Sustainability and energy guide many aspects of life in Florida. There are many green, eco-friendly materials that replace the need for asbestos and can reduce energy costs annually.  

The implementation of eco-construction and green energy home solutions will play an important role in the transformation to a healthier and sustainable world. While we all use energy to power us through our daily lives, many people take renewable and sustainable methods for granted. 

Recently, congress passed an economic stimulus package that promotes energy efficiency for home and business owners. The American Recover and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 includes incentives for upgrading to more eco-friendly/sustainable methods of energy and insulation. The move to a greener lifestyle will build on the change to healthier methods of building products, home remodeling and renovation.

Some of the measures eligible for tax credits include:

• Sealing cracks in the building shell and ducts to reduce infiltration and heat loss – these should be sealed so as to be consistent with the 2009 IECC.
• Pigmented metal roofs or an asphalt roof with cooling granules must meet Energy Star requirements.
• Window films certified by the manufacturer that the product meets the requirements of a “qualifying insulation system.”

Asbestos was highly regarded throughout the 20^th century as an ideal building and construction material. It’s fire resistant, durable and versatile qualities made it sought out by many industries. Asbestos was used in industrial applications such as insulation, piping, roofing and automobiles. As long term cost and technology continues to evolve, so is the need for environmentally sustainable and healthy materials used for construction.

Many homes, buildings and public facilities built prior to 1980 may still contain asbestos and other hazardous materials. In many instances, the best action is no action at all. Disturbing asbestos in good condition may cause its fibers to be released into the air. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to the development of asbestos-related lung ailments such as malignant mesothelioma and asbestosis. There are a number of factors that can impact mesothelioma survival rate. These factors include latency period, age of diagnosis and cigarette smoking.

Most people are unaware to the fact that eco-friendly products can cut energy costs by 25 to 35 % per year.  Rather than expensive and mal-treated wood, interior walls can be made from steel and concrete, avoiding many of the problems associated with asbestos and other insulation methods. Green alternatives to asbestos include the use of cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose. Cotton fiber is quickly becoming a favorite for home builders and renovators. Made from recycled batted material, it is also treated to be fireproof.

The U.S. Green Building Council conducted a study which estimated a new savings of $50-$65 per square foot for positively constructed green buildings. As education and technology of green sustainable practices increase, the numbers will continue to rise.

Living in a world where environmental sustainability is a vital concern to the future of mankind, it is important to take note of the consequences of improper building materials and environmental degradation. These asbestos alternatives allow for a healthy, safe home, free of health damaging materials.

Green Cities is founded on the idea of activating local citizens and government officials to improve their surroundings and ensuring their future.  Despite how popular the green movement may be there are still the naysayers, dare I say “haters” who oppose moving forward with sustainability.  Build Baby Build recently ran a story about local opposition to wind farms, bio fuel plants and other green projects.  The article is a great reminder that not everyone is on the green bandwagon.

Read the Build Baby Build article here.

This is actually good news.  “Green” should not always be considered synonymous with “good” and opposing viewpoints should be welcomed to any idea.   Run a quick internet search for opinions on the proposed “cap and trade” system and you’ll find good points being made on both sides.   We know the importance of starting change locally and how difficult that can be.  Communities aren’t comprised of like minded people nor should they be.  What a boring world that would be.  Instead of isolating or dismissing those with opposing views, we should try to understand where they are coming from and what they stand to lose in a greener economy.  You can’t win everyone over, but knowing why you can’t will often make your position stronger in the long run.

If you were asked to transform a notoriously neglected city block in one of America’s most recognizable cities into a model example of sustainability what would you create?  Hundreds of designers, architects, students and engineers entered the Re:Vision Dallas competition to answer this question.  The entries were diverse, imaginitive and showed an incredible passion for the future of Dallas and the world.    Mayor Tom Leppert, Central Dallas Community Development Corporation, and Dallas community organizations have to come together to select a winning design and the top 3 entries are on display here.  Media kits are available for download below each design.

