New Home Builder Achieves One of the Highest HERS Ratings Recorded for the State of Florida

Achieving a high HERS rating is one of the key elements to obtaining a Green Certification on any residential property. (PRWEB) October 20, 2006 -- David Melville, President of David Melville Contracting Service, has set a new standard in the Green Building industry. Mr. Melville has been involved in the construction industry for a many years but it was not until 2006 that he decided to move to the next step and enter the market place as a homebuilder.

Mr. Melville is overjoyed with the success he is having with his first model home and first entry in the Parade of Homes in Lakeland, FL, “It is truly satisfying to see this home meet FGBC’s standards and then come in with one of the highest HERS ratings is just really exciting!”The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) Standard is the accepted standard of the Florida Home Builders Association for Green Building. A home built according to the standard saves natural resources while reducing utility cost and has a higher overall building standard. During the building process, a builder typically will hire a third party consultant to inspect the home during various construction phases.

A consultant will keep the builder apprised of his progress, if there are areas of concern the consultant will discuss this with the builder and get it corrected. Typically, there is a learning curve for building a green home. It takes not only the builder wanting to build a better home but also the subcontractors all have to learn new ways of applying their trades. In the end, the one who really benefits from a Green Certified Home is the homebuyer since the home is more durable and saves them money right from the start, perhaps even qualifying them for a better mortgage based on the additional expendable income they will have to qualify.

Mr. Melville hired on Two Trails, Inc. as his Green Consultants, “I have known Drew Smith for a number of years and have always respected his opinions, and I knew he could help me reach the certification.” The innovative techniques applied to reduce energy costs and create durability intrigued Mr. Smith. He knew the home was going to rate high after his inspection, “I had a feeling this house was something special, but when the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) rating came in I was blown away!”

The 2006 Fall Parade of Homes begins on Saturday, October 21, 2006 and runs through Sunday, October, 29th Mr. Melville’s model home is located at 6490 Walkers Glen Ct. Lakeland, FL. Touring the model you will be made aware of the unique characteristics and innovative technologies that David Melville Contracting Services has designed into their precedent setting new model home.

Realty Check: Saving Green SRQ Magazine

Between organic foods and hybrid cars, the reputation of earth-friendly products is one that comes at a pretty penny, but bybuilding your home “green,” saving the environment may not be the only green you’ll save. According to Matt Ross, President of Eco-$mart, a local company devoted to helping people live and work in buildings that are healthy, efficient, and cost-effective, the difference in price between building green and conventional construction ranges from a savings of 1% to an additional cost of 8%. While the sticker price may charge you more up front, the decision to build green, increasing a structure’s efficiency while decreasing harmful impacts on the environment, can reduce your monthly operational and utility bills by 70%, a savings that often recoups the initial extra costs in two to three years. “Building green makes great economic sense, and you don’t have to be a tree hugger to appreciate that,” says Ross.In the past 18 months the market for green building, a.k.a “high performance” or “sustainable,” has grown rapidly as a result of energy and resource awareness, the need for better hurricane protection, avoiding the use of overseas products, and rising energy prices, but one of the most appealing elements is the increase in resale values, says Ross. A study conducted in the early ’90s by the Appraisal Journal cites a $20.73 increase in resale value for every $1 in annual energy cost savings. In other words, the average 2,000-square-foot home with utility costs of $200 a month and energy savings of 70% will experience an additional resale value of on average almost $35,000.

Another incentive to high performance housing starts this year and ends in 2007 as part of the Bush Energy Bill. When you purchase solar installations, as a residential owner you can get a federal tax credit of up to $2,000. Even commercial entities get a break with a 30% return on up-front costs. If that’s not enough, if you build or renovate your home making it 50% more efficient than standard codes, you can earn yourself another $2,000 tax break, or $1.80 per square foot for commercial properties. That’s a potential reimbursement of $4,000 or more, allowing you to recover your initial investment even quicker. “People are excited about buying a Toyota Prius, which only lasts about 10 years, but you can build a green home that’ll last 100 years, saves money, is good for the environment, and is an overall much better investment,” says Dr. Harvey Kaltsas, developer of Kanaya Condos, providing healthy, energy-efficient residential units to Sarasota.

