Green Building Megatrends for 2012 BUILDER “Yudelson unveiled a list of 10 other green megatrends destined for growth in 2012, both in the U.S. and abroad. And while, like the rest of the home building industry, green building will certainly face headwinds in coming days—such as squeezed budgets among families and governments—the market is poised [...]

Here’s an interesting story: a company is hoping to be build a new town in New Mexico. Only thing is, you can’t live there. It’s a ghost town. The town (currently called the Center for Innovation, Testing and Evaluation) will have all the amenities that a real city would have, including houses and businesses. Everything would be fully [...]

Certification programs like LEED for Homes can be wonderful things, but they’re sure not easy! (Not that we’re saying they should be!) It’s easy for builders to fail certain elements of it — there’s a lot to remember. EcoHome has a wonderfully informative article that runs us through the potential pitfalls. Let’s take a look, [...]

Hold the Salt BUILDER “But perhaps the coolest aspect of this luxury residence is its water story. In an area where fresh water is often scarce, it’s got the requisite low-flush toilets (which use salt water) and a side yard and third-floor deck outfitted with synthetic turf. To keep the natural landscaping healthy and prevent [...]

What exactly makes a home green? Consumers and builders alike are torn. According to a recent survey from the Whirlpool Corporation and Habitat for Humanity International, the most common definition for a green home among builders and consumer was one that reduces energy and water consumption. About one-third of respondents from both groups agreed. Twenty-three [...]

11 Hot Green Building Trends to Warm Up To Building-Products.com “More people are going green each year, and there is nothing that will stop this trend. In fact, it is accelerating each year. As a result, we expect to see considerable interest in green products that promote water conservation and energy efficiency, including fixtures and [...]

Chat with Michael Matson for a few minutes and you’ll learn his philosophies about green building balance passion, practicality and wit. For this week’s BuildChat, Matson advises builders to take steps toward greener construction, but only within your client’s budget and comfort zone. What’s the biggest misconception about green building? In my particular market: That [...]

With a new year just barely begun, it’s time to think of some resolutions. In addition to all the personal ones you may have made, it’s always a good idea to think about what sort of professional resolutions you can make. Here are a few ideas. Focus on marketing. Getting the word out can differentiate [...]

Happy New Year readers! Here’s to 2011 being a year of recovery, rebuilding and well, just plain old building. Before we begin blogging this year, we wanted to take a look back at the top five posts of 2010. Enjoy! Amazing builder videos DeWalt-16 Nail Gun by David Wiggins Q&A with green builder Matt Risinger [...]

A few weeks ago, Daily5Remodel reported on a McGraw-Hill Construction study that showed green building soaring as a segment of the building industry while total construction starts plummeted by more than a quarter in the past two years. Of course, new construction isn’t the only realm in which energy efficiency and sustainability are important players. [...]