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Issue #58 - Green Renovations
 
Issue #58  Green Renovations September 13, 2006


Contents: Issue #58 Green Renovations

  1. Basics: Glossary, Treatise, Industry Needs, Consumers
  2. Reno Examples: Green, Healthy, Energy, Case Studies
  3. Plan: Checklist, No-Cost, Guidelines, Consumer Guides
  4. Products: What’s Green, Structural, Emissions, Selection
  5. Find Products: BC Listings, North American, EcoLogo
  6. BC Resources: Incentives, Programs, Events, Community
  7. More: Deconstruct, Certification, Book, Database, Links
  8. Ken’s Top Pick: If You Have Time To Surf Only One Site
  9. For Your Computer, The Internet, Some Fun
  10. Poll Vault: Are You Experiencing A Downturn In Sales?
A tip of the hat goes out to our advertisers. They support this free industry newsletter so click on their ad to see their offers.  

Sustainable Happiness = Dalai Lama, & My Homeless Bud

So what did I learn about sustainable happiness from the Dalai Lama? A lot! But I also experienced it first hand, in spades, just by sharing space with a bud…who is homeless.

One of the ever-thoughtful birthday gifts from my wife was a pair of tickets for us to see the Dalai Lama during his recent visit to Vancouver. As luck would have it, she had to go out of town on business (it’s now her turn to do this) so I invited one of our friends to go with me. This friend, “M”, is a young woman my wife and I met at a local kindness event about a decade ago. We’ve kept in fairly close contact with M over the years, had her over for Christmas dinners, helped her relocate a few times, shared our kids’ hand-me-downs with her, and regularly get updates from her via out-of-the-blue phone calls. M has cerebral palsy, is very independent, and has been living on the street for the last few years. Regardless of the time or circumstances, M is always up for attending any kind of good-energy event. Especially the Dalai Lama!

If you have ever been in the presence of the Dalai Lama, or any other “master”, you may be aware of that unique and special reverence they exude. At the same time, most people, including me, experience a strange but comfortable feeling of being both in awe and at ease when near them. You could have heard a pin drop in the cavernous coliseum-like setting, as over 18,000 people were glued to every word the Dalai Lama spoke. He shared his thoughts on kindness & compassion, frugality, oneness & unity of all, thoughtfulness, peace (inner), and cultivating happiness. The core of his message was that all such values and actions begin “within” each of us. His genuine humility, quick wit, and sense of humour made the message stick even more. It was absolutely awesome. So too were the actions and attitudes of M. 

From the excitement of the moment I picked her up, through to a somewhat-sad drop off, she in her own wonderful way walked the talk of the Dalai Lama. When I arrived at “her “corner” she was still wet and shivering from her previous night’s sleep on a park bench, in the rain. So does M complain? No, instead she spends our first few minutes together showing me her nice new warm flannel blanket that someone gave her the day before, and describing where I can get one exactly like it for my daughter. Next, after a quick question about how my son is doing, M lists off a bunch of shows, events, places, and Web sites that she thinks he would enjoy. Then M queries me on where my wife is this weekend, where her office is, how her job is going, and finishes off with a big thank you to her for the Dalai Lama ticket. It was all about kindness and compassion; none of it was about…M.

Frugality…when I offered to treat her to lunch, rather than chose an expensive uptown eatery, M simply suggested we go to her favourite little Chinese place where we could get a full meal for only $4.95. Oneness and unity…on our way both to and from the event M pointed out various homeless people she knew, and proceeded to share some special skill each had, whether it be best bottle collector, good dumpster diver, most kind, etc. Thoughtfulness…even something so simple as discarding my empty water bottle became a learning opportunity as M ensured that it sat only part way into the lid of the container so a bottle collector could easily see it was there for the taking. Peace…when she realized she had lost her purse, rather than freak out, complain, or blame, M discloses that she really didn’t like it all that much anyway. However she was quite happy to be re-united with said item after we recovered it from our previous place of lunch. 

