TurningHoustonGreen

A while back I heard of a neat tool that was available to builders.  It’s an Environmental Report where you can search any address and find out what kind of Environmental Concerns were around the property.  For example, you have a property that is near what used to be a gas station and want to know if there are underground storage tanks, or you want to know if there is any known toxic dump sites nearby.  If I recall, this report was pricey.  Being the Queen of cheap, I put it to the back of my mind.

Well, I went on the Houston Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors website and noticed an updated link.  Actually it was a feature that I have had my eye on for about a month now because it was coming out.  It says “Get a FREE Property and Environmental Profile on any domestic property“.   Well, I hopped over and put in a random address to see what came up and sure enough.

A small report similar to the one that I thought was too pricey is now available for FREE on the Prudential Gary Greene Website!  The address I put in found nothing of interest within 1/3 of a mile but it does give you the option to purchase a more extensive one that goes further away.  Want to check it out?

Here is how you do it.  First go to www.GaryGreene.com and on the right of the page you will see what I quoted above.  For the rest of it, here is a screen shot.  Oh, and to go directly to the page, just click here.

Here is the screenshot for the page that comes up, and how to get the report.  It is instant, no waiting:  Below the first picture is what it looks like after you hit the submit button.  This one, as I said, has nothing in the immediate area.

If you decide to check it out, let me know how it goes.  Need some help with it?  Shoot me an email and I’d be more than happy to walk you through it or help out with anything else you may need.

There is so much that going on in Houston that is Green, it’s easy to miss when something exciting comes out.  Just for fun, I thought I would start putting some updates on here so you can stay current on what is happening.  Here are a few items that you may want to know about:

Green House Gallery:  This is one that I am really excited about.  A group of artists have joined to create a Green Art Gallery in the heart of Montrose on W. Alabama.  Their goal is to have a Gallery that will not only educate people on environmental topics, but support the Green Community in Houston and having a place for people to visit.  Their Gala will be in September and a ‘must attend’ event! The date will most definitely be added to the calendar on this site.

Commute Solutions:  They are a compilation of different companies and organizations that are raising awareness about Public Transportation in town and other communte solutions.  If you go to their website and make a non-monetary ‘pledge’ you will get a FREE Certificate for Jamba Juice!  I got mine in the mail today.  ;0)  Really cool site, check it out.

Houston Solar Tour:  Many of you are probably aware of this annual event, and it is really coming together for this year!  It will be Saturday October 4th with tons of great Solar Projects on the tour and a Picnic at Discovery Green at the end of the day that you won’t want to miss.  This event is on the Calendar as well, and will keep you updated as more information comes available.

The Woodlands Green Sustainable Speaking Series: Another fantastic Community oriented idea here!  The Woodlands Green, starting in September, will be doing monthly speaking events for residents in the area to learn more about Sustainability and other Green Topics.  On Monday, September 15th I will be speaking along with Ann Baker Ronn on Green Investing.  They have a few months of amazing topics lined up.  Check out their site and click ‘Going Green’ to find out what else will be out there.  And…it all speaking events will be on the Calendar.  Also, in November Michael Strong with Greenhaus Builders will be speaking about Green and LEED Homebuilding/Remodeling.  If you have not had the opportunity to hear him speak, you will defiinitely want to be there.

These are the topics that I have been meaning to post about for some time now.  I will keep you all updated on changes and other new events!  Very exciting GREEN things happenin’ in Houston over the next few months!  Don’t forget to subscribe to the Calendar feed if you want to stay up to date on items that I place in there.  Also, if you would like to subscribe by email or Text Message, I will be sending out reminders.

I was just thinking and remembering a poll I did about a year ago on another website that I contribute to which made me think- I really do enjoy polls.  It is so interesting to see the responses from people, how people think about certain topics..

And sometimes, they help me with marketing and to keep builders and developers updated on what area residents are looking for.