Last year, even Sarasota County decided to start promoting eco-friendly construction, offering a rebate program on building permits. Not only saving on money, the county also offers a fast track route for green applications. The average time it takes to get a regular building permit is six to eight weeks, but an expedited green application may take only two to three weeks, an even more valuable offer than the cash back, says Drew Smith, President of Two Trails, Inc., which offers local services in green construction and marketing.

So how do you know what constitutes green and who says so? According to Smith, you shouldn’t technically claim a building is green without third-party certification. Intended to encourage the mainstream homebuilding industry to adopt sustainable practices, programs such as the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) use a point system to measure areas such as energy and water efficiency, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, sustainability, and more. “The FGBC certification program is great because its standards specifically address the issues of Florida’s climate being hot, humid, and prone to storms,” says Smith.

There’s also a national program from The U.S. Green Building Council called the LEED Rating System. It too is based upon a point system, which is broken down into four different levels with “platinum” being the most sustainable. Sarasota Architect Michael R. Carlson of Carlson Studio Architecture recently received the honor in the “gold” category for the Sarasota County’s Twin Lakes Office Complex. After four years of renovating the former professional baseball dormitory, the facility earned 41 points, making it the highest LEED-scored building in the state to date.

Whatever your motivation may be, if you’re interested in a high performance home, you’re in luck, because Sarasota just so happens to be “one of the best places in the country to access green products,” says Ross. Sarasota is also a great place to find new-construction green homes: Lakewood Ranch is the largest development in the state to receive the green development certificate from the FGBC. But if you’re just looking to “green up” your existing home, then any of the following five products are a great start.

Cool Your A/C Bill

Living in Florida, air-conditioning bills in the summer—or year-round for that matter—can be pretty hefty, but with Freus, the world’s most energy-efficient air-conditioning unit, you can save 50–60 percent on those bills. Unlike conventional air-cooled systems, Freus is water-cooled, using half the pressures at a low condensing temperature. It is also designed for low maintenance and a longer lifetime with a fiberglass cabinet and no expensive electronics on board to corrode, short, or get surged. Even though a Freus costs $1,000–$2,000 more than the average a/c unit, at $5,000 installed you’ll have a system that’s twice as efficient.

Bulb Exchange

Incandescent light bulbs give off a lot more heat than you think. By going out today and replacing your bulbs with electronic ballast fluorescents, you will only use 20% of the energy and heat of your original incandescent lamps. They cost a few dollars more at $3–$5 apiece, but with a 10,000-hour life expectancy, you can save about 10 times the cost of an incandescent bulb over the lifetime of a fluorescent.

Solar Savings

By switching to a solar water heating system, you will reduce the same amount of pollution as removing one car from the highways, and if that doesn’t convince you, then yes, it also saves you money. It costs about $3,500 installed up front, but don’t forget the federal tax incentives as well as the fact that it will reduce your water heating bill by 70–90 percent. That’s equivalent to 20 percent of your entire electric bill. It comes with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty, and the best part of it all is that you don’t lose hot water during power outages, a feature that all Floridians can appreciate.

High Performance Panes

Windows bring light, warmth, and beauty into your home, but they can also be a major source of heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. Offset these unwanted disposals with energy-efficient windows designed with technologies to prevent leaks and other sources of energy loss. They also dually serve as hurricane protection with their impact-resistant panes made of acrylic. They are comparable to conventional windows at $200–$300 installed apiece, but that price significantly rises for double panes.

