This week is a great week to be green in Columbia, SC and it is the beginning for many more great weeks to come.
First, our community service project got a nice write up in The State newspaper. We'll have a full presentation on that project in the coming weeks on this blog and our website. Stay Tuned!
Second, Mayor Bob Coble announced the new Green Building Incentive Program for the City of Columbia. Members of our council and other green building professionals worked on this program with the City of Columbia Climate Protection Action Campaign (CPAC) Building Committee for many months. The program has $100,000 of Federal Stimulus money to start. Click here for more information and to register a project in the Columbia Green Building Incentive Program.
And finally, the SC Energy Office opened the SC Appliance Rebate Program this morning, March 31st. The program offers rebates to consumers who purchase an Energy Star (TM) Appliance and turn in their old appliance. Rebates range from $50 to $500, depending on the appliance. Learn more about this program here. Don't delay, there is a limited amount of rebate money available, and it's available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
So if you're in Columbia, SC and you're looking to go green - it's your week!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Green Building Council Community Service Project
Members of the Green Building Council of Greater Columbia and other HBA Members are currently working on a community service project in Columbia. We're repairing a women's shelter home and adding as many cost-effective green features as possible. We have been taking photos and video of the process and plan to make a presentation on this project for the web in the near future. The goal is to show what can be done to the typical Columbia home to help use less energy and be more efficient.
Thanks to Pete Williams of A-Therm Remodelors for spearheading this project and to the many GBC and HBA members who are working together to get this project completed. Below is an article that ran in The State newspaper on March 27.
http://www.thestate.com/2010/03/27/1218227/rantin-home-builders-put-skills.html?story_link=email_msg
Again, keep an eye on this blog and our website (columbiagreenbuilders.com) for a presentation on this project.
- Green Building Council staff
Thanks to Pete Williams of A-Therm Remodelors for spearheading this project and to the many GBC and HBA members who are working together to get this project completed. Below is an article that ran in The State newspaper on March 27.
http://www.thestate.com/2010/03/27/1218227/rantin-home-builders-put-skills.html?story_link=email_msg
Again, keep an eye on this blog and our website (columbiagreenbuilders.com) for a presentation on this project.
- Green Building Council staff
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
2010 ConocoPhillips Energy Prize
The 2010 ConocoPhillips Energy Prize, sponsored by ConocoPhillips and Penn State. The program, now in its third year, will award up to $300,000 for the best concepts that promote advances in energy diversity, improve energy efficiency, or combat climate change.
The ConocoPhillips Energy Prize will accept entries through May 21 and is open to all U.S. residents who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry. Entrants must submit a comprehensive proposal via the Internet at www.conocophillips.com/energyprize or by mail.
It is our hope that by fostering innovation no matter where inspiration may strike, we can create a path to a more secure and environmentally conscious energy supply.
The ConocoPhillips Energy Prize will accept entries through May 21 and is open to all U.S. residents who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry. Entrants must submit a comprehensive proposal via the Internet at www.conocophillips.com/energyprize or by mail.
It is our hope that by fostering innovation no matter where inspiration may strike, we can create a path to a more secure and environmentally conscious energy supply.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Join me this weekend at The Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show as the Green Building Council of Greater Columbia Presents:
“Be Green to $ave Green”
Green Statistics
• 128 Million Residential Housing Units 2007
• 7.188 Million Built New from 2005-2009
• 4.9 Million Office Buildings in 2003
• 170,000 New Commercial Buildings Added Every Year
Green Statistics Energy
• Buildings Account for 39% of ALL Energy Use
• 72% of Electricity Use
• 8% of Energy goes to treating, pumping & Heating water
• 7% of all Electricity use goes to Refrigerators
• Each person generates 4.62 pounds of trash every day
• Construction accounts for 26 % of all waste
Green, what does it mean?
• Who gets it?
• Where is the Demand?
When you buy a car, do you look at the sticker on the window and see what kind of gas mileage and features the car has? Do you look under the Hood? Average person spends $21,000 on a new car. When you buy a new or used home, what sticker do you look at to tell what kind of efficiency that house has? Can you look under the hood? Can you take it for a test drive? No one knows, and yet it is the biggest investment we make from $150,000 to $400,000.
