HBA Green Building the Ozarks

Early Bird Registration Discount Extended for Greening Midwest Communities Conference!

2010-09-12T14:20:00.000-05:00

October 19-20, 2010

Capitol Plaza Hotel

Jefferson City, MO

Registration is NOW open!

Early Registration Rates Available Through September 22!

Please visit the website at

http://muconf.missouri.edu/gmcc

Join in an unparalleled opportunity to collaborate and learn with building, development, and storm water professionalsacross the Midwest. This 2-day conference brings together industry, municipal, county, code and agency professionals working in many aspects of community development and energy-efficient/green home building and remodeling. University of Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Centers (SBTDC) Program will be onsite to engage interested attendees in the services offered by this statewide network of business development assistance.

Learn:

* what it means to "build green"

* how developing, building and remodeling green can sustain and grow the homebuilding and community development industries

* where to go to find the latest in stormwater and national water quality regulations and the tools to help your business comply

* why developing, building and remodeling green can offer increased market share AND financial benefits to your business

* who your next buyer is likely to be

Lodging:

A block of rooms is being held at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City,Missouri. Conference participants are responsible for making their own room reservations by calling Capitol Plaza Hotel. To make reservations call (800) 338-8088 or (573) 635-1234. Reservations are guaranteed if made by September 18, 2010, then on a space-available basis until the conference date. The special conference room rate will be $79 plus tax per night, and up to four may share a room. Be sure to identify yourself as a participant in the Greening Midwest Communities Conference.

Expo Space Available!

Take advantage of this opportunity to reach out to home building and remodeling, development, and storm water professionals from throughout the Midwest. Join us and reserve your space today!

Learn to Use Online Green Building Scoring Tool for Verification

2010-09-05T14:54:00.000-05:00

This "hands-on", one-day course will take place on Thursday, September 30 at the HBA office from 8 am to 4 pm. Special Guest presenter is Rick Kaufmann, CGB and verifier from Laclede Gas in St. Louis. Rick verified more than 100 homes under the Green Building Guidelines. For more information and to register, click here.

BUILDERS AND REMODELERS: Learn to use the scoring tool to have a building/remodeling project verified under the Standard. SUPPLIERS AND SUB-CONTRACTORS: Learn more about what the scoring process requires you to provide to builders/remodelers for verification. If you wish to receive a copy of the NAHB Green Building Standard with your registration, the cost is $30 for HBA members. If you do not need a copy of the Standard, the cost is $20 and includes lunch.

Greening Missouri Homes Conference Postponed Until October

2010-03-07T21:54:00.001-06:00

The first annual Greening Missouri Homes conference, due to be held March 16-17, is being postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. The event has been rescheduled for October 19-20, 2010 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Those who already had registered for the event originally scheduled to take place March 16-17 may choose to keep their registration for the rescheduled conference dates or request a refund by contacting the MU Conference Office at muconf1@missouri.edu or faxing a request to (573) 882-1953. Questions can be addressed by calling (573) 882-4038.

Registrants are reminded to cancel or rebook any hotel accommodations directly with Capitol Plaza Hotel at (800) 338-8088 or local (573) 635-1234.

Those interested in attending the conference in October may learn more about the event and register online by clicking here.

The University of Missouri-Center for Sustainable Energy and The Home Builders Associations of St. Louis, Jefferson City, Kansas City and Springfield thank you for your interest in the Greening Missouri Homes conference and look forward to seeing you at the new date October 19-20.

Register Now for Greening Missouri Homes Conference, March 16-17

2010-02-14T22:21:00.003-06:00

March 16-17, 2010

Capitol Plaza Hotel

Jefferson City, MO

CLICK HERE FOR

REGISTRATION, SCHEDULE, AND MORE !

The University of Missouri-Center for Sustainable Energy in partnership with The Home Builders Associations of St. Louis, Jefferson City, Kansas City and Springfield is delighted to invite you to attend the Greening Missouri Homes Conference; March 16th & 17th in Jefferson City, MO.

