Affordable Green, Sustainable, & Energy Efficient Homes

I recently attended the Green Building Slam in Bellingham, WA; there were six amazing presentations that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to and learning from.

Topics included:

• Building with Hempcrete – a natural, biodegradable, and nontoxic building material made from hemp and lime.
• Misconceptions, misinformation, and reasonable concerns about the solar industry.
• Larrabee Springs: One of Washington’s largest green-built, solar powered communities.
•  Community Living: A forever home can be a small community, serving several income levels and lifestyle choices.
• Design and implementation of community-owned clean energy  solutions.
• Thermal energy networks.

Although all of the presentations were awe-inspiring and brilliant in their own right, Alex Wynstra from AJW Builders, and builder for Larrabee Springs in Bellingham, WA, was one of the main people I wanted to connect with. When we think about Green Built or sustainable, eco-conscious, homes we often think they must cost more to build. That’s not necessarily true.

Check out the brand new Larrabee Springs homes here.

Alex has found a way to support local, helping our economy and reducing the carbon footprint at Larrabee Springs, while at the same time producing high-quality, highly energy efficient, affordable homes for Whatcom County residents. He is passionate about keeping it local and building green! And, Alex wants the homeowners in the homes he builds to be happier and healthier and live in an earth friendly home. I met with him today and was very impressed with his humbleness as well as his desire to continue to learn about how he can make his homes even more eco-conscious and affordable.

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When we talk about Green Building, there are so many positive attributes that will help us live healthier lives in healthier homes, including:

• Lower Operating Costs: Reduced energy and water bills over time can make up for the initial investment in energy-efficient features.
• Health and Comfort: Better air quality, enhanced ventilation, reduced exposure to exterior and interior toxins, natural lighting, and more comfortable temperatures contribute to improved living conditions. Additionally, the possibility of reduced asthma and allergy symptoms, better sleep. And when you’re healthier, you have fewer sick days, which puts money in your pocket!
• Environmental Impact: Green buildings have a smaller carbon footprint, reducing the overall impact on the environment.
• Long-term Durability: Green buildings are often built with high-quality, durable materials that can save on maintenance costs in the long run.

Another benefit encouraging more builders to focus more on Green Built homes: Government Incentives & Financing. Many regions offer tax credits, rebates, or other financial incentives to encourage green building practices. Utilizing these can significantly reduce the upfront costs of green construction.

A healthy home also means going all electric. The Climate Action Handbook notes that; “The air we breathe indoors can be, on average, two to five times more toxic that the air outside, in part due to the off gassing of products in our homes and from gas stoves and appliances.”

I’ll be talking a lot more about ways we can all live in healthier homes, providing us with healthier lives. Whether it’s Green Built new construction, or renovating your existing home, the extensive research – and resources available – are exciting for me to share with my readers throughout this next year.