If you have any interest in building science or selling high performance homes, I would strongly recommend this educational opportunity.  Both of the presenters are extremely knowledgeable and dynamic.  Please also pass this on to any other realtors, builders, or other construction folks who should be interested.

http://www.eeba.org/housesthatwork/workshops/Prescott.asp

I have had a dream, a vision, a passion - to create a non-profit organization which has a very similar model to my business, but would allow me to do so much more...  Two notebooks full of details, ideas and logistics...

Please check out my idea, give it a 5 star rating (you can do this once per day so please bookmark the site & feel free to leave a happy comment, and help me make Globe Inspire a reality!

Thanks!!!

Waking up feeling slightly philosophical today, I wanted to share some thoughts and inspiration on what I feel is the deeper meaning of “green.”

Yesterday was one of those “one thing right after another” kind of days where I had to keep pulling myself back to all of the things I had to be grateful for, what lesson I was supposed to be taking from each experience, and remembering that it was my choice as to whether I wanted to laugh or cry. What does this have to do with green you ask?

Well let me tell ya…

The word GREEN in mainstream context can and does have many connotations. Recycling, solar power, low energy use, composting, sustainability, healthy living, etc. Green can mean 10 different things to 10 different people, and none of those things -or people, would be wrong.

But what is the BIGGER picture – the bigger message and meaning in the word “green”?

I believe it starts with thinking BIG and remembering small. Let me explain. Last July I took a trip to Costa Rica. My travel companion ended up with a nasty case of food poisoning, so I was left to have solo adventures (of course after leaving him with Gatorade and activated charcoal tablets). We were in Tortuguero which is a wild and remote area of Costa Rica, only accessible by boat or airplane. We had made the trek originally to witness the nesting endangered sea turtles, but I quickly fell in love with many other things about the region.


Howler monkey in Tortuguero Natl. Park, Costa Rica


Tortuguero National Park receives 250 inches of rainfall a year and is home to many species of birds, critters, flora and fauna. I rented a pair of tall rubber boots in town (which is required by the park due to poisonous snakes and lots and lots of mud.) All alone, I took my time adjusting to being swallowed up by this rainforest, allowing my senses to become heightened – sight, hearing, smell… I was enveloped. As I sunk in mud, was startled by the loudness of the howler monkeys over my head, felt the occasional mosquito bite from a spot of skin not covered by insect repellant, and made sure to watch where I was stepping; I suddenly felt very very small. Small in a good way. Small in a humbled way. There were no other human beings in sight. In fact, I didn’t see one other person for nearly 3 hours, which at that point felt like an eternity! Just me, lil’ ol’ me, alone in what felt like a ginormous jungle. What a feeling!

I am a guilty American consumer. I will admit it. Being a single mom with my own business, I am as tempted by “convenience” as the next person, but – I also remember to TRY. I continually TRY to do the right things, TRY to teach my children positive behavior and habits, TRY to inspire those around me to begin their “green walk” by simply taking one small step at a time. We don’t need to run, as my rainforest experience taught me. We need to walk slowly, think about each step we take, heed the lessons that our fellow creatures have to teach us if we’re open to learning, and not only take each day as it comes; but every single moment…


So today, green to me, is simply an attitude. A way of life. A respect for this planet and all of it’s inhabitants – big or small.


This reminds me to “think big – and remember small.”


May you be moved today to feel inspired enough to inspire another.


Love and laughter.

As a mama, I can say that being a Mother is the most selfless, but at the end of the day, most rewarding job in the world. We have an attachment and love for our children that can't be measured. We carry them in our bodies, bring them forth into the world, sustain them with our breast milk, nurture and protect them with our instinct. We love them unconditionally from the moment they are with us.  

Because it's so exhausting, especially in our current day and age where many of us work one or more jobs, own our own businesses, are single mothers, and ultimately become jugglers extraordinaire; I personally feel that we should work toward celebrating Mother's Day once a month instead of just once a year. But that's just my opinionated opinion...  