A national survey of HBA members indicates that the vast majorities have some level of involvement with Green Building and Remodeling. Through the National Association of Homebuilder’s National Green Building Program (NAHB GREEN) HBAs and talented staff work hard to stay atop housing trends, to provide education for members along with others involved in the Housing and Housing retrofit and remodeling industry. With the Evolution of Building Codes and the Creation of the National Green Building Standard, advancing the experience of those involved with the Housing Industry to safely and economically Develop-Build-Retrofit Missouri’s Housing stock is a top priority!

The University of Missouri and the Home Building Associations across the State encourage you to register for this informative Conference and Networking opportunity to promote Better, Affordable, Greener Home Building, Retrofit and Development.

We are very thankful for the resources of the sponsors who make this conference possible.

Dr. Robert Reed, P.E., PhD, Co-Director
University of Missouri Center for Sustainable Energy

Matt Belcher, Chairman
Greening Missouri Homes Conference

SAVE THE DATE: "Greening Missouri Homes" Statewide Conference

2010-01-22T14:30:00.004-06:00

March 16 – 17, 2010

Capitol Plaza Hotel

Jefferson City, MO

This 2-day conference will bring together professionals in all aspects of the home building and remodeling industry – builders, remodelers, appraisers, code officials, realtors, financiers and more. The conference will offer attendees the opportunity to learn about how to get involved in the many aspects of Green Building and NAHB Green.

NAHB Green offers:

Established solutions for greening homes and land development: new build, renovation, or remodel

Range of tools, resources and in-depth guidance to help builders and retrofitters partner with homeowners to go green affordably

Market-driven and voluntary established program for today’s issues: energy-efficiency, storm water management and indoor air quality

Lodging:
A block of rooms is being held at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City, Missouri. Conference participants are responsible for making their own room reservations by calling Capitol Plaza Hotel. To make reservations call (800) 338-8088 or local (573) 635-1234. The special conference room rate will be $79 plus tax per night. Be sure to identify yourself as a participant in the Greening Missouri Homes Conference.

Sponsored by:
University of Missouri Center for Sustainable Energy & Missouri HBA(s).

Certification Opportunity:
Opportunity to become a certified green professional will be available through the Certified Green Professional Designation Courses offered through the HBA of Central Missouri in Jefferson City. Certification is dependent on the successful completion of the three day course which will be offered on March 15 and March 18 – 19, 2010 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel.

Conference registration and more information is available at:

http://muconf.missouri.edu/greeningmissourihomes

The Green Home Guide: Connecting the Green Dots

2009-11-07T22:22:00.003-06:00

Ever wonder how to make sense of all the "Green Building Buzz" you hear and read? How about a brief video primer?

The Green Home Guide: Connecting the Green Dots is a brief but informative video that provides consumers and prospective home buyers with the most up-to-date, simple, and affordable strategies used to embrace a greener lifestyle at home. By investing in durable, practical, eco-friendly products and practices we can change our world for the better. To see the rest of the series please visit www.nahb.org/greenhomeguide.

Local Builders Travel to St. Louis to Tour Green Homes

2009-08-21T09:05:00.004-05:00

Members of the HBA of Greater Springfield's Green Building committee travelled Friday to St. Louis to meet with green builders from that area and to tour a few cutting-edge green-built homes. The HBA of Greater St. Louis and Eastern Missouri boasts one of the premier green building programs in the country.

The Springfield-area builders and other HBA members toured certified green homes and exchanged ideas and best practices with St. Louis area builders who also specialize in building homes in an environmentally sensitive and beneficial way. The St. Louis HBA's green building verification program was one of the first of its kind in the U.S. and is considered one of the most comprehensive and effective green building programs anywhere. The verification program is called the GBI-St. Louis Program. The verification process for the GBI-St. Louis Program is handled through Laclede Gas, the third party verifier, and the homes are verified for compliance with the NAHB Model Green Building Guidelines.

