Real Estate QUESTIONS Y Mucho Mas!

TAX CREDITS ARE GONE! But real estate deals continue - MONTROSE AREA - Sul ROSS and Branard area will benefit from HEB!

2010-05-01T12:18:00.002-05:00

Both the United States and Texas labor markets passed the trough of the Great Recession in September 2009. Texas' job loss rate has decreased from 4 percent in August 2009 to 1.5 percent in March 2010. Over the same period, the U.S. job loss rate has decreased from 5 percent to 1.7 percent. What does this mean for home buying and selling in Houston? We are looking good for the near future....Here's one area that will be benefiting from a new development in Montrose.

Houston’s planning commission granted a variance yesterday to the new owners of the former site of the Wilshire Village apartments at the corner of West Alabama and Dunlavy. The variance will allow Sul Ross and Branard streets, which currently dead end into the 7.68-acre vacant tract, to remain dead ends as the property is redeveloped into a new Montrose H-E-B market.
In return, the planning department will get some vaguely defined involvement in planning the site. “As a condition of granting the variance,” explained the planning department’s Brian Crimmins, the applicant will be required to coordinate with the planning department during the site plan stage to establish a reasonable landscape buffer between the subject site and and adjacent properties as well as reasonable preservation of the mature tree canopy on the site. The applicant has agreed to these conditions.

Neighbors had complained about earlier plans submitted for the property — which did not require city approval because they followed the city’s development ordinance.
Originally posted at http://swamplot.com/ on April 30,2010.
Regardless, this real estate activity has to be good for all involved in Houston. It has to be better than NO new development. Everyone is playing nicely together in the sand box!

Texans should take advantage of Recovery Act Tax Cuts!

2010-03-28T12:31:00.000-05:00

As per Examiner.com; Houston area Representative Gene Green (D-TX) has encouraged all Texans to take advantage of numerous tax cuts in the Obama Recovery Act, passed in February, 2009. With only half of taxpayers having filed thus far, Green says in a news release, tax refunds are already up nearly 10% from last year – thanks to what he terms a broad array of tax cuts in the act.

“Most people don’t realize that tax cuts are the biggest individual piece of the Recovery Act,” said Rep. Green. “Congress gave 95% of working Americans one of the largest tax cuts in history through the Recovery Act. And as you file your 2009 income taxes, you may qualify for a series of other generous tax cuts – for example, you could save money for attending college, making energy-saving home improvements, purchasing a home for the first time, or buying a new car. I encourage all the residents of (my district) to take advantage of these and other tax cuts as they are filing their 2009 taxes over the coming weeks.”

Green says taxpayers in the 29th District of Texas and across the country can claim a variety of benefits on their 2009 tax returns, including:

The Making Work Pay tax credit – Ninety-five percent of working families are already receiving the Recovery Act’s Making Work Pay tax credit of $400 for an individual or $800 for married couples filing jointly in their 2009 paychecks – and will continue to see these benefits in 2010, his release says. Green says in his district alone, 215,000 families are benefiting from the Making Work Pay tax credit.

Tax credits for college expenses – Families and students are eligible for up to $2,500 in tax savings under the American Opportunity Credit as well as enhanced benefits under 529 college savings plans, which help families and students pay for college expenses.

The First Time Home buyers tax credit – First time home buyers can get a credit of up to $8,000 for homes purchased by April 30, 2010 under the First Time Home buyer tax credit. In Texas, 161,911 households have already taken advantage of the First Time Home buyers tax credit.

Tax credits for energy efficient renovations – Taxpayers are eligible for up to $1,500 in tax credits for making energy-efficient improvements to their homes, such as adding insulation and installing energy efficient windows.

The vehicle sales tax deduction – Taxpayers can deduct the state and local sales taxes they paid for new vehicles purchased from Feb. 17, 2009 through Dec. 31, 2009 under the vehicle sales tax deduction.

Expanded family tax credits – Moderate income families with children may be eligible for an increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit and the additional Child Tax Credit.

Tax-free unemployment benefits – Thanks to the Recovery Act, individuals who received unemployment insurance in 2009 do not have to pay taxes on the first $2,400 of such earnings.
“In January 2009, our economy was in free fall, losing nearly 800,000 jobs a month, cutting into Americans’ retirement savings and freezing lending to small businesses,” said Rep. Green. “We passed the Recovery Act and were able to save and create more than two million jobs in the first year of a two-year effort."

Green didn't specify where those two million jobs actually exist. But he added, "We still have a long way to go to put more Americans back to work, but we are moving in the right direction. And in the meantime, these tax cuts will ease the burden on American families who are struggling to make ends meet.”

http://www.examiner.com/x-41225-Houston-Metro-Senior-Issues-Examiner~y2010m3d27-Texas-Congressman-Gene-Green-touts-Recovery-Act-tax-cuts-for-Texans

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-01T14:56:00.000-06:00

I WISH EVERYONE A PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

$6500 Homebuyer Tax Credit for MOVE UP Buyers! Is not retroactive.....

2009-12-20T13:12:00.000-06:00

$6500 Homebuyer Tax Credit For Move-Up Buyers Added

For many people the most exciting news is that there will now be a tax credit for current homeowners. The tax credit for move-up buyers will take effect after the date of enactment

(when the bill is signed). Unfortunately for those who have already bought a house it doesn’t seem to be retroactive.

The credit is available for homes that go under contract by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30th, 2010.

Current homeowners can claim a $6,500 credit as long as the property they are vacating has been their primary residence for at least five consecutive years out of the last eight years.

Income limits: $125,000 a year for individuals, $225,000 a year for married couples. (these are higher limits than before)

Homes that cost more than $800,000 aren’t eligible for the credit.

$6500 tax credit is not retroactive. (from the language of the bill: “shall apply to residences purchased after the date of the enactment of this Act.”)

So to all those people who have been sitting on the sidelines hoping for a tax credit for current homeowners , some of you are in luck. Because of the language of the bill a lot of people are still excluded (myself included), but there are still a lot of folks who will now be jumping into the home shopping game.

SELLERS! Limit Surprises - Get a Pre-Sale Home Inspection

2009-12-07T11:33:00.001-06:00

You can count on the savvy homebuyer making his or her offer to purchase your home contingent upon a satisfactory professional home inspection report. As a home seller, worrying about what that inspection may reveal can be a nerve-wracking experience. You can minimize your anxiety and the last-minute appearance of any potential deal-killing surprises by obtaining your own pre-sale home inspection.
The home inspector will visually examine your home’s physical structure and systems from top to bottom including: the heating and air conditioning systems, plumbing and electrical systems, roof, walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, foundation, basement and attic, and other visible structures. The inspector won’t give your house a passing or failing grade, but will evaluate its physical condition and report on what you may need to repair or replace.

Taking this extra step has several benefits. Most importantly, it will provide you with an objective look at your home and call attention to any problems. It’s in your best interest to have a good understanding of your home’s condition and to address any small issues. The home sale/purchase transaction is a heady deal that is fraught with emotion and relatively small problems like an air conditioning unit that needs service or a fireplace that needs minor repair potentially can turn into deal-killing issues.

A pre-sale inspection report also can be used as a marketing tool that may highlight some of the home’s positive attributes, which may help alleviate some of the homebuyer’s anxieties about the property and the thoroughness of your disclosures.
While no home seller wants to learn of major problems, you’re much better off knowing about such issues early on. Being informed will help you more accurately calculate your asking price, which can circumvent stressful defect-related price reduction negotiations later on. It also will give you an opportunity to calmly decide whether you’ll choose to remedy the problems. If you decide to sell the house “as is,” full disclosure of the problems will weed out the potential homebuyers who wouldn’t consider buying a home that needed repairs.
Copies of the pre-sale home inspection report and receipts for any subsequent repairs must be provided to the homebuyers. They really appreciate full disclosure and being able to follow up with the same service providers if needed after they purchase your home. IN HOUSTON, these are two inspection companies that are highly recommended.

http://www.texaninspection.com/houston-home-infrared-thermography.php - these guys use infrared technology to review the condition of material behind your walls and ceilings!
http://www.redstarinspections.com - competitive pricing!

CLIMATEGATE??!! WOW, I wonder what ya'll are thinking now!

2009-12-03T12:59:00.001-06:00

Wow! Folks are warning "green" followers to dump stocks in alternative energy companies, everyone has just felt a punch in the stomach! So here is a dirty laundry list of actions taken by the "scientific team":

The Climate Research Unit at East Anglia had profited to the tune of at least $20 million in “research” grants from the Team’s activities.
The Team had tampered with the complex, bureaucratic processes of the UN’s climate panel, the IPCC, so as to exclude inconvenient scientific results from its four Assessment Reports, and to influence the panel’s conclusions for political rather than scientific reasons.
The Team had conspired in an attempt to redefine what is and is not peer-reviewed science for the sake of excluding results that did not fit what they and the politicians with whom they were closely linked wanted the UN’s climate panel to report.
They had tampered with their own data so as to conceal inconsistencies and errors.
They had emailed one another about using a “trick” for the sake of concealing a “decline” in temperatures in the paleoclimate.
They had expressed dismay at the fact that, contrary to all of their predictions, global temperatures had not risen in any statistically-significant sense for 15 years, and had been falling for nine years. They had admitted that their inability to explain it was “a travesty”. This internal doubt was in contrast to their public statements that the present decade is the warmest ever, and that “global warming” science is settled.
They had interfered with the process of peer-review itself by leaning on journals to get their friends rather than independent scientists to review their papers.
They had successfully leaned on friendly journal editors to reject papers reporting results inconsistent with their political viewpoint.
They had campaigned for the removal of a learned journal’s editor, solely because he did not share their willingness to debase and corrupt science for political purposes.
They had mounted a venomous public campaign of disinformation and denigration of their scientific opponents via a website that they had expensively created.
Contrary to all the rules of open, verifiable science, the Team had committed the criminal offense of conspiracy to conceal and then to destroy computer codes and data that had been legitimately requested by an external researcher who had very good reason to doubt that their “research” was either honest or competent

More on the issue: Apparently, the new term "climategate" was Googled more than 20 million times Nov 30th! I wonder what 20 million people are now thinking about "climate warming."

http://www.climate-gate.org/

http://www.infowars.com/climategate-for-dummies/

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100017393/climategate-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-of-anthropogenic-global-warming/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,578990,00.html

COOL METAL ROOFS save you up to 40% in Energy Costs

2009-11-28T18:11:00.000-06:00

Metal roofs and walls help reduce energy consumption. They can be finished with heat-deflecting coatings to lower energy usage by reducing cooling loads. "Cool metal roofs” can reflect up to 70% of the sun’s rays, resulting in less heat transfer to the interior of the building and saving owners up to 40% in energy costs. Doesn't that sound great?!