First, I’ll share a poll I did about a year ago.  I was curious to know what would make people build green.  The way I worded the responses was also designed to help educate people on the benefits of homes and also see the driving factor to build green for the people, that were at the time, wanting to go Green in their homes.  The results were quite interesting.

Now, that poll was done on a website that gets visitors from around the globe.  This site is more designed for Houston so I would like to know what your thoughts are.  The topic of discussion in residential Real Estate around the area is: “Do Homebuyers see the benefit in buying a LEED Certified Home and exactly how much more would they be willing to spend?” Because LEED is quite costly right now because of materials that are needed and not so easy to find..and due to the custom aspect of construction some builders are not taking the dive to Go LEED.

Personally, I believe that a large handful of Homebuyers in the area would spend more to get a home Certified because the benefits of owning a LEED Certified home are so amazing, I thought I would put a poll out there to see if I was right! So, Would you spend more for a LEED Certified home?  If so, how much more would you spend?

I am leaving the option of Other so that you can explain why if your answer is No. I usually post the results in the format of a new blog post once I get to atleast 25 votes.

Up and coming on Turning Houston Green to continue the seris on how to Buy Green in Houston will focus on certain loans available to Homebuyers and how to use them in the Houston area.  To start, myself and some of my experts will be putting together some ‘hypothetical’ Remodels to help folks looking to buy because of location and ‘fix up’ some homes.

If any of my readers have a home, ideally built prior to 1985, and are curious as to what it would take to fix it up we would love to hear from you.  Here is a breakdown of what we will be looking at:

• What it would take to ‘green’ it up
• Cost to do so
• Loans available as though you were going to purchase it

Now, if you would like us to use your home we would like to take some pictures as examples and of course there is no obligation to do any work but it could be a good opportunity to find out how your home sizes up if you are considering something like this.  Maybe you are thinking about selling your home and would like to advertise it this way?

Here are some others that we are looking for also if your home is newer:

• Green Kitchen or Bath Remodels
• Whole House Rehab- basically to gut it almost to the frame
• Energy Remodels

We would love to use your home as an example, with no names or address included of course!

Again, this will all be hypothetical-no work will be done but an estimate of cost will be available.  Will any of you let us borrow your home for an hour?

One evening while on the computer doing some research I ran across an update from Michael Garfield about him doing a Hybrid Tour Across Texas with Dan Bryant and thought it sounded interesting so I clicked over to see what was going on.  It turns out that the two were going to drive around the State for an estimated total of 879 miles to see if they could do it on one tank of gas in a Toyota Prius.  What!? I’ve got to see this.

Watching the Tour, I personally found it interesting and amusing (if you watch some of the videos on his site) and thought I would share some of his tips with my readers.  When everything was wrapped up Michael Garfield, The Hybrid-Tech Texan himself, agreed to do an interview to talk about the tour to talk about the benefits of Hybrid Vehicles and what they found out.  During this entire tour they used Hypermiling Techniques to squeeze as much gas per gallon as possible.

So, first off  and to get everyone up to speed I wanted to know what exactly the Hybrid Tour was all about?

The Hybrid Tour Across Texas was to spread awareness about fuel efficiency and the effect that driving behavior has on it. I wanted to see how much money can be saved by driving a hybrid car around the state and at the same time compare mileage to a “hypermiler” driving the same type of car. Dan Bryant is a Houston-based hypermiler who uses certain techniques to maximize his MPG.

What was the number one thing you learned on your journey?

I learned there is a lot more interest in this topic than I’ve ever seen before. In the topic of what MPG you achieve in your car was generally about as exciting as discussing tax code. People seem much more tuned in with the price of gas.

What exactly is Hypermiling?

Each car (not truck) sold in the US has to pass an EPA inspection and rating system. As part of that each car is given an MPG rating for the city and highway. These numbers are on the window sticker of all new cars (not trucks). A hypermiler is simply someone who’s daily MPG is above the EPA rating for their car (window sticker).

Have you calculated an estimate of savings with the Hybrid Prius during the trip?

