Preparing for winter in the Pacific Northwest means more than just buying warm coats, drinking hot cocoa, and knitting fluffy scarves. It also means getting your home ready for wet and cold weather. Winter weatherization is maintenance for your home that can help prevent costly repairs and save on heating bills. Below are winter [...]
The often rainy, yet beautifully green Pacific Northwest has a surprisingly accommodating climate for a wide variety of plants to grow and thrive. Tropical-looking, but cold tolerant palms and banana trees have been grown here as well as plants that require chilly temperatures, such as apples, lilacs, and tulips. Despite the ability to grow such [...]
Solar power can lead to financial savings in the long run as well as being beneficial for the environment. The yearly reduction in carbon from generating electricity from the average 4 kilowatt home solar power system is equivalent to the amount of carbon absorbed by half an acre of trees. There are four primary [...]
Despite the rising cost of homes for sale in Portland's red-hot housing market, there are plenty of abandoned and dilapidated houses that have been called 'zombie homes'. These rundown houses often have boarded up windows, graffiti, heaps of garbage, unkempt and overgrown lawns, and non-operable, rusted vehicles on the lawn or driveway. Neighbors are concerned [...]
Neighborhoods are more than just groups of buildings. They are where people live, work, play, shop, socialize, and learn. There are neighborhoods called ecodistricts that have this in mind while also considering resource efficiency and environmental sustainability as well as promoting health and well-being. According to EcoDistricts (formerly the Portland Sustainability Institute), these areas are [...]
An Overview of Green Residential Buildings Sustainable homes can offer benefits to everyone involved in creating and inhabiting such dwellings. Residents of green homes can breathe cleaner air indoors as well as save money on operating costs. In the building process, recycled and reused materials can be used whenever possible, which may help to save [...]
An Overview of Green Commercial Buildings Buildings can become green, also known as sustainable, in the design, building, and renovating stages. Green buildings are resource-efficient and the overall impact to the environment is reduced. Operating expenses are lowered, plus employees and visiting clients benefit from greater air quality. Qualities of green commercial buildings include: [...]
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) professional credentials demonstrate advanced and up-to-date knowledge of green building design, construction, and operations. The LEED Green Associate credential is introductory-level and demonstrates a general understanding of all the LEED rating systems. Advanced Placement (AP) credentials are an option to demonstrate expertise in specific green building categories and [...]
LEED Green Associate LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) professional credentials demonstrate advanced and up to date knowledge of green building design, construction, and operations. The first step toward this is to earn a LEED Green Associate credential. This is the introductory-level credential for LEED, and demonstrates a general understanding of all [...]
There are various tax incentives and rebates that commercial buildings can qualify for. Certain incentives apply to new construction, renovations, or both. Below is a description of some of the benefits available to LEED-certified and energy efficient buildings in the Portland metro area. Fire Station 18 - City of Portland. LEED Gold certified. [...]
