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Changing Your A/C For Energy Efficiency

September 28th, 2009 · Green Products

stream chart

As some of my readers know, I have been working on my personal home over the past couple of years to get the Energy Usage down by adding insulation, contacting Free Lighting Corp to seal it up, change out light fixtures and appliances and other things that is proven can reduce usage.  My plan was to get everything changed out (including my windows) prior to changing out my air conditioner.  However, if you look at the chart above you can see that my unit decided to crap out on me right at the beginning of summer this year.  My bill reached an all time high and I gasped when I opened it up that month.

You see, I have always fought humidity in the home, condensation on the inside of my windows, needing to crank down the thermostat to feel comfortable…

I met Denny Patterson at Gulf Coast Green this past year as they had a 21 SEER Variable speed unit there for people to look at and we discussed efficiency in the home and hvac systems.  I was impressed with his knowledge so I contacted him to see what could be done to my A/C – obviously something was seriously wrong.

It was just worn out.  My 1200 sq ft patio home should NOT EVER use 3000 kwh per month especially as energy conscious as we are in this house.  My thinking was that in August if it kept going my bill would likely be about $600 if not more.  So, Denny and Airtron started putting bids together for me to change the unit.

I opted not to go with a unit that qualified for the Federal Tax Credit.  I suggest calling Denny for the specifics but basically with my home being built in 1982 and not brought up to today’s energy codes I simply did not feel that my home would benefit from such a high tech unit.

I opted to go with a variable speed 14 SEER Lennox that – being a variable speed it brings it up to the equivalent of a 15 SEER – The thermostat we went with was a programmable Honeywell that can not only be set for a certain Humidity level but can automatically toggle between Heat and A/C in those Fall Months in Houston where you wake up in the middle of the night freezing but using the A/C during the day.

What is Variable Speed?

The unit can run at TWO speeds.  A slow speed that simply reduces the humidity in the house and a faster speed to cool the house.  It allows the unit to not pull as much electricity unless it is needed.

It was an investment but I incredibly happy with it, quite possibly in my opinion the best investment I have ever made in the house.  The chart above for some strange reason is different than what is on my bill but the Bill shows my usage in August of last year to be nearly 1500 kwh – The other day when I got my bill the usage for last month was UNDER 1000 kwh.

Basically, had I dealt with the high bills and kept the old a/c running this unit will be paid for in a couple years.

Was it just the A/C?  I really don’t think so.  Being able to set the humidity in the house I am able to keep the Thermostat on 78 degrees even on 100 degree days and be absolutely comfortable.   It feels about 74 at that temperature.

The issue of condensation on the inside of my windows has also seemed to disappear for now.  The unit is so quiet I hardly know when it is on – and the guys balanced the ducts during the installation so that I do not have certain rooms hotter or cooler than another.

At this rate I project having an Electric Bill less than $100 in October and November and I am SO EXCITED to see what it ends up being.  I will update the post and let you know.

As for Denny and Airton I highly recommend them.  Their knowledge on how HVAC affects Energy Efficiency and the ability to properly size units, run the proper reports and so on is amazing.  If you are updating your unit to one that is more high tech and Energy Efficient you need use someone that can not only explain it to you but be able to maintain it properly to KEEP it efficient.

To contact Denny or Airton:

Denny Patterson – Airtron
713-830-6219
Denny.Patterson@resservices.com
TACLA014513E

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2009 Houston Solar Tour

September 26th, 2009 · Green Houston Events

It’s that time of year again!  The Houston Solar Tour is coming up on October 3rd – They have a ton of fantastic homes on the tour this year spanning from The Woodlands to South of the City.

The Solar Social this year will be at Discovery Green Park Downtown again from 9-11 am and they have over $1500 of giveaways this year for those that attend!

To read about this years tour in the media, read below.

Houston Chronicle
River Oaks Examiner
Houston Business Journal

And there are rumors that Channel 2 will be covering the tour over the next few days!