Above: Sam Bradley (left, Sam Bradley Homes), Zach Miller (center, Murney Associates),
and Jason Bekebrede (right, Monticello Homes) prepare to depart for St. Louis -
but not before they stop to pick up a few more HBA members who reserved seats for the trip.

HBA's Green Product Showcase a Big Success!

2009-08-20T16:53:00.000-05:00

Even in a challenging housing market, people remain interested in all things green. The HBA of Greater Springfield opened its annual Green Building Product Showcase Night to members of the public for the first time at its 2009 event, following an exclusive "members-only" screening of the latest green building products, materials, and techniques the local industry has to offer. The event, held on Tuesday, August 18, featured 31 cutting edge booths and lots of interest from more than 200 HBA members and interested consumers.

View photos from the event in the slideshow below:

Discover Green Ideas To Grow On at HBA's Product Showcase Night

2009-08-13T13:15:00.002-05:00

Learn more from industry professionals about products and processes involved in building a green home. "Green Ideas to Grow On" is the theme of the 2009 HBA Green Product Showcase Night on Tuesday, August 18 at the Clarion Hotel, 3333 S. Glenstone Ave. This year, HBA members can attend the show during a members-only time, 5:30 pm to 7 pm, for a light buffet and exclusive time to visit the exhibitors. Prizes including golf balls, the book "Go Green, Live Rich," and a water-efficient shower head will be given away during that timeframe. The meal cost is $15. From 7 pm to 8:30 pm, the event will also be open to the public by invitation. To RSVP or for more information, call 881-3711 or email carrie@springfieldhba.com.

Credit Crunch Hits NAHB Green Show Home

2009-08-13T12:10:00.004-05:00

The New American Home 2010, a model of innovation in energy and resource efficiency, has now become a high profile model of restrictive lending practices by a banking industry that is choking off the supply of credit for residential construction.

As Las Vegas builder Domanico Custom Homes works tirelessly to complete the home in time for its debut in January at the 2010 International Builders' Show (IBS), the company must now contend with lenders who have cut off the supply of capital for even the best projects. The builder of one of the most heavily visited and widely covered show homes in the world is having trouble getting the financing needed to finish the project.

The 2010 home is being built to the new National Green Building Standard and will be a near net-zero-energy home. It serves as a laboratory that will help shape the building practices used by thousands of those who seek to produce energy efficient homes. However, Domanico Custom Homes has not been able to find a bank that will finance the final draw needed to complete the home, even though it is 60 percent finished.

"Instead of being a showcase for innovative new products and green building technologies, The New American Home 2010 has become a showcase of excessively restrictive lending practices and failed regulatory oversight," said Joe Robson, Chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. "We've been hearing from builders across the country that banks are cutting way back on loans for construction, and this is a prime example."

NAHB is calling on banking regulators and the banking industry to end the stranglehold on acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) loans that has emerged as a major impediment to the housing recovery. Lenders are refusing loans for viable new housing projects and cutting off funding or calling performing outstanding loans, producing unnecessary foreclosures and losses on AD&C loans.

"The banking regulators need to allow and encourage lenders to give leeway to residential AD&C borrowers who have loans in good standing by providing flexibility on re-appraisals, loan modifications and perhaps forbearance to give builders time to complete and sell their lots and homes," Robson said. "The New American Home 2010 is a great home from a program that has a long history of sound performance and good returns. If the builder of this home has trouble getting a loan, then you know the system is not working."

The home was designed by the architecture firm KTGY Group of Irvine, Calif. Much smaller than other recent homes in the series, the 6,000 square foot desert-contemporary home is a model of space efficiency in residential design. The architects have also incorporated many universal design features into the home.

Adam Knecht, general manager at Domanico Custom Homes, said he understands the lenders' perspective.

"Banks are just not lending because Las Vegas has been a tough market," Knecht said. "But this is a beautiful home in a great location and it is the state-of-the-art in green building. The New American Home is seen by thousands of people - millions if you include feature articles in newspapers and magazines. We're not going to have trouble selling this home.

