[I invited Rob to cross-post his diary here because I had a hunch that many of you would also be intrigued by what it takes to create a “green house.” Doubtless, you have many good ideas to share. This is the first in Rob’s series. – susanhu]
Don’t be fooled–my name actually is Robert Green. I live in Southern California, where the sun shines most of the time. I live in a two bedroom house but now have two young children, so the time has come to redo this house so that 5 people (I have a live in au pair as well) can live comfortably. And now I have a chance to put some of my ideas about sustainable living into practice.
The intention of this diary series is twofold. I intend to put information out to the Kos community about what can be done to make a house “green”, and to get information back on systems or ideas i may have missed.
I also want everyone to be aware that I have the resources to do this in whatever way works best. I’m not particularly constrained by financial choice, at least not as much as many other members of the community may be. 10 years of tearing my soul out working in Hollywood (and a talented and successful spouse) have made this possible. but, much like the brilliant Alpha Geek diary on earthquake preparedness, when possible i will give multiple solutions to the same problem with different price ranges.
There are two reasons for all this–one is the sheer possibility of doing something good. the second relates to a trip i took down to La Jolla with my wife and children. La Jolla, for those who haven’t been there, is a particularly beautiful place, with rolling hills and the ocean right there with a huge bay. It is also full of new tract housing, the fancy expensive kind. It has probably 350 days of sunshine a year as well. As i drove by all those houses, i saw not a single solar panel. This was just too depressing to contemplate, in a James Kuntsler kind of way. I’m extremely motivated, therefore, to do this and do it right. I’ll be back in the next day or two with specs on the current house, and what i intend to do with the remodel.
Just went and recommended you at dKos. Good ideas, great concept for a diary series.
Love the idea. I’m getting ready to make a move to Ohio and will hopefully be a part-owner of some property for the first time in my life. We intend to green it up as much as we can, so I’m looking forward to your series and hope you’ll continue to cross-post here at the Booman Tribune.
It has probably 350 days of sunshine a year as well. As i drove by all those houses, i saw not a single solar panel. This was just too depressing to contemplate,
We have that going on here in the Olympic Peninsula. The spans of beautiful farm land interrupted by architectural monstrosities.
Homes should fit into the landscape on which they find themselves … like spooning in bed.
I hope that that’s a consideration for green homes.
I’ve been interested in more realistic shelter for some time, but no near-term plans to actually do it yet. I hope you’ll consider putting up a website to allow for more permanent info, details, and discussion of what you’re doing and how it goes. (And keep us posted over here, too, of course.)
i hope that in future posts i will be able to create a solid database of info for people, but i will still be talking, in some cases, about a relatively rarified world financially. it is my hope that others here and on kos will figure out alternative clever ways to get to the same ends.
in this, i am trying to get other people to do work for me for free. but, you see, i’m in the movie business, so that’s pretty much par for the course!
We waste so much in this country when it comes to housing!
Of course your diary was no longer on DKos..things tend to spin by fast there but come back to BooLand and I’ll be happy to offer my approach. I have over 15 years experience in green materials. More limited in design issues (I’m not an architect). My approach is pretty straightforward. Some things cost more, some can cost less and you can pay for it all with energy savings. Building green does not have to be rocket science, anybody can do it.
What I tend to avoid is all the fluff and nonsense I tend to hear from some parts of the green design community plus the false notion that all plastic based products are evil or that green must cost more. I’m more nuts and bolts.
Three things are important right off. 1) Location and orientation of the building. That has a lot do to with the energy it will consume. 2) The contractor. Whoever you choose to build it will come with their set of experience and preferences. You’ll want to make sure (I recommend in writing) that they will meet your preferences. 3)Size of building. I recommend building what you need and not going big. size makes for waste. I’ll get off the soap box but come on back to the pond when you have more info.
I live in Venice, and when I get around to remodeling (which means rebuilding, since I’m in a 1912 beach…um…shack) my house, I really want to go Green. Thanks for the diary, and I hope you keep us updated.
One thing…I’m from San Diego, was born in La Jolla, went to school at UCSD (in La Jolla), and I can tell you, they have a lot of foggy/overcast days there. Spring and early summer are pretty gray.
Which does not really excuse the lack of solar panels, I’m just sayin…
I look forward to reading more on this.
Thank you for bringing this here!
What a great idea for a diary series! Looking forward to the next installment.
I have friends who run a house, two barns, and a music studio on solar electric, totally off the grid. They do have a supplemental oil furnace, but heat primarily with wood. They remodeled a couple of years ago and did the change-over gradually, finally pulled the plug over a year ago. All of this is on an island off the coast of Maine, where we get as much or more overcast as, say, Seattle. If all-solar works here, it’ll work anywhere.
Problem is, we need some political will to encourage conservation and solar and alternative building styles, and the way to get that is to keep making noise and hollering at our “representatives.”