Flooring

While green flooring won’t save you money as the other products do, it is still consistently one of the most popular items on the market, says Ross. No matter what your preference, there’s a look for every style, from bamboo, which takes 35 fewer years to mature than hardwood, to palmwood floors made of coconut palm lumber, otherwise discarded. You can also find recycled rubber flooring and recycled plastic carpet in hundreds of color options. Locally, many stores even have their own separate section devoted to green flooring. At $8–$15 a square foot, prices are similar to that of regular hardwood flooring.

Resources

Sustainable Sarasota: www.SustainableSarasota.com A Sarasota County Government program promoting sustainability in the local community and throughout the world.

The Sarasota Green Connection: www.SarasotaGreenConnection.com The mission of Sarasota Green Connection, Inc. is to mainstream green in the greater Sarasota area by connecting people to environmentally preferable goods and services.

Florida House Institute for Sustainable Development: www.i4sd.org Facilitates change for a sustainable future in Sarasota by partnering with others to create a practice of sustainable community development and a network supporting communities thus engaged.

Florida Green Building Coalition: www.FloridaGreenBuilding.org FGBC is a nonprofit Florida corporation dedicated to improving the built environment and “to provide a statewide Green Building program with environmental and economic benefits.” Go to the site to learn more about “Rethinking Sustainable Construction 2006,” a conference being held in Sarasota September 19–26, 2006, when people from around the world will gather to explore the cutting-edge green market.

By Amanda Kanaan

Green Hammer Building Award Given to Florida Builder

SARASOTA, Fla.—In recognition for his work developing standards for environmentally friendly building, the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) awarded the "Green Hammer" to Drew Smith, president of Two Trails, Inc. Smith, who is also the president of FGBC, founded his company on the focus of "preventative property maintenance and green consulting," according to a press release. Green standards ensure that a builder is dedicated to "better building practices which maintains the integrity of the surrounding and living environments." In addition to helping develop the standards, Smith has been educating builders and developers about the value of green building. Several projects have received national awards thanks to Smith.

Tech Home Builder Magazine

"Tech House" to be certified green

Tech House, now being built by Vision Homes in the new Trillium subdivision off Sarasota's Proctor Road, will become the first demonstration house to receive "green" certification from the Florida Green Building Coalition, said "green" construction consultant Drew Smith of Two Trails Inc. Vision Homes and the Home Builders Association of Sarasota County hired Smith to certify that the house is built to FGBC standards. Smith recently became an accredited professional of the LEED program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Tech House will be ready for the Parade of Homes in late February, and will be open for about a year and a half. It's being built as a fund-raiser for the HBA. “They’re doing a lot of neat things to it because it’s more than just building green,” said Smith. “They’re putting a lot of the newer technology into it … over and above (the FGBC standards).” Among them: -- A hurricane-shelter room. -- Solar pavers in the pool deck so the pool will be heated from the solar decking material. -- Super high-efficiency air conditioning. -- Flapperless toilets. -- Injected foam in the block walls, raising the R value from R-8 to about R-11, Smith said. There's also icynene insulation in the sealed attic. -- Florida Yards & Neighborhoods certified with WaterWise landscaping. -- Impact-glass on all windows except rear sliders, which will have Fabric Shield. -- Spraying all interior framing wood with mold-resistant treatment. “It’s well worth doing and very inexpensive.” The building won’t look like Florida House, but will act like it, said Smith. “It will be a newer version of it. We keep looking at new technologies.”

Herold Bubil

Uniquely Green University Town Center Benderson Development Creates an Innovative Approach to Green Building

Sarasota, FL (PRWeb) December 24, 2006 -- National Developer Benderson Development, in working with Moule & Polyzoides, urbanist architects and Two Trails, Inc., green consultants, is setting a new standard for Green Building with their unique approach for integrating stores, homes and offices. University Town Center will be the mixed-use development others will reference when looking to achieve working sustainable Lifestyle Center. University Town Center will encompass 1.9 million square feet developed using the "new urbanism" approach. Included in the development will be an upscale shopping center, movie theatre, boutique stores and offices with living spaces above and affordable housing residences in a park like setting. The key to making this a Lifestyle Center is the use of "Green Spaces" strategically placed to create the overall atmosphere of stepping into a park like setting. The is over 60 plus acres of conservation area and miles of walking paths. Landscaping throughout the development will be installed in accordance to Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Guidelines.

