Today's Green Construction

Green Lawn Mower for Green Homes

Black & Decker has the perfect lawn mower for a green home. Check out the Energy Star certified Black & Decker 19-Inch 24-Volt Cordless Electric Mulching Lawn Mower #CMM1200 available at Amazon. This amazing green lawn mower is available for $430 and it's the perfect Christmas gift for the environmentally conscious member of your family.

The Black & Decker Cordless Electric Mower features:

24 Volt Sealed Lead Acid Battery for Trouble-Free Cutting of Up to 1/3 Acre Homesites
Rechargeable Battery Recharges to 60-70% in 4 Hours and to 100% in 10 Hours
LIFETIME 19" Mower Deck - Mulch Plate and Bag Included; Deck Has Lifetime Warranty
No Gas, Oil or Tune-ups So No Trips to the Service Station or Gasoline to Store
One-touh Height Adjustment Adjusts All Four Wheels With the Touch of a Button From 1-1/2" to 3-1/2"

GREENandSAVE.com

I wanted to share with you a great Green Construction resource. GreenandSave.com is a really great site offering information and resources for building green while saving money. The site was founded by an Architect with a background in green design. If you're looking to build a new green home and you're not sure what features will pay off in the long run then this is the site for you.

The site features several useful tools including:

So be sure to stop by this site if you're looking for solid money savings advice while you build green.

Harvey Tribute Windows are Green

This week one of my crews has been installing the new Harvey Tribute windows in the new Energy Star home we're building for a customer. This new line of windows from Harvey is a really great way to build green.

The Tribute window can be ordered with triple pane glass filled with krypton gas to achieve a U factor of 0.20! That means these windows are about 60% more efficient than the standard double pane argon gas filled windows that we typically use.

Some of you may argue that vinyl windows are not exactly green. However, I argue that these windows have almost zero maintenance (no painting) and the energy savings over time make them a serious improvement for the environment.

Be sure to follow the Total House Construction Series over at my Home Improvement Blog if you'd like to read more about this great new Energy Star home that we're building this fall.

$100 Home Depot Card Giveaway Contest

How would you like to win a $100 Home Depot Gift Card to help with holiday shopping? If you're interested in winning this great prize then head over to Home Construction Improvement for the details.

We're giving out this great price on Black Friday, November 28th, to kick off the Holiday Season.

OPEC is the Best Reason To Go Green

The news today says that OPEC wants to cut production to increase the price of oil. They are concerned about the recent fall in oil prices and their incredible profits. If this isn't reason enough to promote foreign oil independence I don't know what is.

The members of OPEC care only about their profits. Most of the OPEC Countries actually dislike our Country. OPEC members are even encouraging non OPEC members to cut production in order to drive the prices back up to levels from this summer.

The only way for use to break free from the grip of OPEC is to do everything possible to cut our energy needs and find alternative fuel sources domestically. We all need to promote conservation, solar power and heat, wind power, hydro power and bio-fuels. The easiest place to start this transformation is right at home. If we all do our part the dream of foreign oil independence really won't be that hard.

Renovating Your Home or Business? Be Careful of Asbestos in Older Structures!

Here is a fact that many home and business owners may not know: over 35 million residences and commercial buildings in our country are laden with asbestos-containing products, including attic and piping insulation, floor and ceiling tiles, and roofing tiles. If you are thinking about renovating your structure, it is crucial that you take the necessary first steps before beginning any renovations. Exposure to asbestos has been linked to the development of a number of asbestos-related diseases, including asbestosis and the deadly cancer mesothelioma.

First, it is advisable to hire a home inspector to survey the structure so that there are no “surprises” during construction. Too often building owners receive a phone call from their contractor halfway through the renovations informing them that asbestos has been discovered in the structure – and at that point, renovations stop and an asbestos abatement plan must be put into place before the project can move forward, costing additional money and pushing back project deadlines significantly. A home inspector can point out any issues, including structural concerns and the presence of asbestos before renovations begin, allowing home and building owners the opportunity to properly handle any issues and ultimately protect their investment.

If asbestos is located within a home or commercial building, the appropriate next step is to hire a licensed asbestos abatement company to safely handle the removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials. It is unwise to tackle a do-it-yourself asbestos abatement project, as it can potentially expose you and others to harmful asbestos. An abatement company will handle all aspects of removal and disposal, including alerting local environmental authorities and obtaining the necessary permits. Once asbestos materials are removed, renovations can begin.

If you own a home or commercial building and are considering renovations, it is a perfect opportunity to remove potentially toxic materials (such as asbestos insulation and ceiling tiles) and consider installing more earth-friendly construction products. For example, after removing aging asbestos-containing attic insulation, consider installing foam insulation, a great “green” alternative.

For further information regarding residential and occupational asbestos exposure, please visit Mesothelioma.com.

Renewable Energy Tax Credits Have Been Extended

I was very happy to read about Renewable Energy Tax Credits being extended for another 8 years. I'm not really sure I agree with the recent "Wall Street Bailout Plan" but I'm happy to say that the plan did extend the much needed renewable energy tax credits for businesses and homeowners.

I believe the only way for us to kick our energy dependence is to help each and every American afford these new technologies. By supplementing the cost to build these great new technologies we are creating an atmosphere for competition among manufacturers and suppliers. That competition will lead to advances in technology that I hope will one day get us closer to foreign oil independence.

So if you've been considering installing a renewable energy system such as solar, wind or geothermal then there's no need to worry about the previously expired renewable energy tax credits.