Best case vs worse case? I had a friend that claimed to get 15 mpg on the highway. So the difference between my friend driving their car and Dan driving his over the same 844 miles comes out to about 44 gallons (Dan used 12.3g, my friend would have used 56.3g). That’s $176 between driving the wrong car poorly and driving the right car correctly.

What was the main difference between the Mpg between you and Dan?

The main four factors were Driving style (about 15 mpg), Driving speed (about 9 mpg), Passenger weight (about 2 mpg), and Accessory Load (about 2 mpg). By far driving style and speed had the biggest effect. Hypermilers employee dozens of different techniques to increase efficiency, some for hills, some for windy days, and some for flat roads, but they all work. In the simplest since, what Dan concentrated on was keeping engine RPM and vehicle load constant. There are minor (very minor) inefficiencies involved with increasing or decreasing an engines RPM. Although minor, they are very frequent, so keeping a steady RPM helps significantly with efficiency. Keeping speeds in the 55-60 mph range is also significantly more efficient than 65-70 mph range due to the effects of wind resistance.

What is something that most people would not know about Hybrid vehicles?

In many studies Hybrids are projected to have a smaller repair bill than conventional cars. For example, there have been Prius drivers that have gone over 100,000 miles on the original brake pads since they Hybrid Synergy Drive does most of the braking. The transmission is also substantially simpler than a conventional car. There is no starter or alternator either, and since the car operates for extended periods without the gas engine, the wear on the gas engine is substantially less. Even starting and stopping the engine is less stressful in a hybrid since the control system primes the engine for each start and stop.

What is the biggest misconception of Hybrids?

Battery Life. A Prius has two batteries, not one. The 12v (car) battery that all cars have, the Prius has as well. It is used for certain start-up procedures. It is just like any other 12v battery and can be found under $100 and has a similar life span to any other 12v battery. The “other” battery is called the “traction” battery and it’s used to power the electric motors that assist in moving the car. The “traction” battery is designed to last longer than most conventional cars. In California it comes with a 100,000 mile warranty. Prius taxi cabs with over 300,000 miles still have no significant wear on their traction batteries. In actuality it is probably one of the least replaced components of any vehicle on the road today.

What do you feel the Future holds for Hybrid Vehicles?

If gas prices continue as they have for the last 5 years, it could be over $9 / gallon in 5 years or even over $20 / gallon in 10 years. I think most people are going to require cars that get at least 40 mpg, and right now most of those cars are Hybrids. The cars that are built and designed today will be the ones that are still in use in 10 years. So if gas prices continue to climb, I expect any car getting 40-50 mpg will be highly sought after. Hopefully there will be many models getting that mark, but most of them on the road will probably be the Hybrids being designed today.

I learned a lot by following the Hybrid Tour and reading through Michael’s Blog.  Did You?  A huge Thank You to The Hybrid-Tech Texan for taking some time to answer these questions for us.  All who stopped by, don’t forget to check out his site for more information on hypermiling (which by the way he says some can also work on Non-Hybrid cars) and just some fun videos about it.  Here’s one I thought I would share with you all.

If you are wanting to hear more from The Hybrid-Tech Texan make sure to tune on Saturdays from 11a-2p on 950am!

Hybrid Tour Dallas from Ray Cortez on Vimeo.
Pictures and Videos property of Michael Garfield The Hybrid-Tech Texan.

Hello All!

First I want to say that I am thrilled to have been invited to participate on TurningHoustonGreen.com. I only hope that I can live up to the expectation that all of the readers expect out of the site as created by Stephanie. She has done a great job, thank you for providing this forum for us all!

My topic of choice is American Clay Earth Plasters. I was introduced to this plaster over a year ago by a builder who thought it had some great potential. At the time, I was not convinced as it seemed just a little too “easy”. Now, a year later, I am a convert.

Now, you may be asking; “What is American Clay”? Is it Native American Indian clay pottery? Is it a new product line launched by American Idol and Clay Aiken? No, and most assuredly, NO!