A Lifestyle Center This is not a shopping mall, this is a destination created to provide a sense of interacting with nature while working, shopping or just relaxing. It all starts at the entrance to University Town Center, where roads have been designed to gently flow around lakes and through the natural setting. To provide monitored speed maintenance, a turn-about has been incorporated to keep traffic flowing at a manageable pace.

"Benderson Development is applying for the Florida Green Building Coalition, Green Development Certification and is exploring the possibility of LEED certification for the entire development," stated Drew Smith, Green Consultant for Two Trails, Inc. Some unusual aspects of the development will be the Trolley System, which will run using an alternative fuel and will reduce the need for shoppers to move their cars. Pedestrian walking paths and petite parks with benches and water views provide a serene setting. Shoppers and residences alike will be able to relax and take a break.

Serene Ambience Residence above shopping and offices will not be gazing on concrete roofs. Buildings will have "Green Roofs" providing additional space for gardening and relaxation. The staggered building layout adds to the diversity needed to create an interesting overall design that is pleasing while fitting into the surrounding natural environment.

Looking to the future, sustainability is the focus for all green developments. Benderson Development has added preferred parking for alternative fuel vehicles (hybrid cars) and carpooling, preferred bicycle parking areas at all buildings and showers provided in employee areas for those that choose to bike to work. The concept is that this development will easily fit into our changing environmentally conscious world. New forms of transportation can easily be adapted into the overall design of the development making this a forward thinking project developed to meet the needs not only of today but well into the future.

About Benderson Developmnet Benderson Development, one of the largest privately owned development companies in North America, has established itself as a leader in retail and power center development. Having more than doubled its size in the last 10 years, Benderson currently ranks as one of the largest strip center developers nationwide.

Website: http://www.benderson.com

About Two Trails, Inc. Two Trails, Inc. is a leader in providing Green Building Certifications. Providing LEED certifications nationwide and Florida Green Building Coalition certifications in the state of Florida. Two Trails, Inc. provides hands-on consulting to make obtaining a green building certification easy.

Website: http://www.twotrails.net

Wanting Not To Waste

New Sarasota home-building company integrates would-be tear-down house into a green new residence. By HAROLD BUBIL

REAL ESTATE EDITOR harold.bubil@heraldtribune.com

Having spent his first career in waste management, Steve Ellis wasn't about to trash a 1,000-square-foot house at 1876 Goldenrod St. Sure, other developers might have considered it a tear-down and sent it off to the landfill in metal boxes -- another 200 or so cubic yards of concrete, wood and plaster for the ever-growing pile that is yesterday's Sarasota.

But Ellis and his business partner, Grant Castilow, knew that would not be the green thing to do. So instead, through their company, MyGreenBuildings, they renovated the rock-solid old house to green standards and added 1,100 square feet to it. In the process, they minimized the amount of waste through recycling and created a house that rates, pending confirmation from the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC), as the second-greenest in Florida.

"It paints the picture that taking an existing (house) and renovating it could actually get you a greener house than building new," said Drew Smith of Two Trails Inc., who performs third-party certifications of houses for the FGBC. One reason for that is saving the "embedded energy" -- the harvesting, manufacturing, distributing and constructing -- that it took to build the original house decades ago.

With features that include soy-based attic insulation, hot-water recirculation equipment and high-efficiency air-conditioning, the house scored 303 on the FGBC scale of 400. Only a model house built by WCI Communities in Venetian Golf and River Club has scored higher, in the 320s, said Smith.

Ellis had no idea the house, completed in March, would score that high when MyGreenBuildings was profiled in the Herald-Tribune's business section in November. But after just three months of construction, the numbers came back surprisingly good, said Ellis.