So... Mother's Day should be a day of pampering, thanks, and respect. As most of us can't expect to be sent off to a Caribbean beach for the day (or month) to bask in the sun, napping at whim and being attended to by a stable of attractive young men, here are some ideas for reality that are both thoughtful and environmentally conscious.  

Send this article on as a hint, use the ideas yourself for your own monthly Mother's Day, or treat the woman who gave you life.  

Sleeping in with breakfast in bed.  Is there a more precious commodity than sleep for most moms? I can't think of one personally, except maybe coffee (and the two seem to go hand in hand).   

♦ So let's start with the bed itself. I have the most amazing bamboo sheet set that I absolutely love. They are cool like cotton but soft like silk. You can purchase them through an online store such as Organic Bamboo Sheets  or locally at Natural Territory in North Scottsdale.  Definitely a gift that keeps on giving!  

♦ Ahhh yes - coffee! Women's Bean Project  is a non profit organization that was founded in 1989 by Jossy Eyre, who after volunteering in a homeless woman's shelter, realized she wanted to make a positive shift in women's lives. Women's Bean Project began when Eyre bought $500 worth of coffee beans and put her idea and two homeless women from the shelter to work. The coffee is organic & fair trade and they also have some other yummy products available as well.  

♦ What should you make to feed her? For every major holiday we usually have brunch and I always make Pain Perdu which has become a favorite tradition with my kids. It is a decadent affair made with croissants, eggs, cream and sugar. (Remember to use organic products where you can!) I always add slivered almonds and serve it with fresh mango slices, blackberries, and real maple syrup. If someone actually made this for ME and brought it to me in BED - I would be smitten for life! Top it off with a nice mimosa and I bet she'll be the happiest mom in town!  

♦ And after eating breakfast, wouldn't it be nice to just stay in bed, sipping a mimosa and reading a magazine? A magazine subscription is a great gift that lasts all year, and with sites like Freecycle that allow you to keep passing them on, think of how many people could become more educated on green living. Depending on her style, a few ideas are Mother Earth News, Living Green Online Magazine, Natural Home and Yes! Magazine.  

♦ All moms love sweets (because we're sweet)!  Urban Cookies - located at 4711 N. 7^th Street in Phoenix, AZ has the most tasty and amazing cookies made with organic ingredients.  They've recently come out with a new cupcake line as well.  Mmmmmmm - cupcakes...  Everything is sold individually as well as by the baker's dozen.  

♦ If you're looking to take your mom out for a healthy meal, think about taking her to Mandala Tearoom located at 7027 E. 5^th Ave. in Scottsdale, AZ. Not only do they serve scrumptious organic vegetarian fare, but they have also "walked their talk" by using green building supplies such as soy based concrete stain, low VOC paint, waterless urinals and recycled resin tabletops.   

♦ A mother doesn't exist who wouldn't want a break or an extra helping hand with the never-ending chore of housecleaning! A gift certificate from a green house cleaning service like Earth Maids would be a practical and extremely thoughtful gift.  

♦ Because every mom deserves to look and feel beautiful, think about a gift certificate from one of our local businesses such as: puresalon, located at 7000 E. Shea Blvd. in Scottsdale, AZ who offer healthy, non-toxic hair services and Moss Wellness Spa, a leader in local "green" spas (and open by appointment only) which is located at 7135 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 240 in Scottsdale, AZ.  

Whatever you choose to do for the Mothers in your life this Mother's Day, just remember a heartfelt "thank you" goes a long way (and a bit of chocolate never hurt)!  

"When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts.  A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child." ~Sophia Loren

    *If you know of a local green business or event in the Metro Phoenix area (or elsewhere in AZ) you would like to see an article written about, please feel free to pop me a note.

 Love and laughter.

Every "green" article you read usually mentions low or no VOC, yet they fail to teach you what Volatile Organic Compounds really are - or more importantly, why you really need to know what they are.

