May 5, 2021 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Green Home Living, LEED Certification, Location
This ninth and last article in this LEED for Homes 101 series I wrote for Rise focuses on how a project can earn more points through innovation (and includes some great ideas!) and why it’s important to understand your region’s natural resources. Whether...
Apr 22, 2021 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Green Home Living, Healthy Home, LEED Certification, Toxins & Chemicals
How often have you walked into your own home and noticed a specific smell? With people spending more time at home, indoor air quality is more important than ever. This blog post written for Rise dives into the best practices (according to the USGBC’s LEED rating...
Mar 9, 2021 | LEED Certification, Materials, Trash and Waste
Arguably the most interesting section of the LEED rating system, the Materials and Resources section delves into three sustainability topics: Purchasing more environmentally friendly materials Reducing waste associated with new construction and renovations, and...
Feb 4, 2021 | Energy, LEED Certification
The sixth article in my LEED for Homes 101 series I wrote for Rise, this article discusses the ins and outs of how to make a home more energy efficient–which saves money and reduces your carbon footprint!
Jul 1, 2019 | Energy & Water, Green Home Building/Remodeling, Green Home Living, Landscaping, LEED Certification, Water
The fourth in my monthly series that I write for Rise, translating the LEED rating system into what it really means for homeowners, this is all about water efficiency–both inside your home and outside in your yard. Read on BuildWithRise.com.
Jun 1, 2019 | LEED Certification
The third in my monthly series that I write for Rise, translating the LEED rating system into what it really means for homeowners, this is all about sustainable sites. Read about it at BuildWithRise.com.
Apr 24, 2019 | LEED Certification, Location
The second in my monthly series on the pros and cons of LEED certification for homes, dissecting why Location and Transportation matter for the sustainability of your home. Bottom line: higher density living is more sustainable. Read on the BuildWithRise.com...
Feb 4, 2019 | Energy & Water, Green Home Building/Remodeling, LEED Certification
Since installing our faucet aerators about 8 years ago, we’ve saved about $50 per year on our water bill–that’s $300 so far–plus more on our energy bills, since we’ve used less hot water too. We went from 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm) to...
Jan 1, 2019 | Energy, Green Home Building/Remodeling, LEED Certification
This one-hundred-year old home in Minneapolis was remodeled to be net zero, meaning it produces as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year. Truly a role model for what can be done–and needs to be done–for our existing building stock.
Dec 4, 2018 | Energy, Energy & Water, Green Home Building/Remodeling, Green Home Living, Green Intention, Healthy Home, Landscaping, LEED Certification, Location, Materials
I had the honor of visiting with Mark and Kate Hanson and touring their home and gardens earlier this year. Here’s the story I wrote about their inspirational home and site–and how it serves their community in Roseville, Minnesota.
Aug 3, 2011 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, LEED Certification
After taking a year of blogging about getting our home LEED certified, and writing about every minute detail, I wanted to share some key findings. There are 18 prerequisites across eight sections in the rating system. You have to dig through each section of LEED...
Jul 7, 2011 | Energy & Water, Green Home Building/Remodeling, Green Home Living, LEED Certification
We had some major hail damage in Minneapolis back on May 10th (which I write about in a more recent post), and the areas that we have a green roof are the only ones that do not need replacement! I write about the benefits of the green roof in a blog post on a...