2009 Solar Tour Guide

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Green Houston Twitter Folk To Follow

September 22nd, 2009 · Green Houston Topics

Twitter has been an amazing site that has evolved over the past couple of years – And quite honestly I don’t spend enough time there…but try to get over there when I have some time.

The past couple weeks I have been amazed at how many wonderful Green Twitter folk from right here in Houston are tweeting their hearts out and sharing some fantastic information and I thought I would share some of them with you.  If you know of some others that I missed, please let me know and I can add them to the list.  I LOVE meeting new tweeps.

Many of these are companies that I was not even aware existed and was really excited to find out about them.  Hope you find them interesting as well!

@MaryFrancesB
@SpotOnSeo
@NotTrashHouston
@RecycleMatch
@HoustonGBRC
@HTownSolarTour
@HoustonGreenScn
@Blockcast
@EGBHouston
@USGBCHouston
@GulfCoastGreen
@GreenHoustonTx
@KeepItGreenMaid
@GreenTheBlock
@TaigaCompany
@GreenFitNFrugal
@RecyclingRic
@EcoSocials
@EcoStarHomes

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‘EcoFriendly’ Theme Park-Coming To A Town Near You

September 16th, 2009 · Green Houston Topics

Pardon me for a lengthy post.  It’s quite detailed.  Please read all of it before coming to a conclusion.  Its really quite fascinating.  It will also answer the questions as to why I am writing this on a Real Estate related blog.

I picked my jaw up off of the floor this morning when I first read about EarthQuest on Facebook via @kenbrand – The Theme Park named EarthQuest has its own Facebook group and Fan Page already even though construction probably has not even started.  The Group states that it will be appx. 500 acres – Another news release states that it will be at US 59 and Romans Forest Dr.  Those of you familiar with the area know that means its on the East side of Montgomery County in/near Kingwood.  Some of the news publications that I read date back to 2007 and I wonder if I am the last person in Houston to know about it.

Anyhow, The way it is worded on the FB group page immediately made me think that somehow the vision behind this was to be somewhat Eco Friendly.  Looking at the pictures however made my Greenwash meter start dinging. So I began my research.  A news article from Houston Business Journal did indeed use the words Eco Friendly.

Why did this concern me? Consider the amount of power it would take to run a Theme Park of this size and when you look at the Aerial Renderings the huge amount of water that is shown.

For the sake of not infringing on potential copyright I am linking to the pictures.  The end of the post will have some of the links to news publications and discussion forums in which I researched.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Wow.  What would really make this amazing in my mind would be to supplement the power with Solar or other Renewable Energy and for the park to use Rain Water Capture and ReUse.  My interest was peaked even more as my irritation with Greenwash is high right now.

I will not get in to everything that I read, I will leave that for you if you are interested as the park initially was thought to be DinoPark and the vision is now so much larger than that.   Article after article starting from 2007 through September of 2009 said about the same thing and led to dead ends.  Here is some of what I read.  **Updated – Link at bottom of post to Chamber of Commerce**

  • “At the center of the park, said Lessem, will be the EarthQuest Institute, a $100 million research and educational center comprising 58 acres.” via FB Group
  • “House Bill 4015, signed on July 12, will provide the equity to leverage investment in the dinosaur theme park project by creating a special tax zone in the area and facilitating bond financing.” via HBJ article
  • “The park will be divided into sections— one devoted to sky, one to water, one to land, and one to prehistory, which will be called Pangaea” via IAAPA

Let’s hunt out the site itself for the Theme Park.  Searching for the Developer – there was nothing on their site about it but did run across EarthQuest Adventures which had no information and HoustonDinoPark who state clearly that they are not affiliated with the park but have detailed information where they discuss more of the vision under FAQ.

  • “The EarthQuest Institute will also house research facilities where “green” technologies will be developed, tested and introduced.”
  • “Across US 59, there will be a “technology transfer center” which will offer office space for businesses supporting “green” technology and construction.”
  • “Located next to the EarthQuest Institute Museum will be a hotel and convention center. There will be an emphasis on a “green” partnership program which seeks to minimize the hotel’s impact on the planet.”