"That just blows me away," he said. "I totally did not expect that. It's just these extra little things we did, and it's not like it took us a lot of time. This whole entire job, we finished in three months. Our subs may have been crawling all over each other, but they loved it, they were psyched about the work and felt like they were part of something a little bit different."

They could hardly have felt otherwise, considering the Goldenrod property was posted with a prominent sign that read: "This jobsite is designated GREEN. Minimal impact to the environment. Construction & demolition waste diversion. Reduce, reuse or recycle. Recycling bins for all metals, plastic, concrete, lumber."

"They did a phenomenal job of taking an existing house and reuse materials ... and come out with a product that is probably far superior," said Smith.

The look of green

At a recent seminar on green building at Selby Gardens, Ellis asked his audience, "What does a green house look like?" The answer, he told them: "A green house really doesn't look like anything other than a house that's as nice as you want it to look."

The house's open floor plan, which seamlessly integrates with three private outdoor spaces, is testament to Ellis' belief that a luxury lifestyle can be sensibly lived in a modestly sized space.

"Not only can you have a super-efficient home, as green as it gets, but also you can live really well," said Ellis. "It doesn't have to have this massive profile. It doesn't have to be 5,000 square feet.

"Most people don't have that conception (when touring the Goldenrod house), because it lives bigger than 2,100 square feet," he added. "You incorporate the outdoors in a way that makes sense. You don't have to start from scratch and scrape the house."

Ellis paid $430,000 for the house and lot, which is in the prestigious "flower streets" neighborhood west of the Tamiami Trail. The property is on the market at $815,000, or about $388 per square foot of air-conditioned space.

He's in it to make a profit.

"I'm not a tree-hugger," Ellis said. "I'm a businessman and an entrepreneur. I've totally bought into the fact that we need to do something about our environment. To me, this is just building with the best available technology."

Among the structure's green methods and materials:

Soy-based spray-foam attic insulation, chosen because it doesn't off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs), that yields an R-20 insulation rating.

A poured-in-place wall system, from E-Wall (Efficient Wall Systems), tested to 280 mph windloads and three times more energy-efficient than concrete block.

Low-flow plumbing fixtures and native landscaping to reduce water usage; rain barrels for storm water.

The use of reclaimed doors, brick pavers and other building materials. Replaced building materials were harvested at the job site for donation to Habitat for Humanity or other charities.

Energy Star-rated appliances and windows.

Zero- and low-VOC paints and caulks for enhanced indoor air quality.

Compact fluorescent light blubs that use a fifth the energy to create the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs.

High-efficiency Puron heat pump with UV light filtering of air pollutants.

Sealed attic and AC ductwork in conditioned space.

Paperless drywall to reduce the risk of mold, which feeds on paper.

Solar water heating.

"They had a little bit of an advantage because they were able to take the ceiling out (of the original structure) and spray-foam the whole ceiling," said Drew Smith, "which helped on their energy score, and they replaced all the windows. ... Everything was brought down to block walls and started from scratch."

Smith agrees with Ellis that such green whole-house recycling could become a trend.

"Give it a few years and the new cool thing to have is going to be an eco-friendly home," said Ellis.

Panel Explores Pasco Green Building Ordinance Proposal

Carl Orth/SUNCOAST NEWS By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: June 5, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Incentives and costs of "green" building codes were dissected today as a Pasco Building Association group examined the second draft of a proposed Pasco County environmentally friendly construction ordinance.

About 30 people took part in the PBA Green Building Council monthly meeting. A final draft of the proposed ordinance might be ready for the next meeting, June 26.

"We're super excited about it," Sergio J. Terzado, a builder sales representative for HomeTeam Pest Defense, said. He is chairman of the PBA Green Council.

Commissioner Jack Mariano said he wants to be the "champion of green building in the county."

Without realizing it, many builders already meet most of the conditions for certification as a green builder or developer, according to Drew M. Smith, president of Two Trails Inc. The Sarasota-based firm has hundreds of clients seeking green Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification.