American Clay Earth Plaster is a fairly new product to the Houston market, and while it is fairly new, it is wholly Green! It is one of a few products that almost totally addresses not just one, not two, but possibly three or more tenants of Green Building. (Depending on whose tenants you are considering).

American Clay Earth Plaster is a wall plaster that combines the great qualities of natural earth materials, near limitless color variations of natural pigments, and depth and individuality of texture while having some pretty amazing qualities. American Clay marketing materials list that the product is Fire-resistant, non-toxic (no VOCs), fade resistant, mold resistant, dust resistant, non-dusting, temperature and humidity controlling, and more. The clay plaster is a finish coat to many possible substrates, commonly, new drywall, concrete walls, brick, and others. It is both a new construction product as well as a great remodeling product.

The clay plaster is the finish coat, the texture and the color all in one. It has qualities that paint does not have; clay plaster “breathes” – it takes in and gives off moisture, so walls in a steamy bathroom do not sweat and the room de-humidifies faster; clay plaster has a negative ionic charge, which reportedly makes people feel better, and it also repels dust and fingerprints/oils; the mass of the plaster and the moisture absorption qualities have a moderating effect on temperature in the room, called “latent heat flux”.

Now, the “latent heat flux” can be a little complicated, and a flash back to high school science, but the thing to remember, is that the plaster “breathes” moisture in humidity control, and that “breathing”, or evaporation, along with the qualities of stone/sand to moderate temperature changes makes for an extremely comfortable living environment. These “breathing” qualities also absorbs odors from the living space. Many a decorator familiar with American Clay will specify its use in a home with pets or previously occupied by smokers! Phew, now a solution for “fluffy” and “puffy”!

Now, a quality above, not as easy to explain is the “negative ionic charge”. Here is what the manufacture publishes on their website. “Natural clay maintains an incredibly dense molecular structure and shape, giving it the capacity to produce a self-generated negative charge upon hydration. Even the simple evaporation of water from clay has the capacity to produce negatively charged particles in the air. This means that when your walls breathe, or hydrate slightly with changes in humidity and slowly dry out, your interior space is being steeped in negative ions. The capacity of clay plaster to “breathe” and release negative ions is unique and not found in any other wall covering on the market today. Concrete, Gypsum, Marble, Lime, and decorative acrylic plasters do not release negative ions, breathe with changes in humidity, or resist dust. American Clay is unique in its ability to literally alter a space for the benefit of those inhabiting it!”

So, given all these great qualities, of no steamy bathrooms, no grungy fingerprints around light switches, absorbed pet odors, and absolutely beautiful walls, what is the next step? Figuring out how to get that stuff on our walls! The clay plaster is, well, a plaster. Most applicators trowel it on using a bucket and a plastic or steel trowel. It’s applied in two coats and then finished with a final compression step. The applicator, or do-it-yourselfer, can select a texture, a color, and an application technique that will offer limitless options. The clay plaster can also be applied using a spray technique, but this requires a thinner, pourable consistency, and then will be a smoother, less textured surface. If a commercial level of durability and speed in application is desired, a sister product to American Clay, called Enjarre is available. This too is sprayed on and back-troweled for texture. Many large commercial applications are using a combination of Enjarre for larger surfaces, with an American Clay color pallet selection for an accent wall.

The clay comes in three textures, a glassy smooth Porcelina, a molted crushed-sea shell Marittimo, and a very popular Loma. The applicator selects one of the 40 colors for the clay plaster, or two or more colors, depending on the look desired. The applicator then can apply the plaster with a super smooth finish, with a rough textured finish, or even add additional texture with additives like straw or more.