"If there is an investor out there looking for a good lending opportunity, I would love to hear from them," Knecht said.

The home's green building features include APEX block construction for exterior walls, a solar hot water system with gas backup, several types of insulation for different parts of the house, and photovoltaic cells. It also includes a greywater recycling system, tankless hot water heaters, high-efficiency furnaces, and "intelligent" fireplaces. It even has a green roof system to cover part of the patio.

Sponsored by the National Council of the Housing Industry (NCHI) and Builder Magazine, The New American Home is one of NAHB's most visible programs. The show home is just 10 minutes from the Las Vegas Convention Center. The home will be open for free guided tours during IBS 2010 exhibit hours. For more details, visit www.tnah.com.

SBJ: Home Builders Gear up for Green Showcase in August

2009-07-21T10:43:00.002-05:00

In its July 20-27 issue, Springfield Business Journal reported that the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield will host a Green Product Showcase Night on August 18 at the Clarion Hotel. The article also shared the HBA will offer designation classes locally for people who wish to pursue their Certified Green Professional designation. Those courses will be offered September 9-11, 2009. Tuition charges apply. Registration is through the HBA of Greater Springfield's education coordinator, Carrie Smith.

The article appears in the July 20-26 print version of the Springfield Business Journal. You can access SBJ online by clicking here.

GREEN ACT THE RIGHT APPROACH FOR AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE HOMES, SAYS NAHB

2009-06-11T16:54:00.001-05:00

GREEN ACT THE RIGHT APPROACH FOR AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE HOMES, SAYS NAHB

In testimony before Congress on June 11, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) praised H.R. 2336, the GREEN Act of 2009, which sets new green building and sustainability benchmarks for properties that get financial assistance from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

But NAHB President Jerry Howard also left members with a warning: H.R. 2454, the other major piece of climate change legislation now before Congress, includes requirements that conflict with H.R. 2336 - making the GREEN Act obsolete before it's even signed.

"I am hopeful that this Subcommittee will be able to restore the balance necessary to truly incentivize green building and preserve affordability as the debate over climate change continues," Howard said. "It would be terribly disappointing to see the good faith effort and collaborative work on the GREEN Act displaced with unworkable federal mandates as envisioned in H.R. 2454."

Howard told lawmakers on the House Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity that the association's members agree with the bill's approach, which will ensure cost-effective energy-efficiency improvements to HUD-financed homes.

In accompanying written testimony, Howard detailed the strides NAHB members have made toward the creation of more sustainable housing stock and the education, certification and training programs the association has launched to further that growth.

"We have a major role to play in the manner in which energy efficiency and sustainable technologies are introduced into the housing stock," Howard said. "Despite the downturn, NAHB has not wavered in its commitment to promoting green building and energy efficiency in a manner that is affordable and effective, and legitimately improves energy efficiency for the next generation of housing."

Howard asked Congress to rework some sections of GREEN Act's text: It is unclear in the current draft whether new efficiency requirements apply to Federal Housing Authority-financed home purchases as well as to direct subsidy programs or competitive grants.

"The scope of the GREEN Act and the new programs that it creates is ambitious, but the intent is thoughtful and NAHB hopes that the resources will ultimately be available to develop the programs into effective tools to promote sustainable principles," he said.

Source: NAHB.org

National Green Building Standard Approved by ANSI

2009-01-29T17:37:00.002-06:00

The National Green Building Standard™ for all residential construction work including single-family homes, apartments and condos, land development and remodeling and renovation was approved today by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

The approval signals a new era for the nation’s builders, remodelers and developers and also provides an extra measure of reassurance for home buyers, said Joe Robson, a home builder in Tulsa, Okla., and Chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

“The National Green Building Standard is now the first and only green building rating system approved by ANSI, making it the benchmark for green homes,” said Ron Jones, who chaired the consensus committee charged with developing the standard.

“The standard provides home builders and remodelers with a much more expansive third-party rating system that they can use to achieve green certification under NAHBGreen and the National Green Building Certification Program,” said Mike Luzier, CEO of the NAHB Research Center.

