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kirei board
Kirei Board is a strong, lightweight, durable, and an environmentally friendly substitute for wood.
Manufactured from reclaimed sourghum straw with no added formaldehyde adhesive, Kirei board is
a perfect choice for furniture, cabinetry, and casework. Also available in Bamboo. (kireiusa.com)
cisco home
Cisco Home is genuinely committed to a sustainable world. It is the fi rst brand to offer only FSC
certifi ed upholstered furniture (FSC certifi cation ensures responsible use of forest resources). (ciscohome.net)
the nomad yurt
The Nomad is an ancient Mongolian yurt reinvented for today. It is the perfect backyard sanctuary for
yoga, meditation, or just hanging out (that is what I am talking about). (thenomadyurt.com)
bloom baby
Parents and baby beginning life together in style. (bloombaby.com)
After a week of architectural tours and visiting with design vendors from all over the United
States and abroad, I can enthusiastically recommend this event to the trade and to enthusiasts. It is
indeed a very exciting time in architecture and design with the infusion of “green” into our daily lexicon.
We all must strive for positive environmental changes in both our homes and the world at large,
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a greener u
by jennifer mccharen
It’s almost too obvious to notice at fi rst, but since almost everything we do takes place
inside some sort of building; the structures themselves can be a major part of the energy consumption
problem. This is also why changing the way we create them can be a major part of the
solution.
With Florida facing a population infl ux of around 1000 people per day, we have some serious
thinking to do about our use of precious resources. A renewed focus on alternative energy
sources and conservation of power, water, and open land is happening all across America. Even
here, in the conservative South, the new environmental movement is alive and well.
One of the most important characteristics of the new environmentalism is that it uses a
pragmatic application of technology within the existing market system to solve these pressing
resource problems. The green building movement is a good example of this new tactic, and could
prove to be one of the best ways to solve problems of energy over-consumption and a slowing
post-industrial economy
At the head of the green building movement is the US Green Building Council, which administers
the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard (LEED for short). The LEED
standard evaluates buildings for built-in effi ciency features such as windows and ducts that don’t
leak conditioned air, lighting fi xtures designed not to waste power, and fi xtures such as toilets and
faucets that require less water to function properly.
The LEED standards also go a bit outside the building itself, awarding points for buildings
that seek a more holistic effi ciency. LEED examines a building’s connections to public transportation
(which reduces employee energy consumption), and choices made in landscaping (prioritizing
the use of non-invasive and drought-tolerant natives). For commercial properties, additional
points are awarded to companies that provide services for their employees such as improved
indoor air quality and amenities for those who commute by bicycle, like indoor bike storage and
showers.
The USGBC’s standard is one of only a few nationally recognized ones, but it is far from
alone. Within the past few years green standards of various stringencies have been developed by
many regions, including our own.
The Florida Green Building Coalition has a standard similar to LEED, but has much less
expensive certifi cation fees. It also has a few aspects tailored to be more specifi c to Florida than
LEED, including hurricane safety requirements.
Building to these standards is typically only 1-5% more expensive than building to conventional
codes, despite the perception that green methods cost signifi cantly more, according
to Ellen Reed. Ellen runs the local blog, sustainabuild.net, and is one of Jacksonville’s leading
champions of sustainable construction. She works for the fi rm Breaking Ground, which builds
commercial spaces and is currently constructing a green roof on their offi ce.
One of the challenges of promoting green building is getting the message across to the
folks that actually wield the hammers. David Reed (no relation to Ellen) from JEA’s conservation
department has been reaching out to the construction community intensively over the past year,
monitoring the progress of various green projects, and teaching courses on the different green
standards. For information on these courses, check out their website, jea.com/green, and look for
the Green Built Homes of Florida Training Calendar.
What can you do? First of all, learn about how your home and offi ce buildings use energy,
and learn ways to improve their effi ciency. JEA publishes guides to help you, and will even
conduct free residential energy audits to show you exactly how your home’s effi ciency can be
increased.
If you’re in the market for a new home or offi ce space, ask for green and check your facts.
It’s best to look for a reputable third-party standard such as LEED or FGBC. For example, the
incredible Stalwart Built homes in Florida’s panhandle claim net-zero energy costs, and boast a
LEED Platinum rating (that’s USGBC’s highest standard—basically you can’t do better than that
unless you live in a tent in the middle of a community garden). Their website, stalwartbuilt.com,
proudly explains their impressive green features such as geothermal heating and cooling and
truly innovative construction methods.
Luckily, here in Jacksonville two of the best housing deals around happen to be green ones.
First time homebuyers can take advantage of down payment assistance programs through nonprofi
t developers like Operation New Hope and Riverside Avondale Development Organization.
Both are building affordable, green-certifi ed houses in Springfi eld and Riverside, respectively.
Check out operationnewhope.com and radocdc.org for more information.
at home | eujacksonville.com | MAY 2008
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