The colors range in depth from warm taupe, tans, golds and red, through cool greens and blues. Like many paint companies, American Clay too has fun with their color names like Tucson Gold, Austin Blush, Chocolatta, Painted Desert and Napa Olive. Just reading the color chart is like the blend of a map and a visit to the spa. Striking rich colors are available in the Natural Depths series. And, surprisingly, the clay plaster itself is a great fresh white color without any added pigment, great for contemporary looks or traditional white ceilings. Of course, one can pick from the 40 colors available. If a custom color is desired, the company has a color creation service for matching unique and custom colors for clients. They have already reported matching several Sherwin Williams paint colors for clients who want to maintain a specific pallet but want the qualities of the clay.

One question that I frequently get is: “Where should I start? The bathroom? Dining? Which room should I do first?”. This question is easy, it depends on YOU! The bedroom is great as it helps with temperature, dust and those awesome negative ions at work during the whole time you are asleep. The bath is great too! No foggy mirrors, no steamy clingy clothes! And the dining room? What better way to show off your great taste in food and décor! The reality is, many people start as do-it-yourselfers in powder baths, and quickly graduate to “whole house” American Clay converts

So, I think that pretty much “covers it” (opps, sorry another pun) We’ve covered the properties, the colors, the application, and the commercial Enjarre. Additionally, for those needing to know, American Clay qualifies for up to 5 LEED points for recycled content, construction waste, and low emitting content. Price points depend on color selection, application technique, and qualifications of applicator. American Clay publishes an “average application cost nationally of “$3 - $7 a square foot for American Clay and $2 a Square Foot for Enjarre”

I hope you’ve enjoyed this product post and I look forward to sharing some information that I’ve learned on the next product… hmmm… should it be paint, insulation, house wrap, or something really off-the-wall.

Angelique Grado
Green Builders Source
www.GreenBuildersSource.com

References for above article and more photos: www.americanclay.com

I am passionate about Feng Shui and Green Building and my goal is to create homes and master planned communities that incorporate the principles of both of these systems for the masses.  It is a marriage between two concepts that has culminated after a lengthy engagement!  For starters, let me teach you how to pronounce it.  Repeat after me: “Fung Schway”.  Feng Shui is the Chinese Art of Placement that is steadily becoming the method of choice for design control. 

Feng Shui is an ancient system of aligning a home’s design with the invisible life force known as Chi.  It was practiced in China for over 3,000 -5,000 years, before the Communist regime made it illegal.  It is a tool, that homeowners in America and all over the world are discovering as a way to improve their lives.  In Feng Shui, a home can be divided into nine life areas.  These include our Work, Relationships, Family, Health, Money, Service, Children, Knowledge, and Fame.  When people begin to discover that taking control of their lives means taking control of their surroundings, they are going to need options that include Feng Shui and Green building. 

Much emphasis has been made recently among builders to incorporate Green building into their home designs.  In fact, I suspect that pretty soon, it will be difficult to sell a new home that has not been designed with some level of Green building.  However, if a home is built with attention to the “Green” details, but ignores the importance of Feng Shui principles, there will be an overall lack of design harmony and this can lead to all sorts of problems.   

You may be asking yourself why “harmony” and balance are so important.  These are two words that start to sound pretty generic unless we add some real life examples to your understanding.  We have to take a step back and consider the impact of how a place makes us “feel” when we enter it.  This is essentially what Feng Shui is about.  Does it feel inviting, peaceful and pleasant or does it make you feel like your brain is being scrambled?  How could your financial success be impacted by one versus the other?  How about your love life or even your health?  If you think that these things are immune to the design of your surroundings, think again. 

How does a newly married couple with no debt experience a home that is missing two life areas that relate to money and love?  Two failed businesses and a divorce in less than six years might sound coincidental unless you recognize the impact of the home’s design flaws.  Even though the house was built with the highest attention to energy saving that was available at the time, it was not enough to save the businesses or the marriage of the couple.  My point is that building Green and not fusing it with Feng Shui principles is a mistake.  Divorce and business loss may be on the rise, but the marriage between Green building and Feng Shui is one that is poised to stand the test of time.

For more information about Logynn and building homes using Feng Shui and Green building, go to www.greenfusionfengshui.com or call her directly at 281-235-2382.