Eric Corey Freed was in the unique position as a juror for the competition.  Imagine the difficulty of narrowing down over a 150 incredibly intriguing and forward thinking entries into 3 winners.  Listen to the podcast or read the transcript below to hear Mr. Freed’s thoughts on the entries and what were some of his favorites.

To learn more about Urban Revision check out the websites www.urbanrevision.com and www.revision-dallas.com.  You can also follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/urbanrevision

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May 20, 2009

…Talking with Eric Corey Freed, organic architect, who is also a member of Urban Re:Vision.
So I just spent an hour talking to a room-full of people about urban revision and our entire story of how we started with a series of five competitions that looked at different aspects of sustainability, energy, water. And then our big competition which just closed in May, and we just had the judging yesterday, and we announce the winners next week of a city block in Dallas for a real block, for a real place in a real city that will really get built, and we pick three winners and three honorable mentions, and people can go online at urbanrevision.com and see them next week.

So if you can tell me, not the winners, but name an entry that you found particularly interesting.
There was an entry that I found very interesting that was a building that absorbed carbon and filtered the air, and they had a lot of science and documentation reams of paper showing how this could work, and it was a very intriguing idea of a building that’s truly regenerative not just in terms of providing energy but fixing some of the problems such as carbon emissions. There was one, actually showed it today that took aircraft fuselage, the tubes of the airplane, and cut off the ends and stacked them into a rack and became apartments, kind of a modular housing thing.

Very cool.
So there was a lot of great ideas. I mean the range and depth of the entries was phenomenal. In fact that’s what made it such a long two days because we had to narrow down 100 incredible entries down to three.

So you were impressed with the entries then?
Oh very impressed! It was far above what I ever could have imagined coming in. And they clearly spent hundreds of hours putting these things together.

So was it mostly professionals then who were entering the contest, or did regular citizens and students get involved too?
We had everybody. The entries were anonymous and then at the end we were able to look to see who did what, and there was a range of everything from students to big large gigantic corporate firms to everybody in between.  That was the real intent of the competition was to get that broad range of entries. And you wouldn’t know it by the entries… I mean they were just so overwhelming, but people can go online and look and see what was entered.

Cool thanks for talking with us!
Thank you.

Advocates of the sustainability movement may tell you that bigger is not always synonymous with better, but when it comes to solar power one Florida developer would beg to differ.  Kitson & Partners, in collaboration with Florida Power and Light (FP&L), have recently announced their plan to construct the world’s largest solar array in Desoto County at Babcock Ranch where Kitson has planned to develop 19,500 homes and 6 million square feet of commercial space on 17,500 acres.

Syd Kitson, a former offensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, has recently started a campaign to reinvent the American city. “Babcock Ranch will be a living laboratory for companies, workers and families ready to reap the rewards of innovation. No other place in America will be home to such a concentration of new jobs and technologies, energy-saving advances and global economic leadership,” states Kitson.  This reinvention will not only provide a more sustainable community, but this project is estimated to create 20,000 jobs with only a fraction of that amount to work at the solar plant.  The 25-megawatt plant with cover 180 acres of Desoto County and cost between $350 and $400 million dollars;  along with 3 other current solar array projects in Florida this will only add about .31 cents to the average Floridian’s bill.  Once completed, this solar array will provide enough energy for 3000 households.   The project may break ground as soon as 2010 and is provoking the accolades of Florida based environmental groups such as the National Audubon Society, the World Wildlife Fund and the Sierra Club.

Along with The Venus Project and Destiny, Florida, the “Sunshine State” is strengthening its trait as a creative hotbed for sustainable innovation.  The Green Cities Conference could not be taking place at a more opportune time in Florida.  Everyone is recognizing the importance of preservation and conservation, and using this new framework to discover solutions for our economy and environment.

*Note: If you were wondering about Syd Kitson’s NFL legacy; he played for 4 seasons as an offensive lineman and even recorded one reception for 9 yards.  He also played for one year in Dallas under the coach Tom Landry.