As I reflect on his talk, I recall the Dalai Lama stressed that true and sustainable happiness must be cultivated from within. His messages and his ways of being will stick in my mind for a good long while. So too will those ever-so-simple life lessons I received courtesy of our homeless buddy M.

My thanks to Richard Kadulski, Helen Goodland, Ralph Belisle, Wilma Leung, and Leigh Grelish, for their tips and resources. I hope you enjoy a little bit of this issue on green building.

Have a "Top Drawer" day.
Ken Farrish
:o)

Update: New BC Building Info Site

Where you can find and share technical information

This last month we sent out the design of the new online Community to our Beta Test Team for review. We have also started using it for the Green Renovation project, as a place for storing documents and discussing ideas. From both of these groups we’ve received some good feedback, and a few ideas on improving things. One awesome result is that 28 industry members have already registered to use the Community. 

We are very pleased with responses about the potential value of having a place online where local industry can share their problems and resources. However, neither software nor a Web site can “build” a community, as they are just tools. Real value will only be experienced if users benefit from information that gets shared. And the community will grow only if more and more people participate. So we will start slowly by using it to discuss one or two current “Hot Topics” and build from there. You’re involvement will be more than welcomed.

And in the never-ending world of good ideas, it’s been suggested we provide you with a way of searching a group of good Web sites all at once. So we are looking in to how we can program things to allow you to search as many as 10 “Top Sites” with just one click. Wish us luck on this one. I feel it is an excellent idea. 
 

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1. Basics: Glossary, Treatise, Industry Needs, Consumers

Glossary Of Green Building Terms
Seattle City, as part of its Green Building Program, provides an alphabetical glossary with a brief explanation of common terms used in the design and construction of green buildings.

Green Building Treatise
Building Science Corporation describes their view of why an integrated systems approach to green building is the primary factor that dictates how well and how long buildings perform.

What Industry Needs To Build More Green Buildings (PDF FILE)
NAHB paper states development and investment communities have been slow to adopt green principles due to information gaps around the costs and benefits of green building.

Consumer Demand For Sustainability (PDF FILE)
CMHC study shows consumer demand for Healthy Housing, buyers views of sustainability, features that appeal to them, and how much extra they would be willing to pay. 2004

2. Reno Examples: Green, Healthy, Energy, Case Studies

Green Renovation Projects
Smart Communities, a US sustainable community group, lists residential and commercial green renovation projects, each with a brief description, and links to more detailed information.

Healthy Housing Renovations
Seven Canadian renovation demonstration projects promoting Healthy Housing, energy efficiency, and the professional home renovation industry are highlighted here by CMHC.

Renovating For Energy Savings
CMHC fact sheets describe 11 different styles of single family, duplex, row houses, mobile homes, and simple additions, with suggestions on renovating them to achieve energy savings.

Case Studies On Green Building
University of Hong Kong provides a listing of worldwide case studies of residential and commercial green buildings, searchable by country, with links to more detailed information.

3. Plan: Checklist, No-Cost, Guidelines, Consumer Guides

Checklist For Design & Construction
Here is a list with brief descriptions of things to consider for green building design, site issues, materials, equipment, and business practices from the very good Building Green site.

Basic, No-Cost Strategies (PDF FILE)
American Institute of Architects suggests green design decisions that can be done on nearly every project without increasing construction cost, regardless of budget size.

Guidelines For Green Remodeling
Alameda County contractor guidelines for green remodeling include benefits, their points system, methods, materials, and illustrated examples of different rooms and renovations.

Green Remodeling Consumer Guides
These illustrated consumers guides from Seattle City cover overview, bath & laundry, kitchen, painting, landscape materials, roofing, hiring a pro, and salvage & reuse.

What Are Subscribers Saying About BC Building Info?
Mark Gauvin, President, Gauvin 2000 Construction says: “How do you find this great information? Thanks Ken…Keep the good stuff coming.”

Feel free to pass this newsletter along to others.

4. Products: What’s Green, Structural, Emissions, Select

What Makes A Product Green?
The publishers of Environmental Building News explain their view of what makes a building product green, give examples of what to use where, and provide some green standards.