Moreover, metal has a low thermal mass, meaning that it dissipates heat very quickly once the sun goes behind a cloud or sets for the day. Other construction materials such as concrete or asphalt shingles have greater thermal mass and will continue to radiate captured heat into the structure, even when the sun is not shining.

Metal roofs and walls also contribute considerably to the “green” building movement because of their high recycled content, recyclability, sustainability and energy efficiency. The recycled content for steel used in metal roofs and walls, for example, is at least 25%. This level of recycled content reduces both the cost and environmental impact of making new steel, as it conserves energy and other natural raw materials.

A well certified company that can help you with additional information including installation of metal roofs is http://www.texaseliteroofing.com/. See their certification at: http://texaseliteroofing.com/Roofing_Certifactaions.html. This is a family owned business and they give you free estimates!

Buyer asked me about HOUSTON'S EAST END - here's my take....Oak Forest and Timbergrove Instead

2009-11-11T11:32:00.006-06:00

Dear Young-Savvy-Information-Hungry Buyer,

There is a rule we Realtors® generally follow in real estate. Sell clients what they want not what they need. You are one of the few recent potential buyers that have asked the question, “What real estate would be a better value?” Do you believe that?!!!! It’s true. Rarely do we get this question. Breath of fresh air you are!

Most people want what they want and don’t ask.

EAST END
You get more value for your dollar in terms of space for the price per SF. HOWEVER, this type of purchase would only be a BETTER value IF YOU ARE going to buy and hold for over 10 years versus less than 10 years! Your generation will eat this area up alive in the next 10 -15 yrs. BUT it will never have the appreciation that say a TH in Rice Military or Upper Kirby will have because of the proximity to central Houston and Galleria, Highland Village and Memorial Park. Remember homes are built on top of land values. The reason those homes in the East End are cheaper is because their land value for the developer was cheaper. That is why homes inside the Inner Loop (WEST of 145 of course) are so much more expensive. Land value is high. $40-70 PSF versus $10-30 PSF. The new residential product inside the East End pocket also seems to be similar, too similar, TH’s 3/2’s, 2/2’s with two car garages no yard or very little yard. There is not much differentiation yet and the inventory for homes built now will be too many, to sell themselves with a very large upside in the future. If you can spend 250K, I would not advise it to be spent on the East End. Not for the savvy buyer with appreciation and holding for short term as primary goals. Here's the East End Chamber of Commerce website for more local information: http://www.eecoc.org/index.php?pid=1

Other than the future TH developments, the East End is not getting anything new. It will continue to benefit from proximity to Downtown convention center, stadium, and Discovery Green. But there are no plans for any HEB’s or other grocery stores. Folks are still petitioning for a grocery store. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/BringqualityandhealthyfoodtotheE/ If say a Star Bucks (big determinant in telling residents that their property tax base has increased) comes in, that is a VERY GOOD SIGN, their demographic projections and studies are rigorous. But they don’t come in until AFTER new retail and commercial are already in or are in the works. So we are a few years out still for the East End……………..More roof tops are STILL needed to bring in the new retail and commercial. Mayoral candidates talked about what they wanted to develop in the East End…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW7bq6XrB4o and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SapqxYO43UQ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFLXAzMccY0

Townhomes are a dime a dozen. Saturated market, in my opinion, especially three story TH's. This is one of the reasons I bought a two story TH in Rice Military WITH a back yard. Much fewer of these units than the 3-story and you know the Law of Economics - Supply and Demand.

OAK FOREST and TIMBERGROVE
The way to go in the future for appreciation and a shorter term hold - min 3-10 years - older single family with renovation on lots ranging from 5000-10,000 SF within 10-15 minutes of the Galleria and Downtown. Some don’t even have garages. But land is precious, so THAT is the BEST value in Houston right now if you want to see a steady climb in appreciation across time. Price range is 210-350K. Those without renovations are being picked up for lot value around 140-220K and McMansions worth 650K plus are being built in their stead because folks are tired of commuting. Two neighborhoods – Oak Forest and Timbergrove.

1301 Martin St (short sale) and 1803 Woodcrest are two great deals in Oak Forest. I know the builder who renovated Woodcrest.

1124 Wynnwood (motivated seller) and 6738 Kury Ln (they are ready to negotiate down down!) in Timbergrove – good deals.

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY and Yesterday November 10th, 2009 was Marine Core BDAY!!!

2009-11-11T10:25:00.003-06:00

During the American Revolution, many important political discussions took place in the inns and taverns of Philadelphia, including the founding of the Marine Corps.

A committee of the Continental Congress met at Tun Tavern to draft a resolution calling for two battalions of Marines able to fight for independence at sea and on shore. The resolution was approved on November 10, 1775, officially forming the Continental Marines. As the first order of business, Samuel Nicholas became Commandant of the newly formed Marines. Tun Tavern’s owner and popular patriot, Robert Mullan, became his first captain and recruiter. They began gathering support and were ready for action by early 1776.

Each year, the Marine Corps marks November 10th with a celebration of the brave spirit which compelled these men and thousands since to defend our country as United States Marines.

I have a Marine boyfriend who reminded me of this history so I want to inform and remind others. TO ALL VETERANS! Thank you for your service to this country and for putting your lives on the line for all of us! God Bless you and Keep YOU Safe!

VETERANS EAT FREE AT APPLEBEES TODAY!

TAX CREDIT details - WHO QUALIFIES?

2009-11-10T13:31:00.001-06:00

"The new version of the tax credit has the potential to stimulate the housing market even more than the old version due to the fact that more people will qualify under the new rules," said Gibran Nicholas, chairman of the CMPS Institute, an organization that certifies mortgage bankers and brokers.

Who qualifies?

Nicholas provided four scenarios illustrating how the tax credit rules for existing homebuyers will apply:

Harry owned a home in 2001 and 2002 but sold it to relocate for a job. He would qualify for the $8,000 first-time-buyer credit because he has not owned a home in the past three years.
Sue purchased a home in 2004 and has lived there since. If she decides to buy a new home, she would qualify for the $6,500 tax credit because she has lived in the same residence for five consecutive years in the past eight.
Jane purchased her home in 2002, lived there for five consecutive years before she rented it out in 2007. She would qualify because she was an owner/occupier for at least five consecutive years in the past eight.
Mark purchased a home in 2006 and lived there for the past three years. He would not qualify because he is neither a first-time homebuyer nor someone who lived in the same primary residence for five consecutive years out of the past eight.

Call us if you have questions at 832 229 4062!

Congress Extends and Broadens TAX CREDITS!

2009-11-05T21:55:00.001-06:00

First-time Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended

The U.S. Congress has approved a bill that extends and broadens tax credits that were set to expire this month. The bill extends the credit for contracts signed by April 30th and closing by June 30th. Income limits are expanded to cover more affluent buyers; couples earning up to $225,000 and individuals earning up to $125,000 annually now qualify. For Move Up or Repeat Buyers, it also creates a new $6,500 credit for buyers who have owned their current home for at least five years. Homes worth more than $800,000 wouldn’t be eligible.

TX BIONEERS on Sat Nov 14th Fall Harvest Day @ Discovery Green Park

2009-11-05T09:01:00.002-06:00

Sustainable Businesses. Sustainable Communities: What’s Working? What’s Next?

Texas Bioneers looks a little different this year - Come experience Bioneers @ Fall Harvest Day in the Park, a festival in the park! @ Discovery Green Park From 10am to 4pm Free and open to the public!

Senate agrees to EXTEND Tax Credit

2009-10-29T13:11:00.000-05:00

Senate Agrees on Home Tax Credit But Faces Delay
http://www.cnbc.com/id/33532145
Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2009 11:09 AM ET
By: Albert Bozzo Senior Features Editor

The Senate has agreed on a compromise measure that would extend and expand the popular home buyer's tax credit, "but it is not clear when or how it will be considered," according to a key Capitol Hill source.
That's because its fate is connected to a battle over amendments to a more important bill providing additional unemployment benefits.
"We do expect it to be considered at some point on the debate on unemployment insurance extension," said the source, who would not rule out action today.

TimberCreek Net Zero House - Lewisville, TX

2009-10-15T17:51:00.000-05:00

Wow, almost every single step of building this home has been documented for ease of undertanding and follow up with videos, pictures, vendor and service provider information etc.

The TimberCreek Zero Energy House started construction in May, 2009. The "net-zero" home is another project by award-winning architect William Peck, William Peck & Associates and award-winning builder Chris Miles GreenCraft Builders LLC.

The TimberCreek Zero Energy House is a 2500 square foot demonstration project for the Department of Energy's "Building America" program to encourage homeowners and builders to take the next step in living and building in a more fiscally and environmentally sensible manner.

This home will incorporate renewable energy resources as well as eco-friendly materials and building practices to achieve a high-performance "net zero" home with minimal impact on the environment.

For more information goto: http://timbercreekzeroenergyhouse.com/index.html. To see an example of one of Chris' luxury green homes see http://www.colleyvilleecohouse.com/.

House passes Extention for Military to Get Tax Credit

2009-10-12T20:05:00.000-05:00

Thursday, the House of Representatives voted 416 to 0 to pass the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009. This extends the current $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit to November 30, 2010 for members of the military, Foreign Service, and intelligence corp who served at least three months of qualified overseas duty in 2009.

For all non military persons, there are several proposals in capitol hill. These range from extending the current law for another six months to increasing the credit to $15,000.00, extending the credit to all homebuyers, and even extending a $3,000.00 credit to those refinancing in 2010. We shall see!

