Restoring History – Protecting Our Future

“What use is a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” – Thoreau

by Matt Grocoff, founder Greenovation.TV, contributor to The Environment Report on Public Radio, and the greenovation guru for Old House Web

The full article is available on OLD HOUSE WEB

When my wife Kelly and I bought our 110 year old Folk-Victorian home in Ann Arbor’s Old West Side Historic District, it was a dream come true: drafty old windows, lead paint, zero insulation, a half-century old furnace, asbestos siding, a gas powered mower in the shed and even a few pieces of coal scattered around the back yard. What more could a couple ask for?

From the start we knew that homes use an astonishing 22% of energy consumed in the U.S. In fact, your home uses far more energy than your car. Home energy costs have skyrocketed to an average of $2200 per year. Old homes use even more than their fair share of the energy pie. . . .

But using resources to build big new “green” homes to save resources just seems ironic. There are 130 million existing homes in the U.S.; half were built before 1972.

So, retrofitting America’s old homes is not just about preserving history, it is indeed about protecting our future.

READ MATT’S FULL ARTICLE AT OLD HOUSE WEB

And . . . here’s helpful resources you must explore before starting your Mission Zero:

One Block Off the Grid http://1bog.org/

Joolze.com http://www.joolze.com/

Transcript

Matt: [at front of old Victorian house] Hi, I’m Matt Grocoff, the green renovation expert for Old House Web and host of greenovation.tv and this is my house.  So when my wife Kelly and I first bought this 110 year old folk Victorian house, it was a dream come true: it had lead paint, asbestos siding, zero insulation and even an old gas powered lawn mower out in the shed.  What more can anybody ask for.

Matt: [in living room] So on move in day we brought two things with us:  a crowbar to rip up all the old carpet and a box of compact fluorescent light bulbs.  We replaced every light socket in this house with compact fluorescents and then we added motion sensors to every light switch in the house.  We leave a room, if we forget to turn it off, it turns it off for us.

Matt: [in bathroom] So at the start of our renovation project, this was the only bathroom in the house.  It was fantastic.  It had pink Formica tiles, an old flush toilet that flushed 5 gallons every time.  This is a Caroma Dual Flush Toilet which only uses .8 gallons every flush and unlike our old toilet never clogs.  But not only have we made it look great, but we’ve made it way more energy efficient.

This is a 1-minute a gallon showerhead.  This is going to use a gallon and a half a minute less than an ordinary showerhead.  This will literally save thousands of gallons over its lifetime.

Matt: [backyard drilling for geothermal] I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say “I thought you couldn’t put geothermal into a historic house.”  Well this house proves that wrong.  We were able to put three 150-foot bore holes vertically into the back yard on a very small piece of property.  Not only do we have a heating and cooling system that uses half the energy of our neighbors, we have a house that’s a whole lot more comfortable.

Matt: [in living room] We’re out to prove that old houses can be the Greenest houses. In fact, with all the renovations we’ve done so far, we’ve made this house ultra efficient and we’ve got a ways to go.  We’re going to take this house all the way to Net Zero.  Meaning it’s going to produce more energy than it uses.

Matt: [at the computer] So you eco geeks, get ready to get geeked out because this is our WattVision Google Power Meter.  And this will tell us how much energy we’re consuming at any given moment.  If everyone knew how much energy they were using, they would probably use a lot less.  [I'm coming to get you, I got you, I got you] Before we get the solar panels up on the roof, you can see we’ve got a lot of work to do.

Matt: [pointing to house exterior] We’ve got to paint the house, restore these old windows, then top it off with some really energy efficient storm windows.  My daughter Jane will probably still be alive when this house turns 200 years old.  So restoring America’s old homes is not just about preserving history, it’s about protecting our future.   So for Old House Web, this is Matt Grocoff reminding you that, “The Green Revolution Begins at Home”

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Read more about Matt’s clean and green bath addition at Old House Web.

More cool stuff

Materials Unlimited – for salvaged material, clawfoot tubs, bathroom hardware

Habitat Restore

Permaglaze

BIO  > > > > >

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Track Your Compact Fluorescent Bulb

I recently had an unusual occurrence at my house: one of the lightbulbs in my kitchen burned out.  What’s so special about that, you ask?  Lights burn out all the time.  But I’ve been using compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) for the past few years, so it is rare that I need to change a bulb.

