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Q + A: Meet Florida's Showcase Green Envirohome
I’m interested in building a super environmentally friendly home. I’ve seen and read about homes that claim to have energy efficient and earth friendly features, but have not seen one total example of a home that delivers both. Are you aware of any such homes?
Todd 04-02-08 10:00 a.m.
Absolutely. Green building is all about being earth-friendly, but the strength to safely withstand whatever Mother Nature can dish out is a smart expansion on the theme in Florida’s Showcase Green Envirohome. Contractor Mark Baker and his wife, Nonnie Chrystal, vice president of Mark Baker LLC, were inspired to create this innovative house for Mark’s mother Betty Baker-Farley after hurricanes Frances and Jeanne left her seaside home ravaged by wind, water and mold damage in 2004. They decided they could rebuild the home to be better, stronger, smarter, safer and greener, and that’s exactly what they’ve been up to since construction began last year.
Now nearing completion, the 3,500-square-foot Envirohome’s stated goal is to resist hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fire, mold and termites while being ecologically friendly. Mark and Nonnie are also going for a result that’s near-zero-energy and near-zero-runoff, with lowered costs benefitting the resident as well as the environment.
“We want to demonstrate that safe, efficient homes can be affordable and rewardable,” says Nonnie.
For a look at the plans for and progress of this innovative new build, click over to the Envirohome site. It is a great example of what you could aspire to for your own home.
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FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANKS FOR PLACING YOU ITEMS ON THE WEB. I'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED LATELY TRYING TO PURCHASE A BI-FOLD DOOR FOR A LINEN CLOSET IN MY BATHROOM. IT'S AND ODD DOORWAY THAT MEASURES 24" WIDE x 74" TALL. THE WIDTH (24") IS NOT THE PROBLEM, IT'S THE 74" TALL. I WENT TO MY LOCAL (HOME DEPOT & LOWES) STORES, AND OF COURSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT ODD LENGTH............OH BY THE WAY, I WANTED LOUVERS OR PANELS IN THEIR DESIGN. THEY SAID THEY COULD SPECIAL ORDER WHAT I MAY NEED, BUT THE PRICE IS (3) TIMES WHAT I WOULD WANT TO PAY. QUESTION, WHY DON'T MANUFACTURERS MAKE PANELED AND LOUVERED BI-FOLDING DOORS SO THAT THEY CAN BE SHORTENED BY SAWING OFF MAYBE 3-4 INCHES FROM THE TOP OR BOTTOM SO THAT THEY MAY FIT ODD SIZE DOORS ON OLDER HOMES?
ROBERT........IN PENNSYLVANIA (rtrdavid@aol.com) -
The home was built to meet almost a dozen green home guidelines.
See: http://www.fsge.net/guidelines.html
I think that speaks for itself. -
The web site gives us no idea how or why this home is superior to others ... ie what is so special about the construction
?
A lot of the newer homes here in the Caribbean are super strength and enviro- friendly.
What is it that makes this one so good?
There is no real explanation.
I am really disappointed in this particular Kraeutler's posting.
6/20/08 10:43 AM