Montrose named Top 10 U.S. Great Neighborhoods

2009-10-07T11:35:00.000-05:00

National honor for Montrose Wednesday, October 07, 2009 6:41 AM
For a sample of homes in Montrose goto: https://www.txrealestatecafe.com/central-houston-real-estate/montrose.html

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The American Planning Association will declare the Montrose area as one of the top ten great neighborhoods in the country today. The American Planning Association singled out Montrose in Houston for its art scene, eclectic culture, walkability and diverse housing. Montrose is a neighborhood located in the Neartown area of Houston. Established in 1911, the neighborhood is considered one of the most demographically diverse areas of Houston with renovated mansions, bungalows with wide porches, and cottages located along tree-lined boulevards. Montrose is one of the most pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods in Houston. Starting in the1970s the area became known as the center for the gay and lesbian community of Houston. During the 1990s through to recent times, this area has become increasingly gentrified with a trend towards remodeled and new homes, high rents, up market boutiques and restaurants. Neartown has become an eclectic niche market for office buildings in Houston, with both new development and redeveloped older buildings dotting Montrose Boulevard. There are currently 475 resale and new homes in Montrose, as well as 49 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Montrose was $473,390 for the week ending Oct 07, which represents a decrease of 0.2% compared to the prior week.

Contact me today about the best real estate deals in Montrose! 832 229-4062. Our offices are right in the heart of Montrose at 603 Avondale behind Katz Deli a little to the east. Let the Real Estate Café give you the grand tour of one of the top ten great neighborhoods in Houston and U.S!

Largest TX Solar Farm for Houston Energy Use!

2009-09-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

The City of Houston and NRG Energy Inc. have agreed to develop the largest solar farm in Texas to generate energy for the city’s use.

The proposal was scheduled to go before Houston City Council on Sept. 24, and pending approval, will be submitted to Mayor Bill White after that.

Houston-based NRG won the competitive bid process to develop, own and operate the ten-megawatt facility, to be located on 70 acres at NRG’s TH Wharton Electrical Generating Station in Northwest Houston, says NRG spokesman David Knox. The city has agreed to a 25-year power purchase agreement that will account for 6.25 percent of its annual electricity consumption — the equivalent of the energy required to power 7,000 homes for a year. The long-term agreement calls for NRG to foot the $40 million construction bill for the solar farm in return for the city paying a blended purchase price of 8.2 cents per kilowatt hour for the electricity. In addition to purchasing 100 percent of all solar power generated from the farm, the city will also purchase the associated renewable energy credits, or RECs.

Construction on the solar farm will create about 100 local jobs and should begin as soon as the mayor and gives the nod. The plant is expected to come online by second quarter 2010.

“The City of Houston has established itself as a leader in green energy projects,” Mayor Bill White said in a statement. “That includes both energy efficiency and renewable energy. These are things we all have to think about and plan for as we face the challenges of an uncertain and more costly energy future. Using renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind power means we are conserving energy, saving money and protecting the environment.”

[Houston Business Journal - Thursday Sept 24th, 2009] http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2009/09/21/daily42.html?t=printable

SUPERMAN eyes: Thermal imaging technology for Home Energy Analysis?

2009-09-29T10:36:00.000-05:00

So I had a friend ask about blueprints to their townhome in order to determine whether they can remove a column in their dining room. I got to thinking, without architectural blueprints isn't there some sort infrared camera that can see through ceilings etc., etc., to determine construction details? And low and behold, this is what I found online. The infrared technology - thermography - is applied across so many different disciplines, I was pleasantly surprised. Used in medicine, psychiatry, to the paper industry and even car manufacturing in addition to construction, fabulous breadth of use. Also thermography is used for energy audits and green energy analysis of your homes, yeah!! See the second link in the list below.

The third link is about using thermography to determine the quality of construction of your ceiling joists in your home. Isn't that cool? I thought it was.

So anyway, check these out and see if you find the applications useful. The last two links in bolded red refer to local thermography specialists in Houston, TX.

http://www.askthebuilder.com/558_Removing_a_Load_Bearing_Wall.shtml Removing a column should be much simpler than removing a weight bearing WALL, see this link. How about a structural engineer? You know any at your work?

http://www.ferret.com.au/c/FLIR-Systems-Australia/Energy-auditing-the-new-science-of-building-n848853 Different application, but could be stretched to look at column construction?

http://findaleak.co.nz/thermal-imaging-camer-gib-fixings-and-ceiling-joist-spans.html Detecting ceiling joist with same technology?

http://us.fluke.com/usen/Solutions/TI/Thermal-Imaging-Building-Diagnostics.htm Construction diagnostics? Has a webpage to find distributors.

http://www.texasrealestateinspections.com/Infrared_Thermography.html

http://www.buildingdiagnosticsgroup.com/houston-infrared-inspection.html

Or you can buy an infrared cameras to do your own energy auditing? The Flir PDF below gives you a great visual layout of all the possible applications for the technology in your home. It sounds like investing in one camera could save thousands of dollars in preventing any future major problems with your home. You want Superman eyes?

Read about their "you can't correct what you don't detect," motto:

http://houstonhomeinspections.net/REPORTS/Flir/B-Series_Brochure.pdf

http://www.flir.com/assets/33f1002ede5a4a55873dbe288f32914a.pdf

WHITE House may extend Homebuyer Tax Credit!

2009-09-18T10:55:00.000-05:00

Sep 16, 3:14 PM EDT
White House may extend homebuyer tax credit

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House is considering extending an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers.
Spokesman Robert Gibbs says the administration's economic team is evaluating the tax credit's impact on new home sales and will make a recommendation to the president.
The federal tax credit covers up to 10 percent of the home price, or up to $8,000, for first-time buyers. Home sales must be complete by the end of November.
The tax break is credited with helping the number of U.S. home sales rise slowly. Builders and real estate agents say that trend could be reversed if the credit isn't extended.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_HOMES_CREDIT?SITE=TXDAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

YOUR Realtors work to EXTEND Home Buyer Tax Credit!

2009-09-15T11:24:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7Tm_C7YMH8

Thus far a homebuyer is eligible for the tax credit only if the home is "purchased" before December 1, 2009. That means that buyers have to find a house, complete a contract, satisfy any contingencies, secure financing and go to closing by November 30. Accomplishing those tasks by November 30 will become more difficult with every passing day. In today's market, it generally takes between 45 and 60 days to go from contract to closing. The market has improved, but it has not yet fully corrected itself. The credit needs to be extended for an additional period of time and expanded in order to build upon the progress that's been made. Uncertainty about the future of the credit will dampen consumer demand. The best way to assure continued housing activity is to extend and expand the credit and to do that NOW.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR), state wide real estate companies, and thousands of small firms are trying to persuade congress to extend the tax credit at least another year.

The $8000 tax credit has definitely been a reason why 3 of my last 5 buyers purchased their homes here in Houston. With this tax credit, my clients who were young couples ready to buy instead of rent for approximately the same payment a month or less, finally jumped off the fence and decided to purchase their first home. I am one of 25,000 Realtors in Houston. I am certain that the effect is generalized to many many others and the City of Houston will benefit from the new home ownership and from the economic activities that this stimulus will provide. Help us help you! Goto: http://takeaction.realtoractioncenter.com/campaign/hbtc?rk=H7%5f9Ih4al5hHE

Molar Bear - GREEN HOME that beats stormy weather

2009-09-05T18:47:00.000-05:00

MOLAR BEAR Home
A mucho green home designed after a tooth takes a bite out of stormy weather!
"In a storm the eye may be calm, but the safest place is in the mouth. That's the idea behind this customized home in Pensacola Beach, Florida. Flood-proof and able to withstand gale-force winds, the so-called Dome of a Home stands up to a storm, according to its delighted owners, because it's modeled after a tooth.

"The molar is one of the strongest things in the human body," says Mark Sigler, a former dentist who applied his dental expertise to home design out of inspiration and necessity. He and his wife, Valerie, took action after seeing the main floor of their previous home carried away by storms too many times. "We were flooded three times in five years, so when the State declared this area a flood zone we applied for a grant to rebuild," says Sigler, whose application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) included his original concept for a structure based on the inherent strengths of the molar. The Siglers got their grant - one of only two accepted from 11,000 applications - and with the help of renowned architect Jonathan Zimmerman their dome design was launched.
While it takes its inspiration from inside the human mouth, the Dome of a Home is completely in synch with its surroundings, Sigler stresses. The curved lines and round shell of the building - which is three stories high, 72' x 54' long - allow wind and water to move around and underneath rather than against it. "Its walls need only be three to four inches thick because it's aerodynamic," says Sigler, "while other homes need to be one to two feet thick to withstand wind pressure." The ground floor, used for parking only, allows storm waters to pass-through. The main floor, which is actually the second story, contains three bedrooms, a split-level living room and a kitchen that looks out to a pool and hot tub. The third story has the master bedroom and bath and a honeymoon suite featuring a cozy deck that overlooks the Gulf of Mexico.
Their original Dome of a Home was so successful that the Siglers soon began designing other dome dwellings and now have their own custom design company, Dragon Speed, which specializes in structures that protect against the worst that nature dishes out while accentuating its best. "We design spaces that best access and enjoy the gifts of Mother Nature's beauty," says Sigler. Each Dragon Speed home borrows from the environment and boasts the latest technology for in-home comfort. The air-conditioning system, for instance, allows for natural airflow and all the materials used in construction are selected locally.

(C)2009 American Home Shield Corporation and its licensed subsidiaries. All rights reserved.
http://pages.exacttarget.com/page.aspx?qs=773ed3059447707d97570d053e38ec9713c2e762a5138b10cfa5c

CASH for CLUNKERS WEBSITE CRASHES!

2009-08-26T13:31:00.000-05:00

On the final day of the Cash for Clunkers program, AUGUST 24th, thousands of car dealers were frantically trying to get in all their past sales as well as sales from over the weekend.

Dealers were required to enter in all sales by today at 8:00 pm. So the NHTSA will have to grant extensions to the submission process. Here is what one dealer shared:
“To better meet the high demand we’re experiencing, we have temporarily shut down the service so we can expand our capacity to more quickly serve your requests. Please visit the site at a later time. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
The NHTSA website obviously could not handle the load and has been temporarily shutdown. Is anyone surprised by this?

CASH for clunker interest is waning......

2009-08-20T10:03:00.000-05:00

Cash for Clunkers heading to junk yard
Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer, Last Updated: August 20, 2009: 10:28 am ET

How long will this green program last? If you have one of these clunkers, get in there and make a deal, negotiate SOON!!

Dealers are pulling out of the program due to worries about repayments and limited availability of fuel efficient cars. But customers are losing interest as well. Customers are also losing interest in the program. Information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that the daily pace of clunker program sales in recent days was about 17,500, down about 40% from the peak levels of 30,000 a day in early August.

Part of the slowdown in sales may be due to a limit to the number of customers who own clunkers who have the financial wherewithal to close a deal. In addition, automakers and their dealers are running out of the fuel efficient cars that have been popular with buyers. Limited supplies have driven up the cost of a new car to near or even above sticker prices, negating the advantage of the program.

