ARE YOU ANSI?

ANSI - To be edgy, nervous, undecided. Is that you? Uncertain about your future? Feeling anxious about your present situation? Need to get an hour with your shrink. Or two. Oh, wait a minute, that is being "antsy". OK, let's try again, ANSI - to be attacked by a group of those little black things that come into your house thru the foundation, that you need an exterminator to get rid of. And all the exterminators are 3 days out. Now you are really antsy.

Really, ANSI, the American National Standards Institute is the gold standard for coordination of standardized testing and rating systems throughout the United States. Founded in 1918 by five engineering societies and three government agencies, the Institute promotes and facilitates consensus standards and conformity of assessment systems. The ANSI approval process requires that materially affected and interested parties all buy into the standards, that the proposed standards go thru a public review process, and that all these comments be addressed in good faith. To this end, we now have an ANSI approved Green rating standard. What is the importance of having this standard? Real simply, we can get past the discussion of what make a house green, to "how green do we want it?" And now we can judge the "greenness" of a project with consistency. In other words, we have a rating system that will be recognized through out the 50 States.

The other news is that the approved ANSI green standards are basically the same rating system we have been using. So the management and coordination we did at the Penn Valley Silver rated green house will remain virtually the same for future projects.

How energy efficint do you want your home to be? How healthy would you like your interior air? How much water do you want to save? How GREEN do you want your home to be?

WHY NOT AN ENERGY STAR HOME?

I just don't get it. What could be an easier decision than "if I can save $400-$500 per year today on my home energy bill" and "I know that future energy costs are going up" and it costs me less that $2,000 up front, why would I not want an Energy Star home?

We just spent the weekend at F&M at the Building Industry Association of Lancaster County's (BIA) Spring Home Show. There were lots of builders and tradesmen there, showing houses, kitchens, HVAC systems, central vacs, patio materials, window blinds, financing, additions, windows, Invisible Fence dogs fences, landscaping, custom stained glass, doors, appliances, flooring, literally everything and anything for your home. But guess who was the only Energy Star builder. There were several displays that talked about "green". And that was great. Green heating systems, green solar hot water heater, "ask me about green", green appliances, and Dave Pusey who is debuting his home energy audit program. So there was some buzz about green, but the best part of green, the part that adds the most value to a home, the part that actually has a financial return, is the energy part. And the most comprehensive way to do home energy efficiency, is Energy Star. An Energy Star home is inspected, tested, verified and certified. There is no guessing about how good the energy job was. It is a comprehensive approach, including windows, doors, walls, ceilings, insulation, heating and cooling equipment, duct work, foundation, sealing and ventilation. The entire 9 yards. I always wondered, what does that mean, anyway, "the whole 9 yards"? Should we run a contest for the best answer? It does not need to be correct, just the most creative.

So we talked to a lot of people, some about Energy Star, some about Green Building, and some just about building homes and additions. We talked about the future; energy rate increases, renewable energy, resource management for houses (water), interior air quality in houses. And here is what most people agree on. The cost of electricity, while among the least expensive in the country, is going up. Did P P L say 65%? We say, OK, maybe the 65% is correct, for now. But we all think it will be closer to 80-90% over 24 months. Water usage and controls are going to become increasingly more important. How we handle rainwater in regards to ground water recharge as well as efficient use of water in our homes. And as we continue to build houses tighter, whole house air exchangers will become an important part of the ventilation system. You know, I just had a thought. Everyone touts a green house as being a cost savings because we can use a smaller HVAC system, so why not make the house even more healthy by using the HVAC cost savings to install the heat exchanger? Now that would really be a really nice trade.

Which only leaves ONE question, why is not every house built an Energy Star home? I just don't get it. It is just so obvious.

Well, that's my report for today.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Renewable energy, or call it homemade energy. It's a whole new world out there. By most accounts, it is not here yet, but coming fast. There are some success stories; a farmer in Lancaster County that is converting his cow poop into electricity, and selling it. Photovoltaics (PV) is getting close. With the current (get it? current?) federal tax credits and proposed Pennsylvania tax credits, and the credit you can get by producing electricity to sell back to the utility, it is really close.

I just walked down into my basement utility room to see if I am making any electricity. On a kinda' cloudy day, with some snow flurries around, I was pulling in 9 amps. With my system, the power is generated by the panels and stored in batteries. I have a bunch of circuits in the house that are powered by electricity stored in the batteries. On cloudy days and other times that the batteries do not have enough power in them to run my house, the inverter automatically switches over to draw electricity from the "grid", that is P P L. The nice feature of this kind of system is that if the electricity flow from the grid is interrupted, I can use power from my batteries even at times when the sun is not shining. That is as long as there is enough power stored in them.

My system is 9 years old. Today, I would use a little different plan. Today's PV systems are grid tied, rather than using batteries. The short explanation is that when your system is making more power than you are using, the excess goes into the grid, and you get paid for it. And when you are using more electricity than your system is producing, you simply import the required power from the grid. So if you are keeping score, PV is getting real close to winning.