I thought it fitting that I write this article, as I just did a project yesterday where VOCs had been the culprit in making a couple sick in their rental home.  The home in question had a catastrophic water incident occur last year (namely, a toilet which sprung a leak which wasn't discovered until the neighbor saw water pouring out from underneath the front door.)  The couple was not told about the incident until after they were living in the home when the homeowner needed access to install the new kitchen cabinets.

Because of this incident, everything in the home was new - new carpet, carpet pad, paint, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, etc.  Compound this with the fact that our homes typically don't have fresh air coming in (unless you open up the windows or provide it mechanically,) so you're left with a chemical soup filled "box" full of pollutants - generally up to 10 times worse than you would find outdoors, and sometimes much, much greater.  

The clients told me it had that "new house smell."  What they smelled, was the VOCs.  This is also what ultimately made them sick...

So what are VOCs?

VOCs:

▪ Are organic chemicals that form gases at room temperature

▪ Are called organic because they contain elemental carbon

▪ Hydrocarbons have both hydrogen and carbon atoms and may include benzene and toluene (both known carcinogens)

▪ Are emitted by a wide array of products - thousands of them

▪ Can cause adverse health effects which may be short or long-lived (and can include serious effects such as central nervous system and internal organ damage and even cancer)

▪ Are commonly found in paints and lacquers, carpet, flooring, plywood, particleboard, adhesives, cabinets & countertops, and other building products.

After only about 5 minutes of being in my client's home (which had been completely shut up with the air turned off for about 2 weeks) I experienced burning in my eyes, nose, throat, and had a headache within 20 minutes.  This was in the first 5 minutes without my respirator being on.  Can you imagine living there? 

While increasing ventilation is a good first step, there are many great no and low VOC products on the market - and readily available in Phoenix!  Stores such as Natural Territory (http://www.naturalterritory.com) and AKA Green (http://www.akagreen.com) carry everything from healthy bedding to no VOC paint. 

We owe it to ourselves - and more importantly our health - to become educated and conscious consumers.  As consumer demand for healthier building materials, furnishings, and other products grow; prices will continue to balance out to meet the consumer demand.  It is the way our economy works.  Not to mention the fact that spending a little bit more money up front could potentially save you thousands of dollars in healthcare costs down the road...  Just say NO to VOCs.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world," - Mahatma Gandhi

Phoenix, AZ - August, 7 2008 - Around the globe massive changes are occurring. The need to become more in balance with our natural environment has catalyzed the growth of an exciting array of new innovations and opportunities. The term "green" has come to represent a common blueprint for citizens, businesses, and governments for how we can move towards a more sustainable future. The GreenSummit is designed to greatly accelerate this movement. We provide a unique platform for leading organizations to showcase the best products, services, and ideas that will make our society more efficient, lighter on the environment, and ultimately healthier for both ourselves and future generations to come.

Attendance at the Phoenix Convention Center for 2008 Green Summit, being sponsored by APS and Arizona State University (ASU), is expected to exceed 10,000 people. Industry leaders and government officials will be present, along with an Eastern European delegation of senior-level officials brought by the US Department of Commerce. Highlights of the event include an extensive educational track featuring over 100 experts speaking on a variety of topics, as well as numerous exhibitors showcasing the latest and greatest innovative products and services. Anyone who has ever wanted to learn more about sustainability and the green movement should attend. "With our economy in its current state and to keep with the spirit of sustainability; our goal is for GreenSummit to be both affordable and attainable to anyone and everyone who wants to learn more about these topics." said GreenSummit Founder Chris Samila.  

When Chris Samila, a Global Studies Major at ASU organized 2007 GreenSummit on ASU's campus, his goal was simply to bring awareness of sustainability and green products and services, to both his campus and the community. What started out as a "grassroots" event, ended up playing host to approximately 4,000 attendees and 55 exhibitors. "It was just the beginning of a more sustainable future..." Chris said.

About GreenSummit:

The 2008 GreenSummit will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center on Sept. 5-6, 2008. The GreenSummit has grown into the premier event to understand how the world is changing and what options exist to move forward in a more sustainable direction. GreenSummit will consist of over 100 conference sessions and green companies on display to showcase the best products, services and ideas relating to the concept of sustainability.

www.GreenSummit.net

For those of you interested in what I do to put food on the table (as well as being my passion), I was interviewed for the March/April issue of Sources + Design magazine for the "Green Scene" column.

