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.

Image Credit: thegloss.com

With the new year just getting started the gym is packed and downloads for budgeting templates are at their peak. While self improvement is an admirable and very popular goal, improving your living space can also bring a sense of calm and order to your life-a concept at the core of many top new year’s resolutions.

So while you’re plotting your reps, dollars or yoga poses consider adding these three design resolutions to your goals for the new year:

Learn to Let Go of The Outdated-This is probably one of the hardest things to do, but essential to making room for better design. From lamps to old light fixtures, holding on to something when it is no longer in use or no longer appeals to our taste is a tempting option, especially when you consider the price tag for such items. However, learning the difference between something that is classic and just needs to be spruced up and something that would only find an acceptable second life as an upcycled item is key to letting go of bad design and embracing good. Classics are items that are solidly constructed and something you could name the style in which it was produced. Something that couldn’t withstand being passed through generations or that could only be categorized as a passing trend is begging for a replacement and this is the year to do it!

Find Your Personal Style-If you haven’t done it yet, make this year the one where you identify your personal style. Do you edge towards the classics, super-slick modern, or combination of the two. Use a notebook or a site like Pinterest (you can find Hibbs Homes on there and follow some of our board for design inspiration) and begin clipping and collecting items that really appeal to your personal sense of taste. In short order you will start to see your personal style emerge and you can begin relying on that to make decisions when picking out cabinets or purchasing new rugs. Designing with your personal tastes in mind will help you to create a space that is perfectly suited to you-which will never go out of style.

Tackle a Makeover in the Room You Dislike the Most-Everyone has one, the room into which you never invite guests. Starting today make a resolution to get that room under control and begin planning your project. Here’s how to do it:

1. Start by setting a realistic budget for the project and begin saving.
2. If it’s a major renovation project you’ll need to decide if you’d like to tackle the project yourself or hire a professional contractor to handle all or some of the project. If it’s a simple redecorating project start comparing prices and places to find those perfect pieces.
3. Begin looking at photos on websites for inspiration and start dreaming up your perfect space.
4. Once you have all of the pieces in place and you have a plan for getting it done set your start and completion date and you can enjoy watching your home design transformation unfold.

You can adopt one or all three design resolutions for the coming year, and, unlike going to the gym or budgeting, they can be pretty easy to stick to. But one thing is for certain, living in a home that is designed to suit you does wonders for your psyche!

Design*Sponge at Home, $23.46 from Barnes and Noble-If you are a fan of good design then you are probably familiar with one of the most popular design blogs on the planet – Grace Bonney’s Design*Sponge. Well, Bonney has written the book on good design, and it has a foreward by the famed Jonathan Adler. Bonney’s book is based on the same basic principle that has made her blog famous-beautiful design is accessible to all – and just a few DIY projects away. Her highly anticipated book features home tours and projects and is the hot home inspiration compendium on the market this year. While it is available at several retailers nationwide, Barnes and Noble’s print has special bonus materials that can only be purchased through their store and website.

Moleskine Journals, $8.95-$17.95, Left Bank Books-Inspiration can strike at any time, and one of the most popular and high-design ways to capture those thoughts is by using a gorgeously bound Moleskine Journal. Moleskine Journals are legendary among design and writerly types, and their blank pages and rugged binding also mean they can withstand a lot of carrying and use. The journals come in two-packs and are available in various sizes from small enough to fit in a pocket to large enough to handle a page cut from their favorite design magazines. They are available in a variety of colors and make a great gift for anyone who has a creative bug in them.

Sharpie Stainless Steel Permanent Marker, $8, Office Depot-Designers and Sharpies are like peanut butter and jelly-you can have one without the other, but they are many times found together. This very cool stainless steel, refillable Sharpie marker looks great, works great, and makes a great addition to your favorite design aficionado’s collection. The printed logo seen on the plastic variety is replaced on this fancy version with laser etching. The tip is fine point so it will work for a variety of uses, and refills can be purchased online or at stores for around $1.

While  a gift card to UncommonGoods.com or even Williams-Sonoma always makes a great gift, these fun gifts are sure to please the avid home designer on your list.

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?

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.

Image credit: EPA

Recently we came across a great post by St. Louis Realtor Karen Goodman on radon risks for Missouri homes, a hot topic for many home builders and buyers in the St. Louis area. It caused quite a buzz among the Hibbs Homes staff.

To get some more insight on the matter we turned to our consulting partner, Matt Belcher of Verdatek Solutions. Matt, one of the country’s leading green home standards experts, recently joined our home building team and brings with him a wealth of knowledge not only about green building standards here and abroad, but also a very unique expertise with radon in Missouri homes.

A few years ago Matt received a grant from the Department of Health to attend a Radon educational symposium in Washington D.C. At the time, he was one of the first builders to begin roughing in a radon mitigation system during new home construction.

Matt said of the symposium, “It really drove home the nature of the importance of these systems in every home we have build. We are one of very few builders who do this or frankly understand Radon and its effects.”