The Research Center provides certification for NAHBGreen projects, which until now have only included single-family homes. “Consumers are looking for authentic, verifiable green building practices, and now they’ll find them with a true industry consensus standard for residential green building,” Luzier said.

The standard defines what green practices can be incorporated into residential development and construction and how home owners can operate and maintain their green homes.

But the National Green Building Standard also provides for flexibility – allowing home builders and home buyers to make green choices based on climate and geography as well as style preferences and budget.

As part of the stringent process required by ANSI, NAHB and the International Code Council gathered a fully inclusive and representative consensus committee composed of a broad spectrum of builders, architects, product manufacturers, regulators and environmental experts. The work of the consensus committee was administered by the NAHB Research Center, an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer.

The consensus committee deliberated the content of the standard for more than a year, held four public hearings and evaluated over 2 ,000 public comments in the development of the standard.

[EDITORS’ NOTE: Representatives from NAHB and the International Code Council will hold a teleconference early next week to discuss what the standard means to home owners, elected officials and the building industry. A media advisory regarding the date, time and call-in number will be released Friday, Jan. 30.]

KY3: New Home Energy Audit Tax Credits

2008-12-18T09:22:00.002-06:00

Contact KY3's Cara Restelli reports on the new Missouri tax credit for home energy audits and implementation of their recommendations. City Utilities home energy auditor John Smith demonstrates a home energy audit. CU Director of Energy Conservation Cara Schaefer and HBA of Greater Springfield Executive Officer Matt Morrow also provide comment on the program. You can watch the video directly from the SpringfieldHBA.com website below, or by clicking here.

State Launches Home Energy Audit Program with Tax Incentive

2008-11-21T06:18:00.003-06:00

Gov. Matt Blunt today launched a new program to help Missouri families conserve energy and reduce their tax burden with certified home energy audits.

"Certified home energy audits will give Missouri families reliable guidance when it comes to energy use and waste reduction, saving money on overall energy costs as well as offering another tax break," Gov. Blunt said. "Every effort to conserve energy and make environmentally-friendly choices has a positive impact on our future. As governor, I have worked to ensure that our generation leaves Missouri’s environment in better shape for our children and grandchildren with initiatives that are good for taxpayers and our air, land and
water."

For the first time ever Missourians can now apply for formal certification as a home energy auditor. The certification process is the first step to providing Missouri families access to the new tax break. The Department of Natural Resources recently finalized certification requirements and guidelines and is accepting applications from Missourians who want to be certified as energy auditors under this new program.

Certification of home energy auditors was included in the new law to help ensure that residents receive the most up-to-date advice and recommendations on ways they can reduce their energy consumption. Missouri taxpayers who enlist the help of certified home energy auditors will be able to qualify for the deduction beginning with the 2009 tax year. The law allows taxpayers to deduct the costs of qualified home energy audits and related recommendations from their federal adjusted gross income.

More information and application forms are available through the Department of Natural Resources, www.dnr.mo.gov/energy/residential/homeenergyaudits.htm.

The law also enacted Gov. Blunt’s Show-Me Green Sales Tax Holiday,
pushing Missouri to the forefront of a national effort to encourage greater
energy efficiency. Missouri is just the fourth state after Florida, Connecticut,
and Virginia to place this forward-looking legislation into statute. The
holiday will start on April 19th and end on April 25th. All sales of Energy-Star
washers and dryers, water heaters, trash compactors, dishwashers, conventional
ovens, ranges, stoves, air conditioners, furnaces, refrigerators and freezers,
up to $1500, will be exempt from state sales tax between April 19th and April
25th.

What is "Greenwashing"?

2008-08-27T00:05:00.000-05:00

By Cara Shaefer, City Utilities of Springfield

Director of Energy Management & Conservation

“I’ve heard the word “green” so much lately…” is how one of the new Focus on Green spots starts out – and isn’t it true? Daily we get bombarded with green messages, but how do we know which ones we can trust?