And then my Favorite Part of it:

  • “…will be for residential use. There will be both multi-family and single family structures, and all will boast the most energy efficient and eco-friendly construction products…..where scientist can study different aspects the master planned community of the future.”

So now, I am pretty exited about it.  This could be huge for the Economy on the North Side of town as there supposedly are proposed Resorts, Night Clubs, etc.  This could be great for tourism.  And it could be great for green building in Houston.

But still, there appears to be no SET facts.  As of September HCN states that they are still discussing Tax Rates in the area. Yet other sites say that it is proposed to open Late 2011 or 2012.

Does anyone have information on the true GREEN vision behind this park? I would love to know.

What is your opinion on all of it? You may want to read the articles first.  Please share your opinion in the comments below.

I have signed up for information but don’t know when that will be. EarthQuest Institute

Online Sources:

HCN Online

HBJ Article

Discussion Forum

IAAPA – Half way down page

HoustonDinoPark – Not affiliated with developer

DinoDon – Referred to in news publications

Chamber of Commerce – More interesting links and appears to be the most updated site.

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Turning Houston Green hits NPR

September 14th, 2009 · Uncategorized

In case you missed it there is another media related link now for Turning Houston Green. I would like to Thank Lani Rosales (@laniar) and Omar Gallaga (@omarg) for the opportunity to be quoted on National Public Radio. Greening up the Residential Housing Industry is a popular topic and I am very honored to have been a part of this piece.

Here it is in case you missed. They discussed some fantastic information.

Greening The Housing Industry

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Green Houses – Rice University

September 11th, 2009 · Uncategorized

I always try to keep you all posted on events coming up around town and this one is coming up real soon!  For those of you that have missed it in the past – Green Houses – the course that is taught by Michael Strong and Brent Nyquist at the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at Rice University is about to start again!  I personally took this course early in 2008 and found it to be fantastic.  Michael and Brent do a fantastic job breaking down section by section what a Greener Home is all about.

Whether you are building or remodeling your home – I suggest you attend.  Personally, I recommend the class to the following people:

  • Builders/Remodelers
  • Marketing Professionals in the Green World
  • Homeowners
  • Potential Homeowners
  • Anyone considering building Green
  • Professionals wanting to dip their feet in to Green Jobs
  • Green Professionals wanting to network maybe?

Here is a snipit from the course description:

Topics will include the following:

  • Design and performance analysis of attics and crawlspaces
  • Evaluating cost and benefit in construction materials and methods
  • Making sustainability an affordable option
  • New and promising technologies for your home
  • Incorporating healthy living into your building project
  • Making an old house green
  • Green manufacturers, programs and associations

If you sign up, let me know!

Here is a link

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Houston’s First Green Real Estate Market Report

September 2nd, 2009 · Green Market Reports

Well, Houston Association of Realtors greened up the MLS recently!  What does that mean?  That means that as a licensed agent and member of HAR I can search out specific homes with specific green features such as type of insulation, ‘Green’ Certification such as LEED or NAHB Green, Tankless Hot Water Heater, SEER great than 13, etc.

For one this is amazing because our appraisers could REALLY use this information to start PROPERLY appraising our Greener Homes.  For Two, this will allow us to tell our Home Owners in the future what features will actually pay off in the long run!

For now, the word is still getting out – I doubt that all homes with Green features are being noted as such.  There is also evidence that some of the homes are tagged incorrectly -Not even 90 days in to having these fields available there is not enough data yet to state whether or not homes with certain features definitely sell for more money than those without -

BUT, there IS enough data to show certain trends that we as Real Estate Professionals are going to start seeing more and more.

Personally I have been amazed at the number of homes in the Houston area that have Solar PV or Solar Hot Water.  The other trend that appears to grow by the week in MLS is the number of homes with Tankless Hot Water Heaters and Older homes with Low-E windows.

Each month we can start tracking more and more but for now here are some numbers on trends for new and existing homes.