Radon is naturally occurring, radioactive gas produced during the decay of deposits of uranium and radium in the soil and air. When radon enters the home it radioactively charges dust particles, which become carcinogenic and when inhaled can lodge in your lungs. In fact, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking, and the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers according to EPA estimates. And studies conducted by the agency show that even a small amount of radon can cause lung cancer.

As the map in Karen’s post points out, Missouri is located in a “median” risk radon zone. This means that while the risk is slightly elevated, concentrations are not as predominant as they are in areas to the North and west of us and mitigation is optional by code.

In terms of risk, Matt explained, “The maximum standard measurement level for Radon is 4 Picocuries/liter (pCi/L). However, that is a somewhat “arrived at” number. The average home has about 1.3 pCi/L indoors. The true effect of any Radiation is time vs. exposure. If you spend the bulk amount of your time in the lowest level of your home and are in an area with even lower levels you may be effected more than someone even in non-conforming areas but spend little time in the lower level.”

Now that many home buyers are aware of the risk a radon inspection is an increasingly common closing inspection, and if detected a mitigation system can be installed by a contractor prior to closing, which can be costly.

However in St Louis new home construction a more proactive approach is being taken with the knowledge that our area has a slightly elevated risk. In new homes a passive mitigation system is being installed in the form of a pip that runs under the lowest floor slab, and using the natural tendency for warm air to rise the vapor vents up through the roof. And even more progressively, Matt explains, “We always leave a length in the attic adequate to install a fan if our client would desire to make it an active system in the future.”

While radon detection and mitigation may only be optional in this area, a radon inspection and a proactive preclusion system is an important when building your home in St Louis to reduce your family’s health risk.

For more information about radon’s risks and effects we invite you to explore the EPA’s radon website, and, like most important homeowner issues, consult a trusted contractor or realtor.

A coveted tool is an obvious choice for the type who spends their weekends fixing, building and tinkering. But if you’re hoping to get a little more creative this year, here are a few gifts that we think really fit the bill…

The Gorillatorch flexible flashlight, $34.95 from Red Envelope It has been proven time and time again that having your child or spouse hold the flashlight while you get under the sink ends up with more conversations about where the light needs to go than actual time fixing. There is always something more fascinating and the light you so badly need will inevitably shine in that direction rather than the one you need it to. The Gorillatorch eliminates wobbling lights from tired or distracted arms and has three flexible arms to help is cling and direct light right where it is need. You can clip on a cabinet door, twist around a basement pipe, or even just have it set up in the middle of the room during a power outage.

12-Pocket Magnetic Tool Belt, $29.99 from Home Depot Now this is for the serious home improver, the guy who walks around with a hammer all weekend even when not working on a project hoping to find an errant nail to get back in line. From creating a set of built-in bookshelves to hanging cabinets, this magnetic tool belt helps keep nails, screws and tools handy even when working atop a ladder. As an added bonus, having everything handy also eliminates the need to have a helper in the room to help hand-off screws and nails when it comes project time…well a bonus if you happen to be the designated tool and nail handing person during projects.

360 Electrical Four-Outlet, Rotating Plug-in Surge Protector, $14.99 from SmartHome.com Sometimes it just takes a power tool to get a job done. And then sometimes it just takes a handful of power tools, and a workshop radio. This handy four outlet surge protector make a great addition to any workshop, and with the rotating plugs it also makes getting cords to stretch to the right location during your work a snap. This also makes a great gift for the electronics fan on your list because the rotating outlets allow for up to four of those bulky charging adapters that seem to come with all electronics these days to be plugged into a single outlet.

Home Improvement 1-2-3, Expert Advice from the Home Depot, $13.99 Amazon.com So a whiz with wood doesn’t always know what to do with a leaky sink. And sometimes there are home improvement projects that wouldn’t hurt if they had a guiding hand. This book has information on kitchens, baths, windows, doors and even laying tile. It also offers advice on the right tools for the job, which can help round out holiday wish lists for years to come. This great guide is considered a “workbench classic”, and makes a great gift for the beginning DIY’er who, a first-time homeowner or even the seasoned home improver to help them tackle new and different projects.

While tools, especially ones they have asked for, always make a great gift for the home improver, these gifts make great gifts that are unique, fun and at these prices they are even great stocking stuffers.

Hibbs Homes Superintendent Dean Holtmeyer discussing plans with a clients building a new home..

When homeowners first think about building a home, their search for plans often begins on the internet.  It is an endless and sometimes valuable resource.  While the price for stock blueprints can be enticing, unless you do your homework you could be making a costly mistake.

There are several factors to consider when deciding whether to buy plans online or have them drawn by a local architect.  In the St. Louis area, where we build most of our homes, plans must be signed and sealed by a Missouri licensed architect. These licensed architects know local codes which can vary greatly from municipality to municipality. While online blueprints are typically designed to meet one general building code, and if you request they be updated for your specific area the cost usually goes up.