Greenwashing
Recently I read an article titled The Six Sins of Greenwashing by the environmental Marketing group TerraChoice. This company conducted an investigation into 1,018 consumer products that claim to be environmentally friendly and found that “all but one made claims that are demonstrably false or that risk misleading intended audiences”.

They identified six categories these misleading claims could be rolled into:
• The sin of the hidden trade off;
• The sin of no proof;
• The sin of vagueness;
• The sin of irrelevance;
• The sin of the lesser of two evils;
• The sin of fibbing.

The Six Sins of Greenwashing TerraChoice’s Definitions
-The Hidden Trade-Off: A claim that a product is green based on a single attribute, without attention to other important environmental issues.
-No Proof Available: A claim that cannot be substantiated by easily accessible supporting information.
-Vagueness: A claim that is so poorly defined or broad that it is meaningless.
-Irrelevance: A claim that is true but unimportant (often because the statement is true for all similar products).
-Lesser of Two Evils: A claim that is true within the product category but that distracts the consumer from the greater environmental impacts of the category as a whole.
-Fibbing: A claim that is simply false.

There are lots of examples of greenwashing, such as:
• A caulking product that claims to be “ENERGY STAR®” registered, but ENERGY STAR does not label this product.
• “This is a CFC-free product.” Since chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs) have been banned for almost 30 years, there are no products that are manufactured with it.
• A product that simply states “This is an environmentally safe product” yet has no other information or label proving that claim.
• Office technology (printers, copiers, fax machines) that promote energy efficiency without attention to hazardous material content, indoor air quality, or compatibility with recycled paper or remanufactured toner cartridges.

TerraChoice based their report on claims from many different consumer products like hand soap, paper, laundry detergent, and multi-purpose cleaner. But they also reviewed building products such as insulation, paint, caulking, appliances and wood panels.

To avoid purchasing a product based on a misleading green claim, look for a product that has a standardize Eco-label, or one that has multiple green attributes. Along with the US Federal Trade Commission, the International Organization for Standardization has established environmental information guidelines under ISO 14024. This has helped establish labels that can be recognized around the world for multi-attribute green products – EcoLogoCM and Green SealTM:

http://www.ecologo.org/

http://www.greenseal.org/

While TerraChoice’s testing may have gone a bit overboard finding fault with 1,017 out of 1,018 products, they do a good job of pointing out that we should all be aware of exaggerated “green”, “sustainable”, or “environmentally friendly” marketing claims.

Trust the Professionals
This made me think of some of the energy saving claims that we deal with on a regular basis. How many times have you heard a single product claim that it will “cut your utility bills in half” or “you’ll never pay a utility bill again”? Just like the greenwashing, these claims are almost always false or incredibly misleading. We all know that a single product will not solve all the energy efficiency issues in a house. That is why we try to educate our customers to take a “whole house” approach to energy and water savings.

Having standards and certifications for energy efficient products and buildings are ways to insure that the additional investment will pay off AND that you are indeed getting a home that is energy efficient and/or green. ENERGY STAR® is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, and since 1992 it has been providing a label to those products that prove to be at least 10-25% more efficient than the standard model. You can find the ENERGY STAR label on major appliances, office equipment, lighting, home electronics, and more recently, new homes and commercial and industrial buildings.

City Utilities is proud to be an ENERGY STAR Partner and offers an ENERGY STAR Home Rating Service to customers who want an objective, standardized assessment of their home’s energy performance. This service is performed by a certified Home Energy Rating System (HERS) professional who will perform diagnostic testing to determine the energy efficiency of the home.

Soon we will be providing the verification service for the National Association of Home Builders Green Building program – another great example of a standardized, consensus based certification program. Stay Tuned!

Just as we point customers to the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield for professional home building or remodeling advice and guidance, we hope you continue to point the community to the local electric, natural gas and water professionals at City Utilities for information related to those services and efficiency. We all benefit when the message is correct and can be verified.

