energy

Author

Michael Anschel

Otogawa-Anschel Design + Build

The key to successful green building lies in two things: planning and communication. One of the big challenges in green construction and design is sorting through the vast ocean of information including all of the facts, fictions, and applications. Location, climate and building type all can change the assembly of materials and methods of installation. Consider also the composition of the actual building materials, and concerns such as sustainability, safety, and durability.

Resources

On the Web!: 

Green Building Advisor: building science, forums & experts, greenbuildingadvisor.com

U.S. Green Building Council, usgbc.org

Read Up!: 

The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building:Redefining the Practice of Sustainability, by 7group, Bill Reed, and S. Rick Fedrizzi, Wiley, 2009.

Building Green in a Black and White World, by David R. Johnston, Home Builder Press, 2000.

Builders Guide to Cold Climates: Details for Design & Construction, by Joseph Lstiburek, Taunton Press, 2000.

Act Locally!: 

Minnesota GreenStar Roseville, MN 651-493-0294 mngreenstar.org

Verified Green Minneapolis, MN 612-789-7070 verifiedgreen.org

Author

Michael Anschel

Otogawa-Anschel Design + Build

If you are reading this article, you may already know the importance of considering our planet's resources when designing our homes. Determining the most sustainable solutions is a real challenge. Should you invest in solar panels? Should you buy the carpet with the Green label? Which design solutions have the highest impact?

In order to help you make these important decisions for your home, designers Greg Kraus, Chie Morioka, and Scott Barsness of Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build provide some helpful tips.

Resources

On the Web!: 

U.S. Green Building Council, usgbc.org

All things green building, greenbuildingadvisor.com

Materials database, pharosproject.org

Read Up!: 

Cats' Paws and Catapults:Mechanical Worlds of Nature and People, by Steven Vogel, Norton, 2000.

A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction, by Christopher Alexander, Oxford University Press, 1977.

Not So Big Remodeling: Tailoring Your Home for the Way You Really Live, by Sarah Susanka, Taunton, 2009.

Act Locally!: 

Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build Minneapolis, MN 612-789-7070 otogawa-anschel.com

Author

Erin Barnes-Driscoll

Green Buildings Team - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Basements are notorious for being damp, dark, inhospitable places - the antithesis of what we like to associate with green and healthy living. As a rule, the basements in older homes were not designed to be functional living spaces. Yet for many of us, the basement represents potential bedroom, recreational or home office space at an affordable cost.

While some basements are unsuitable as living space, others can be transformed as long as some "green building science" principles are followed. The following is a partial list of things to consider:

Resources

On the Web!: 

Minnesota GreenStar Certified Green Homes and Remodeling, mngreenstar.org

Minnesota Office of Energy Security, state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/home.do?agency=Energy

Read This Before You Design, Build, or Renovate, buildingscience.com/documents/guides-and-manuals

University of Minnesota Extension, Moisture in Basements: Causes and Solutions, by John Carmody and Brent Anderson; Revised by Richard Stone, extension.umn.edu /distribution/housingandclothing /DK7051.html

Author

Contributions Eureka Recycling, the Green Institute, Land Stewardship Project, Tracy Singleton, owner of Birchwood Café, and Kim Bartmann, owner of Red Stag Supper Club, Bryant Lake Bowl, and Barbette.

When you cook and enjoy a meal at home, it reflects your values and the choices you make every day. You know where the food came from and how it was grown. You can compost your food scraps and store your leftovers in your energy-efficient fridge in reusable containers. But what about when you go out to eat? How can you make sure the restaurants you support are making the right choices for the environment and our community?

Resources

On the Web!: 

Small Business Energy Saving Guide, greeninstitute.org/media/documents /SmallBusinessEnergy ReductionGuide_001.pdf

Benefits of Sustainable, Local Foods, landstewardshipproject.org /foodfarm-main.html

Tap Minneapolis, tapmpls.com

Act Locally!: 

List of local restaurants composting with Eureka Recycling, MakeDirtNotWaste.org

Author

BETH BENNETT

Center for Energy and Environment

In 2007, the city of Minneapolis became the first city in the country to fund small grants for its residents to prevent climate change. The grants garnered tremendous success; Minneapolis residents pledged to prevent over 8.2 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually and save over $650,000 on their energy use in the year following the grant period. This year's 25 diverse grant recipients have almost $100,000 to make a difference in the attitudes and actions of Minneapolis residents.