As a way to stay in touch with everything that is happening in the world of Green, I spend my time in the early morning catching up/reading some websites that have amazing information.  One article that I read today blew me away.  Free Green ‘Custom’ Home Design?  What?

I decided to go over to the site.  You know how it is.  You have to become a member to the site, so I do so.  Cruise around for a minute checking out what the company is all about…It’s rather impressive.  Their plan is to try and make Green Home Design Free for everyone. How?  I didn’t get that far.

I then hopped over to sign up to try and Win a Custom Green Home Design. Wow!  These guys are serious.  Now THAT is impressive.

They want to know details on your lifestyle, which we all happen to know is important in green homes.  They want to know a little about your Medical Background, Pets, Kids, Lot Size, Location, Topography, Budget, Oh my goodness!

I’ll have to think about this and get back to it.  I stopped when I read the section, what would make your home so special?  And then a really big box to write in.  If you are wanting to Custom Design a Green Home but don’t have the budget for the Design part of it?  You may want to join this group and try to win.  There are some restrictions such as land, time frame to build, etc.

Just thought I would share this with all of my readers.  If any of you sign up, let me know how it goes! I’d love to stay posted.

We were sent excellent question this past week and one that I personally believe that about half of the entire City of Houston probably has this time of year.  Clayton Farmer with Alternative Power Solutions and Kathleen Reardon with RDArchitecture both hopped in to answer right away…

Here was the Question:

Hi, I need to change the Air conditioning / Heating system in my home but I would rather consult with someone besides a salesperson that is simply trying to sell me a product instead of a real solution. I have a thirty year old two story home that has the typical problems of a system that was installed in an era of cheap energy (i.e. very inefficient) but I think its overall operation could be improved with the right system. I am hoping that you could refer me to someone that could help me find a good, affordable solution. So, if you know someone, could you either forward this email with your comments or reply back and I would appreciate it very much

This is a question that has several different answers to it and one that is not answered easily.  Kathleen is quick to mention that it involves the Envelope of the Home (air that leaks into and out of the home) along with the A/C Ducts, etc. Here is Kathleen’s explanation:

The best solution to this one is a combination of things.  Make sure the duct system is not leaking and is well insulated.  If not – repair it, or consider replacing it.  Ideally duct work insulation should have an R value of 8.  Install a new a/c system with 16 SEER or greater.  And then make sure the home is well insulated, walls and attic.  Check for air leaks between the air conditioned space and attic or outside.   I’m not sure about the affordable part – I think just put the specifications together and shop around. A good a/c company will be able to do a manual J form to size the system well, which is important.  A system that is too big will not provide dehumidification.

Clayton replied with a lengthy and extremely informative response that brings up a bunch of good points so I will post the whole comment here:

I certainly agree that it is best to consult with a professional who understands the principles of building science and HVAC load calculation & performance rather than a sales person who is most likely not familiar with these concepts.

Houses built prior to mid 1990’s exhibit a large amount of air infiltration primarily due to an insufficient air barrier. Evidence of this can be easily found throughout the home. It is also true that these homes have large amounts of HVAC system leakage from the inefficient design and inadequate installation of the ductwork, air handlers, and plenums. An energy audit can help identify these locations and provide a plan of action for addressing all significant deficiencies. Typically, these homes suck in a great deal of outside air thru the air infiltration points when the HVAC system is running because the home becomes negatively pressurized and the neutral pressure plane rises to the top of the home. This is most commonly due to duct leakage, air flow constriction and static pressure. A quick explanation: your air return draws air from the home into the HVAC system thru the ductwork into the coils and out thru the supply ductwork back into the home. Along the way some of this air is lost and expelled into unconditioned space as well as being slowed down by turns in the duct work and long runs to the extremities of the home. The outside air must be sucked in to equalize the pressure imbalance from the outdoor environment. This greatly effects indoor air quality, HVAC efficiency, and utility usage. A well installed HVAC system will help lower the neutral pressure plane  within the home when the system is running. When your new system is installed, make sure you request a “duct leakage test “ or a duct blaster test” to ensure your HVAC system has less than 5% leakage.