Home buyers are hungry to find green-certified homes, real estate agent Ann Graffy of Remax Realtec Group in Palm Harbor, insisted. They are willing to pay somewhat more or to accept a slightly smaller home certified as green.

Misconceptions persist that green building is expensive, several participants in today's meeting said. One builder said the extra cost might amount to 5 percent to 10 percent.

Rebates on county fees can help offset green building costs.

Besides, the state is moving toward higher energy efficiency codes by January. This might force builders to adapt more green building techniques, according to Bill Eberle of Progress Energy Florida.

Education of the public remains a goal, Terzado said. Green certification is a package deal that goes beyond a single element, such as power-sipping Energy Star efficient appliances. Marketing claims have confused many people, he believes.

Greenbuilding University Teaches General Lesson On Being Green

LAKEWOOD RANCH - Tuesday, Greenbuilding University hosted it's first class in the largest green community in the nation,Lakewood Ranch. Sub-contractors and homeowners spent the day learning about new energy-saving building techniques, along with the basics of being green.

Program coordinators say the one-day class is an overview and more detailed classes are offered online for anyone interested in becoming green certified.

"What we're hearing from local officials even state officials is that the code by 2010 or if not by 2010, 2013 you're going to see the Florida building code require that all homes be built according to green standards," says Troy Larkin, an education specialist with Greenbuidling University.

The class was held at the Lakewood Ranch Holiday Inn, which Larkin says was the first hotel in the state built green.

Here a few quiet ways to make your home more energy-efficient. One caveat: They're not intended to impress the neighbors

by Alex Halperin

With apologies to Kermit the Frog, these days it seems like it's easy—but pricey—being green. Reducing your carbon footprint has become such a stylish hobby that accoutrements like solar panels, hybrid cars, and organic foods have become status symbols. And like many status symbols, they're expensive.

In theory, at least, a more energy-efficient car or warming the boiler with the power of the sun will eventually save users money on conventional energy costs, which can shoot higher rather quickly. (Have you looked at your heating fuel bill recently?) But the high initial costs of photovoltaic cells or a Toyota Prius (TM) can scare off potential customers.

Fortunately, there are numerous ways that homeowners can make smaller investments in their dwellings that over the course of years, or in some cases months, can recoup up-front costs. One drawback: They're not designed to impress the neighbors. A green remodeling might include a luxurious stone countertop to wow the Joneses but the real savings will come from features the Joneses probably won't notice unless you point them out.

So, in honor of Earth Day, this week "Five for the Money" takes a look at a few quiet ways to make homes more energy-efficient. Virtue—especially the environmental kind—is its own reward. The financial savings are the icing on the cake.

1. Follow the EnergyStar

A joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Energy Dept., EnergyStar is probably the easiest way to pick out energy-saving appliances. According to the program, a family using approved appliances can save up to a third on its energy bill—complemented by a similar reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Since the EPA began the program in 1992 with products that included computers and monitors it has expanded to consumer goods ranging from lights to refrigerators. The program aims to endorse products that have equivalent performance to their more wasteful counterparts. EnergyStar-approved products aren't a bad idea for businesses either.

2. Mind the gaps

David Johnston, a "recovering contractor" and author of Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time, says the key to an energy-efficient home is controlling the holes where air and moisture can escape. "There are lots of places where a little caulk and weather-stripping goes a long way," he says. Additionally, homeowners should check the attic, especially areas near vents and chimneys where heat escapes.

Once the leaks are found, Johnston recommends using blown-in cellulose insulation, often made from recycled newspapers and a fire retardant, instead of the fiberglass variety. In the attic, it's possible to create an "insulated top hat" for the house. Drew Smith, president of green-building consultancy Two Trails, says that adding insulation to a home's ductwork is another way to ensure the hot air you're paying for doesn't escape.