Tankless Hot Water Heaters-

  • 58 Resales and Rentals
  • 85 New Construction

Solar Hot Water/PV-

  • 3 Resale
  • 15 New Construction

Insulated/Low-E Windows-

  • 1850 Built Prior to 2000
  • 1090 of which built prior to 1990

HVAC Greater than 13 SEER-

  • 455 not New Construction

These are just a few of the new fields available and while they are not on the Public Search side of HAR.com yet – It is a relief to have them available to the agents.  I believe as we continue to track the statistics we will find that the majority of ALL home buyers want Green features – Their requests for those features are just disguised as another term.

Coming up next month?  How many of these homes right here listed will go under contract in September?

If you would like a list of any of these particular homes available, homes with any other green features or for a marketing plan for your specific property I can be reached at Steph@TurningHoustonGreen.com -

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Container Gardening in Houston

September 1st, 2009 · Uncategorized

Oregano, thyme and basil share a freshly planted pot with coleus and ornamental sweet potato vine

With a container garden, you can grow something even where space is limited, add instant “curb appeal” to your landscape, or just ease into gardening cautiously.  And, of course, every container garden can also be a small contribution to the environment.

Drying

Size matters when picking out the container.  A large pot for several plants is a better investment than several small pots with one plant each.  Small pots dry out quickly, but larger ones seem stabilize by creating their own ecosystem.  The material of the container affects its drying rate, too.  A plastic, wooden (with liner), or glazed ceramic container will keep the soil moist longer than a terra cotta or concrete container, unless a liner is available.

Drainage

If your chosen container does not have a hole in the bottom, some nurseries will drill one for you.  The container will drain best if it is not sitting directly on a surface. Place it on smooth flat stones for elegant ‘legs’, on a tray holding pea gravel, or on a dolly with casters.  Inside the container, add a sheet of porous landscape fabric, or an inch or so gravel or pot shards to keep the soil from leaking through the hole.  Fill the container with good potting soil. Soil directly from the garden is too heavy.

Plan for the top of the soil to be an inch below the rim of the container after the plants are in.

Planting

Gardeners used to be concerned primarily with what looked pretty and survived in Houston, but now we also consider whether it supports wildlife, can be eaten by humans, and is not an invasive species. In warm weather and a sunny location, try basil, mint, perilla, lemon grass, or lemon verbena together with insect-attracting plants like pentas, salvias, black-eyed susan and coreopsis. In cool weather, you can plant chard, cilantro, parsley, arugula or dill together with poppies, calendula, nasturtiums, and paperwhites. Some of the herbs have varieties with showy purple or striped leaves. Thyme and oregano look nice draping over the side of a pot, and varieties of eggplant, chili peppers, and leaf lettuces are as attractive as any ornamental plant.

If you don’t want to change plants by season or prefer simplicity, consider planting a small or dwarf variety of citrus, apple, or fig in your container. Urban Harvest list ideal fruit tree varieties for Houston at http://www.urbanharvest.org/advice/fruitgardening.html. A selection of perennial Texas natives in a large container could include salvias, manfreda, Lindheimer muhly grass, coreopsis, winecup, switchgrass, and lazy daisy.

Maintenance

Synthetic fertilizers, among their other faults, cause a buildup of salts in the soil of the container.  It’s another reason to use organics.  Save some rainwater for your container garden. It will help flush out minerals left behind by tap water.

Mulch will protect the plant roots, just as in a garden bed. Look for hardwood mulch made here in Houston from local tree waste. For style points, you might try a layer of tumbled recycled glass in a container where plants are not changed often.

Now that the burn of summer is easing, a container garden is a good way to kick off the next planting season.

Enjoy!

Mary Carol Edwards
Luminous Ground Design Build
281 989 5517

Mary Carol Edwards is a landscape designer and owner of Luminous Ground Design. She specializes in landscapes which unite the environment and architecture, and support natural ecology. She considers a landscape a success if it can do all that and be fun, elegant, and creative, too.