The next thing to consider is system size, system efficiency and runtime. The primary purpose of an AC system in this climate is to remove moisture within the home, a byproduct of this is cool air. Having an oversized system (which is very common on homes older than 10 years) causes the unit to “short cycle” (running for 15 minutes and shutting off for 5-10 minutes then kicking on again and repeating the cycle). This “short cycling” causes the home to meet your temperature preferences before it sufficiently removes the moisture. It also causes hi utility bills since the amount of power required to start the stationary compressor in the AC condensing unit is massive compared to the amount of power it actually takes to run the system after start up. It is similar to automobiles in that you get better gas mileage on the highway than in the city because of all the starting and stopping.  I would recommend having your contractor resize your system using current residential load calculation software. This will minimize “short cycling” and maximize moisture removal within your home. Since you are planning to change the system then it would be a great time to upgrade to a more efficient unit(s). However, it does not make a lot of sense to install a good high efficiency unit(s) if the home itself is inefficient. It is important to ensure that the thermal barrier is aligned properly and the air barrier is performing at peak efficiency for your home which will help maximize the efficiency and value of your new HVAC system. This involves other contractors and very reasonable cost but will greatly benefit the home and the HVAC system by reducing thermal loss and air infiltration. Correcting these type of deficiencies will increase the overall value of your home, lower energy usage, and reduce payback time.

The above is just a brief description of things to consider while undertaking your project. My goal was to be informative and brief, I can certainly provide much more detailed and technical information if you would like.

I have had the pleasure of working with many terrific HVAC companies during my time in the home building industry. I can definitely recommend a few that are well trained, educated on current technologies and building science concepts, and most importantly honest with great customer service. I am not sure if it is appropriate to recommend specific individuals through this unbiased informational site. I will leave that up to the moderator. Please feel free to contact me at the below number/ email if there is anything I can help you with. Thanks you for contacting us and I hope we have been helpful.

Contractors:

Air Team- Darrin Curtis, owner

AirTron (Sterling Air)- Glen Pollock, General Manager

I hope that this clears up some confusion and helps out a little bit.  If you have any questions…leave a comment, start a discussion.  This is a tricky subject, for sure.

Thank You to Clayton, Kathleen and Sam for emailing in the question.  Did we leave anything out?  If anyone has a reputable A/C Contractor that you would like to recommend, feel free to comment in the sections below.

Clayton Farmer
Alternative Power Solutions
Phone: 281-802-1224

Kathleen Reardon
RDArchitecture

Discovery Green Park in Downtown is really a special place. We have been a couple of times and it is always fun, exciting and breathtaking at the same time.  What you will find is a 12 Acre park smack in the middle of Downtown Houston.  As you walk in to the Park, it appears to be like any other park that you have been to, but there is so much more.

Discovery Green is actually a LEED Certified Park!  You will find 250 Solar Panels, a Green Roof, Gorgeous Architecture and all of this right across the street from the George R Brown Convention Center and about a block away from Minute Maid Park.

Other things that are there are a Dog Park, a Lake with Remote Controlled Boats, Playground for the kids and splash pad for hot days. Or maybe you would want to go visit the Gardens and take a look at Native Plants, have a bite to eat in one of the two restaurants or picnic at one of the many tables.

To the right you will notice the Outdoor Stage where occasionally there is Live Entertainment or you can host an event.  Speaking of events, there is a Calendar of Activities being offered for both Children and Adults on about every day of the week.

Here is the Calendar

There is so much to do, it can keep you busy for hours.  Don’t Forget, it’s Green in more ways than one. It’s also right in line with Public Transportation, but parking is available-Of all places, right underneath.

You may have to pay for parking but Admission to the park is always FREE!

For a view of what is down there, you make like the slideshow below.