Green building is getting some attention from other people who are also advocates.

For an interesting read, take a look at www:blog.pennlive/naturalliving/ Collette Cope has some interesting things to say concerning the state of green construction in the Midstate.

CAN YOU TELL?

We finally did it! We have a "green house". Built by a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) certified builder, me, Rick Martin. That's right, I got my certification. I am officially a Certified Green Professional (CGP). To read that in alphabet soup format, it looks like this: CGP from NAHB. This goes along with the CGB professional designation that also is from NAHB.

So here is the million dollar question; take a close look at the picture and tell me how we know it is a "Green House". Go ahead, look closely. Is it the siding? How about the windows? The price tag? The truth is that from the outside, you can't really tell. So let's walk inside and look. At the kitchen, the plumbing fixtures, the flooring, the furnace. Again, the truth is that even from the inside, although there are "green" hints, it is not obvious. So what makes it "green"?

Again, we need to go back to the goals of green building; to design and build a home that economically use resources both during the construction of and during the life cycle of living in a house. The goals of construction include site preparation that minimizes impact on the existing resources. Like preserving vegetation, both for erosion controls, and for wild life habitat. Like installing controls to keep sediment from washing off the lot in rain storm events. Like defining the wet lands, along with an edict to everyone that works on the site that if we catch them in the wetland, there will be dire consequences. And these are all green items that are unnoticed.

So you have me; I am trying to think of green items that you could see. Because even the price tag is not dramatically higher due to the green features of the house. Most of the items you can actually see, are the Energy Star items. The Energy Star rated windows, dishwasher, bath fans, the basement insulation, the higher efficiency furnace (if you take the time to read the label on the side), and the CFL light bulbs. Even what I think are the more important green features of the low VOC paint and caulk, the low formaldehyde OSB, and the low flow faucets are not visible.

So yea, how do you know it is green? I guess that is why the 3rd party inspection is important. We have all seen how easy it is to say what you think other people want to hear. Just look at the ultimate salespeople, politicians. I am continually amazed at their brazen statements, that totally disregard the actual facts. The lesson is simple, the only way to be sure it is an actual green house, is to be able to see the list of green standards that have been achieved in a house, and to see independent verification of those standards.

For more information on this house, go to www.WheatlandHomes.com/in-the-news/ and click on the "8 Redwood Drive" link

OBSESSION

Who am I? Is it fair to say that I am defined by my "core values"? OK, then what are core values? Core values are quite simply, what we really believe, what makes us tick. Beliefs that provide the basis of all our decision making. Actually, these core values "control" our decision making. So how do you identify your core values? And others values? I guess you could just ask someone and they would tell you their core values. Just ask any politician. They can tell you immediately. But are they accurate? Unfortunately, many times they are not. Because what really demonstrates someones core values is not their words, but their actions. Most people would identify a personal core value as honesty. But what do they do when the have a chance to get $10 worth of free gas because the guy at the gas station makes a mistake? Are they really honest, or is it simply words? What did your mother teach you? Something like "actions speak louder than words"?

Alrighty then, I will get to the point,kinda'. If core values are defined by actions, then how do core values relate to Green Building? Well, it reveals a dilemma: Green Building is all about "sustainability", and America is obsessed with "first cost". Need proof? What is the main goal of investors in the equity markets? Short term profits. They have little concern about long term, sustainable growth. Sustained growth that over time will result in much greater profits than any short term benefit. In talking to builders, there is a common thread that the typical buyer is willing to invest money into a kitchen or item that looks nice, but not in energy saving or structural items that will actually save money over the life cycle of the home by lowering maintenance and operation costs. And why is it that our net savings rate keeps declining? We are currently borrowing (on credit cards) to support our current life style, when we all know that by saving, and living off cash, we sacrifice some of today's luxuries for future benefits, i.e. sustainability.

Why are we so focused on first cost? Do we have no hope for a better future? Or just the opposite, we believe the future will be so great that we can mortgage our current lifestyle with the future? Or is it because the marketeers are so good at their craft that they have convinced us that no matter what the long term cost, the short term benefits are sooooooo great that we simply need to die to have it. I guess it does not really matter, because for whatever reason, we are lacking in making investments in our futures, both as a society, and as individuals.

We all know there are proven cost effective technologies and techniques (can you say Green?) in the home building process, including geo heat systems, on demand hot water heaters, enhanced insulation and sealing, that not only are good investments, but additionally add durability by increasing life cycle expectancy. We can build a better home. By building better homes, we can actually save your money. First cost may be higher, but over the life cycle of the home and its components, the pay back is demonstrated to be there. Especially when you add in the durability factor of the better quality components and systems. And for each better quality home we build, we are improving the "housing stock" of the country, adding to the sustainability of our lifestyle.