Here's the link to the interview/article: http://www.sourcesanddesign.com/archives/0803/0803_green_scene.html

-Ms. Champion

Channel 5 (kpho - Phoenix) just did a great expose' on mold remediation scams that goes hand in hand with everything I've been shouting for the last 5 years.

They put some mascara on a bathroom wall (see photo above) then called in some companies to check out the "mold".

Not one company even addressed potential root cause as to why "mold" would be there in the first place, none of them did a visual assessment, and only one company even offered to test the "mold."

BUT, they were all happy to give $1000 - $2000 bids to remove the "mold."

These companies are preying on people's fear, draining people's bank accounts, and potentially DIMINISHING the quality of the indoor air/environment with the use of chemicals which were not needed in the first place.

Until we have some basic regulatory measures in place, and the Associations governing my industry decide to step up to the plate and police their members to help protect the consumers, it will continue to be the Wild Wild West.

Consumer beware...

Here is the link to the full article and video clip:
http://www.kpho.com/iteam/15414355/detail.html?taf=pho

Hello colleagues, friends and clients.

I understand many of us are busy and don't like to get involved, which is a big part of the reason our country is in the state that it's in. 

I urge you to please go to this webpage, read and consider signing this petition and help spread the word.  http://www.petitiononline.com/ceusnow/petition.html

If you have the time to read it, you should have the time to sign it.  It is a good thing for EVERYONE, and will help us live and work in well-built homes and buildings for many years to come.

It basically demands that building contractors do something many other professionals are required to do: get proper training and education.

Ongoing and continuing education in the building sciences has become an essential part of producing buildings that work, buildings that keep their occupants healthy and safe, buildings that perform for the 21st century and beyond.

Sometimes you have to be grassroots! This is your opportunity to make a difference.

Please pass this link along to anyone and everyone you know that you think believes in demanding the public have access to properly educated contractors. Even pass it to those you aren't sure about! You just never know who will help.

Thank you.

Kindest Regards,

Stacey Champion, CIE

Certified Indoor Environmentalist

Owner/Consultant

Champion Indoors, LLC - "World change begins at home!"

Champion Indoor Environmental Services, LLC

http://www.championindoors.com/

IAQA Oct. 2007 Conference Proceedings Paper
Is Green the New "Black"? Sorting out the Hype and Trends of the Green Building Movement
Written and Presented by: Stacey Champion, CIE
Owner/Consultant - Champion Indoor Environmental Services, LLC/Champion Indoors, LLC

It's no secret that the Green Building Movement is gaining momentum at a steady speed.  "Green" has suddenly become the buzz word d'jour - gracing national magazine covers, grabbing headlines with the major networks, filling up bookstore sections and earning the attention of celebrities along the way such as Leonardo Dicapprio and Brad Pitt. 

The largest Green Building conference, Greenbuild, put on by the USGBC saw a record breaking 13,000 attendees at their annual conference held in Denver last November ‘06.  I can tell you firsthand that it was both impressive and tiring (as I was nearly 8 months pregnant when I waddled through the show and attended many sessions!)  This year's conference which will be held in Chicago this November ‘07 will most likely see an even bigger turnout, with Bill Clinton scheduled as the keynote speaker. 

The Green Building Movement seems to have sparked a new way of thinking for many mainstream consumers. It crosses over boundaries and disciplines to encompass much more than just how we build our houses and what they're built with, but includes such things as: organic food and farming, hybrid vehicles, "natural" cleaning and personal care products, healthier fabric and material options such as organic cotton and bamboo, sustainably built furniture and a general "shift" in the consciousness of how we should be protecting the earth and our resources, as well as what we put in, on and around our bodies.

So in a perfect world, what would define a Green Building? 

It would be the practice of:
1. increasing the efficiency with which buildings and sites use and harvest energy, water, and materials, and
2. reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal - the complete building life cycle.

