Information on making building and remodeling projects more eco-friendly.
We recycle plastics, paper, food waste but house paint? Why, and what happens to it? Living in Marin County, California, most of us are hyper-aware of the need to practice habits that protect our environment. We’ve got the green can for left-over scraps of food and the vegetation cuttings from our yards. We have a
Do they exist? The hunt is on for home-building materials and designs that can withstand the rages and changes brought on by climate change. Once-in-a-hundred-year floods, fires and storms are becoming much more common occurrences, taking lives and wreaking havoc. Homeowners are rattled and rightly so. Insurance rates are rising, and some insurers are leaving
An architectural challenge facing many cities in the US is how best to convert commercial office buildings into housing. Some might wonder why conversions of empty office buildings aren’t happening faster. Cities like San Francisco face a lack of affordable housing and a growing homeless population. The same is true even for smaller cities like
Lessons in History, the Phoenix and Circular Architecture History repeats itself, with lessons for all of us. A recent exhibit in Warsaw, Poland, reminds us of the legend of the phoenix. The tale reveals that this immortal bird died by fire, only to be reborn again out of the ashes. After World War II, Warsaw
Designing with the environment in mind is a concept that goes back centuries. In fact, many ancient civilizations and indigenous cultures worldwide exhibited a deep connection to their natural surroundings through their architecture. Indigenous architecture often integrated design elements with local materials and construction techniques that were in harmony with the environment. During the Renaissance,
A version of this post first ran in 2016. Using graywater (sometimes spelled greywater) to irrigate your landscaping is an excellent way to reduce your water use in California's drought-prone climate. What Is Graywater? Graywater is water generated from household use that would otherwise go to waste. Water from bathroom sinks, laundry, shower, bath and
With summer upon us, it’s an excellent time to think about remodeling your outdoor living spaces. One excellent, eco-friendly upgrade to consider is replacing patios and walkways made from impermeable paving materials – such as traditional concrete or stone, asphalt, or plastic – with permeable paving. Why Use Permeable Paving Materials? Permeable materials are porous
Post-frame construction has been around since humans first started building spaces to live in, but it is becoming a more popular option for new home and commercial construction, thanks to its flexibility, sustainability and cost-effectiveness. What Is Post-Frame Construction? Post-frame construction is an engineered-wood-frame building system that meets Uniform Building Code (UBC) and International Building
High utility bills and growing anxiety about climate change might have you thinking about going solar. While the technology of the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell has been with us since 1954 in the U.S., it didn’t take off as expected. According to the Energy Information Administration, as of 2020, only 3.7% of U.S. residences generated
Keeping warm is getting very expensive. December was the coldest in the Bay Area in 30 years. January rainstorms, followed by freezing temperatures, are bringing more cold weather in February. PG&E warns that consumers should expect their bills to be 32% higher than last year. Natural gas bills alone are five times higher in California