"The $4,500 might seem like a great deal. But if you pay $2,000 over sticker for a car that normally sells for $2,000 under sticker, it's no longer a great deal," said Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends and insights for car pricing tracker True Car.com.

Some car buying experts have also suggested that consumers interested in fuel efficient cars who don't have a clunker to trade in should postpone their purchases until prices can get back to normal.

CNN's Paul Courson contributed to this report.

Green Living Fair and Renewable Round Up Sept 25-27

2009-08-19T16:27:00.000-05:00

In Frederickburg, TX this year's Renewable Energy Round Up and Green Living Fair is scheduled with a whole bunch of green products and processes being explained. Here is how to get there:
http://theroundup.org/?page_id=30

Subjects include: Solar - Wind - Geothermal - Water Use & Reuse - Energy Conservation - Rainwater Harvesting - Green & Sustainable Building - Organic Growing - Alternative Transportation - Straw Bale Construction - Exhibits - Recycling - Composting - Eco Friendly Products - Natural & Organic Cooking Demonstratins - Educational Family Activities. There will also be Veggie, Organic and a Natural Food Court! Speakers will address: topics ranging from community wind to emission issues, to organic gardening, biodiesel, green building, sustainable living to rain water harvesting.

WHAT! Green is low priority??!!

2009-08-18T09:20:00.000-05:00

Get out of here! Today On Inman News, apparentement, 'Green' is a low real estate priority? The Better Homes and Gardens magazine survey of readers said they most value ample storage space (74 percent) and closet space (74 percent) as very important in house hunting, while just 22 percent said they rate "eco-friendly" features as very important. Uh-huh, survey method and sampling are very important, don't you think?

GREEN TRENDS for Green Living

2009-08-18T08:58:00.000-05:00

As you know, absolutely everything is G R E E N! This is a sweet website for green trend watchers! Greenertrends.com has mucho mucho for you: eco-gift cards, clothes made from coffee, green daycare, kiddie bags made from recycled soda bottles, handbags made from used car upholstry, and mucho mas! This one provides weekly green tips and ways to "learn, live, and save."

ENERGY EFFICIENT REHAB Advisor Tool

2009-08-13T10:59:00.000-05:00

Check out this tool that could be helpful to you folks wanting to improve or rehab/renovate your homes. It serves all regions of the U.S., but does give you local information also. The "Energy Efficient Advisor" describes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) guidelines for conducting energy efficient housing rehabilitation. They recommend following these energy efficiency guidelines when undertaking any type of renovation project in single family and multifamily housing, whether it is privately-owned or public housing. Kind of interesting I thought for a nice general overview of energy efficiency criteria that are nice to have in one place.

1st Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of 8K expires Nov 30th

2009-08-06T10:35:00.000-05:00

http://www.realtor.org/home_buyers_and_sellers/2009_first_time_home_buyer_tax_credit_how_to

How to Get the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit
Here's what you have to do to get your benefit:

1.Close on your home purchase by November 30, 2009,
2.Ensure that you are a qualified first-time buyer under IRS guidelines,
3.Decide which year to file under, 2008 or 2009,
4.File an amended 2008 return or choose to apply the credit to your 2009 tax return.

Houston Recycling Companies

2009-08-02T21:57:00.000-05:00

"The EnviroHealth website grew out of a town meeting, Environmental Health in Our Neighborhoods: Speaking Out About Pollution and Health, that was co-sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, with the support and collaboration of the regional NIEHS Centers as well as area universities, organizations and individuals. From surveys, questions raised at the meeting and post-meeting discussions, three community-based task forces were formed to address the primary concerns raised by the Houston-area community. This website grew out of that effort." Their website has one of the best maps of recyclilng companies and their drop off locations all around Houston.

ALSO check out this comprehensive Earth 911 website that has all sorts of contacts for Recycling from Home - Mail Back Programs.

HYDRO GREEN ENERGY CO in our backyard!

2009-07-29T14:43:00.000-05:00

I bet you didn't know we had a green energy company right in our backyard that created the first hydrokinetic power station in U.S. history for a project in Hastings, Minnesota.

They are a Texas-based LLC focused on renewable energy systems development and integrator operations in the waterpower industry. Hydro Green Energy’s hydrokinetic power systems generate electricity exclusively from moving water (river currents, tidal currents and ocean currents) without having to first construct dams, impoundments or conduits. They also developed a patented technology that allows for power generation at existing non-powered lock and dam infrastructure. This technology can also be deployed in the cooling water discharge systems at thermal power plants (coal, nuclear) for energy recovery or energy efficiency purposes and is called Efficiency+™.

Hydro Green Energy holds U.S. Patent # 6955049, two international patents and has over 100 U.S. and International Patents pending on the Company's core technologies. Hydro Green Energy is the only U.S. company with a commercial, federally-licensed hydrokinetic power project.

Thorium Energy - The Green Alternative?

2009-07-24T15:53:00.000-05:00

From the website: http://www.thoriumenergyalliance.com/index2.html

Thorium Energy is "a superior nuclear fuel" when compared to uranium.
I don't know what to think yet, just found this...............

You can not use Thorium to make Nuclear Weapons
There is 4 times as much Thorium on the planet as Uranium
The United States has 1000 years worth of Thorium
Thorium Power will recycle and eliminate nuclear waste
The U.S. has built Liquid Flouride Thorium Reactors (LiFTeR) before A Thorium generator, LiFTeR, can be developed in a few years
Thorium creates less than 1% of the waste of Uranium Power
A Thorium power plant needs no pressure vessel or containment building
The cost per Megawatt would be less than 2 million dollars

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

For more information: http://thoriumenergy.com/

Energy Bill - Bureacratic Nightmare?

2009-07-19T05:30:00.000-05:00

Do you believe the President's Energy Plan is a $646 Billion dollar cap and tax that will hit almost every American family, small business and family farm?
Do you think that family energy costs could increase on average by more than $3,100 a year?
Do you believe the hardest hit will be the poor many would agree spend the most on energy consumption?

HOUSTON's Multiple Listing Service adds Green Search Criteria

2009-07-06T19:10:00.001-05:00

The Houston Association of Realtors has made the following enhancements to their Multiple Listing Service and TEMPO as of 07/01/2009:

New property descriptions are now available to agents wishing to market the energy efficient aspects of their listings. The existing “Energy Features” field has been expanded to identify new building materials and building features that contribute to a property’s energy efficiency. The maximum number of “Energy Features” selections an agent can choose to describe a property has been increased from 2 to 14. There has also been a new field added, “Green/Energy Certification”, that can be used by agents to identify properties that have been certified by third party efficiency rating programs such as LEED for Homes (USGBC), National Green Building Certification (NAHB), Energy Star Qualified Home and others.

The following values have been added to the Energy Features field:

· Digital Program Thermostat
· Energy Star/CF/LED Lights
· Energy Star Appliances
· Energy Star/Reflective Roof
· High-Efficiency HVAC
· HVAC>13 SEER
· Insulation – Batt
· Insulation – Blown Cellulose
· Insulation – Blown Fiberglass
· Insulation – Rigid Foam
· Insulation – Spray-Foam
· Insulation – Other
· North/South Exposure
· Other Energy Features
· Solar H2O Heater
· Structural Insulated Panels (SIP)
· Tankless/On-Demand H2O Heater
· Wind Turbine

Attic Ventilator renamed Attic Vents
Heatilator renamed Geothermal System
Insulated Window renamed Insulated/Low-E Windows
Radiant Barrier renamed Radiant Attic Barrier
Solar Power renamed Solar PV Electric Panels
Storm Doors renamed Insulated Doors
Sunscreens renamed Solar Screens

Green/Energy Certifications added:

Energy Star Qualified Home
Environments for Living
Home Energy Rating/HERS
LEED for Homes (USGBC)
National Green Bldg Cert (NAHB)
Other Energy Report
Other Green Certification

Happy Fourth of July - A wee bit of American History

2009-07-04T12:04:00.000-05:00

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

Adams' prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.
One of the most enduring myths about Independence Day is that Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The myth had become so firmly established that, decades after the event and nearing the end of their lives, even the elderly Thomas Jefferson and John Adams had come to believe that they and the other delegates had signed the Declaration on the fourth. Most delegates actually signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776. In a remarkable series of coincidences, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two founding fathers of the United States and the only two men who signed the Declaration of Independence to become president, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the United States' 50th anniversary. President James Monroe died exactly five years later, also on July 4, 1831, but he was not a signatory to the Declaration of Independence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States) Reposted from Wikipedia F Y I HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

H.R. 2454 Clean Energy and Security Act

2009-06-26T21:08:00.000-05:00

H.R. 2454 basically amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to establish a combined efficiency and renewable electricity standard that requires utilities to supply an increasing percentage of their demand from a combination of energy efficiency savings and renewable energy (6% in 2012, 9.5% in 2014, 13% in 2016, 16.5% in 2018, and 20% in 2021-2039).

The vote in the House today was 219-212. It goes to the Senate next. Republicans were overwhelmingly against the bill, arguing it would destroy jobs not add any as claimed in the midst of a recession while burdening consumers with a new tax in the form of higher energy costs.

Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind reported that this "amounts to the largest tax increase in American history under the guise of climate change." What do you think?

These are my concerns summarized at: http://politicsandfinance.blogspot.com/2009/06/pelosi-energy-bill-or-check-your.html

Homebuyers Beware
Trying to save up for a new home? You may have to save up a little longer for your purchase. The Democrats’ bill would dramatically increase new home costs by mandating California’s expensive new building codes for the entire nation. Immediately upon enactment, the Democrats’ bill would demand a 30 percent increase in energy efficiency for new construction. A couple of years later, the Democrats’ bill would require an additional 50 percent improvement. These numbers were chosen with no concern for cost to consumers or feasibility in implementation. NO CHOICE, YOU HAVE to be ready for the additional costs. It is one thing think to CHOOSE to spend your hard earned money on energy efficient homes, it is another to be required to do so, isn't it?

Home Sellers Beware
Having a hard time selling your home? Here’s one more hurdle to jump: all homes sales are conditioned upon an energy audit and a new energy rating assessment and energy labeling program for your home that’s outlined in the Democrats’ bill. Now your home will be subjected to a new energy rating assessment and energy labeling program that will penalize you for older windows, original fixtures, and dated appliances. So the Democrats’ bill would bring down the value of your home. DID YOU KNOW THAT?

