Comments on: Remodeling Green – 5 Tips You Wish You Heard Before you Started

By: Jay Banks

Jay Banks — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:57:07 +0000

I can agree with the statement, that many homebuyers rather prefer houses they are a model of energy efficiency than any others (the final decision is mostly made by price, anyway). Nevertheless they count with lower energy bills in the future and also they are very concern about eco-living in these days.

By: Michele with Boa Constructor

Michele with Boa Constructor — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:31:55 +0000

What a relief to see the interest in eco-logical homes increasing.
We, Boa Constructor Building and Design, are a design and build company specializing in “green” building remodeling and new construction. We have a couple of events coming up in Santa Cruz.

First is a talk from 12-1 at the Coconut Groves’ Home Expo Event Saturday March 28th. Educator Kristin Sullivan and i will be doing a talk on sustainability in buildings. She is a great and lively person, we designed and built her solar straw bale home in Capitola in 2000. It’s pictured on the cover of Ann V. Edminsters new book ” Energy Free Homes for a Small Planet”. More details of the home are on our website.

Next is an Earth day event Saturday April 17th at San Lorenzo Park, by the river in Santa Cruz. It’s a fun yearly event by Ecology Action with great activities, education and food for the whole family. Boa Constructor and Janine from clay, bones and stones will be doing a demonstration of earthen plaster on a straw bale bamboo sculpture, everyone is invited to hands on experience creating a colorful earthen plastered bale sculpture. It’s a lot of fun. Janine’s work was just featured several times in Natural Home Magazines last issue.

I am happy to be networking with folks such as you and look forward to projects that help conserve out resources and make our environments more comfortable and beautiful.

Please let me know if you’s like to tour the Sullivans’ Capitola home; they offer monthly tours.

Thanks,
Michele
831 334 1147
Boa Constructor Building and Design

By: Gina

Gina — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:23:17 +0000

Thanks for the invitation. Yes indeed I’ve been greening my little home for the past two years, and you’re so right about everything, especially about staying within your budget.

Here are a few more points to consider: 1) Rooms with low ceilings are a lot cheaper to heat; 2) If windows are still good, adding interior storms may be all you need (in addition to tons of caulk!); 3) Take full advantage of the solar possibilities of your home; 4) Reuse everything you can.

If you’d care to have a look, I’ve been documenting my project at http://www.my-green-home-project.com The house is more advanced than the site shows. I moved in last September and I’m spending my first winter in it — it’s every bit as energy efficient as I hoped.