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

City of Minneapolis Grants,
www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/news
/20080411ClimateChangeGrants.asp

Minnesota Energy Challenge,
www.mnenergychallenge.org

Phillips Community Energy Cooperative,
www.phillipsenergycoop.com

Minnesota Energy Challenge Table at a local community event.

Author

SARA GROCHOWSKI

Do It Green! Minnesota

For many of us, daily commutes to and from school or the workplace is an accepted part of life. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, Minnesotans spend an average of 5.79% or $2,377 of their annual income on gasoline expenses. Considering these rates were published in a report based on 2007 prices and gas prices have continued to increase at alarming rates, finding a cheap way to get from one place to another has become increasingly difficult. Alternative modes of transportation can help your wallet and the environment.

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

Calculate your average fuel cost,
fueleconomy.gov/Feg
/savemoney.shtml

Natural Resources Defense Council,
nrdc.org

Author

SARA GROCHOWSKI

Do It Green! Minnesota

Since the advent of the industrial revolution, worldwide energy consumption has been growing steadily. With the decreasing availability of current non-renewable energy sources, we are moving towards an energy transition to renewable energy options. There are arguments for and against the many energy sources available and not yet available. As the largest consumer of energy, the United States needs to make dramatic decisions and changes. Currently, there are many community groups and government agencies working on solutions to our energy crisis.

Author

ELI EFFINGER-WEINTRAUB

Do It Green!

Carbon offsetting is a method of counteracting the environmental impacts of carbon emissions by investing in carbon-reduction efforts. While reducing your fossil fuel consumption should be your first focus, individuals can purchase carbon offsets for air travel, cruises, big events, cross-country road trips, or everyday commutes-activities that increase your carbon footprint that you find difficult to avoid.

Individuals purchasing carbon offsets usually work through organizations such as CarbonFund or Climate Trust, which reinvest the money in

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

Clean Air Cool Planet-Consumers' Guide to Carbon Offsets for Carbon Neutrality,
cleanair-coolplanet.org/ConsumersGuidetoCarbonOffsets.pdf

Find a carbon offset provider,
carboncatalog.org/providers

David Suzuki Foundation-
Focus on sustainable living,
davidsuzuki.org

Read Up!

The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Your Carbon Footprint, by Nancy S. Grant, Alpha, 2008.

Act Locally!

The Minnesota Project
St. Paul, MN
651-645-6159, mnproject.org

Honor the Earth, Minneapolis, MN
612-879-7529, honorearth.org

Author

MARY MORSE

Neighborhood Energy Connection

Americans have been on a century-long energy spending spree. From automobiles to architecture, as long as energy costs have stayed affordable relative to our incomes, neither wastefulness nor environmental implications figured into our buying and building decisions. But with skyrocketing energy costs, people are beginning to rethink that approach. Unfortunately, the inexpensive and immediate fix for our energy problems-energy conservation-is mostly overlooked in favor of high-cost energy production solutions, most of which are slow to implement and some of which are counterproductive

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

Home energy conservation/car sharing: Neighborhood Energy Connection,
651-221-4462, TheNEC.org

Insulation/air sealing contractors: Minnesota Building Performance Association, MBPA.us

Home energy conservation fact sheets and do-it-yourself guides from the Minnesota Department of Commerce http://www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/home.do?agency=Commerce (click on "Energy Info Center" tab)

Bicycle use and route planning: Bike/Walk Twin Cities,
bikewalktwincities.org

Transit use, costs, schedules, and route planning, metrotransit.org

Read Up!

The Complete Guide to Reducing Energy Costs, by the Editors of Consumer Reports, Consumer Reports, 2006.

The Home Energy Diet: How to Save Money, by Making Your House Energy-Smart, by Paul Scheckel, New Society Publishers, 2005.

Author

DIANA McKEOWN

Metro CERTs Network Coordinator

What is CERTs? No, it's not a breath mint! It is a resource for communities across Minnesota who would like to plan and implement local energy projects. CERTs (Clean Energy Resource Teams) was launched in 2003 with the mission of connecting people to the technical resources needed to identify and implement community-scale energy efficiency and clean energy projects. CERTs is made up of community members from across the state who have developed a bold vision for Minnesota's energy future: one that can be reached through