We have begun building a new showroom for a local flooring company here in Denton, Texas - Greenbelt Design Flooring.  This showroom will be approximately 4,300 square feet in size.  This building will constructed out of the ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms) walls, metal roofing and geothermal air and water system.  And we get to chronicle it here on our blog!

This last week we dug the geothermal wells - seven in total.  Here are some pictures:

There are seven wells total with each well going 250 feet down into the Earth.  These will provide hot water, air conditioning and heat for the entire building.  Gotta love the Texas soil though....we hit rock and sand on the way down that made drilling a bit tricky!  So if you are planning on using geothermal wells for your energy-efficient house make sure you have a qualified engineering company perform a soil test on your land first.  Stay tuned for more developments as the happen!!

If you are looking into remodeling your existing home and making it "greener" there are a variety of
government programs that you can take advantage of to get some of your investment back. 
In most cases the "green" remodeling costs are slightly more then the conventional remodel so these programs can help out quite a bit and make it more affordable.

Perhaps the most popular program is the "Consumer Energy Tax Incentives" that was created in 2005.  This is a tax credit that gives up to 30% back on your taxes.  Tax credits are
more valuable than a tax deduction because it is subtracted directly from the taxes owed.

Here are some programs that are available:

1.  Home Energy Efficiency Improvement Credit: Homeowners who improve the efficiency of their home can qualify for a credit of 30% of the cost, up to $1,500.  These are products such as energy-efficient windows, doors, roofs, heating and cooling equipment and installation. The item must be "placed in service" between Jan 1, 2009 and Dec 31, 2010

2.   Residential Renewable Energy Credit:  If the remodel includes systems that generate electricity  - such as solar water heating, wind turbines or geothermal heat pumps - up to 30% of the cost can be recouped.  These must be installed by December 31, 2016.

There are also some utility rebates that some states provide.  In Utah, for example, both the electrical company and the natural gas company offer hundreds of dollars in rebates for homes that add insulation. Many times, in addition to the Federal incentives, these rebates cover the entire
cost of the remodel. 

Most states have an energy office website with information on their specific energy-efficient rebates
and tax credits. This is the best place to start in your search. Of course, the promise of
lower energy bills is always a tangible benefit that helps pay for the remodel over time.  Not to mention the intangible benefits like such as increased indoor comfort, reduced air pollution and the
satisfaction of knowing your home is minimizing damage to the enviornment. 

Earth Day is coming up on Thursday, April 22, 2010.  In support of this day we would like to hear from you.  We would like everyone to make an Earth Day pledge for this year. This is something you pledge to do for the rest of the year to support our Earth.  Post your Earth Day pledge in the comments section.  It could be something as simple as "I pledge to turn off the water while brushing my teeth" or as complex as "I pledge to build a house with solar panels this year".  Whatever you can do - let us know! 

Once you have entered your pledge, please share this link with others so they can pledge also.  Then on Monday, April 26, 2010 we will ramdonly choose a comment and they will win a great prize just for participating.  Want more chances to win?  If you share this link, add that as a comment with the link to where you shared our link (confused yet?) and you will be entered again!  So it's that easy!

Just post your pledge, post any links to where you shared with your friends (facebook, twitter, linkedin, etc) and each time you comment you are entered to win the prize.  The winner and the prize will be announced on Monday, April 26, 2010.  So how will you be more "green" this Earth Day?

One of the projects we are currently working on is for a customer who requested a living roof.  A living roofs are roofs that sustain a permanent layer of vegetation over a large portion of it's surface.  These represent a cutting edge in the green building technology and also provide enhanced asthetics and recreational value along with an enhanced energy efficiency by insulating the building from extreme tempertaures along with many other benefits. Have you ever experience a living rooftop? 

This house will be a three story structure with the 1800 square feet of living rooftop.  It will be constructed of ICF concrete walls, floors and roof.  Yes, that's concrete in the roof!  The exterior will be covered with achitectural stone that will be made of our own handmade molds.  With all the concrete walls and construction, this house should have an R-factor of at least R50 or more when it is completed. 

This house will also have a geothermal system that will pull water from a nearby lake to heat and cool the inside. Click the links below to download the floor plan.

Since Easter is fast approaching I came across an article on how to have a "green" Easter - so I just HAD to read it.  Here are some tips on how to have your Easter fun and be earth friendly at the same time.

• Easter Eggs
  Dye your free-farmed or organic eggs naturally by dipping them in vegetable- and fruit-based dyes, instead of using artificial colors. Create the dyes by boiling vegetables, fruits or juices in four cups of water and one-half cup of vinegar. For pink, use cranberry juice; for blue, use red cabbage or blueberries; for lavender, use grape juice; and for yellow, use orange peels. The longer the colors simmer, the darker the color.

• Baskets
  Don’t buy new Easter baskets; find and dust off last year’s. Or repurpose other baskets you stashed away.  Then reuse the basket for decorations throughout the year.

• Grass
  Cellophane grass might be bright and pretty lining an Easter basket, but it sits in our landfills because it’s not biodegradable. Other options include using fresh greenery or shredding colored craft paper into strips. Also, there’s now also edible Easter grass. If your kids don’t eat it, don’t worry: It’s biodegradable.

• Candy
  There’s no reason to load up on candy containing artificial colors and flavoring and processed ingredients. Instead, opt for organic and fair trade chocolates and organic jelly beans. Check with your local chocolatier or natural foods market or order online.

• Party favor  Spring is the time to plant. Give Easter gifts that can be planted in the yard or pots. Packages of seeds and mini-bulb potted tulips decorated or tied with a piece of ribbon make great gifts that last long after Easter.

Have a Happy Easter!