Sure, you’ve heard about the advantages of compact fluorescent bulbs.  Maybe you don’t think that they are going to be cost effective, and you can’t bring yourself to invest in one or two in order to find out.  I have a couple of suggestions for those of you who are still holding out.

We think about the energy savings from using CFL bulbs, and that’s one of the big advantages to using them.  But they also save time and effort.  If an incandescent bulb has an average life of 750-1000 hours, then you’re going to end up changing that bulb about twice a year, if it’s being used an average of 4 hours a day.  CFLs have an average life of 6,000-15,000 hours, so they last about 10 times as long, which means you would be changing that bulb about once every 5 years (maybe 10), instead of twice a year.

Maybe that’s not a big issue for a table lamp, but if you have ceiling lights that are harder to reach, changing bulbs is more of an undertaking.  (Those of you with high ceilings that need a maintenance visit and someone with a ladder to replace your bulbs should definitely be thinking about this.)  Isn’t that a chore that would be better if it needed to be done less frequently?

Most of the standard light sockets in my house now have CFL bulbs of one variety or another.  Some I like better than others.  I’ve identified a couple manufacturers and brands that I won’t buy again.  But others have good brightness and a color that I like.  I was dubious a decade ago when I first started trying CFLs.  One way I tried it out was to put one CFL and one regular bulb in a two-socket fixture.  That balanced out the color and let me find that the fluorescents weren’t that bad, and it also gave us some instant-on light with that fixture (since the first CFLs were often dim for the first couple minutes).

Compact fluorescent bulbs are now available for only a couple dollars, and, even if the energy savings aren’t convince you, maybe the longer life of a CFL will make a difference for you.  If you absolutely don’t like them, you can still swap them away into a utility space like a closet or basement where, if you only turn on the lights there occasionally, the bulb might last for decades.

If you want to convince yourself (or perhaps a dubious relative or neighbor) that your compact fluorescent bulbs are really lasting for a long time, write the date on the base of the bulb when you put it in (you can use a Sharpie or a pencil and write on the plastic covering on the base).  Unfortunately, I didn’t do this with that last bulb, so I can’t tell you how long that one lasted (our kitchen light is on for more than 4 hours a day, especially in the winter time, and I think this one was about 3 years old).  But if you check in with me in a few years, I can tell you how long the new one was good for.

Philip Proefrock is a regular contributor to GreenovationTV and a registered architect with p s proefrock architecture, based in Michigan. He is a LEED accredited professional and has taught sustainable design architectural studio at Lawrence Technological University and assisted with LEED study groups for other building professionals. He is also an architectural photographer, writer and blogger. Philip is senior contributing writer for EcoGeek.org where he concentrates on green building systems, renewable power, and transportation, and a regular contributor to JetsonGreen.com

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by Lester Graham (transcript from radio story on The Environment Report)

When you’re planning a home improvement project, you can be overwhelmed with decisions about the right materials, the right quality, and the right design. Trying to keep it eco- friendly on top of everything else just adds to the confusion. Lester Graham reports it can be as simple as finding a label:

Julia Weinert and her boyfriend like the idea of making their place nice, but even something as simple as painting causes concerns.

Look for Forest Stewardship Council for sustainably harvested wood

LG: “Well, you’re in luck. We’re at the local Home Depot and we just happen to have Greenovation.TV’s Matt Grocoff here. Matt, you’ve got some advice for her.”

MG: “And it’s really, really simple. When you’re trying to find a paint that’s healthy for you or another product, you shouldn’t have to be a chemist when you go to the store. There’s a really simple thing you can look for. Just look for the simple GREENGUARD label. GREENGUARD is an independent organization that lets you know with a simple label that that product is safe for you.”

So, none of the really strong paint smells that mean polluting chemicals are being released. GREENGUARD Environmental Institute sets indoor air standards for products and buildings. Julia and I sniffed a can of paint WITH the GREENGUARD label, and then one without.

LG: “I’ll let you sniff first.”

JW: Okay. Oh! Yeah! Oh my gosh! That is ridiculous. I mean, it smells so much stronger than this one. You can’t even smell that one compared to this one.”

A gallon of paint with the GREENGUARD label DOES cost a few dollars more, maybe as much as ten bucks.

Matt then herded us to another part of the store, the plumbing section, where Julia and I were confronted by all kinds of shiny chrome and brass faucets.

