The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting an active 2012 tornado season in the Midwest. And on the heels of a widespread and very deadly 2011 season, we’ve already seen a very active tornado pattern so far this year. There is only so much a homeowner can do to prepare for a natural disaster, but a recent study released from the United States Green Building Council and the University of Michigan shows how the practices and principles use when building green homes can make them more resilient during floods, tornadoes, droughts, and other sever weather conditions.

The 200+page study shows how the conservation of natural resources, and the high performance building techniques, such as thorough water and air sealing, help to reinforce the home during severe weather events. The study goes on to include recommendations on building techniques that can help increase a building resilience focusing on the areas of

1. The home’s envelope,
2. Lot siting and landscape,
3. The systems for heating, cooling, and lighting,
4. Efficiency of water and waste,
5. Recommendations on equipment, and
6. Process and operation.

The report states that when building a home, “A ‘resilient’ strategy will allow a system to absorb disturbances such as increased precipitation or flooding while maintaining its structure and function.”

While the report is rather extensive, many of the techniques and recommendations included fall in line with the green building techniques that Hibbs Homes and other green builders are already incorporating many of these tenets into new construction and remodels. While we’ve been evangelizing the benefits and durability of high performance green homes, it is pretty interesting to comb through the different findings and recommendations the USGBC and University of Michigan have culled and how those directly translate in the harsh weather realities that homeowners have to face and how these findings are helping with the Gilf Coast reconstruction in particular.

You can download the report and look through the recommendations by visiting the USGBC’s website.

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.

Our clients in Des Peres created a flex-room in the basement to accomodate eating and entertaining for their regular family gatherings.

There are several advantages to building a new, custom home in St. Louis. Utility and maintenance savings and low in-fill building costs aside, homeowners also get a customized space, or as many of our client have commented, they end up with their “dream home.”

We have heard a lot recently about right-sizing homes, and have seen the market edge more towards smaller, more functional spaces in recent years. Now this trend towards modest, customized interior design and home construction has a name, and a movement behind it-slow home design.

What is a Slow Home?
In it’s most basic sense, when building a slow home careful attention is paid to how the house is built to make sure the home is easy to use, and easy on the environment. Slow home building encompass green building, custom building, accessibility and the aging in place movements.

A slow home is a custom designed home that is built with carefully selected materials and design elements that are customized to fit the needs of the family who will live in it. For example, a family that cooks more than they watch television could elect to increase their dining and cooking spaces in lieu of building a larger entertainment room. Or a family that is particularly active could elect to design their basement to accommodate indoor physical activity during the winter instead of creating a multimedia room.

Slow Homes Are Simpler, Not Smaller
Right-sizing and custom designing for maximized use should not be confused with smaller homes. The size of a slow home is determined by the functions it needs to serve for the family, and superfluous details are eliminated. For example, the unnecessary lofts that were once popular in home design tend to be unused spaces so they wouldn’t be included in a slow home. Or a family could weigh the need for a double-bowl vanity against the need for larger storage areas when designing a bathroom. Simpler, not smaller is the credo of a slow home.

Does A Home Have to Be Custom Built to Accomplish This?
While designing a space from scratch can really make the most of slow home design, this is something that homeowners can and are doing today in their existing spaces through smart planning and interior decorating. Many people who own

small businesses repurpose bedrooms or even family rooms as offices, families who entertain a lot may switch elect to appoint their dining room in the larger space traditionally used for a living room. Selecting Eco-friendly furnishings, paints, and appliances that are appropriately sized for your needs also minimizes the impact on the environment, another basic tenet of slow homes.

In short, any home can be a slow home with careful thought, selection and planning.

If you’d like more information about the slow home movement, and the folks who are pushing this concept into the spotlight, check out this article from RIS Media. And we’d like to send a special thank you to the folks who have been hosting the Kitchen and Bath Tribe Chats for bringing attention to this great home movement during their chat this week.