There is no doubt about it. Green is hot! It's everywhere! But, with respect to housing, what's the difference in "Green Verified" and "Green Certified"?
If you talk to 10 different people you'll most likely get 10 different answers to the "What does green mean?" question.
Everything from "Yes, we've gone green at my office, we've started buying recycled copy paper!" to "Green?, sure I bought one of GM's new SUVs, they're environmentally friendly. Don't you see how the commercials place their vehicles in a forest setting?" Actually, (according to www.greenwashing.com) General Motors is a member of the Coalition of Vehicle Choice, an organization that opposes clean air legislation and laws directed at reducing auto emissions.
So, when you purchase a home and the builder makes a green declaration how can you tell if he's done the right thing or just blowing smoke to ride a wave of hype!?!
There are two basic types of Green Certification programs in America today. The builder or owner verified program and the unbiased 3rd party verification.
The NAHB Green Building Standard, LEED-H, Energy Star, Earth Craft and Green Built are some of the more promenant certifying bodies in the US. Certifications for green construction are awarded upon successfully adhereing to the particular specifications of their respective programs. Typically, points are awarded for specific energy or resource efficient principles that are followed. Other areas of note are water efficiency, indoor air quality and home owner education.
The verification process is typically an indepth technical visual inspection process that confirms program adherence and includes performance testing. This test is provided by highly trained "energy raters" who deterime, amoung other readings, how air tight the building is and how well the heating and air conditioning system operates.
My "other" site for blogging. Yes, I've tried the outside world of blogging by self-publishing a blog outside of active rain called: The Green Building Inspector. Give a try?
Want to save a couple of bucks and continue saving into the future? Take advantage of one of the many energy savings tax credits available this year from Uncle Sam.
Home improvement insulation tax credits are available...let's look at how you qualify.
The insulation's primary purpose must be to insulate. That means siding does not qualify, but a vapor retarder does.
A vapor retarder is a specially treated paper, thin plastic sheeting, or low permeance paint that prevents condensation of water vapor inside wall or ceiling materials. This trapped moisture can cause damage to the wallboard and paint as well as structural deterioration.
The product you use must be expected to last for at least 5 years or have a 2 year warranty. The cost of installation (your labor) cannot be included in the total. A manufacturer's Certification Statement is required. Remember, for tax purposes its a good idea that you save your receipt and the Manufacturer's Cert.
A Manufacturer’s Certification is a signed statement from the manufacturer certifying that the product or component qualifies for the tax credit. The IRS encourages manufacturers to provide these Certifications on their website to facilitate identification of qualified products. Taxpayers must keep a copy of the certification statement for their records, but do not have to submit a copy with their tax return.
You must insulate between Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2009 and use IRS Tax Form 5695 (version 2009) when filing for the credit.
How much of a tax credit do you receive? You'll get 10% of the cost of the insulation, up to $500.00.
For more information about saving energy and saving your hard earned dollars contact Gary N Smith toll free at 1-877-809-6139 or find him online: www.GaryNSmith.net
As co-chairman and on behalf of the entire Building Green Works Committee at the Home Builders Association of Jackson I’d like to thank Mississippi Home Corp for their efforts in promoting affordable resource efficient housing in Mississippi. Our HBAJ Green Committee includes builders, associate members, utility companies and government agencies. We’re proud to have them serve on our committee.
As a certified NAHB Verifier I believe this contest will not only promote energy efficient construction, but will offer Mississippi residences affordable homes that help them save water, live more comfortably in cleaner air, save money through lower maintenance cost and will encourage the public to save our planet’s natural resources.
In support of the contest, I would also like to announce that the Jackson Association will host the NAHB Certified Green Professional course (see below) February 17-19 at our office in Ridgeland, MS. The CGP designation recognizes builders, remodelers and other industry professionals who incorporate green building principles into homes— without driving up the cost of construction. The three day class provides a solid background in green building methods, as well as the tools to reach consumers. The class will explain how to accrue points in seven categories: water, energy and resource efficiency; lot and site development; indoor environmental quality; global impact and homeowner education. The program sets point requirements in each category for the bronze, silver and gold levels. McGraw Hill reports that by 2012 - 20% of new homes built in the US are expected to be HERS rated, performance tested and built green.
The future? There is no doubt, through energy consumption and the living environment, the homes we build today will impact on our children and our grand children. That’s why it’s so important that we focus our efforts on the “science” of building construction.
Building Green is smart.
Building green is affordable. First, through this contest and then into the future we will all be…Growing a Greener Mississippi. So…from the HBAJ Building Green Works Committee, Thank You!
Mississippi Home Corporation was created by the State in 1989 to serve as the State’s Housing Finance Agency. In that capacity, MHC administers the Mortgage Revenue Bond program and the Housing Tax Credit program, among others. MHC’s mission is to enhance Mississippi's long-term economic viability by financing safe, decent, affordable housing and helping working families build wealth.
For more information about the NAHB Green Building Program visit NAHB online at www.NAHBGreen.org.
For more information about the contest contact Gary Smith toll free at 1-877... or online at: www.GaryNSmith.net.
At 11:00 a.m. on January 29th, 2009 at the Beau Rivage Conference Center in Biloxi, Mississippi, Mississippi Home Corporation will announce the "Growing a Greener Mississippi" green building competition designed to spur affordable green building throughout the Magnolia State.
