Having allergies can be uncomfortable, but what if your home is adding to the problem?.  The air that is circulating throughout the house should be as clean as possible. If your home is certified green, you are way ahead of the game.

Coastal living is great! Beautiful summers and mild winters, but when it comes to preparing for winter it doesn’t hurt to take a few notes from our northern friends.  Many of the technique’s used to save energy during the cold winter months in the northern states can easily be applied to any home in any climate.  

When looking for new home the best way is to look for a home that holds some type of regional or national certification.  While there are many builders out there not all build to these current practices, but may claim that their homes are "Green".  Keep in mind a certification holds the builder to a building level and requires third party verification to prove that a home is green.  Without that anything a builder may tell you is hearsay. 

Typically, there have been two perceived schools of thought on the green lifestyle.  The first is the fully immersed individual; they go to the extreme in the green movements with items like a compost garden, is interested in public transportation and committed to the use of natural products.  The second perceived notion of being green is an expensive endeavor that requires you to pay a premium.  This individual drives a hybrid vehicle, installs solar panels on their home and is willing to pay a premium for “green” products.  

You need to ask yourself a few questions before flying down the path of wind turbine ownership.  

Do I have the correct geographically location?  Most homes have the ability to install solar panels in some manner on the home.  The sun is going to hit your home eventually unless you are deeply covered with trees.  Wind on the other hand is not going to be good for every home type.  If you do live in a mature neighborhood, trees can play a factor in how much wind is flowing around you home.  If you live in a wide open area you have a better chance for longer more frequent bursts of wind.

Mr. Green-You write about green certifications a few times in your articles.  What certifications are out there and which one is the best? –Frank V. Parrish, FL  

Thanks for your question Frank.   As a green consultant I am never going to say that there is a bad certification. 

Mr. Green:  I’m doing my part and switched out my bathroom fixture bulbs with CFL bulbs.  My only complaint is the warm up time takes longer than I would care to wait.  What can I do? –Judy McKee

A building envelope is commonly defined as the separation of the interior and exterior of a building.  It helps facilitate climate control and protect the indoor environment.  Overall it is the entire exterior building system.  It includes doors, windows, roof, foundation, floor, siding and all the components such as structural masonry and insulation.