Greenguard establishes acceptable product standards for building materials, interior furnishings, cleaners, electronics and children’s products

JW: “There’s a whole wall, a whole aisle of faucets here and I just don’t know which ones to look for.”

LG: “So, Matt. You got any fancy labels here?”

MG: “Absolutely. Again, if you’re looking for that eco-friendly option, a way to save yourself some money and some water, it’s simple. Just look for the WaterSense label. The EPA does EnergyStar labels for appliances. The EPA also does WaterSense label for plumbing fixtures.”

WaterSense means the fixture – whether a faucet, shower head or toilet – will use less water but still works well.

As we wandered over to the lumber section of the store, Matt told us the last label he wanted to show us is the most ignored label – and it might just be the most important one.

MG: “FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council. And what that means is they’ve made a commitment that they’re not going to be tearing down forest and clear-cutting them in order for you to build some bookshelves in your home. This is one of the biggest causes of greenhouse gases is that we don’t have these forests capturing this carbon any more. Instead of having to have a PhD in forest management, you can just simply look for a piece of wood that has an FSC label on it.”

So, labels. Julia says, works for her.

JW: “It’s going to be great, taking my boyfriend around the store and showing him all these cool things I can get to make our home improvements a little more cheap and environmentally-friendly.”

LG: “Alright remind me, go over this again. What am I supposed to be looking for?”

MG: “It’s very simple. If you’re looking for paint, look for GREENGUARD. For plumbing, WaterSense. For lumber, FSC, Forest Stewardship Council certified.”

LG: “That’s Matt Grocoff, Greenovation.TV. Thanks again, Matt.

MG: “Lester, it’s always a pleasure. Thank you.”

For The Environemnt Report, I’m Lester Graham.

TRUST THESE LABELS:

Energy Star – means it’s energy efficient

WaterSense – means it’s water efficient

FSC Forest Stewardship Council – means you can trust that it didn’t come from a forest that was clear cut

Greenguard / Green Seal / for healthy indoor air quality (read the warning labels and compare)

Cradle to Cradle – means it uses environmentally safe and healthy materials; design for material reutilization, such as recycling or composting; the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency; efficient use of water, and maximum water quality associated with production; and instituting strategies for social responsibility.

SCS / Scientific Certification Systems

Consumer Reports on Eco-Labels: http://www.greenerchoices.org/eco-labels

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via The White House

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Larry Laseter, president of Efficiency First Capitol Circle member Masco Home Services, joined Barack Obama in Savannah, Ga., on Tuesday as the President delivered a speech outlining details of the proposed HOME STAR efficiency retrofit program. Here is a video released by the White House that shows a brief behind-the-scenes conversation between Larry Laseter and President Obama:

“We’re in the business of doing this now, and just like the GOLD STAR program, we actually guarantee their first year of energy savings” Laseter told the President. “That’s the beauty of this, is we know these technologies are proven, and with this bill, it will jump-start thousands of jobs.”

via Efficiency First

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Find other homes, or monitor your own, at www.Wattvision.com

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Listen to Matt’s story on The Environment Report syndicated on NPR stations nationwide.

We know that a hardware store sells hardware.  So, what in the world does a ReStore sell? . . . . It sells any kind of RE you can imagine: REducing, REusing, REcycling .

Habitat ReStores are retail outlets which help you restore your house for a fraction of the cost while helping out a great cause.  In addition to

Bathroom made with reused material from reuse centers: mirror, clawfoot tub, sink, marble floor, picture frame, moldings, plumbing parts, cabinets, antique doors and paint Photo by Dave Lewinski

raising funds for Habitat for Humanity, ReStores help the environment by keeping quality, usable materials out of landfills and putting them back into good use.

Materials sold by Habitat ReStores are usually donated from building supply stores, contractors, demolition crews or from individuals who want to support Habitat for Humanity and keep stuff out of landfills.

When our very own Dr. Anna Marie renovated her home in Florida, she donated all of the old cabinets and appliances to her local Habitat ReStore (watch the video).  When Kelly and I needed reclaimed brick for our patio, salvaged lumber for our moldings, antique doors and a claw foot tub for the new bathroom, an outdoor fireplace, plumbing supplies, and even tools, we found it all (and more) at the ReStore and saved tons of money.

Reuse centers like the ReStore can be found in virtually every community in North America (see below to find a store near you).  They are a green remodeler’s dream come true and a perfect way to reach the goal of zero waste.

