Gottfried Green

Although, I passed the exam last year I finally received my official Registered Certifying Agent Card. I'll take this as a sign that now is the time to finally begin getting the house certified.

Labels: FGBC

Since our project is nearing completion I started another blog which will be devoted specifically to the application process we will be going through to see if the house qualifies for a Green Home Designation from the Florida Green Building Coalition. It follows a very specific checklist in 8 categories: Energy, Water, Lot Choice, Site, Health, Materials, Disaster Mitigation, and a General category. Check in with Gottfried Green Home to follow our progress in receiving the designation.

Labels: blogs, FGBC

As New Year's resolutions go, rarely have a I accomplished one right out of the gate. On Monday, I received, in the mail, my Certificate of Completion for the Florida Green Home Designation Course. This allows me to become a Green Home Certifying Agent under the Florida Green Building Coalition. The next step is to submit this proof of course completion to the FGBC and I will be registered as an agent. A green home certifying agent is basically the facilitator of all the information needed to get a home certified green by the coalition. The requirements aren't quite as strict as the US Green Building Council's LEED standards but it is a start in cracking the code of green building especially here in FL. Also, by becoming an agent, I can submit my own package for review so that our house could receive a green designation from FGBC. I only need to submit a disclosure that I am the owner.

Labels: FGBC

So I drove to Cocoa, FL last week to take the Florida Green Building Coalition's Green Home Designation Course at the Solar Energy Center. It was a long day. I had to stay over to be able to make the 8am start. The class went to 4pm followed by a series of timed tests for each category covered in the course. The instructor was thorough to say the least. You can view his bio at the course link above. Basically the Solar Energy Center facilitates the course for the FGBC. This give the information a strong integrity with the science to back it up. If you pass the course you are able to become a green home certifying agent who submits the required information needed for a home to be designated green under the FGBC standards. The standards are set up to meet and exceed standard building here in FL. That said, it isn't incredibly hard for builders to go green. The beauty of the program for the green building movement is that it offers an in for every builder considering green without feeling overwhelmed. Beyond that it presents green options side by side making it easy to opted for a new method or material for whatever area. The view is that if builders would incorporate at least some items from each category:

General
Disaster Mitigation
Materials
Health
Site
Lot Choice
Water
Energy

then they are helping promote the cause and will most likely begin to implement further elements as they learn more and source more green materials. It's a process that would only move builders further into green as competition has begun to dictate.

Labels: FGBC

So we are off to the Florida Green Building Coalition's Green Trends Conference in Orlando this weekend. We are just going to attend the exhibit hall which is free to the public. I did actually join the FGBC. It was only $50 and does offer some great resources. I hope to get some hands on ideas about what's available and what's going on that's really green and that's really greenwash.

Labels: FGBC, materials

In FL we will also try to gain points for the FSBC, Florida Green Building Coalition's green building standards. The also offer a checklist which, at a glance, I know we have some of the easier ones covered like rainwater harvesting, solar water heating and native landscaping etc.

Labels: FGBC

The Florida green Building Coalition offers many resources that I am just starting to get into. The idea of a check list of green building standards is such a wonderful idea. It provides a snapshot into what should be considered upfront- everything from water systems to windows. Also, there is a points system for different levels of green which makes this less intimidating to those who have budget restrictions- like ourselves. Let's hear it for the waterless toilet!!

Labels: FGBC, materials

GreenTrends 2006 is Florida’s Third Annual Green Building Conference & Trade Show. The conference serves as a forum for bringing together those businesses, government agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in greening the design, construction, and operation of Florida’s built environment. It is interesting there is this great resource particular to FL and its green building movement BUT my biggest beef is I still feel it alienates the consumer/homeowner. Very unfortunately I missed this (but would it have been appropriate for me to attend anyway?) I will definitely use the site as a resource but it starts to become more marketing of new green/h-zoned products vs. solid information to help make an informed unbiased buying decision. This is referring more to the trade show side of this with so many products flying at you. We are embarking on one of the hard parts of this project trying to navigate the bs from the real deal.

Labels: FGBC, materials