List of Energy Star Homebuilders in Houston

2009-06-16T19:08:00.000-05:00

The homebuilders listed on this site are participants of the CenterPoint Energy, ENERGY STAR Homes Program, in Houston. For a complete list of ENERGY STAR homebuilders in Texas, please visit www.energystar.gov.

When you scroll over each builder you can tell how long they have participated in the program. Longevity is a good thing. Pulte and David Powers have participated longest in the program since 2001. In 2002, Trendmaker, Plantation, Pioneer, Partners in Building, Perry, Meritage, Coventry, and David Weekley followed and so forth.

It's interesting both Pulte and David Powers do NOT make it obvious on their websites that their homes are either ALL Energy Star Rated or even "higher performance" than other production homes. You have to do a little more searching than expected to find the connection. Unlike Chesmar, very obvious relationship to energy efficiency. They want you to know exactly how much higher performance their homes are in comparison to others. Go to www.chesmar.com to see what I mean.

Trendmaker on the other hand downplays the Energy Star participation by integrating it within their Smart Differences program that all their homes offer. Plantation Homes describe ecosmart homes and write the following as a footnote (much appreciated) to their ecosmart homes : "All new construction with a start date on or after 2/1/2008 will be built with these exclusive features. Homes started prior to this date include most of the features listed but may not contain all." To me, that footnote is clarity. Gotta love their green team for that. Just a recap for ya'll to get you started searching........

Resources for Eco - Green Conscious

2009-06-14T14:18:00.000-05:00

I appreciate these websites and magazines:

Eco Floor plans and more
http://ecolifestylehomes.net/plans.html

Cool green earth friendly products for your home
http://coolgreen.coolhouseplans.com/Products.aspx

Since 2008 EcoHome Magazine
http://www.ecohomemagazine.com/

EcoHome Improvement
http://www.ecohomeimprovement.com/

Green Homes Global - International Green and Very Thorough
http://www.greenhomesglobal.com/ourvision.html

DIY HOMES - green, energy efficient, environment friendly, and insect resistant!!!

2009-06-11T08:26:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you guys, but more and more I get interested in Doing It Myself (Yourself), meaning building my own house. Especially now that we have an incredible supply of high quality construction systems:

green prefab - http://www.mkd-arc.com/ (pricey but a long term high quality home)
prefab - http://www.fabprefab.com/
kit - http://www.shelter-kit.com/cabinsandhouses.php
structural insulated panel homes - http://www.siphomesystems.com/
LEED Silver certified prefab - http://www.livinghomes.net/primer.html;jsessionid=2E521F4692115E4345B0D3349DE99058
smaller green sheds and guest quarters - http://www.modern-shed.com/
modular homes - http://www.oakcreekhomes.com/our-homes/modular-homes/steelbilt.htm
completed factory built homes - http://weehouse.com/flash/SFWA_index.html
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.....

Granted not all the "categories" are represented above. But enough for you to begin or continue your processing. From the readings I have reviewed, certainly not everything out there re the challenges, cost, and controversies, but at least a cursory look....the claims are these are more durable, environment friendly, straighter, insect resistant!, and energy efficient. Just based on THAT compared to stick frame on site production builds, I'm leaning toward DIY homes. I am not totally sold, but this is a great start for goodness sake!

Is an Energy Star Home a Green Home?

2009-06-05T15:44:00.000-05:00

Laverne Williams from Environment Associates, a Houston Green guru since 1975, says "possibly, but not likely." From their perspective, for homes to qualify as a Green Home a house should satisfy all the following conditions:

1. Sustainable Sites & Linkages
2. Energy Efficiency
3. Water Efficiency
4. Material and Resource Efficiency
5. Health and Safety
6. Third Party Rating & Certification of Claims
7. Operation, Maintenance, & Homeowner Education

For the greenest of green, Laverne takes us all to task to abide by the highest of green standards. HOWEVER, Houston home consumers have to start somewhere and Energy Star is that place perhaps. Consumers begin awareness of an issue and take a long time to own it and make it their own in their own way. So while I agree with Laverne, I recommend we all be a little more patient with Houston home buyers. Until home performance and the seven criteria above can be understood thoroughly by a broader population, not just the hardcore Green folks, Energy Star homes should be considered less critically and more humbly.

For more information on Energy Star Homes go to:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_homes.hm_index

GOING GREEN: How to make home MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT

2009-06-03T12:04:00.001-05:00

USA Today has a wonderful little flash program that helps you figure out how to make your home more energy efficient room by room and area by area. Very nice little tool. Check it out!

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/graphics/going_green/flash.htm

US Green Homes Listings Website - but none from Houston included!

2009-06-02T15:16:00.000-05:00

Well I've been doing my research on other websites that provide similar cross referencing and analysis as we do re finding the green, environment friendly homes for you,............. locally. But none are around, none in Texas that is.....I'm telling you we are unique in this perspective. We conduct the research for you in order to better represent your eco and green buying needs.

I DID find the following: http://www.listedgreen.com/usa/. They list eco/green homes everywhere including Denton and Austin, TX, but none of our green homes in Houston showed up on their website. I wonder who is not talking to whom? Anyhoo, it is interesting if you want to get a quickie compiled list of greenie babies all around the nation.

The list of green homes we found by doing the research for you is: http://www.txrealestatecafe.com/GreenPropertyList.aspx Call me, Gisele at 832 229 4062! I will help you buy your new green home in Houston! Let me do the inquiries, analysis, comparisons, and negotiations for you! At the very least, I can tell you where to look for the information!!!!!!!

Obama Reveals Stimulus for Solar and Geothermal Energy

2009-05-28T10:09:00.000-05:00

President Barack Obama said yesterday that stimulus act funding is now available for two energy programs that will boost U.S. use of renewable energy: solar and geothermal.

Do you think building a new electricity smart grid and building 20 GW or more of wind power and 4 GW of geothermal and solar power in the next three years is feasible?

These additions would double the nation’s current renewable power base of 24 GW. What do you think?

Here is some of the news online regarding the same: http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/energy/23578/

Green Remodeling and Retrofit Case Studies

2009-05-20T14:03:00.000-05:00

I just posted a short entry on the greenbuildingadvisor website. I want to make sure everyone gets a chance to review their detailed case studies of green remodeling, green retrofit and even deep green retrofit that are available. So I am selecting this webpage within as one focus.

Go to: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/green-basics/remodel-project-deep-energy-retrofit.

Fabulous photos, easy to use, definitions provided in a visually simple and appealing manner. Gotta love it. There are useful case studies here to be cafefully considered for our own local needs in Houston. We have plenty of 40,50, 60, and even 100 year old ladies (homes) that could use more than just a facelift but also a complete organ transplant including an essential blood transfusion. Think of the life they could have with a deep energy green retrofit?!

GREENBUILDINGADVISOR.COM - what a great green resource!

2009-05-20T13:10:00.000-05:00

You VERY green greenie babies knew that many of these would eventually be available.......A website dedicated strictly to advise folks on how to BUILD green homes. But I think this one is fabulous. They have an encyclopedic area filled with tons of links to everything you can think of or ask about in energy efficiency, environmental concerns, and green materials and processes. Coming from the publishers of Environmental Building News and Fine Homebuilding, this greenbuildingadvisor.com website demonstrates the same thorough quality. The Publisher, Bill Tine also has many blogs on different topics. He surely seems to know what he is doing. Pretty darn comprehensive. They have a product guide and strategies and details tab. Everything a tree hugging environmentally conscious planet lover would appreciate. A definite resource for all the possible shades of green lovers that are out there. I am still coming through all the content pages on green homes and green home building. Have fun researching!

Miss California - Ask her to use her Naked Breasts for the Green Good

2009-05-14T19:30:00.000-05:00

Evolving Houston home buyers and sellers are just getting exposed to enough "green" labeling of homes, appliances, and consumer products to begin to conceptualize what green means in terms of environment, energy efficiency, construction, and perhaps even long term personal and earthly health.

But NOW many folks in the real estate industry are calling for the death of the term GREEN! Already! Stating it is too vague, undefined, basically a discombobulated elusive term that seems to travel too far and too wide for anyone to really understand that there are many shades of green in green real estate and in other green things. Phew! Among others Time Magazine, Esquire, Graham Hill, Ecology Today and Friedman address the death of the word "Green." These and others want Americans to kill the word green or at the very least consider a moratorium and add the word "sustainable" to their American psyche. For example:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1076341/the-obstacles-to-building-green-in-houston-death-of-the-term-green-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/18/5-writers-on-the-death-of_n_167557.html

But I ask; ever heard.............real change takes time? As with anything worth waiting for...."Change takes time. Change takes trust. Change takes risk. Change takes consistency. Change takes patience and intelligence and celebrating little victories. It isn't easy to change and grow and try new things."

I got part of that from a website that talks about behavioral change, but it fits here too!

So I think I should ask Miss California to use her Naked Breasts for the Good of Green.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-borowitz/miss-usa-vows-to-use-her_b_202163.html

"Ms. Prejean blasted the critics whom she claimed tried to silence her for her views on gay marriage, saying, "I intend to fight back with the two greatest weapons I have: my naked boobies." The embattled pageant winner said she would be both "tireless and topless" in her efforts to fight same-sex unions. She added that she plans to tour the country to speak out against gay marriage and hopes to draw attention to the issue by displaying her naked torso wherever possible. "I will go anywhere, anytime, anyway to make my case," she said. "These breasts are made for walking."

Perhaps she would use her "Naked Boobies" for the Good of Green and help me promote the life of the word Green? I could cover her in green oil paints, draw various shades of green architecture on her body in front of various green homes. Imagine Miss California laying on top of many spikey green products, maybe even washing green INTO a giant batch of flooring materials?...the possibilities are endless! I must stop the mind racing. Anyway, I don't propose that we get rid of it just yet. We must be patient. Kermit would be so mad.

Hydro-Stop: Environmentally Safe Roofing and WaterProofing!

2009-05-12T15:17:00.000-05:00

HYDRO-STOP

Love that name and the wet dog on their marketing brochures is even cuter.

When you want to have a waterproof and sustainable roof for the life of your building or home, your roof must exceed the highest standards for hurricane force wind resistance and solar reflectivity. Apparentement! So HYDRO-STOP claims it can save you thousands of dollars in reduced maintenance expense and energy consumption. Go to: PremiumCoat Roofing System to see if this waterproofing product will match your roofing needs and help you with energy savings at the same time. The non-toxic formulation is said to be easy and safe to install in addition to being UV and infrared resistent for added durability. Sounds good to me!

