Real estate appraisers have an updated tool to analyze the values of energy efficient home features, which will help those features be reflected in the appraised value. In March 2013 the Appraisal … Read more…
Courtyard houses made a lot of sense. The residents got outdoor space that was secure and usable at all times of day; nobody had to lock a window or door that opened into the central area. It provided lots of natural ventilation. The roofs were often used for rainwater collection. Jennifer has noted that they have kept people appropriately warm and cool without high technology- for 4,500 years.
Now, according to the Wall Street Journal,……………..
The ECO-Cycle ™ Aquaponics Kit is an innovative retrofit system that turns an aquarium into a productive garden . Sized for a standard 20-gallon aquarium and suitable for smaller tropical aquarium fish and goldfish, the ECO-Cycle engages families and students in a fun, creative and productive form of sustainable agriculture .
If you are thinking of building a new home or making an addition to your home, including most pools. You need to read further. The following is an excerpt from the Department of Watershed Management:
Land development permanently alters the way in which stormwater flows across a site due to grading, compaction, and the installation of impervious cover. In order to mitigate these impacts, the City of Atlanta requires, in accordance with Chapter 74, Article X. Post Development Stormwater Management, that stormwater management measures be utilized when constructing a new home or an addition that is greater than 1,000 square feet of impervious surface.
Cork? You’ve got to be kidding!
I first learned about expanded cork insulation years ago when exploring the attic of a 1920s-era home in Brattleboro. I found a rigid boardstock insulation comprised of cork with plaster on one side. It was made by Armstrong, which was then a company making cork products but is today one of the world’s leading manufacturers of flooring and ceiling products.
It turns out that the product was invented by accident…….. read more here.
So welcome to the Active House, sponsored by VELUX, the big skylight manufacturer. It’s a new building standard that promotes energy saving, healthy indoor conditions with lots of fresh air and you guessed it, lots of natural light and ventilation from lots of windows and skylights…..