Contact us about EnergyWise
For more information about the ENERGY STAR Home Rating program, or any of our other resources and tools to help customers save energy and water, contact me at 874-8200. You can also find a wealth of information at our website, www.cuenergywise.com.

Improving Your Home's Energy Efficiency with Technology

2008-07-21T00:13:00.000-05:00

More and more, home buyers are looking for ways to incorporate home technologies that increase the long-term value of their house but also provide convenience, safety and comfort. These days, energy management tops the list of desired features in new homes, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

NAHB’s 2007-2008 consumer preferences survey of more than 2,300 recent and prospective home buyers examined the features, products, amenities and layouts preferred in a new home.

In the home technology features category, the number one choice among respondents was energy management at 61 percent – up from 45 percent in 2004. Also ranked highly in this category were multi-zone heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC), lighting controls and home theatres.

Staying in the home technology features category, three of the top five most-wanted technology features – energy management, HVAC and lighting control – also provide energy-efficiency. By incorporating the following technologies, home owners can save money on their utility bills:

Automated HVAC systems can maintain a more energy-efficient temperature while the home owners are away at work, but switch to a more comfortable temperature prior to their arrival home. Zones can also be created to heat or cool only the areas most used by the occupants, keeping other areas, such as guest bedrooms, shut down until they are needed. According to Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, programmable thermostats can save consumers about $180 per year in energy costs.

Water heaters with a timer can be turned off when the occupants are traveling, then can turn on and begin heating the water in preparation for their return home. Tankless gas water heaters – which only activate when residents start to use hot water and immediately de-activate when they are done – are also a great option and can reduce water heating costs up to 35 percent annually.

Lighting can make up 10 to 20 percent of the total electrical usage of the home. Installing an automatic dimmer, which adjusts to the homeowner’s needs based on time of day or occupancy, will lower electricity bills and increase the life expectancy of light bulbs.

Blinds and drapes can be programmed to close during the hottest part of the day to block out the sun; keeping the house cooler. In the colder winter months, they can open up to allow the sun in to warm the house, which helps regulate the room temperature.

By incorporating technologies that help make your home operate more efficiently, Energy Star estimates that home owners can save $200 to $400 annually on their energy bills. If you'd like to see how specific energy efficiency upgrades to your home could affect your local utility bill, City Utilities of Springfield has exceptional online calculators that allow consumers to compare various technologies and upgrades and the impact that each should have on their utility bill, using City Utilities actual rates.

For more information on these and other home technologies available, contact the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield or visit the National Association of Home Builders online.

'Living Green & Loving It' Summit & Expo

2008-07-18T09:19:00.004-05:00

A national conference on "living green" will be held in Branson on Friday July 25 & Saturday, July 26. The 'Living Green & Loving It! Summit & Expo 2008' will be held at Tri-Lakes Center. Hosting 80+ exhibitor’s booths featuring the nation’s cutting-edge “green” technologies impacting: construction, lenders & green mortgages, renewable energy systems & sources, daily living products, and so much more.

The conference is designed to benefit two audiences: green construction manufacturing companies committed to building highly energy- efficient homes affordably, and consumers who seek reliable, practical guidance on achieving better energy-efficiency in their day-to-day lives.

For information & tickets visit: www.hthconstruction.com/expoinfo.html Presenters include geothermal heating & cooling specialist Gemma McKee-Bartholomew and former California EPA Secretary Terry Tamminen. Entertainment will be provided by popular vocalist Jake Simpson.

Living Green & Loving It! Expo

For tickets call Tri-Lakes Center (417) 336-0219

General Admission: $8 /$6 Local Residents

Kids 12 & Under Free

For more information:

http://www.hthconstruction.com/expoinfo.html

Gemma McKee-Bartholomew

417.739.2185

Missouri Governor Signs Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday Bill

2008-07-14T00:05:00.001-05:00

Missouri Only the Fourth State to Enact Environmentally-Friendly Tax Holiday

Legislation Also Contains Tax Credits for Energy Audits and Related Home Improvements

Gov. Matt Blunt today enacted the state’s new Show-Me Green Tax Holiday for Energy-Star appliances making Missouri only the fourth state in the country to enact this environmentally-friendly tax holiday. The governor called for the tax holiday in his State of the State Address this year.