Big Grass Bamboo - Eco-Friendly Home Furnishings

2009-05-12T14:31:00.000-05:00

Another eco-friendly company that exhibited at the Houston Green Expo is Big Grass Bamboo. They are headquartered out of San Antonio, http://www.biggrassbamboo.com/collections/home-dcor?page=2. Every item Big Grass carries is a unique work of earth friendly art, handmade by artisan families in Thailand and Mexico. They work directly with the producers and can modify sizes to match your exact needs. Many Big Grass Bamboo items are available in a range of special order colors. Soon they will be adding men and women's eco-clothing and accessories to the website. See what beautiful products you can order!

Houston's CHESMAR HOMES - Energy Star & EFL certified for Energy Savings!

2009-05-06T09:49:00.000-05:00

Canyon Lakes West is an 1800 master planned community off of Barker Cypress and Longenbaugh in Northwest Houston. One of their builders is Chesmar Homes.

Chesmar Homes builds Energy Star and Environment for Living (EFL) homes that include many energy saving features. They set a higher standard of living that saves you money!

Not only that, but the 79 million large Generation Y (born between 85' and 05') is reaching peak buying age and they are very ENERGY SAVING conscious. So buying one of these homes now means you can benefit from the resale value in the future to a very large buyer population that will expect nothing less than greener homes with energy and environment friendly features.

Some of their Energy Savings and Comfort Features:
Energy Star Certified Homes with Advanced Lighting Package
EFL Heating and Cooling Energy Use Guarantee (limited)
EFL Heating and Cooling Energy & Comfort Guarantee (limited)
High Efficiency 15 SEER HVAC system with Trane condenser and 91% AFUE Trane furnace
Honeywell programmable thermostat
R-13 wall insulation
R-38 blown-in attic insulation
R-22 insulation on sloped ceilings
Foil-backed R-8 A/C ductwork
Polycel insulation around windows, doors, bottom plate and other openings
Double-pane Low-E insulated, beige vinyl windows by Champion (tilt-in for easy clean)
High-efficiency gas water heater
Natural gas cooking
Energy efficient Tech Shield or equivalent radiant barrier roof decking
½” Dow R-3 insulated sheathing, except windstorm areas

Tax Exemption for SOLAR powered devices in HCAD!

2009-05-05T04:56:00.000-05:00

The State of Texas offers this property tax exemption that allows residents to take an exemption from taxation (using form 50-123) of the amount of the appraised value of the property that arises from the installation or construction of a solar or wind-powered energy device that is primarily for the production and distribution of of thermal, mechanical, or electrical energy for on-site use, or devices used to store that energy. "Solar" is broadly defined to include a range of biomass technologies.
Example: If your property is valued and taxed at $150,000 and you add a $15,000 system that increases the property value, the exemption applies to the added value, so with the exemption you will only be taxed on the property value before you added the "green" system to your improved green home. Here is the form you fill out if you want to take advantage of this great tax exemption: http://www.hcad.org/pdf/11-27.pdf GO TEXAS! If you want to find more exemptions to save you GREEN MONEY for your green homes go to: http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map2.cfm?CurrentPageID=1&State=TX&RE=1&EE=1

Local Rainwater Harvesting on Decatur Street in Houston

2009-05-01T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Decatur Parking lot project was designed to encourage civil engineers and landscape architects to use sustainable urban design. Through low impact development techniques such as rain water harvesting, infiltration, and use of native plants; the architecture firm English & Associates was able to upgrade their office parking lot. The parking lot is now used to capture and reuse 16,000 gallos of rain water for irrigation!
For more information about the Atlantic Raintank System they used, go to: http://www.ecosvs.com/sw_mgt_green_bldg.html

Sustainliving.org - GREAT RESOURCE for eco living!

2009-04-25T17:10:00.000-05:00

At the Houston Green Expo, we found a lovely educational organization that provides fabulous basic information on recycling, alternative transportation, and organic/local foods. This web site presents many helpful concepts regarding sustainable living and eco friendly being in general through elaborate discussion and useful illustration. And they have an awesome excel worksheet that compiles a long list of where to recycle many household goods. Goto: http://www.sustainliving.org/files/recycling_locations2.xls to review and learn where to go submit your items for recycling to help the environment!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

2009-04-22T08:56:00.001-05:00

Our Mayoral candidate Peter Brown gives us 5 STEPS to becoming a cleaner & greener Houston:

Step One: REDUCE WASTE THROUGH GREENER BUILDING

Step Two: EXPAND SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING TO ENTIRE CITY

Step Three: MODERNIZE OUR ELECTRIC GRID AND USE MORE GREENER ENERGY

Step Four: INCREASE MOBILITY OPTIONS TO REDUCE CONGESTION AND POLLUTION

Step Five: STOP ILLEGAL POLLUTERS WITH NEW STANDARDS

SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT START! If you want to read more about his plan for Houston go to: www.peterbrownformayor.com.

EARTH DAY April 22nd is a day of awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in in 1970 and is celebrated in many countries every year. This date is Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

Post Green Expo Learnings - green home info and eco products galore!

2009-04-21T07:38:00.001-05:00

I attended the Houston Green Expo and came away with lots of new information! In my next few posts I will highlights some products and processes available to Houstonians. One of these products was the GREENGRID Green Roof System. It's great to see these deeper shades of green alternatives at the Houston Green Expo. The GreenGrid Green Roof System apparently is simpler because it has preplanted modules and movable lightweight modular features when compared to other green roof systems.

Green roofs are not new. They have been around since the 1970's. Europe has over 100 million square feet of planted roofs today. The benefits are excellent insulation, blankets for wind erosion, and stormwater retention. For more information go to: www.greengridroofs.com. Stay tuned for more environmentally friendly and eco home products.

Gulf Coast and Houston Green EXPO April 16 - 19 @ RELIANT PARK

2009-04-15T19:29:00.000-05:00

For green professionals there is the Gulf Coast Green 2009 SYMPOSIUM. This is the leading green building conference targeted to design and construction professionals organized by the AIA Houston Committee on the Environment. This year’s explores sustainable principles and practices at a community scale. GCG 2009 will take place on April 16 and 17 at Reliant Park in Houston, Texas. Online registration for the Symposium ended on April 3, 2009.

ALSO DON'T FORGET the HOUSTON GREEN EXPO is FREE and OPEN to the PUBLIC! Go to the Houston Green Expo for consumers at Reliant Park on the weekend April 18th and 19th. Link here for the map of parking and access to both events.

The consumer version is a collaboration of AIA Houston COTE and the City of Houston. It is the largest green product expo in the city, offering the latest in green companies and their products for living a green life. The Expo will also offer educational presentations targeted to homeowners and interactive programs for children and young adults.

Environmentally Friendly Green Car Hybrids with EcoGuide and more!

2009-04-13T10:36:00.000-05:00

At the New York Auto Show this year, environmentally friendly green car hybrids are being revealed for their alternative fuel systems! The Ford Fusion is on its third generation and looks like a much smoother operator, a great deal more appealing than last years. A few of them are:

*2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid - equipped with the exclusive SmartGaugeTM with EcoGuide and carbon neutral ecological plastic in the interior

*2010 Lexus HS 250h - first only Hybrid Lexus model

*2010 Toyota Prius - did you know there are 700,000 of these on US roads?

*2010 Honda Insight - on-sale already with (MSRP) $19,800 for LX version – making it most affordable new hybrid available in U.S.

I must say, these look much sleeker and wind savvier than their predecessors.

You can check out all these alternative fuel cars at their website. Goto: http://www.autoshowny.com/galleries/alternative

IceStone Recycled Glass Countertops

2009-04-11T11:17:00.000-05:00

If you want to be eco-friendly and help the environment beyond the typical recycling metal, plastic, and paper - Be environmentally friendly by remodeling your kitchen or designing your bathrooms with this product available in New Living at 6111 Kirby in Houston! IceStone durable surfaces are made from 100% recycled glass and concrete, and can be shaped, water jet cut, inlaid, mounted vertically or horizontally. Currently, there are 27 colors available, but the color palette is infinite.

IceStone durable surfaces are strong like granite, not as porous as marble and heat-resistant like stone. The chemical composition is benign and 99.5% inorganic, making IceStone a very safe material from the standpoint of toxicity and fire resistance. Instead of granite for your kitchen and bathroom countertops?

Goto: http://www.newliving.net/products/

EARTH DAY HOUSTON - April 22nd @ Discovery Green

2009-04-08T15:49:00.000-05:00

"All the Earth Day Houston events are free. Most of the activities will be divided into zones:

• Air Zone includes smelly scavenger hunts for hidden air-pollution sources and a find-it-and-fix-it leak-detection test.

•Land Zone offers activities to help people with the four R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle and respect the Earth.

•Water Zone involves interactive activities, a look at a pile of trash gathered from Houston’s bayous, games and puzzles.

•Renewable Energy Zone has solar ovens, displays and a microwave powered by solar and wind energy.

• Environmental Education Zone houses 30 local green nonprofits.

• Kids Energy Zone includes inflatables, recycled art and the Discovery Green playground."

5 INNOVATIVE HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY TRENDS

2009-04-02T12:22:00.000-05:00

The U.S. News World Report, April 2009 edition, has a great article on the five newest whiz bang energy efficiency ideas! The article is titled, "Brainpower and the 21st Century House." For more information go to: www.usnews.com.

1. NEXT-GEN WINDOWS - tint that changes!
2. AEROGEL INSULATION from NANO technology
3. LED LIGHTING - converting more energy to light
4. HYDROGEN POWERED FUEL CELLS - the only by product is water and heat!
5. SMART HOMES - energy grids connecting devices to Internet & one another, so furnaces know when to quit blowing and lamps dim or switch off!

Mayor's Office GREEN HOUSTON Website

2009-03-29T12:35:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder that our Mayor's Office has a green website where lots of useful information is provided on energy efficiency, conservation, green spaces in Houston, home energy audits and much much more.

Also a nudge for everyone to review another website where everyone can calculate their energy savings, find out more about what to do to conserve electricity TODAY and get more tax incentive information on different kinds of energy efficiency programs, products, and processes.

Below my blog entries is a list of practical links that do the same, but some folks appreciate comprehensive local websites, so I am providing the following houstonpowertopeople.com for ease of use. Happy Reading!