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If You Build GREEN – They Will NOT Come

August 17th, 2009 · Uncategorized

The flurry of Green Home Building activity over the past couple of years has been really interesting to follow.  When I first started writing about it and getting designations/certifications – Most people still had no idea what it meant.  People weren’t tired of the word GREEN yet.

But this flurry of activity has brought sparkles to some builders eyes around Houston.   Dollar signs in the eyes like in Cartoons – Thoughts of fame and fortune for building the next latest and greatest home on the market.

Thoughts of  ‘If You Build It – They Will Come‘

Well folks, it doesn’t really work that way.  I announced the beginning of a series ‘Dirty Little Secrets of Green Home Buyers‘ through my Facebook and twitter page so here you have it.

The truth is, the majority of home buyers that I have worked with over the past 2 years have been Green.  Many of them being incredibly Green longing for Renewable Energy, Geothermal, Low VOC paint products and LEED Certifications.  BUT, the truth of the matter is no matter how many homes are built green around Houston my home buyers do not flock after them to purchase and brag about.  Why is that?

Even looking through the LEED Certification list there are SO many aspects of green.  Here are a few:

  • Energy Efficiency
  • LOCATION
  • Renewable Energy
  • LOCATION
  • Gardening/Composting
  • LOCATION
  • Healthy

In the mind of a Home Buyer, they could want either one or all of these things.  And the list above does not even incorporate all of it.

The truth is, even if the home you have built is LEED Platinum – Many home buyers would rather buy an incredibly NON Green home before they buy your LEED Platinum home that is ready to go.

I have termed this ‘building for points‘ – Meaning, let’s look at this list and see where we can get the most points.  Sometimes the points don’t even make sense.  They are just points.  The true point behind green building gets lost.  The ‘needs’ of a particular Green buyer get lost as well.

If you as a builder are doing this for the right reason and simply wanting to offer a higher quality product to your home owners and do right by the environment.  Great!  If you are just building for the publicity of building Green thinking that every Green Certified Real Estate Professional and Home Buyer will be knocking down your doors with multiple offers.  Think again.

Selling Green is not as easy as it sounds.  Stay tuned for all of the reasons why.

In the mean time if you have questions just give me a shout.  Steph@TurningHoustonGreen.com

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Business Directory Now Open!

August 15th, 2009 · Uncategorized

Well, over the past 2 years I have been contacted by many, many companies wanting to be part of the Turning Houston Green Service Providers page. Houston has seen unprecedented growth of companies offering various services that are considered to be ‘green’.

While I am NOT a fan of greenwashing, I actually talk to everyone on my page currently. I have upset some people by telling them that I will not allow them to be on the list – And since I am just a single person it has been difficult to stay up with the demand of GOOD GREEN companies wanting to be on the list.

So, I have opened up the Business Directory for you to be able to add your own business.

For my regular readers, this does not mean that everyone and every business will stay on this page. I will still be contacting companies to see exactly how green they are. None of the service providers listed currently pay to be there, it just means that I personally trust them and believe in their business model.

For companies considering placing their business on my site I do have a few rules:

  • If you blatantly Greenwash in your business model and you know it – don’t put your information on my site.  It will be deleted.
  • If you question whether or not your business should be placed on my site, please just email me.  I love to meet new people and I do reply to emails.  I strive to provide good information to all readers of this site.
  • If you get calls from my site, I would love to hear about it.  Not because I want anything – But I do LOVE success stories.
  • Right now, because I sell Real Estate Green or Not- I will probably not allow other Real Estate Companies to be on my list.  (Sorry)  Call and ask me why if you want to know.

Ok, no Rules post wouldn’t be complete without blatant self promotion here.   If you have a referral for someone wanting to buy or sell a home in or around Houston – I would love the opportunity to earn your referral.

The links are below for the Directory:

Join The Directory

See the Directory

AN APOLOGY – During the switch over from the current service provider page to the Business Directory the top Bar will not look right.  It will be fixed.  (Unless you know how to code wordpress, I would love the help)  :)

Thanks!

Steph

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