Green building is also sometimes known as "sustainable building" or "environmental building".
Benefits to building in this manner include:

· Reduced operating costs (by using less energy and water)

· Improved public and occupant health (due to improved IAQ/IEQ)

· Reduced environmental impact (lessening storm water runoff and the heat island effect).

So who are some of the key players in the Green Building Movement?

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has been a big driver of the bio-diesel bus!  Founded back in 1993, the USGBC is now comprised of more than 11,000 member companies and organizations and has 75 regional chapters.  Membership has increased 10-fold since the year 2000 and there are 91,000 actively engaged individuals.

The USGBC is probably best known for their LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System^TM which is a voluntary building certification program set to define high-performance green buildings. Offering third party validation of a building's "green-ness," and is set up to serve as a design guideline by evaluating buildings in five areas: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources and Indoor Environmental Quality.  "Within these credit areas, points are available and depending on the number of points a project earns determines the level of certification the building will be awarded."  One can achieve varying levels of certification which include:  Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.

There are LEED projects in all 50 states and 41 countries and almost 40,000 LEED Accredited Professionals.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has also jumped on the Green Building Movement.  Representing more than 235,000 residential home building and remodeling industry members, the NAHB created their own Model Green Home Building Guidelines in 2004.  NAHB announced earlier this year that it would collaborate with the International Codes Council to create an American National Standards Institute-accredited residential green building standard, which is slated to be completed early next year.  According to the NAHB, "The standard will serve as a baseline for green building programs without abandoning the proven principle that voluntary, region-specific, flexible programs can be truly green and also allow for innovation."

A recent NAHB survey  revealed that to date, more than 97,000 homes have been built and certified by voluntary, builder-supported green building programs around the country which is more than a 50 percent increase from the last survey of green homes it conducted in 2004.

A few other well-known Green Building programs include: Built Green (with large programs in both Colorado and Washington), Green Building Initiative (GBI); as well as programs such as Energy Star and many local voluntary green building programs in cities across the nation.

The EPA's Green Building website section is another great resource which is "a portal site designed to give users one convenient gateway from which to access numerous EPA programs and topics related to environmentally friendly building" and includes numerous programs covering a wide range of industry sectors.
Is Green the New "Black?" - Stacey Champion
The cost of building green...

Many years ago when I would talk about green building, everyone would automatically start moaning about the cost.  Not much has changed in that regard... 

The analogy that I would use with folks back then centered on the cost of a DVD player.  A few years prior, when they were still very "new," they were of course expensive.  The minute the marketers discovered that everyone wanted one though, and that the days of bulky VHS tapes were over; companies were scrambling to make them faster and of course cheaper; until it got to the point that you could pick one up at Wal-Mart for $30.

There was CONSUMER DEMAND!  This is the very simple way in which our economy works.  The price comes down to meet consumer demand.  Alas - this can of course come with its own set of problems - just look at all of the recent recalls and headlines with Chinese-made products...  We are bound to see some of these same issues creep very quickly into the green building movement.  Just think about all of those recent "safe" pesticide ads!

In 2004, Davis Langdon published a paper titled "Costing Green: A Comprehensive Cost Database and Budget Methodology."  A recent report published this year which was based on LEED projects and titled "Cost of Green Revisited: Reexamining the Feasibility and Cost Impact of Sustainable Design in the Light of Increased Market Adoption" shows essentially the same results as 2004: "there is no significant difference in average costs for green buildings as compared to non-green buildings. Many project teams are building green buildings with little or no added cost, and with budgets well within the cost range of non-green buildings with similar programs."

According to McGraw-Hill Construction Analytics, the value of green building construction starts is expected to exceed $12 billion in 2007. 
Another recent study released by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and titled "Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Business Realities and Opportunities" found that "respondents to a 1,400-person global survey estimated the additional cost of building green at 17 percent above conventional construction, more than triple the true cost difference of about 5 percent."  Survey respondents also mistakenly put greenhouse gas emissions caused by buildings at 19 percent of the world total, when the actual number is 40 percent.