Top Ten Tankless Water Heaters

2009-03-28T12:32:00.000-05:00

Remodelhomeguide.com provides you with a succinct intro into the tankless water heater discussion and gives you their selection of top ten tankless water heater brands.

What is a tankless water heater?
A tankless water heater is a major appliance that heats water as it is needed. For this reason, it is often referred to as an "on demand" water heater. The traditional storage tank water heaters keep large quantities of water heated whether or not the water is about to get used. The energy savings from using a tankless water heater instead of a storage tank water heater are projected to be between 15% and 40%.

There are basically three reasons to buy a water heater:

You are tired of paying high energy bills, and have determined that a tankless water heater is a good long-term investment.
Your current water heater is broken and it cannot be repaired.
Your old water heater regularly fails to provide a sufficient supply of hot water.

Renewable Energy can create 300,000 new jobs!

2009-03-27T07:51:00.000-05:00

If the U.S. shifted toward more renewable wind and solar power it would create thousands of jobs and lower energy bills. This shift would also generate new income for rural residents and greatly reduce carbon emissions, according to a new analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The UCS released a study on March 24th showing that if utilities were required to obtain 25 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2025 it would:

Create nearly 300,000 new domestic jobs and save consumers some $65 billion in lower gas and electricity bills through 2025; up to $95 billion through 2030. Pretty nice upside for renewable energy sources and energy efficiency!

very cool Environmental Information Portal

2009-03-26T19:46:00.000-05:00

Earthtrends.wri.org is a useful expansive website that has many week's worth of learning about world wide energy and resource issues. They need to update the Carbon Emissions Per Capita Maps to 2009 numbers or at least update their 1999 figures and visuals. But other than that, whoah! Tons of information and visual guides on energy efficiency, biodiversity, freshwater resources, climate, atmosphere and much much more. Check it out!

Energy Efficient SMALL HOUSE TOUR March 28 & 29

2009-03-23T08:19:00.001-05:00

SMALL HOUSES X9
"In Houston, where McMansions reign and Hummers patrol, living small is not yet the norm, but it is a growing trend. The 2009 RDA Architecture Tour will highlight innovative examples of small houses, under 2,000 square feet.

This phenomenon of building small was recently featured in The Economist.

From an intricately designed, energy-efficient, entirely repeatable row house, to a creatively retrofitted, unique shipping container, the range of how Houstonians are living small is broad. Included in the lineup is the 99k House and the Rice School of Architecture Solar Decathlon House, both under 1,500 square feet.

This year's tour will be held Saturday and Sunday, March 28-29, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m."

For more information go to: http://rda.rice.edu/index.php?topgroupid=6&subgroupid=34&groupid=78

Austin SOLAR Development Co will create Green Jobs

2009-03-20T09:49:00.000-05:00

The Austin city council approved of plans for Gemini Solar Development Company to build a 30-megawatt solar power plant on 350 acres of city owned land near Webberville. Austin Energy General Manager Roger Duncan said it’s a significant step.

For those of you searching for a context to meet those in the industry of solar energy, research this company and make your cold calls! This is a great time to show your interest in renewable energy. Not to mention the opportunity to live in and near Austin, a wonderful city to begin a new career. Make your rounds and cozy up to these Gemini Co. folks NOW and get ahead of the pack!

The Gemini Solar Development Company is a joint venture that develops, finances and operates photovoltaic projects 10 megawatts and larger. Gemini Solar combines the strengths of two highly experienced organizations; MMA Renewable Ventures, the leader in financing and developing large-scale solar projects, and Suntech, a global manufacturer of photovoltaic cells and modules.

Advanced Environmental Air Technology

2009-03-18T07:10:00.000-05:00

EPA's Freon R 22 Phase Out Mandate begins January 1, 2010. New Legislature is introducing NO (R-22) Freon equipment. This will impact how you dispose of and replace air control equipment. With this new law, there are stronger guidelines for efficiency ratings, ducting, and air purity.

Since 1988 Advanced Air Technology has been a Green company that recycles 95% of all waste and requires their tech's to be certified and gain continuing expertise in the most advanced air polution control technologies. What does this mean for consumers? Go to http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/phaseout/22phaseout.html for more information on the Freon R 22 Phase out.

Another Free Energy Audit and Improvement Co. FLC

2009-03-11T19:26:00.000-05:00

FLC is a company that can help you reduce your utility bills and improve your energy efficiency in your home AT NO COST.

WHAT WORK IS DONE: They work on duct, infiltration, and ceiling insulation. From blowing loose-fill cellouse insulation in your attic to a R-30 level they also reconnect disconnected duct lines if feasible, among many other tasks.

How it works?
FLC gets paid from the electric delivery companies. (Please see Texas Utilities we Serve to see if we serve your area.) The electric delivery companies are purchasing the energy savings we have provided you. As a result of these savings, the utilities do not have to invest millions in additional infrastructure like power plants and you reduce your utility bills in the process.

ENERGY Tax Credit to Generate 6 B in Remodeling Jobs

2009-03-09T17:30:00.000-05:00

Congressional economists project that the new provisions will generate an estimated $6 billion in remodeling work by the end of 2010.

Under the stimulus legislation signed by President Obama, the percentage of the cost and lifetime cap on these 25C energy tax credits have been tripled to 30% and $1,500, respectively, and the deadline for installing them has been extended through the end of 2010.

In addition to expanding the 25C tax credit, the IRS 25D credit for renewable energy products has also been expanded and is even more generous for specific improvements — including geothermal heat pumps, solar panels, solar hot water heaters, small wind energy systems and fuel cells. The 30% tax credit applies to these products but there is no cap on their cost through 2016. In addition, these credits also apply to new construction, as well as to remodeling and renovation projects.

Details on qualifying improvements are available on the Energy Star Web site.

Remodelers should familiarize themselves with the model types and products that qualify for the tax credit so they can advise their customers. However, they do not need to give their clients the product sales receipts to verify the claim. Certification statements in the manufacturer's product information may suffice.

Home owners can claim the 25C and 25D credits on Form 5695 when they prepare their income tax returns. They should also retain records that include:

Name and address of the manufacturer
Identification of the component
Make, model or other appropriate identifiers
Statement that the component meets the 25C standards
Climate zones for which the criteria are satisfied
Additional information for storm windows, if applicable
A declaration that the certification statement is true

For more information, e-mail Calli Schmidt at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8132.

Memorial Day Weekend Sales Tax Holiday for Energy-Efficient Products

2009-03-06T09:48:00.000-06:00

Don't forget, start looking now for your energy efficient dishwasher, dehumidifiers, ceiling fans, lighting, air conditioners, programmable thermostats, and clothes washers!! Under Section 16 of HB 3693 (2007), purchases of certain energy-efficient products during Memorial Day weekend are exempt from the state sales and use tax. This amounts to a three-day tax holiday beginning on the Saturday preceding the last Monday in May (Memorial Day) and ending on that same Monday. Isn't that fabulously green!

IRS Tax Deduction when you Recycle your Car

2009-03-06T08:21:00.000-06:00

What a great way to give back!

Cars 4 Causes ®, "The Charity That Gives To Charities" ®, is a non-profit, IRS Code 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity. We help people turn used vehicles into tax-deductions. Cars 4 Causes® has been a trusted avenue since 1997 for its donors. To date, we’ve contributed $20 million from vehicle donations to charities. The Cars 4 Causes® story began with one simple need which has since expanded into many programs.

Generation Y & more should consider GREEN JOBS!

2009-03-04T11:50:00.001-06:00

At greenjobsearch.org, a service of Green Jobs Network, check out all of these possible jobs in wind power in Texas! In this economy, Generation Y and those hurting in this economy, might want to move in this direction and consider their options. Check out this small slice of the green jobs industry in wind power.

The controversy in this area: Wind versus Nuclear

You wouldn't think that Wind Energy was actually more dangerous than Nuclear would you? But this is what I found reported by Eric Leech in Business and Politics. Interesting...

Thomas's 5 Bubbles of Green Building

2009-02-24T07:07:00.000-06:00

Here they are as per Steve Thomas! He helps us understand the primary holistic elements of green building.

MATERIALS - We are in Texas and we want to do "green" counter tops in your kitchen. Texas is full of local limestone which comes right out of the earth and is ready to use. Plus, it's low-embodied energy, because it requires little processing (other than quarrying) and minimal transportation (it's local).

WORKMANSHIP A house constructed in a quality way will last a century.

HEALTH Health ranges from indoor air quality insured by adequate amounts of fresh air, to issues dealing with off gassing from carpets, glues in materials, and paints.

ENERGY The more you improve the building envelope in terms of insulation, air sealing, window quality, even shading with trees, overhangs and the basic siting of the building, the more you can save on heating and cooling.

DESIGN Homes that are designed green are usually smaller, sturdier, stylish, smarter and easier to care for.

For more information see: Renovation Nation

Trees for Houston is at it again in Jersey Village

2009-02-20T08:28:00.000-06:00

Turning Houston Greener and helping residents beautify the city with trees! The City of Jersey Village and its residents have plans to increase their community's green scene. About 60 residents, including a Girl Scout Troop and Jersey High School students, joined forces with the city and Trees For Houston, a nonprofit group, to green up some bare land. Trees For Houston can help make any of the city's "wish-list projects a reality."

How Green is Ruggles Green @ 2311 W Alabama?

2009-02-17T08:35:00.000-06:00

Pretty darn green! Bruce Molzan, chef owner, has considered the environment in addition to the cuisine. Their recycling program not only includes glass, cardboard, aluminum, paper, and plastic, but fryer oil gets converted into bio fuels to generate recyclable oil credits that they donate to the Houston Bayou Preservation group. Employees wear uniforms and caps made out of hemp and bamboo. Menus are printed on post-consumer recycled paper using soy inks. Toilets have been replaced with Eco-friendly ones with two flushing options to conserve water. Ruggles Green has been certified by the Green Restaurant Association. Go to www.rugglesgreen.com to learn more about their menu and their Styrofoam free greenness.

WOW, look at this Home Power website!

