It is difficult to comprehend this brave new world of “green building.” Who has the time to figure out what products to buy, what questions to ask, and who can install them? Not to mention the different certifications and local programs available to you….
Recently, the USBGC (a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction and developers of the LEED building rating system) created an online guide to help consumers with just this problem. The resource, the Green Home Guide, is broken into 4 major sections: Know How, Ask a Pro, Find a Pro, and Residential Programs. We will explore each of these sections in detail to get you acquainted with this great greening tool.
Know How
The Know How section of the website is filled with useful content. Informative guides describing how to choose the best green products are plentiful. The Selecting Green Paint article is a great example of the top-quality information available on the site. The article breaks down what a volatile organic compound (VOC) is as well as the amount you should look for in paint. Be sure to Subscribe to the Know How section to stay up to date.
Ask a Pro
Ask a Pro is exactly how it sounds. This is an open forum where homeowners can ask professionals questions pertaining to green building projects. Questions in the forum range anywhere from which insulation is most appropriate to upgrading a solar panel. Moonworks looks forward to providing helpful answers in the Ask a Pro forum in the near future.
Find a Pro
So now that you have all of this great information on green building, what to do with it? Some of the simpler jobs you can handle but a number of of these renovations may be over your head. This is where “Find a Pro” comes in handy. Find a Pro provides a great directory of green building professionals in your local area. Company background, credentials, and contact information are all provided to help homeowners narrow down their choices.
Residential Programs
The Residential Programs section of the website provides a detailed list of national and local green building certification and/or education. Online links to the programs with short summaries of each organization is provided. Be sure to check it out if you are interested in bringing your knowledge of green building to the next level.
Side Note: Moonworks is a Founding Sponsor of the RI chapter of the USGBC.
Be sure to check out the USBGC&;s Green Home Guide. Additionally, don&;t miss out on Moonworks&; own Home Improvement Resources located here (for helpful guides on tax credits, solar power, and the new lead laws).