Many people and corporations are interested in green building BECAUSE of the cost savings.  Buildings represent 39% of U.S. primary energy use (including fuel input for production), and represent 70% of U.S energy consumption.

On average, green buildings use 30% less energy than conventional buildings.  For example, tenants can save about 50 cents per square foot each year through strategies that cut energy use by 30%. This can represent a savings of $50,000 or more in a five-year lease on 20,000 square feet.  Buildings also use 12.2% of all potable water, or 15 trillion gallons per year. Buildings use 40% of raw materials globally (and 3 billion tons annually).

What are some of the past and current barriers seen in green building and what's happening to change them?

Two things that tie together strongly are education and tradition.  Architects, builders and the end users - consumers - must all be educated to understand the benefits of building "green."  This is starting to occur on a much larger scale and with so much media focus on construction defects and "sick" buildings, consumer demand for healthier and better built homes and buildings will have a domino effect within our society.  The phrase "I've always done things this way" is not going to hold much weight with the general population anymore.  Developers, businesses and commercial building owners are recognizing the marketability of green buildings along with the added cost savings and environmental stewardship.

Building codes need to play catch up.  Our building codes are going to need a major overhaul and serious updating to help propel the Green Building Movement forward.  Architect Randy Croxton had a great quote where he said: "Building to code means that if a building were designed any worse it would be against the law." 

As building science is a huge contributing force in green building; viewing the entire building as a "system," building it tight - but building it right, and of course building the right way for the right climate, our codes need to incorporate the latest science which is bound to take some time.

Also in the past, products were not readily available and the cost was prohibitive.  As previously discussed, this is not the case in the here and now.

Is there any current green building legislation and/or incentives?

It's been a busy year for the introduction of green building legislation across the nation.  Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii,  Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Vermont and Washington state all had various bills introduced that address various aspects of green building.

Some of the items addressed include issues such as: energy performance standards of schools (AZ), green building standards (CA), high performance state buildings (CO), energy incentive rebates (CT), public high performance buildings (ID), green building enterprise zones (IL), and sustainable building property tax deduction (IN), just to cover a few.

So where do we go from here?

We've determined there are a number of reasons to build green.  Reasons such as occupant health and comfort, cost savings, market demands, environmental responsibility, and as stated above, many states will or already do currently have legislation in place mandating green building.

As Indoor Air/Environmental Quality Professionals, it just makes sense (and cents) to be a part of this movement.  Whether you are a consultant, and educator or a contractor; there is a niche for you to fill within the Green Building Movement.

Adding different environmental services to your business and diversifying your company to stay in line with the current trends and market should be an easy transition.
Some ideas include: healthy home and building assessments, energy audits, integrated pest management (IPM) program design and implementation, green cleaning services and preventative maintenance plan and schedule development.

Kermit the Frog had it all wrong when he said "It's not that easy being green."  The time couldn't be any better!

As Mahatma Gandhi so eloquently stated: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Think green!
 
Resources
1. Wikipedia - Green Building - (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_building)
2. US Green Building Council - (http://www.usgbc.org/)
3. National Association of Home Builders - (http://www.nahb.org/)
4. National Association of Home Builders Research Center - (http://www.nahbrc.org/)
5. Built Green - (http://www.builtgreen.org/)
6. Green Building Initiative - (http://www.thegbi.org)
7. Energy Star - (http://www.energystar.gov/)
8. EPA - Green Buildings (http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/index.htm)
9. Davis Langdon - (http://www.davislangdon.com/USA/Research/)
10.  McGraw-Hill Construction - (http://construction.ecnext.com/coms2/page_infocenter)
11.  World Business Council for Sustainable Development - (http://www.wbcsd.org)
12.  U.S. Department of Energy 2006 Buildings Energy Data Book -  (http://buildingsdatabook.eren.doe.gov/)
13. The TrendTRACK Company - (https://www.trendtrack.com/)
14.  The American Institute of Architects - (http://www.aia.org/)