"green"-ing up our homes

[Nitro]

Edit: Double Post

[jas49503]

Wow, that's strange. I see it everywhere. I've bought it from Rivershores Hardwood Flooring and Verhey Carpets before.

[uncus]

So I just made a post in the main forum about following the LEED of the developers around town and making some "green" improvements to our own homes... Thought it might be cool to have a little exchange of ideas, war stories, questions and stuff.

With that in mind... I really wanted to put a tankless water heater (big enough for two showers plus a couple sinks to run at the same time) in my house, but the inspector told me that I either had to put in two or put in a backup tank (kinda defeats the purpose) because the current michigan code requires enough (flow) capacity to run every fixture in the house (because you do that every day right?). This seems absolutely ludicrous to me seeing how technically a 30 gallon tank would pass inspection but not allow me to fill up my tub or even take two showers at the same time (unless the were each like 90 sec)

Anyone find (or know of) a way to get one of these things past the silly code?

[Libertarian]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...O.DTL&tsp=1

Here is an interesting initiative from Berkeley, CA. From the article:

"The City Council will vote Nov. 6 on a plan for the city to finance the cost of solar panels for property owners who agree to pay it back with a 20-year assessment on their property. Over two decades, the taxes would be the same or less than what property owners would save on their electric bills, officials say."

"The extra tax would include administrative fees and interest, which would be lower than what the property owner could obtain on his own, because the city would secure low-interest bonds and loans, officials say. The tax would stay with the property even if the owner sold, although the owner would have to leave the solar panels. "

It might be something for GR to look at. From the sounds of it, it seems that it will not cost taxpayers anything extra, as long as they do not participate. And yes, Michigan receives more than enough sunlight to make solar feasible(Germany, who is considered a world leader in solar, gets on average less sunlight than Michigan).

[jbr12]

That is definitely a sweet program! I will take advantage of that in a heartbeat if I owned a home and the city offered that!

[radicaljoy]

I would love to see an article or suggestions from an expert on 10 ways to green up your existing home. I'm sure there are plenty of tips and tricks to making your house more green as you renovate or replace existing items (such as furnaces, appliances, water heaters).

Joe

[GR Jackson]

The Nov/Dec Utne Reader has a cover blurb: "A GREEN HOME You Can Afford" and three articles that relate and boxes with GREEN HOME practical applications throughout the issue.

Green Building for the Rest of Us (mentions the LEED for Homes rating system launch)

Salvage Beauty: Reused building materials take a load off the environment

Low Rent, High Tech: Affordable housing advocates build green and inspire innovation

Overall, the articles are more philosophy than practice, but I'm glad it's getting space/mindshare. I found the article promoting it's use in affordable housing most interesting.

I haven't looked at it yet, but there is a resources on the web URL listed:

www.utne.com/greenbuilding

[Rhino6885]

It would be great to find a way to build affordable green buildings. It seems that green buildings pay for themselves in energy savings, but the initial cost is somewhat prohibitive for the majority of people.

[jbr12]

There are a number of products already in the market that are comparable in price and are 'environmentally friendly'.

A great example are the recycled glass CMU blocks made by EPI Products on Chicago Dr...

[radicaljoy]

It would be great to find a way to build affordable green buildings. It seems that green buildinmgs pay for themselves in energy savings, but the intial cost is somewhat prohibitive for the majority of people.

[Sailor]

I'm still saving colored glass for recycling and hope to soon find a place that takes it.

[radicaljoy]

Grand Rapids takes colored glass. A concrete business in town buys what the county can't process and recycles it into ground-glass-based concrete. Click here for the guidelines.

[Sailor]

Thanks Sailor. Good timing. This is the night to put recycling out in my neighborhood. I'll fill the bin. Some months back when we this topic came up on UP, I called the city and was told that colored glass was NOT included in GR's program (even tho some here insisted that it was). I took the conservative path and have not been putting it out. The information on the page you provided a link to makes it pretty clear: colored glass IS included.

[GR Jackson]

Certain products are more costly. For example the foam insulation that is better than regular is far more expensive. A green roof is also quite a bit more than a regular flat roof. If people can spend the money up front they will capture it back in utility savings, but not alot of people can.

[Veloise]

Thanks Sailor. Good timing. This is the night to put recycling out in my neighborhood. I'll fill the bin. Some months back when we this topic came up on UP, I called the city and was told that colored glass was NOT included in GR's program (even tho some here insisted that it was). I took the conservative path and have not been putting it out. The information on the page you provided a link to makes it pretty clear: colored glass IS included.

[radicaljoy]

They also take almost all plastics: grocery bags, bubble packing, those stupid blister cards that hermetically seal every modern product sold at retail. Fill 'er up!

Favorite City has a clever ad campaign: garbage bags cost money, the blue bins are free.

[Rhino6885]

I was out shopping for some trim yesterday for my kitchen. I stumbled upon a composite trim made of recycled materials. It is white all the way through, so I'll never have to paint it. It is water proof, so it's fine along the counter tops and along the kitchen floor. It kinda smells when you cut it, but oh well. The best part--it was cheaper than wood! It looks pretty good too. This is a good example how somebody could use sustainable materials and SAVE money. Unfortunately, I have no idea what it will look like in 10+ years, but it's worth a shot.

[Nitro]

It kinda smells when you cut it, but oh well.

[Rhino6885]

That's exactly what I'd be questioning. What is that material glued together with and what is it offgassing into my home. I've seen some of those composite trims that didn't look so good. One was covered in a vinyl photograph of wood. Not so good stuff.

Question everything...................

[Nitro]

I just figured it was the condensed used diapers and dead rats...

At some point you have to choose--save my health or a tree in Oregon, and Oregon did take down U of M.

[GR Jackson]

That's exactly what I'd be questioning. What is that material glued together with and what is it offgassing into my home. I've seen some of those composite trims that didn't look so good. One was covered in a vinyl photograph of wood. Not so good stuff.

Question everything...................