If I asked you how much you paid for gas per gallon this week, you could probably name the gas station with the best price. You could probably tell me how much you paid ten years ago for a gallon of gas. Do you know how much you pay your electric company per kilowatt hour used? When was the last time they raised the price? How many Kilowatts do you use in a month? Is there anything you can do about that? Or do you just shrug your shoulders and stroke the check?
When you go to work and your car is parked in the parking lot, how much energy does it use? That’s right, none. But while you are at work how much energy is your house using? No one probably knows because the average person doesn’t know how much energy their house used each month they only know how much they paid on their last bill. We have got to understand that we control how much money we spend on energy by being energy efficient. We have come up with 5 Simple Steps for you to be Green and $ave Green. Come join me at the Home and Garden Show Friday the 12th at noon or 4pm, Saturday the 13th at 1 pm, or Sunday the 14th at 1 pm for a seminar dedicated to saving your Green. I look forward to seeing you there.
Green Statistics
• 128 Million Residential Housing Units 2007
• 7.188 Million Built New from 2005-2009
• 4.9 Million Office Buildings in 2003
• 170,000 New Commercial Buildings Added Every Year
Green Statistics Energy
• Buildings Account for 39% of ALL Energy Use
• 72% of Electricity Use
• 8% of Energy goes to treating, pumping & Heating water
• 7% of all Electricity use goes to Refrigerators
• Each person generates 4.62 pounds of trash every day
• Construction accounts for 26 % of all waste
Green, what does it mean?
• Who gets it?
• Where is the Demand?
When you buy a car, do you look at the sticker on the window and see what kind of gas mileage and features the car has? Do you look under the Hood? Average person spends $21,000 on a new car. When you buy a new or used home, what sticker do you look at to tell what kind of efficiency that house has? Can you look under the hood? Can you take it for a test drive? No one knows, and yet it is the biggest investment we make from $150,000 to $400,000.
If I asked you how much you paid for gas per gallon this week, you could probably name the gas station with the best price. You could probably tell me how much you paid ten years ago for a gallon of gas. Do you know how much you pay your electric company per kilowatt hour used? When was the last time they raised the price? How many Kilowatts do you use in a month? Is there anything you can do about that? Or do you just shrug your shoulders and stroke the check?
When you go to work and your car is parked in the parking lot, how much energy does it use? That’s right, none. But while you are at work how much energy is your house using? No one probably knows because the average person doesn’t know how much energy their house used each month they only know how much they paid on their last bill. We have got to understand that we control how much money we spend on energy by being energy efficient. We have come up with 5 Simple Steps for you to be Green and $ave Green. Come join me at the Home and Garden Show Friday the 12th at noon or 4pm, Saturday the 13th at 1 pm, or Sunday the 14th at 1 pm for a seminar dedicated to saving your Green. I look forward to seeing you there.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Join us at the Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show March 12 - 14
The Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show is the Midlands largest show for consumers to see the latest in home building, home improvement, landscaping and more! A special focus this year has been placed on energy efficency.
Members of the Green Building Council of Greater Columbia will be at the show throughout the weekend to give seminars on the value of going green and to answer your questions.
Members will be in a booth in the Moore Building with the SC Energy Office. The SCEO will be there to talk about the forthcoming SC Appliance Rebate program, and our members will be there to answer your green building and remodeling questions.
If you don't catch us in the booth, we will have seminars each day of the show. Join chairman Bill Wichlei, CGP for "Be Green to $ave Green" on Friday at 4:00 p.m., Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
The USGBC Columbia Chapter will also be at the show for a joint meeting with our council. The public is invited to attend our joint seminar "The Value of Going Green" on Friday at Noon. (Free with paid admission to the show.)
Click here for more information on the Home & Garden Show, and we hope to see you there!
Members of the Green Building Council of Greater Columbia will be at the show throughout the weekend to give seminars on the value of going green and to answer your questions.
Members will be in a booth in the Moore Building with the SC Energy Office. The SCEO will be there to talk about the forthcoming SC Appliance Rebate program, and our members will be there to answer your green building and remodeling questions.
If you don't catch us in the booth, we will have seminars each day of the show. Join chairman Bill Wichlei, CGP for "Be Green to $ave Green" on Friday at 4:00 p.m., Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
The USGBC Columbia Chapter will also be at the show for a joint meeting with our council. The public is invited to attend our joint seminar "The Value of Going Green" on Friday at Noon. (Free with paid admission to the show.)
Click here for more information on the Home & Garden Show, and we hope to see you there!
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