Image credit: constructionweekonline.in

Like many industries, innovations in green home building have become mired in speculation and myths. The heavy use, and often misuse, of  “green” messages across many industries has fostered a cynicism for some. While others are holding on to the early price tags or associations with the word.

However, like many industries, the building industry is always evolving. As we discover new information, technologies and products we have learned that green home building is not as much a type of building as it is the next evolution in building. Green and energy efficient homes are what have resulted from research and innovation, and with that understanding are gaining a much wider acceptance.

Here are a few of the top myths about green home building that we hope won’t be around much longer…

Green homes are no longer more expensive to build.
When energy efficient building products first came on the market they were leading edge, and tended to be more pricey that their traditional alternatives. We see this trend in every industry from electronics to clothing. However, as companies begin adopting sustainable, eco-friendly and energy efficient models in their design and practice the cost continues to come down. And most importantly, the cost of living and maintenance during the lifetime of the home is reduced with more durable construction and materials over traditionally built homes.

Remodeling a home is not always more “green” than building new.
Homes that were built 50 or 60 years ago were built with very different tools and specifications. For instance, some homes weren’t built with insulation at all and did not take into consideration environmental factors such as the home’s orientation on the lot to take advantage of natural sunlight and warmth. But as we learn more about how the environment around the home impacts everything from energy bills to the health of the homeowners, we are now building homes that are more efficient and comfortable when a remodel could not possibly meet these needs.

Green homes are not just for environmentalists.
Since we began building green homes in 2006 we have incorporated energy efficient and sustainable practices into projects for so many clients for so many different reasons. The top reason, however, comes down to increased durability, less maintenance problems and lowered utility bills. While there are environmental benefits to all of these factors, at the end of the day these homes are also better investments for our clients because of these same reasons.

As time passes and people begin to understand the benefits of using green practices when building their new home we suspect that there will also be a better understanding that green building is more about innovation than a movement.

When the holiday rush is over we are left with great memories, full bellies and a lot of stuff that needs to be recycled. Gift wrapping and bags are easy to feed back into the stream with curbside recycling in many communities or the many recycling facilities all over the metro-area (check out our post, Will it Recycle?, for  a location near you). But getting your live Christmas trees recycled can be a whole different story.

When the last cup of eggnog has been toasted and the last ornament has been boxed, here are a few ways you can recycle your trees in St Louis and St Charles City and County, and make your Christmas just a little greener:

Curbside Christmas Tree Pickup-Many local communities will offer curbside recycling during the first couple of weeks following the holiday. Simply call your local waste management provider to ask what their policy or drop-off locations, or if you receive email updates about holiday trash schedules check those. If you have any questions about whether it will go to waste or recycling feel free to contact your waste management facility to clarify, and if it is going to waste consider a drop-off location or chipping your tree for use in your landscaping.

St Louis & St Charles Christmas Tree Drop Off-Three St Louis City parks accept trees for drop-off two weeks after the holiday. You can bring your bare trees to Carondelet, O’Fallon and Forest Park in the lower Muny parking lot to have your tree recycled. If you are a St Charles County resident there are several options where you can drop-off your trees from December 27 until January 18, including Laurel Park, St Peters Golf and Rec Center, St Peters Earth Center, Civic Park, O’Fallon Sports Park, Founders Park, Progress Park, and Quail Ridge Park.

Recycle Your Tree in Landscaping-Mulch can be expensive, but really it is just made from chipped tree bark. If you have access to a chipper or rent one you might want to consider chipping your tree and spreading it in your flower beds. The acidity of pine makes for especially vibrant hydrangea colors, and they also make great winter ground cover for new plantings.

If you opt to have your tree picked up or if you drop it off at a collection point there are a few things you should do before you go: remove all decorations and lights, cut it into four foot lengths to be accepted and do not wrap it in plastic.

We do not recommend folks recycle their tree for firewood, however. There is a high concentration of oils in the tree that can cause build up and result in creosote fires in your chimney.

And next year as your family makes time to select the perfect tree, why not consider a tree with a root ball which can be planted it in your yard to enjoy after the holiday season has passed?

Kim Hibbs of Hibbs Homes and consulting partner Matt Belcher of Verdatek Solutions are partnering with the Active House Alliance to begin construction on the first Active House prototype in the United States in early 2012.

This custom home brings together expertise from industry leading sustainable building practices in the United States and the Active House practices that have been developed in Europe, and will define the next generation of sustainable building.

We are working with several key Active House Alliance partners in Europe as well as industry leading green building partners here in St. Louis to develop and construct the home in Webster Groves, MO.  The home is being designed using Active House Standards and to meet or exceed four North American sustainable building certifications: Energy Star, EPA Indoor Air Plus, Building America Builder’s Challenge and ANSI ICC-700-the National Green Building Standard.

Active House USA balances three key sustainability factors: actively balanced energy consumption, outstanding indoor climate, and positive impact on the surrounding environment.

To those familiar with green home construction practices this is all probably sounding fairly familiar. It is when you dig a little deeper into the three key components of active house building principles where you begin to see the difference. Active House specifications for the three key components are defined as following:

 Energy-An Active House is a building which is energy efficient and easy to operate, a building which substantially exceeds the statutory minimum in terms of energy efficiency, a building which exploits a variety of energy sources integrated in the overall design.

Indoor Climate-The indoor climate of an Active House promotes health, comfort and sense of well-being, is a building which ensures good indoor air quality, has adequate thermal climate and appropriate visual and acoustical comfort, provides an indoor climate which is easy for occupants to control and at the same time encourages responsible environmental behavior

Environment-An Active House building exerts the minimum impact on environmental and cultural resources, is a building which avoids ecological damage and adds to local biodiversity, is a building which is constructed of materials which have high recycled content and provides for its own recycling or re-use

These standards are all taken into careful consideration when deciding which materials and resources to use when building the home, and they are integral to the overall design of the home as well. Basically the vision behind an active home is one that does more with less impact.

Many of the major players in Active House USA met at the St Louis Home Builder's Association office to discuss plans and the project with the homeowner and Active House Alliance.

Russia recently unveiled an active house just outside of Moscow, and we are very excited to announce that soon Hibbs Homes will be breaking ground on the first active house in the United States! Active House USA is located just fifteen minutes outside of downtown St. Louis. This location is ideal because designing the prototype in St. Louis’s mixed humid climate requires that cold and warm climate specifications be taken into account, allowing for easy translations of the prototype into other homes in the United States.

Architect Jeff Day of Jeff Day & Associates is working with the homeowners now to define the design requirements, and the homeowners are excited to begin construction on their new home.

You can learn more about other active homes around the world as well as the active home movement by visiting ActiveHouse.info. There you can see photos, read about the other Active House projects and even download a brochure outlining Active House building specifications.