You can literally build an entire house from materials from a reuse center.

You’ll typically save 50% – 90% by skipping the big box stores and finding what you need at a ReStore.  So, use fewer natural resources, keep good stuff out of landfills, help a charity and save a little money . . . You can’t beat that.

Check out The Story of Stuff if you’re not already convinced about reuse.  You’ll definitely want to check out all the cool stuff over at the great new website www.AltUse.com if you’re looking for alternative uses for stuff you’ve got laying around the house but can’t bring yourself to drop by the ReStore.

by Matt Grocoff

Related Links:

Habitat ReStore Directory – United States

Habitat ReStore Directory – Canada

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via U.S. Department of Energy

FTC Proposes New Output-Based Labels for Light Bulbs

The days of referring to a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) as being “equivalent to a 60-watt light bulb” may soon be over, as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed new labels for light bulbs that are based on light output rather than energy consumption. The marketplace has been changing quickly with the emergence of newer, more energy-efficient technologies—such as CFLs and light-emitting diode (LED) products—as traditional incandescent bulbs are phased out. The proposed labels provide consumers with information to help them choose among different bulb types.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) seeks public comments on new labels that emphasize lumens, not watts, as the measure of bulb brightness. This information, along with estimated energy cost information, would appear on the front of the light bulb package. The back of the package would display a “Lighting Facts” label modeled after the “Nutrition Facts” label for food packages. The Lighting Facts label would provide information about brightness, energy cost, the bulb’s expected life, color temperature (for example, whether the bulb provides “warm” or “cool” light), as well as wattage. The label also would require disclosures for bulbs containing mercury. The bulb’s output in lumens—and a mercury disclosure for bulbs that contain mercury—would also have to be placed on the bulb itself. The NOPR was published in the Federal Register on November 10, and comments are due by December 28.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requires the FTC to consider the effectiveness of current bulb labeling requirements and explore alternative labeling approaches. As the first step, the FTC issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking last year, seeking comments on existing labeling requirements and possible labeling alternatives, and then held a public roundtable to gather more information. See the FTC press release, and the Federal Register Notice (PDF 663 KB), which includes samples of the proposed labels.

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So you’ve adjusted your thermostat, you put in the compact fluorescent bulbs . . . you even composted a plastic potato fiber fork from the local burrito joint.  But, how can you stay comfortable, reduce your energy use and lower your bills this winter . . . without breaking the bank?

3 Energy Savers for Under $100:

1.  Use your head:
High efficiency shower heads
$25 – $85 – Pays for itself in 3 – 7 months

No longer do you need to drain your hot water tank in order to get the shampoo out of your hair.  While delivering the same high-performance and comfort you expect, the new generation low flow shower heads use a full gallon per minute (gpm) less than a traditional shower head and up to 3.5 gallons per minute less than models from the 1980s.  That means that a family of three can save over 11,000 gallons of hot water per year just by installing a 1.5 gpm shower head.

If you decide to keep your old shower head, it will cost you an extra 300 kilowatt hours annually, enough electricity to power your television for about a year.  That’s enough to pay for your new shower head.

Hansgrohe EcoAir 1.5 gpm

American Standard FloWise 1.5 gpm

Kohler Forte’ 1.75 gpm

2.  Kill the vampire:
Smart power strips
$30 – $100 – Pays for itself in 7 – 14 months

When you’re not watching TV . . . it sucks.  No kidding.  Even in the “off” mode your television still draws electricity from the socket.  With new smart power strips, when you turn off your computer or television all of your peripherals shut down as well – killing that vampire power.  Just click your remote and viola’ . . . the smart power strip shuts down your Wii, your surround sound and all those other gadgets which are useless when your TV is off.

3.  Hire a light fairy
Vacancy sensor light switches
$20 – $40 each – Pays for itself in

“Who left the @$#&!! lights on again?!!  I’m not your light fairy!!”  Enough screaming at the kids to turn out the lights.  About 60% of lighting costs goes toward lighting empty rooms.  So, it’s time to get yourself some high quality vacancy sensors.

The sensors detect when a space becomes vacant and turn lighting off automatically after a preset time delay elapses. Users manually turn lights on or off at any time by operating the ON/OFF button.  California now requires smart lighting switches like these in all new homes.

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Like the “SAVE WATER . . . . Shower Together” t-shirt on the homepage?  You can buy it at Zazzle.com

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