Many time stock plans can’t account for specific site details you’d like or related to your lot, such as a walkout basement.  Also, depending on local requirements, you may need additional engineering work which can be costly if making major changes. What seems like an easy tweak could affect the entire structure from the foundation to the roof.  It may be better to start fresh with a local architect.

When evaluating whether to buy plans online the best way to proceed is –

1.   Review the plans you are considering to make sure they meet your needs without having to make changes

2.  Contact your local government’s building department to see if they will allow stock blueprints

3.  Discuss any special code and/or engineering requirements your municipality

4.  Get a formal quote including costs for changes to plans and special code and/or engineering requirements

5.  Compare the stock plans with an apples-to-apples quote from a local architect

If you simply choose the plans that seem cheapest upfront, you could be making a mistake.  Doing your homework will help keep your dream of a new home on track and on budget.

Chesterfield is one among many neighborhoods where Hibbs Homes has built new homes in the St. Louis area.

Recently Bloomberg BusinessWeek named St. Louis suburb Crestwood the best neighborhood in Missouri to raise a family in. Using an index that accounted for median income, crime rates less than 10% above the national average, education and closely located amenities cities were assigned a score and Crestwood came out on top.

Crestwood is one of a number of St Louis communities that are quietly growing due to reasonable home prices and boasting one of the top performing school districts in the state. But sometimes there are variables that just can’t be accounted for when using a strictly numbers based assessment.

Selecting the perfect neighborhood to call home is a very subjective and highly personal process, but one that can be well researched before making a buying decision. If you are looking for the best neighborhood to buy or build your family’s next home, here are a couple of great tools to help you make an informed decision during the buying process.

School Districts-Comparing school districts is a top priority for many families when choosing a community to call home. While standardized scores never really give a complete picture of the value of a school there are several factors that can be compared, such as class size, graduation rate and faculty certifications to get a better picture of what a school is like. There are several performance metrics that can be viewed and compared using the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s website under their guided inquiry section.

Walkable Locations-Many people are starting to realize just how important having a home located in a walkable community is. From a improved access to entertainment and businesses, to better health, to lower car and fuel bills-walkable neighborhoods are becoming a highly coveted and even factor into some green certifications when building. A great site we introduced readers to a while ago actually computes a “walk score” for any given address is walkscore.com and can help put your access to a town’s events and businesses into perspective.

Your Neighborhood-Many people will start the home buying process with a particular town in mind, but what about a particular neighborhood within that town? It’s hard to gather information about the different neighborhoods within a municipality, but an online tool that is really helpful in learning about the people and places you will call neighbors is NeighborhoodScout.com. With information about everything from how many neighbors support the arts to home prices you can learn about your potential fellow black-partiers by doing a quick search on this site.

Crime Rates-Always included in an analysis of a neighborhood is local crime stats. While there are many tools that claim to track local crime, the best and most comprehensive searches can be done on the Missouri Highway Patrol’s website, which also includes an offender registry and the ability to search at many levels. You can see the results for yourself by going to their website and using their search feature.

And nothing beats a resident recommendation. Try doing some searches for local blogs, and even looking at the town’s website before selecting your location or relying on indexes-you will really get a sense of a town from these stories and posts.

This stone niche was built into a custom basement finish project we completed for a client in Chesterfield, MO. The stonework is reminiscent of a fireplace and echoed throuout the space. Notice the old fashioned wood stove and the smaller, matching niche where the homeowners store their firewood.

Many family photographs and prized collections have found their home on the fireplace mantle, it’s sort of an old world trophy shelf, a place to display what is important to you and your family and add personality to your home.

But sometimes a fireplace mantle just isn’t a reasonable option for a room like the basement. And while hanging a shelf gets the job done it doesn’t add a lot of architectural interest to the space and can sometimes look like it is just floating on your wall. That doesn’t mean you have to forgo a special display space though, and it doesn’t mean you have to invest in floor to ceiling shelving to have a space that adds charm and character to your room.

Instead homeowners can create built-in, lighted niche spaces to display their favorite items and add interest to their room. Adding niches to drywall, or creating a custom space that matches other architectural details in a room adds a lot of interest and make a great alternative to a mantle or shelving. They also make great spots to store stereo equipment or even barwares in the basements as well.

These lighted niches are finished in contrasting paint colors, tile and lighting that gives the displays a museum-like quality.

When planning and designing a niche we recommend selecting a wall that is large and would otherwise look plain. It is also important to make sure there are no swinging doors that will cover the space, or potentially swing in and break items being displayed. The niche should be located between wall studs, and if you can find a stud with electrical running close by that will make lighting and adding outlets even easier. Alternately you could consider creating a niche that is in front of the wall, similar to a bookcase.

Adding finishing touches to your niche can also be as bold and daring or as traditional and laid-back as you’d like it to be. Consider using interesting stone, tile, a contracting paint color on the back, or even adding some wall mounted shelving to the space to give it a little more punch.

Niches are a great way to add visual interest, storage space and charm to any room where you have an open wall available to use.