The first of it's kind in the nation, the contest is based on the National Association of Home Builders Green Building Guidelines. The NAHB Green Program is a third party verified system designed to help builders construct healthier and more cost efficient housing nation wide. The program is a points based system offering homes in three categories, Bronze, Silver and Gold.
As the first certified verifier for Mississippi I will be attending the conference and will be present afterwards to answer questions pertaining to competition details and to help describe the program in more detail.
Prize money will be awarded to first, second and third place winners. First place entry will be awarded $50.000 based on design, energy efficiency and a host of other categories designed to show that going green does not mean expensive construction.
Mississippi Home Corporation was created by the State in 1989 to serve as the State's Housing Finance Agency. In that capacity, MHC administers the Mortgage Revenue Bond program and the Housing Tax Credit program, among others. MHC's mission is to enhance Mississippi's long-term economic viability by financing safe, decent, affordable housing and helping working families build wealth.
For more information about the NAHB Green Building Program visit NAHB online at www.NAHBGreen.org.
For more information about the contest contact Gary Smith toll free at 1-877-809-6139 or online at: www.GaryNSmith.net.
What is 2 to 1000 times greater inside than out, is impossible to see but at the same time has the potential to damage your eyes, can cause dizziness and nausea, and vaporizes at normal temperature and atmosphere? You guessed it…VOCs or volatile organic compounds.
Many of us spend more than 90% of our time indoors. Clean indoor air is as important as breathing. Some of the most critical factors influencing indoor air pollution concern our ability to eliminate or reduce specific sources such as tobacco smoke, radon, chemical irritants, and pesticides. It’s also as important that you control moisture, which can lead to mold growth and bacteria.
Ideally, it would be best to prevent these pollutants from being released in the first place, but that is not always possible or practical. An increased focus on proper ventilation can play a critical role in determining whether our indoor environment is healthy or not.
As a green building verifier my role is to help eliminate these conditions by teaching practical and proper building practices.
To learn more about VOCs and how to eliminate poor indoor air quality during construction contact Gary N Smith toll free at 877.809.6139 or visit him online at http://www.garynsmith.net.
Before the days of gun powder and lead the mighty shield was used for protection from unwanted elements during battle.
In our struggle to save energy consider using one of the most protective and cost effective "shields" developed. The Radiant Barrier.
It's a foil backed product that's placed in the attic of your home, foil side down, to help protect you from the sun's radiating heat that drives your energy use up and the size of your pocket book down. A radiant barrier:
is placed foil side down in your attic (opposite of the way you think a shield should face!)
will lower the cost of your cooling dollars by 40%
will not effect your roof warranty (when installed as roof sheathing)
can be installed directly onto your attic insulation
lowers the negative effects of high heat on stored articles in your attic
can be installed by you, the homeowner, with little or no experience (however, always take special care when working in the attic)
Coupled with caulking and sealing your home's air leaks the radiant barrier has immediate payback.
For more information on energy savings and home inspections call Gary Smith toll free at 877.809.6139 or visit him on the web: http://www.garynsmith.net
If you were shopping for a home and found one that was…
well-built
comfortable
had lower-than-average monthly energy costs
was easy to maintain
required no additional income to pay for it
Would you stop shopping? I have good news! This kind of home is being built today.
How can you afford the purchase? That’s Easy!Get an EM - Energy Mortgage. The mortgage is unfamiliar to many homebuyers and believe it or not to many real estate agents.
How does it work?An EM increases your buying power by enabling the mortgage lender to count the monthly energy bill savings that a home’s energy efficient features deliver as extra income. There are two kinds of energy mortgages:
Energy-Efficient Mortgages
Credits the savings from a home that is already efficient into the loan qualification process and capitalizes the improved features into the appraisal.
Energy Improvement Mortgages
Increases the buying power of a consumer by financing energy improvements that are shown to be cost-effective and capitalizing the ensuing monthly savings into the mortgage loan.
All of the national secondary mortgage markets--conventional as well as federally insured programs--offer energy mortgage products.
Call Gary Smith for more info on Living Green at 1-877-809-6139 or online: http://www.garynsmith.net
The most important (and easiest) way to assure that you save money on your energy bills is to seal all the holes and cracks in your home. Take a look around your bedroom. See any obvious leaks? I doubt it. Take a closer look at the small holes where you might plug your lamp in. Every unsealed electrical box and light fixture in your home leaks air. A 1" hole will allow 4 pints of water to filter into your home in a average winter. The moisture enters via water vapor in the air. So...what does the moisture do? It forms on the surfaces of your home (in some conditions) as fungus and mildew.
Unconditioned air leaking into your home also brings with it mold spores and if the leaks are near the insulated ceiling can draw tiny particles off fiberglass insulation.
When molds are allowed to grow in wet-damp indoor environments, there is a likelihood that they can develop into enough volume to cause both damage to building materials and harm to some people. Whether or not someone will have an adverse reaction to mold exposure depends on many factors that include, but are not limited to: 1) the amount of molds present, 2) the type of molds present, 3) whether there is a pathway from where the molds are located to the person, 4) how long the exposure may take place and 5) how sensitive the individual may be to the exposure.
Learn more about living greener, healthier and lessening your carbon footprint by contacting Gary N Smith at 1-877-809-6139 or visit him online at www.garynsmith.net.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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