From Richard Cartlidge’s Green Building and Environmental Trends blog

You might not expect this from someone who has a blog with the word green in its title but the word green needs to vanish from our building vernacular! Why? When we call a building green we are using green as an adjective to set the building on a pedestal and show that it is unique. One of my primary goals with this blog is to educate individuals about sustainable building. A building requires a large output of capital, and should be built to last. Sustainable design and building practices represent the future of the construction industry, a concept which is widely discussed at Konstructr.This week Vik Duggal (@vikdug on twitter) discussed the concept behind Konstructr. If we take a minute to stop and think about his message it should become obvious that green is a word which needs to vanish from our vocabulary. Personally I cannot wait until green is no longer used in reference to buildings and returns to its roots as a word used to describe an object’s color. Did the Romans intend to build a green building when they built the temples or the Egyptians when they built the pyramids? No! They built buildings which were made to last, beautiful, sustainable buildings that are still here centuries later. Next time someone asks you about green building tell them its not about “green” its about sustainability. Let us all strive to build the temples and pyramids of our generation.

[ Read original article ]

Eric Corey Freed, who will be speaking at the Green Cities Florida Conference in May, interviews some of the biggest names in green building for Natural Home Magazine.

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To mark Natural Home’s 10th anniversary, we asked a visionary group of architects and educators to predict what will happen to housing over the next decade. The insights they share are surprisingly full of optimism, creativity and hope.

Our Panelists:

Gil Friend, President and Chief Executive Officer, Natural Logic

Pliny Fisk, Fellow, Center for Housing and Urban Development; Fellow, Sustainable Urbanism Center for Healthy Systems Design; Co-director, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems

Sarah Susanka, Architect and best-selling author, The Not So Big House series (The Taunton Press)

David W. Orr, Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics and Senior Adviser to the President, Oberlin College; Author of five books, including Design on the Edge: The Making of a High-Performance Building (The MIT Press, 2006)

Michelle Kaufmann, Founder and Chairman, Michelle Kaufmann Designs; Author, PreFab Green (Gibbs Smith, 2009)

Sergio Palleroni, Professor and Fellow, Center for Sustainable Processes and Practices, Portland State University; Author, Studio at Large: Architecture in Service of Global Communities (University of Washington Press, 2004)

NH: How do you think housing will change in the next 10 years?

DAVID ORR: There are going to be two major revolutions in the next 10 years. One is that the quality of construction is going to change because of rising fuel costs and an influx of better technology for housing. Building a net-zero house is now a reality.

The second thing is the layout and design of communities. Fuel costs are going to drive people back into inner city areas, and I think suburban sprawl will be a thing of the past. We’re seeing that now.

SARAH SUSANKA:  I think that the biggest changes we’re going to see are that what we now call “green” or “sustainable” design will automatically be part of the mix. Putting in a good furnace or additional insulation is just going to be one of the basics. One of the things driving that is the public catching on that it makes a big difference to how big their utility bills are. But I think it’s just going to become completely normal.

From my perspective, good design is going to be fundamental. In my mind, good design comes with smaller and better designed. Tailored rather than lots of space without much definition. All of the things we’re seeing in computer-aided design that allows people to have a sense of what a house is going to look like before it’s done will give people better tools for assessing what makes sense.

Beauty matters. Beauty is one of the most sustainable things you can do. People are gradually realizing that if something is beautiful and it inspires them, they and future generations are going to look after it. The mindset of looking into the future and realizing that what we build today needs to last for the long haul is really starting to sink in.

SERGIO PALLERONI: I think housing is going to get more regionalized. Too much of housing is driven by prototypes that are supposed to apply nationwide. Increasingly, sustainability is driving us to understand local issues and opportunities, both in how buildings perform and with changing economics. Consider regional materials. So I think we’re going to get a greater diversity in housing than anything else.

We’re also going to get more influence from across borders. You’re already seeing that in the way the publications are going. Housing in America has always been influenced by America itself, but you’re going to see more influence from Europe and looking at what other people are doing. We’re getting more serious about looking at other examples because of a sharing of issues.  We need potential models for these economics, energy and resource issues.

