I am a big fan of FSC Certified wood and wood products. The Forest Stewardship Council oversees the management and production of wood, ensures that forests are not clear cut, that the rights of indigenous people are respected, that proper forest management protocols are observed, and that the wood that you buy has not been swapped out with other, poorly sourced product. The FSC has a chain of custody process that is in my opinion a model for other sustainable building materials.
Here are some highlights(Taken from the FSC Site):
More than 100 million ha forest worldwide were certified to FSC standards in April 2008, distributed over 79 countries.
FSC certified forests represent the equivalent of 7% of the world’s productive forests.
FSC is the fastest growing forest certification system in the world (UN FAO, 2007)
With over 7’500 certificates, the number of companies along the forest product supply chain committing to FSC certification peaked at 40% in 2007.
The value of FSC labeled sales is estimated at over 20 billion USD.
Great video from the other side….long on fear mongering, totally devoid of facts. It is this sort of spooky music, fast scene changing video that really does influence people, far more than, say, research. The NY Times has an interesting write up today of an “International Conference on Climate Change” not to be confused with the “Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change” that one the Nobel Prize for its definative conclusion that Global warming IS a threat.
My Architect Andre forward this link to me, it has a good outline of the new tax credits available to people who invest sustainably in their homes. These are Federal Tax credits, so they should be good anywhere in the US, but of course talk to your tax person. Many thanks to President Obama for his leadership on this.www.energycode.com
We used many different technologies when remodeling our first house. In the process, we learned that 30% of the energy created in California is used by residential consumers. That energy is produced by a variety of sources, but still predominately by burning fossil fuels. So here are some of the products we used.
Solar = Clean Electricity
The solar panels on the roof will provide 2.6 kilowatts of clean electricity. In tandem with energy star appliances and lighting the house will lower monthly the monthly energy bill. Clean electricity means that the energy is produced by a system other than a power provider, say a local utility company.
In the Loop
We used an integrated hot water tank / forced-air heating system. We chose The PHOENIX – a 97% efficient system. The hot water from the tank loops into the forced-air heater, and the heat is reused for the home. There are two cold air returns with filters on the ground floor that clean the air, and a hydronic air handle with an exterior intake valve that allows for complete interior air changes. Working in conjunction with the insulation, a system such this system provides exceptional heating with minimal energy use
Energy Star Lighting
We added LED lighting on the right side going up the stairs. LEDs use even less power then CFLs and they do not have any mercury so disposal is not a HazMat issue.
Natural Light
In the great room of the house we included a 4 foot round skylight which will provide natural light. We also included skylights in a hallway and above the staircase for to increase the natural light, and reduce the need for flipping on a switch.
Loading ...