Green Structural Products
NW EcoBuilding Guild article by LEED accredited engineers suggests steps engineers can take in structural components design and product selection process for green buildings.

Standards For Low Emitting Indoor Materials
These standards from Greenguard define goods with low chemical and particle emissions for use indoors, including building materials, furnishings, maintenance and more.

Product Selection & Design
Earth Advantage green building program provides room and system design and selection advice, definitions, applications, benefits, challenges, and suggested standards & specs.

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5. Find Products: BC Listings, North American, EcoLogo

BC Directory Of Green Products
Search for green building products by Master Format division, and get descriptions, features, and contact information for the suppliers, in the product directory of GVRD’s BuildSmart site.

BC Database Of Residential Service Providers
BC Sustainable Building Centre has lots of local information and allows you to search for providers of sustainable products and services, by building type, discipline, and qualification.

North American Green Products
Oikos site lists green product suppliers for sitework, concrete, masonry, metals, wood & plastic, thermal & moisture, doors & windows, finishes, mechanical, electrical, services, and more.

Canadian Product Certification Program
EcoLogo, the environmental certification mark managed by Environment Canada, has over 300 categories of sustainable products and systems, including building and construction.

6. Resources: Incentives, Programs, Events, Community

Canadian Incentives & Funding
Greater Vancouver Regional District lists, with links, sources of funding and incentives for new and existing residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, and municipal buildings.

BC Programs & Resources
Here are links to green building programs and rating systems, energy efficiency programs, incentive & rebates, education and training, and sources of more information, from HPO.

Green Building Events
You will find lists of green building events in BC and Canada, links to more information on each, plus links to some other sites that offer event listings, at the GVRD BuildSmart site.

BC Green Renovation Community
This is our own online Community of BC Building Info where industry members can provide their input into what would best help them offer professional, profitable, green renovations.

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7. More: Deconstruct, Certification, Book, Database, Links

Deconstruction Institute
The Deconstruction Institute provides educational materials, tools and techniques, networking, case studies, articles, facts on environmental impacts of deconstructing, and much more.

Green Remodelers Certification & Guild
The Green Remodelers Guild in California shares information about green building practices, provides educational forums, and offers green remodeling certification training for members.

Green Remodeling Book
This book by David Johnston on green remodeling covers foundations, framing, plumbing, windows, heating and finishes, and has checklists, insights, and resource lists.

Database Of Sustainable Building Information
iiSBE is a Canadian database with resources on sustainable buildings, technologies, methods & tools, policies & programs, R& D, events, people, organizations, and much more.

Links To More Green Building Information
The Canada Green Building Council offers links to research, standards, funding, renewable energy, IAQ, materials, water resources, life cycle assessment, economics, and green sites.

8. Ken’s Top Pick: The Green Building Source Site

Green Building Resources For Homebuilders
Oikos Green Building Source provides the North American home building industry with news, technical articles, books, videos, software, and a searchable database of products.

9. For Your Computer, The Internet, Some Fun

Computer: Free Technical Support
If you're looking for free technical support, check out this site. Run by volunteers, it offers lots of forums where you can ask questions, and search past posts. Free registration required.

Internet: Finding The Right Search Engine
There are many different search engines. If you are looking for something very specific, some will be better than others. This handy chart from Phil Bradley will help you choose one.

Fun: Whack A Mole
Maybe it’s just because summer is over that I’m feeling a wee bit aggressive. To let off a little steam, just whack these heads as they pop up. And there’s something about their laughs….

Dittie For Today: On Serving Your Customers Needs

 In selling as in medicine, prescription before diagnosis is malpractice. 
    - Tony Alesandra

So What’s Next?
   
 Electric heating products, procedures, problems, solutions, and resources will be covered in the next issue. 

Future topics include finding products, natural disasters, and more. 

If you have any questions you need answered or information that you would like to see, 
just drop me a line.      


http://www.bcbuilding.info


 © Copyright 2006               Ken Farrish               All Rights Reserved
ISSN: 1703-5597 - National Library of Canada
5516 7th Ave., Delta, BC

 

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