Building 'Green'

[karma]

Sorry Chief, if this isn't in the right place . . . you can move it. We are seeing and hearing about this 'Building Green' but is it really true or just hype? Come on here, where were these folks along time ago? I don't see 'Green' building, I see more of them causing the same old problems? Just look at where the one they reported on this past weekend is located at? Please!!

[Chief]

karma, are you talking about the "Green" mansions that were torched by ELF yesterday??

[Waterbuffalo]

Admission of Mass Confusion here???? Karma, Please speak clearly, slowly and plain english instead of short sentences no one understands...

[karma]

Oh No, I forgot you two don't get the hard copy of the 'Rag' and know about the so called 'Green Build' that is being proposed for the Felida area?? It took up a lot of empty space under the guise of being 'Green?'

[Waterbuffalo]

I saw the green felida building on one of the local papers while I was passing in the local market. No, I didn't read it because why would a huge mansion be "earth friendly.."

Sounds like a Portland Hills home that's overpriced and way under utilized.

[tefen]

http://columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/03/03022008_A-green-house-grows-in-Felida.cfm

It says it's a 5900 sqft lot in a development called "the Bungalows". Could it be that someone is actually building small houses on small lots with the first time buyer in mind?

Probably not.

[Chief]

To make it pencil out, he must find a buyer willing to pay top dollar for a house with a composting toilet.

I think you're right tefen; tese are demonstrator homes, not unlike a "Street of Green" (bet me they promote it that way eventually...).

Throwing in percs like the composting toilet are nice, but the last time I saw one of those it was built in Sweden, and cost amost $10,000 (all stainless construction, and each one custom made...).

Projects like these are good for getting new technology out there in the Public eye but these are hardly meant to be affordable starter homes...

8)

[karma]

I believe you can order one out of TX, as I purchased one a few years ago for a company that I worked for. Nice little thing and ya know I'd love to have one here!! No $10,000 at that time.

[Waterbuffalo]

They're being built for a middle to higher income set of people that 'can" afford the taxes that will be imposed on them... Or showing off encruitments that no one in the average vancouver home could ever afford.

Looks like from Tefen's article these lots are all being used in some form of increased density where no one has natural lawn or places to put any flowers in..

[Chief]

There are a number of buildings in Downtown Portland that sport roof gardens, almost mini-parks...but the primary purpose is to use some of the rainwater instead of just letting it run off untreated.

In the next couple of years, you are going to see a surge in affordable solar panels for commercial and retail use. The silicon material that is needed to make photovoltaic cells is expensive to make with current technology.

But there are new processes on the horizon for growing pure silicon crystals, (one such project is under construction by Fleur up in Moses Lake, Washington) that will produce an affordable and efficient solar panel. Even in this area where the sun is limited, there is still affordable power to be generated from photovoltaic cells, if the price comes down low enough.

In addition, as I have pointed out numerous times here before, high oil prices make alternative energy resources more attractive. As long as the price of oil remains above the break-point price of $50 a barrel, many different alternative energy resources become justifiable...things like wind power, and look what these wind farms have done for employment in the State across the board from providing jobs at the Port of Vancouver to receive and process the parts, to many drivers who have to haul the pieces to the project site, to the crews who build, operate, and service the towers.

And along the way, all of those wind turbines are generating giga watts of clean electricity all over the world.

Look for smaller, highly efficient, and affordable home wind turbines in the near future. Lots of people live in remote areas that would gladly set one up...

My point in all of this is that there are many ways to "build green", and we are doing exactly that in many different ways.

[tefen]

Chief, I mentioned wind turbines at my house, and you said it would drive the neighbor's crazy. Sounds like maybe you've changed your mind?

I think the new generation of turbines are silent, so maybe that negates some of the concerns.

[karma]

Chief, it's about if the soils can hold the added small density roof drainage and in the Felida area, well let's just say it's not doing so well. If the Hearing Examiners' rules downspouts should go into dry wells and the soil is not draining, hence some owners put in French Drains to drain their properties and guess where these go?? Again whom enforces what is ruled and why isn't there a permit process for French Drains and what are these doing to the stormwater areas what were engineered for so many houses? Now you add FD that now drain off wet properties, anyone else see the problems.

Beside this 'Building Green' come on just some of those buzz words. Do you honestly think roof top gardens are the way to go, having folks climb to their roofs? What will really grow up there, anyone got a clue? More can be said but ya know, I'm not here for the hype and know . . . . . . . .I told you so is coming?

[Waterbuffalo]

Karma, May be free flights off roofs for that environmental exhilaration of momentum airborne as they make their final descent on to hard surfaces if they don't watch they are doing up there.

I'm also not worried TOO much about water under the house or bridge? :-) At least at some point the water is going to go exactly where it needs to. Just not to every one's liking.. hmm Flooded basement sounds practical of a new duck blind for home kits?

[Chief]

Chief, I mentioned wind turbines at my house, and you said it would drive the neighbor's crazy. Sounds like maybe you've changed your mind?

I think the new generation of turbines are silent, so maybe that negates some of the concerns.

I've seen some small turbines out there with a blade diameter of about 3 feet, and judging by how fast it had to turn, I'm betting it has one hell of a generator whine to it. If it were over the fence from my backard, I'd be shooting at the blades with the pellet gun to try and unbalance it some night when the wind was blowing good and hard...

;)

[tefen]

http://www.pacwind.net/images/seahawk-1-lg.jpg

I saw Ed Bagley put one of these on his house on Living with Ed. According to the site it's got "silent operation". Wouldn't mind putting it to the test.

http://www.pacwind.net/#sea

[Waterbuffalo]

Hey Chief, now THAT'S a wonderful idea. Probably takes 1/10 the space than does the huge turboprops that come into the PoV?

Thanks for posting the idea...

[Chief]

Interesting. In remote areas this could literally be a lifesaver, and like so many other things, the more of them made, the cheaper they become. And with energy prives already sky-high, you look for the bargains whnever you can find them.

Case in point: there is going to be a bonanza of seasoned firewood this fall. Should be cheaper than ever to heat the house next winter...

[Waterbuffalo]

Is that piece metal in the middle or is it plastic? The white liners on the outside of that? Wondering about the potential weight issue if those were metal.

Interesting and space saving device.. Wondering why its not being promoted or have heard of it before??

"Case in point: there is going to be a bonanza of seasoned firewood this fall. Should be cheaper than ever to heat the house next winter..."

Is this from the blow down from the woods this last winter?