3. Do a blow test

Knowing how air flows through a space—and where it gets out—is crucial to making sure the least amount of energy is used to heat or cool your home. But how can a homeowner determine that? Air, after all, is invisible and rarely gusts indoors. Nor is insulation a cure-all. Randy Hansell of Portland (Ore.) nonprofit Earth Advantage says: "insulation is good but if air goes through insulation than it's only a big filter." One way to gain an understanding of this tricky problem is through a blower door test.

To perform the test, someone mounts a strong fan called a blower door on a frame of an exterior door. When the fan gets turned on it sucks air through the house. When the house is windy, one can walk around with a smoke pencil, a small device that shoots out bursts of visible gas, and by watching where they fly the tester can find elusive holes. The process should cost a couple hundred bucks and once the holes get patched up, could pay for itself.

4. Watch your water

Homeowners who go through all the trouble of sealing their ducts won't want to waste water either. And the energy expended in keeping water hot also drains the pocketbook. Anyone can take shorter showers or run the dishwasher less often, but there are also devices that can help. For one thing, inexpensive flow reducers can reduce a faucet or shower head's output without sacrificing water pressure.

Less known is a device called the Metlund Hot Water D'MAND System put out by Costa Mesa (Calif.)-based Advanced Conservation Technology. The device recirculates water from the hot water pipes to ensure that bathers are never running the faucet waiting for hot water. As with so many tricks in the green arena, the savings are gradual but, Johnston says, real.

Dual flush toilets could also become more common. Available from several manufacturers, they allow users to decide flush intensity depending on their needs. Even with the amount of water expended per flush shrinking in normal toilets, Smith says families will quickly recoup their money with one of these commodes.

5. Upgrade windows

No, we're not talking about ditching XP for Vista. The cost savings for energy-efficient windows aren't quite as dramatic as some of the other suggestions here, but Johnston says they will have the most marked affect on residents' quality of life. Of these, the best improvement are so called low-e coatings, transparent layers of metallic oxides applied to window panes that help maintain the desired room temperature. Available in varieties for different climates, depending on if someone wants to keep the heat in or out, Johnston says they are a "noticeable change aesthetically and in your daily experience of being in your house."

According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, there are additional ways to improve windows. Panes with multiple glazing insulate markedly better than those with only individual layers. Likewise, having two panes of glass works better than one. And even some folks savvy enough to have two panes of glass won't know that a wider pocket of air between them is the next smart step.

As with every aspect of remodeling, when looking to improve a house's green credibility an owner can go as far as their heart and wallet can take them. But the odds are that some low-key, low-cost additions can have a beneficial effect on your bills.

Click here to join a debate about climate change.

Halperin is a reporter for BusinessWeek.com in New York.

Taylor Woodrow Goes For The Green

Tampa Bay Business Journal - 9:39 AM EDT Wednesday, March 28, 2007 Taylor Woodrow has plans to develop communities and build homes that meet or exceed Florida Green Building Coalition standards in all new Sarasota County communities.

The pilot program for this initiative will be launched in Pacifico, a neighborhood planned near the mouth of Siesta Key, in Sarasota. Using green guidelines to develop the community will place fewer burdens on the environment, the company said in a release.

The goals of green building are to conserve energy by providing ways to consume less water and reuse storm water while improving air quality.

Pacifico will be a 78-acre community with 302 single-family and multifamily homes, priced from the $600s, including home site. Taylor Woodrow will preserve natural, indigenous habitats and wetland buffers, while requiring all new landscaping in common areas and around homes to feature native, drought-resistant landscape materials, it said. It will also provide energy-saving features in each home.

Taylor Woodrow, a large international homebuilder, works in North America, the United Kingdom and Spain. Its U.S. headquarters is in Bradenton. It is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange (AFX). It posted strong numbers with profits increased 11 percent to $433.3 million. Home completions rose 14 percent to 4,492 and despite the challenging market conditions, the operating margin increased to 18.5 percent from 17.5 percent, according to a Hemscott report.