green living: Don't Be Foooled-This Blue House is Really Green
- 11/24/09 10:13 AM
No there isn't a problem with your computer monitor the house you see is actually wrapped in blue insulation but the house is actually a green house under construction in Lorton VA.This home being built by the Speer family is utilizing all of the latest green technologies including both solar and geothermal technologies. The south-facing roof will contain solar panels that will provide most of the electrical energy for appliances in the home. If the family generates more electricity than they need the will feed power back to the local electric company grid causing the meter to run backwards.Heating and cooling will … (10 comments)
green living: Virginia Tech's 2009 Entry in the Solar Decathalon
- 09/17/09 12:30 AM
Virginia Tech will be the only US Team competiting in both the upcoming 2009 US Department of Energy Solar Decathalon and the 2010 European event as well.The entry in the competition Lumenhaus features sliding walls of glass, concrete floors to provide passive solar heating and technology that can be operated from an iPhone or computer.This year's competition is scheduled to take place on the National Mall on October 9-13 and October 15-18th. It is a great chance to come and tour the houses built by the 20 college teams and see the future of solar energy and housing built right in Washington … (2 comments)
green living: Keep Al Gore Happy- Think Creatively About Recycling
- 01/25/08 09:34 AM
Our family has always been good about recycling. In fact we have shared trash service with neighbors, as we couldn’t fill one of those large bins that all of the local trash services want you to have. Big, bulky and ugly are the only way to describe them but they do make good rain barrels (but that is another blog.) So as we continue to read more and more about the impact that trash is having on the environment it reminded me of some of the ways that we have been creative when it came to dealing with recyclables. My … (7 comments)
green living: Fix One Leaky Faucet in Your House Today
- 10/15/07 11:52 AM
Today is a day like many others where we have been asked to stop and think about the environment for "Blog Action Day" and consider how we might be able to make a change to provide a better future for the earth, ourselves and the generations to follow. Interestingly enough driving through the City of Fairfax today these yellow signs caught my attention and appeared every few feet as a reminder to residents about the current water restrictions. Back in the late 1970's while living in Okinawa we were given the order that due to low water in the reservoirs that … (6 comments)
green living: Head to DC for the 2007 Solar Decathlon
- 10/15/07 12:31 AM
The Solar Decathlon sponsored by the US Department of Energy kicked off this weekend in DC and will run until October 20th. The 20 college teams must design and build a solar house that runs entirely on the sun during the competition The homes are designed and built at their home campuses, disassembled and then reassembled in a solar village on the National Mall. Each home is open to the public and during the week the homes are judged on 10 different categories that not only look at the engineering but also on comfort and livability. Having visited the solar village during the last competition in … (3 comments)
green living: Earth Sheltered Home Finds a New Steward
- 08/31/07 09:37 AM
The terrific Earth-Sheltered home that I have been marketing in Prince William County went to closing today. The owner who had bought the property in 1989 was sad to let it go but the new owner is going to be a great steward of the property. Having been studying Earth-Sheltered homes for years he decided that if he ever found one that was close enough to commute to his job in DC that he would buy it. Of course there isn't a style labeled "earth-sheltered" in the MLS but I regularly posted the home on Craig's list and there were … (4 comments)
green living: How Green is Your Money?
- 07/12/07 04:44 AM
As someone who took out part of the front yard of two of my previous homes and turned them into a wildflower gardens, I have been thinking about the environment and green living for awhile now. As I try and wait patiently, okay I'm actually fidgeting, for a freelance writer from the Washington Post to finish her article on my Earth Sheltered Home for an upcoming edition of the Saturday Real Estate section, I have continued to look around the area for information on other green buildings. I came across an article in the Washington Post that caught my attention about a bank … (3 comments)
green living: Going Green doesn’t require you to become a Frog!
- 06/24/07 10:18 AM
Sorry Kermit but actually it is easy to start the process towards green living. A few inexpensive steps by everyone can lead to some big changes overall. As more and more consumers become aware of the threats to the environment with rising energy prices and decreasing renewable resources they are looking at their homes as an easy place to start making small changes that can help lead to a bigger impact. Installing low-flow shower heads Replacing old toilets with water saving models Using composite lumber products to build decks, fences and roofs Buying natural installation made from recycled blue jeans … (6 comments)
green living: Earth-sheltered home offers "green" lifestyle
- 06/12/07 11:08 AM
Nestled in a hillside in the Hunter's Grove development in Manassas, this earth-sheltered house is one of about a half dozen residential and commercial buildings in the Washington metropolitan area that rely on the earth's consistent temperatures to assist in heating and cooling, and to provide protection from the elements. With its weathered wood, glass front and clean, simple lines that meld with the large sculpted patio, mature trees and lush foliage, this home is reminiscent of the organic architecture championed by Frank Lloyd Wright but with a focus on energy efficiency. Constructed on three interconnected poured concrete domes, the home, located on … (5 comments)
green living: A Home Even Al Gore Would Love-Earth Sheltered Home in Manassas VA
- 06/11/07 10:26 AM
For most of us looking up and seeing green on our roof or plants growing in our gutters we know that serious roofing issues can't be far behind. For the owners of an earth-sheltered home it just means that all is well. With so much focus in the press on energy conservation, global warming and green design my real estate partner and I have the rare privilege of listing one of the few earth-sheltered homes available in our area. As a result I have spent a good deal of time walking on the roof of the home and learning the benefits … (3 comments)
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