GIL FRIEND: Housing size will probably shrink, and housing will get more efficient. There’s going to be significant growth in energy-efficient, water-efficient and resource-efficient housing –the markets are going to demand it. We’re already seeing a call for zero net energy footprint homes, and even zero net water homes.

One of the really potentially interesting things happening now is a growth in thinking about how buildings are living systems. And not just as boxes plopped on the landscape, but as living systems participating in living systems. Housing not just to zero out its’ impact, but see housing as regenerative element on the landscape. A net producer of value: energy, water, food and enjoying well being.

MICHELLE KAUFMANN: Over the past 15 to 20 years, so many people have been thinking about homes as quick investments, with two-year flips. People have been buying homes, doing the quick remodel (mainly with the priorities of low cost materials that will look good for open house day), and then selling them. We have almost been thinking of homes as disposable. Those days are over (and thank goodness for that!)

People are now thinking about homes as long-term dwellings. This inherently leads to more sustainable choices that are based on long-term costs versus upfront costs, choosing materials and systems that are long-lasting, timeless in beauty, and smart in design. We are going to start thinking and talking about the cost of homes in a more real way—which for most people is about their monthly bills rather than upfront sticker cost.

Because, for most people who don’t pay cash upfront, it is about the monthly bills: monthly mortgage and monthly water and energy bills. Once we start thinking and talking about costs in that very real way, sustainable green homes are seen as costing less, and we start making smarter choices. I think this is really exciting.

[ Read entire article ]

ORLANDO PICKED FOR FLORIDA GREEN CITIES CONFERENCE

State, County, Municipal, Business and Community Leaders to Ignite Florida’s Green Economy

Seven Star, the world’s largest green events production company, has selected Orlando as the host city for Green Cities™ Florida 2009. The conference, which attracts community, government and business leaders from throughout the region, will be held May 19-21, 2009 at the Orange County Convention Center South Concourse Building. The event will coincide with the grand opening of the Orange County Climate Change Center and the unveiling of a new (1) one megawatt solar PV system on the roof of the Convention Center.

The mission of Green Cities™ Florida is to empower business leaders, government directors, and organization decision-makers to understand their full range of options for local green economies, as well as actions they can take to save money, protect the environment, and enhance community through sustainable practices. Educational tracks include opportunities for attendees to receive certification and continuing education credits. Other sessions will cover topics ranging widely from Green Governance to Urban Planning, Green Business & Procurement to Green Tourism, Hospitality, Travel, Entertainment, and from Civic Engagement to Business Development.

“With our history of innovation and environmental stewardship, Orlando is poised to become the America’s center of innovation in clean, green technologies,” said Christian Oleck, Chairman of the City of Orlando Sustainability Team. “Like many Floridian cities, Orlando’s goals for innovation, sustainability, and green mobility are bold and comprehensive. With the support and energy of a state wide event like Green Cities Florida, I believe that in 15 years, we can succeed and build a better future for our children, our residents, and the world.”

The Green Cities™ Conference will offer a high-tech, interactive, outcome based, portfolio of seminars on sustainable solutions, presented by the nation’s leading green business, government, business, and technology experts. Green Cities™ prepares business and government with specific tactics for participating in this growing green economy. There will be over 70 presenters and more than 1,200 expected attendees.

“Small to medium businesses want to go green, and so do their host cities.” says Joseph Malki, Executive Co-Producer of the event and VP of Seven-Star. “Our Green Cities events provide the practical “how-to’s” from successful innovators across sectors of industry and government management. Since 1999 we have been offering “nuts-and-bolts” workshops and conferences inspiring leaders to adopt that “green” spark.”

Early bird registration for Green Cities™ Florida ends May 4^th. To register, or for more information, please visit www.greencities.com.

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About Green Cities™

Green Cities™ is produced by Seven-Star, Inc., an EPA award winning green event and green education expert, in association with Climate Culture International, a sustainable consultancy for business and government. To register, or for more information, please visit www.greencities.com.

Press Inquiries:

Ian Bryan
828.242.1868

ianbryan@sensiblecity.com