I know, I rambled again. Just to say that current technology does permit us to build better homes that actually make dollars (not just make sense). I guess I need to promise that my next post will be more succinct. Yea, right. Well, I'll see you again, hopefully soon.

Oh, don't worry about the picture. I just wanted to show that Muffin actually is a year old, and not still an 8 week old pup.

Common Sense

You were expecting a treatise from Thomas Paine? You should have known better. Just because my last post got philosophical for a minute, does not mean I am now a scholar. I know a couple people like that, and they bug me. I certainly appreciate scholars, but not to the extent that they act like they know more than the rest of us, and are continually trying to teach us from their broad, or deeply narrow, knowledge base. The best teachers I have ever found, are those that have broad based real life experience. Not just book knowledge, but practical living. Like most of the builders I know. They know how to get results. They have been to the school of hard knocks. And succeeded.

So, green houses? Sure, GREEN houses. Green, the color of money. Common Sense green. Huh? Sure, houses cost a lot of green. And need a lot more to keep them operating properly. And maintained. Did I hear someone say "taxes"? Lots of green goes to a house. So we need to figure out how to build a house that has less environmental impact in a common sense way, that makes it a green house without taking a lot of green [money].

GOOD NEWS! We found a verifier for the National Association of Home Builders Green Build program. A common sense guy that understands the Pennsylvania Dutchman's concept of value. Understands that we are willing to spend green to get substance, not just fluff. Real expertise that is geared to providing real, honest to goodness value. During the entire verification process, from planning, to the work, to inspecting, to final certification. Today we officially enrolled the Redwood Drive house into the NAHB Green Build program. It is really happening. We went through the score card, added up all the points, and voila!!, it worked. Sure, there a lots of things we are not getting points for, items that I do not think provides real value to the Owner. Like 24" on center wall framing. Call me old fashioned, but 16" on center is a better job. And don't start talking about using steel hangers instead of jack studs. That is not going to happen in my homes until it is mandated by some code. We got lots of points for the way we lay out a lot, preserving the existing environmental features, trees, wetlands. And by minimizing dirt disturbance to limit as much sediment run off as possible. And we got lots more points in the energy efficiency section. Some items are major, like upgraded furnace efficiency. But many others are seemingly minor, but have large effects on the home. Like sealing up the duct work. Like using Energy Star ventilation fans.

So it was an exciting time. Putting together a common sense, value oriented, plan for a Green built house. One that will save the Owner his hard earned green every time he pays an energy bill. And every time he does not notice the drafts that show up in most homes.

So what shade of green do you want your home to be?

The sweet smell of success

Happy Birthday, Muffin. They do not stay a puppy for long. At 1 year old, she now thinks she is a fullback for the Penn State Nittany Lions. At least she runs like that. It is all in the attitude. So she is growing, changing, maturing. Just like our passions. What would we do without passion? Who would we be? As an old client of mine used to say, BOOOORING! (Yawn, Yawn!) We need a growing, maturing passion. And the seemingly small milestones we reach as we grow, reward us, helping to focus our passion and fuel even more exciting growth and enthusiasm, inspiring us to new heights. Did you ever hear someone refer to "reaching the next level?" Huh? What is that? The next level? I think I finally figured it out. The next level is that increased passion, recognizing and understanding our unique mission in life, allowing us to more deliberately narrow in our focus on that passion and mission. Wow, did I say that? It is way too practical to have come from that philosophy class I had back in my days at MU.

O, I almost forgot, milestones. Have you seen the Energy Star web site? http://www.energystar.gov/ Wheatland Custom Homes has been listed on that site as an approved Energy Star builder for nearly a year. A month ago I noticed that we were not listed as having any homes completed. Even more glaring, we were not listed as being a 100% Energy Star builder. Well, we are now! Success! The official listing now matches our stated mission, Every home an Energy Star Home. I know, that's a lot of enthusiasm for something that seems so small. Did you ever see what happens when Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scores a goal? Unabashed celebration. "And the crowd goes wild", unless of course it happens in a road game, then he celebrates only with his team mates, while the home team fans watch in stunned silence. And he celebrated over 100 times this season, not only for his own goals, but for the success of his mates.

We are starting a house in Enola. Green? Naturally. If we can. Can we provide value to the Owner by making it green? Being a Dutchman, I demand value. I do not mind making an investment of dollars in construction items that I can see a return on. But I do not see the value of spending dollars on paper work and processes to verify and certify the level of green that the house may be. Which scares me, because as of now, there are only a few approved NAHB Green verifiers listed on the website. http://www.nahbgreen.com/ So I need to fine a verifier that understands this concept. Which is to have a house that lives green, not one with a certificate. A certificate allows the builder and owner to brag, a house constructed properly gives back to the owner; money, comfort, less maintenance hassle.

Stay tuned. We have RFP's out to all the verifiers that are listed as approved in PA. Trust me, if I get back costs that are too high, after I blow my top, you will be the first to hear my rant.