's "Green Checklist".

How is an EarthCraft house certified?  It starts with the builder joining the EarthCraft House program, attending training, and registering as an ENERGY STAR partner.  But it doesn't stop there ... when a home is being built to EarthCraft standards, the builder must participate in a design review with EarthCraft House staff and do a walkthrough with that same staff, as well as pass a final inspection by an EarthCraft House inspector.  Other requirements include:

It's no joke, and these guys seem to be taking it very seriously.  I'm glad to see their project beginning to take shape - if you'd like more information on the project, or a personal tour of the site and available homes, contact me and we'll set it up!

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Virginia Tech Showing Commitment to Sustainability *Updated 6/3/08*

This is one step towards creating a better campus climate.

The Roanoke Times chimed in with an editorial a few days later.

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Have A Say - Get Involved

The AEP Falling Branch-Merrimac Transmission Reinforcement Project is in need of public input.  They've got a big long name to say that they need to add overhead electric lines through portions of Blacksburg, Montgomery County and Christiansburg.  My question is ... why can't these be buried?  They're burying everything else these days.  Here's the text of the email I received:

Appalachian Power announced a $15 million upgrade in the electric infrastructure that serves parts of Montgomery County, the Town of Blacksburg and the Town of Christiansburg. The company is in the initial study phase of the project which involves construction of approximately eight miles of electric transmission line and is seeking public input into the siting process before pursuing approval to construct the new line. The project scope is focused on the south end of Blacksburg in the vicinity of the Montgomery Regional Hospital and continues through Montgomery County and the Town of Christiansburg.

The new facilities will be constructed on single pole structures with an average height of 100 feet tall and be built on a 100 foot-wide right of way. The company has identified preliminary proposed corridors for review. The public can provide comments on the preliminary study corridors and suggest alternative routing options at Appalachian Power’s website, which is linked below and at a public workshop 5-8 p.m. Thursday, June 5, at Christiansburg High School, 100 Independence Blvd., Christiansburg, Va., 24073. The public comment period continues through July 18.

Customers can find more information about the Falling Branch-Merrimac Transmission Reinforcement Project, including maps and photos of similar facilities to those proposed, or provide comments on the project at the Appalachian Power website.

Once, I was bemoaning all of the legal and ethical problems the President at the time had gotten himself into, and how it reflected on our society.  My wife looked at me very sternly and asked "did you vote?".  She knew the answer; she knew I hadn't, and she said I had no room to complain.  I learned a lesson that day - whether I want power lines or don't want power lines, I can't complain without having my voice heard.  Here's our chance to have our voices heard.

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Don't Forget!

The NRV Green Home Tour and Seminar will be this coming Saturday, April 26th from 9am - 5pm, to be followed on Sunday the 27th by the NRVLiving Real Estate Team's very own green home open house!

Reduce ... Reuse ... Recycle.

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Green Home Tour Coming To Blacksburg

More information forthcoming early next week, but if you caught the NRVLiving Real Estate Show this weekend you heard us talk about the Green Home Tour that will be rolling into Blacksburg on April 26th. 

You can find out more about the Tour by visiting their blog, or stay right here and we'll post more information on Monday!  And don't forget that the following day, April 27th, we'll be hosting an open house of one of our own green home listings, at 153 Gracie Lane in Floyd!  Check out the video!

Virginia Tech Goes Green

From Planet Blacksburg ...