2009-02-15T15:31:00.000-06:00

Richard and Karen Perez launched Home Power in 1987. For over two decades their mission has been to change the way people generate and use energy, one rooftop at a time. Over the years, Home Power has become the editorial venue for homeowners, business owners, and renewable energy professionals to exchange equipment, design, installation, and system performance experiences. Both Richard and Karen live off the grid and their magazine is a "great resource on renewables and other off-grid techniques written by people who've done the work for people who are ready to do the work themselves. Home Power is the magazine that shows them how to do it, what works and what doesn't. For those who aren't afraid to pick up a wrench and get dirty, good stuff," says -- George Mokray

Happy Green Valentine! - Green Remodeling 101

2009-02-14T09:58:00.000-06:00

What is Green Remodeling?
NARI's approach to teaching Green Remodeling is an all-encompassing approach that emphasizes making a home healthy, comfortable, and efficient. Consideration is given to indoor air quality, energy conservation, resource conservation, reduced material waste, and the use of products that are better for the environment (and for people).

Why Go Green?
Homeowners who choose to remodel green can lower their energy consumption by 30-50%.

NARI Past President Advisory Council Chair Everett Collier, CR, states, "Remodeling Green offers every homeowner the opportunity to reduce home energy demands, lessen home maintenance costs, and increase comfort. Remodelers are increasingly exploring green remodeling principles for their overall value for their clients and for the sake of the environment."

Free Energy Modeling & Assessment from IES

2009-02-07T08:02:00.000-06:00

Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) is offering a free plug-in for Google SketchUp that will conduct energy modeling and carbon assessment on projects. This software allows you to undertake energy performance analysis directly from your SketchUp Model.

This new application helps make the knowledge and analysis of energy performance in your homes even that more accessible!

EnviroMAPPER for Envirofacts on your Neighborhood and more!

2009-02-05T12:21:00.000-06:00

The EnviroMapper is a U.S EPA tool that combines interactive maps and aerial photography to display facility-based information from the Envirofacts Warehouse.

There are now six geographically based selection options to help you zoom into areas of interest. You can search for Water Discharges, Superfund sites, Hazardous sites, Toxic releases, and Air releases in your neighborhood among many others. Explore the EnviroMapper and learn more about what is going on in your neighborhood.

BEAZER Eco Homes Sales Weekend Event Feb 6 - 8

2009-02-03T18:29:00.000-06:00

A brand new Houston Beazer home with up to 10 eco-friendly features, like CFL bulbs in every room, programmable thermostats and EnergyStar© dishwashers.

They claim to have the best home prices of the year. AND $100 SMARTDESIGN Dollars for every $10,000 you spend good for additional energy-efficient home upgrades.

Email us to show you the Eco-Homes inside these Beazer Communities: Telfair, Lakes of Pine Forest, Pine Creek at Canyon Lakes West, and Blackhorse Ranch.

Builders Commit to Energy Efficient smaller homes

2009-02-03T10:40:00.000-06:00

The National Association of Home Builders report first time homebuyers (Gen Y, the largest share of the buyers' market) want smaller and more energy efficient homes to SAVE MONEY! Hmmmmmm, where have we heard this before?

Luxury homes that were 3600 SF are now being downsized to 3000 SF and entry level homes from 2500 SF to 1900 SF.

LESS I S MORE! For the full story from today's Washington Post go to: http://www.nbnnews.com/NBN/issues/2009-02-02/Coast%2Bto%2BCoast/index.html

What if Green was all about SAVING money versus saving the Planet? (at least for some)

2009-02-02T18:44:00.000-06:00

Some in the right wing conservative camp take offense to the politics and theory behind man made global warming. So I started thinking....you can be "green" and not necessarily care about saving the planet or believe in global warming but focus on saving money with high performance buildings? Here's a link about "integrated energy efficiency."

Who would oppose identifying with the green movement if it ALSO meant being aloof to the politics and theories? Everyone wants to cut their home's electricity, water, and gas bills by half or more with efficient building systems! Right? What do you think?

Houston Mayor has NOT SIGNED Climate Protection Agreement?

2009-01-27T12:32:00.000-06:00

In the largest Texas metropolitan cities the Mayors of Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, and even Sugar Land have signed the Climate Protection Agreement along with other smaller cities. But Houston is not on this green map as of yet. We have a City of Houston Emission Reduction Plan, but no committment to signing the Climate Protection Agreement from Houston Mayor Bill White. What do you think about this?

LESS IS MORE - Consumers want smaller and greener

2009-01-27T11:10:00.001-06:00

Experts from the NAHB and Better Homes & Gardens Magazine released some interesting research at the International Builder's Show in Las Vegas last week. They found that Americans aren't interested in McMansions or large homes anymore, they're looking for something more practical. They're looking for economic and cozy spaces with neat organization.

Consumers are reported to want the following features:

- "Wii-sized," media-centric family gathering rooms
- More storage to keep clutter under control
- Small homes with built in shelves for food storage
- Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems
- Energy-efficient homes with lower utility bills
- Outdoor spaces, such as a front porch
- A dedicated home office space

Let's review: Obama on Green

2009-01-25T08:41:00.000-06:00

Jerry Yudelson, noted green building expert and prolific author, explains how the Obama administration will impact green buildings. In short, according to Mr. Yudelson, the Obama administration will make green buildings a permanent part of the economic, cultural, and financial landscape.

GREEN BUILDIDNG WILL CONTINUE to g r o w 60% in 2009!

Building Energy Efficient Homes - ENERGY STAR

2009-01-19T12:23:00.000-06:00

To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes. Learn more about how Green Begins with ENERGY STAR Blue. Contact us and we can help you purchase one of these energy efficient homes.

Houston has a relatively NASCENT Green Market

2009-01-15T12:36:00.000-06:00

MoGo said... What stage do you think the green market in Houston is currently? January 15, 2009 10:15 AM

THANK YOU for your question. I hope this answer helps..............

The green homes market in Texas is relatively nascent, according to the University of Michigan's Residential Green Building Report (2007). They say education levels and demand for green products are lagging, and the Mayor of Houston is one of the few who has yet to sign the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Unfortunately, the city still maintains prevailing land-use planning principles that work against the basic tenets of green construction. Due to its size, the authors state that Houston has a moderate number of likely green homebuyers, but on a per capita basis, the city is relatively weak in the consumer element. Relative to Los Angeles, Denver, and Atlanta, Houston has a relatively small number of per capita hybrid sales and relatively weak demand for healthy foods and green cleaning and personal care products. From an industry perspective Houston has residential green building associations and programs, a very high number of LEED APs (about 650) and registered buildings (42), in conjunction with extremely strong statewide penetration of Energy Star homes (31% in 2005). This is a brief summary of UMich's report. For the complete version, goto: www.erb.umich.edu.

Prefab = Green and Environmental Efficiency

2009-01-13T19:37:00.000-06:00

Building a prefab home is Earth Friendly. Prefabrication techniques reduce waste, offer energy-saving designs and improve manufacturing and construction efficiencies. Copy and paste the following on the latest prefab news http://blog.michellekaufmann.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/home-power-magazine.pdf

Here are some interesting options for prefab:
www.bluhomes.com
http://www.prefabs.com/modern_prefab_homes.htm

Email us if you would like the Real Estate Cafe to provide your turn-key solution to buying a new prefab home! And Houston, what do you think of building prefab homes on INNER LOOP infill lots?

Houston's Only GreenToolbar

2009-01-06T11:32:00.000-06:00

The Real Estate Cafe has created a Green Toolbar that gives users immediate access to all that's Green in Houston Real Estate: Green Resources, Green Research and Definintions, Green Events, Green News, Green Rating Information, Certified Green Projects, and so much more. Anything related to environmental efficiency and eco-friendly construction. Download and install the Green Toolbar today and stay up-to-date with all that's Green in Houston Real Estate.

Yes, everyone should know about EFL!

2009-01-02T11:54:00.000-06:00

Among many green labels, an interesting option is Environments For Living!

Check out these homes that are EFL certified in the Cypress Fairbanks area. Not only great schools but energy saving homes. Go to:

http://www.txrealestatecafe.com/Far-West--Houston-Texas-Real-Estate/pd7600923i0.html

http://www.txrealestatecafe.com/Far-West--Houston-Texas-Real-Estate/pd3376688i0.html

Email me to help with the energy details! I would love to show you all the value added to your future home. gwaters@trecafe.com

North Texas RE Info Sys Adding GREEN Search Criteria

2008-12-12T09:24:00.000-06:00

In 2009 the North TX Real Estate Information System http://www.ntreis.net/ will be considering the addition of green labels for their search criteria. NTREIS represents 48,000 sq miles and 25,000 MLS subscribers. Houston's HAR MLS will be following suit as mentioned earlier this week.

What do you think of these labels? What green labels would you add?

Here are the NTREIS possibilities:
1. New feature group “Green Certification” with the following
HERS Rated
HERS 0-85
HERS 86-100
HERS 101+
Energy Star Certified
LEED Certified
LEED Silver
LEED Gold
LEED Platinum
Green Built N. TX
NGBP-National Green

2. New feature group “Green Features” with the following choices:
Solar Electric System
Solar Hot Water
Geo-thermal HVAC
Drought Tolerant Plants
Low Flow Commode
Low Flow Fixtures
Recirculating Hot Water
Rain/Freeze Sensors
Wind Power
ET Irrigation Control
Rain Water Catchment
Energy Recovery Ventilator
Mechanical Fresh Air
Enhanced Air Filtration

HAR will be adding Green Search Criteria to MLS!

2008-12-09T11:10:00.000-06:00

You heard it here first! HAR will be adding various criteria and green searching features to their MLS system! For example, new features may be grouped as follows.... “Green Certification” with the following choices: HERS Rated, HERS 0-85, HERS 86-100, HERS 101+, Energy Star Certified, LEED Certified, NGBP-National Green. The Real Estate Cafe will be helping them consider various green labels. Let us know what YOU want to see on the MLS system?

How BIG should Green Luxury be within the City of Houston?

2008-11-20T18:25:00.000-06:00

How big AND green should LUXURY homes be while using best practices in green building?

This is what Builder News Magazine reports regarding the size issue: http://www.buildernewsmag.com/viewnews.pl?id=1066

WOW, this is what happens when green and size meets political analysis!
http://crushliberalism.com/2008/03/04/econuts-torch-green-luxury-homes/

Green that changes the face of Houston's Infill lots?

2008-11-20T15:04:00.000-06:00

Tell us what YOU want to see in green homes inside the Loop? What kinds of exteriors, interiors, landscaping, roofing and other products would you like to learn about and see in the final products. The homes can either be retrofitted green or new construction green. We would really like to hear from you. Gisele Waters, Co-Owner Real Estate Cafe Here is an example of what other folks around the country are talking about: http://www.eco-infill.com/services.php