“This Show-Me Green Tax Holiday rewards Missouri families that make environmentally-friendly choices that are good for energy efficiency and good for their family budget,” Gov. Blunt said. “I am pleased to sign this legislation giving an additional incentive to purchase energy efficient products, saving energy, saving money, and ultimately helping to preserve our environment. Now for one week every April, we will forgive state sales tax on Energy-Star certified appliances.”

With the governor’s signature, Missouri becomes only the fourth state to enact this environmentally-friendly sales tax holiday joining Connecticut, Florida and Virginia.

Senate Bill 1181, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Engler, creates the “Show-Me Green Sales Tax Holiday”. The holiday will start on April 19th and end on April 25th. All sales of Energy-Star Certified new appliances, up to $1500, will be exempt from state sales tax.

This legislation also allows 100 percent of the cost of a home energy audit, conducted by a certified energy auditor, and the costs of implementing any of the recommendations made in any such energy audit, to be deducted from a taxpayer’s federal adjusted gross income. The deduction is limited to $1,000 per taxpayer per year and up to $2,000 cumulative lifetime total per taxpayer.

Last year the governor announced a partnership to create renewable energy and heat using byproducts from the Jefferson City Landfill. Methane gas from the landfill is converted to electricity, and the heat created by conversion facilities is used to heat water for the state prison. The project uses resources that would otherwise have been wasted while at the same time producing benefits for the environment, the state, the prison and local communities. Gov. Blunt’s support for proactive solutions to save energy and protect the environment once implemented will both reduce energy use and save taxpayers nearly $16 million in energy costs. Initiatives include a range of projects from centralizing and monitoring statewide energy consumption to changing laundry operations at prisons.

For more information about Energy Star ratings and Programs, visit http://www.energystar.gov/

2008 Choose Environmental Excellence Award Winners

2008-07-08T09:31:00.000-05:00

The HBA of Greater Springfield was among the 2008 winners of the Springfield - Greene County Choose Environmental Excellence Awards. Below is the KSFX (FOX 27) recap of the 2008 winners.

KSMU (91.1 FM) Reports on Local Green Building Efforts

2008-07-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

KSMU's Missy Shelton reported July 1 on Green Building efforts in the Greater Springfield area. She intereviewed HBA Builders Brett Godfrey and Scott Kisling, as well as HBA Executive Officer Matt Morrow on the subject. To listen to the radio news story, click here. Following is a partial transcript:

July 1st, 2008

Going Green Series: Green Building: This month, we continue our look at what it means to “go green” and protect the environment. In this report, KSMU’s Missy Shelton talks with local builders about green homes and the demand from buyers for green homes.

Meet Scott Kisling, president and owner of Uptight Construction, Incorporated. He’s a certified green builder.

Kisling also looks at ways to get some life out of used materials.

There’s often a cost to going green. Kisling says using insulated concrete forms to make homes more energy efficient comes with a cost.

Kisling’s own home is made with insulated concrete forms, something you’d never suspect just by looking at it. And he says he’s seen tremendous savings on his energy bill.

As good as that might sound to homeowners looking to cut back on their energy costs, energy efficient features and other green building features are just starting to catch on in the Ozarks.

Matt Morrow is Executive Director of the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield.

People have heard of going green but may not know exactly what that means, especially as it relates to homebuilding.

Morrow refers to recent research done for the HBA.

Since there is some confusion about what green building is all about, Morrow offers a definition.

And in a tight housing market, those can be important selling points.

Brett Godfrey is president of Built by Brett, Incorporated and is building green homes like this one in south Springfield.

For homes that are going on the market (in other words, they’re not custom homes), builders have to make some tough choices: how many energy efficient and green features to include in the home. Godfrey says it’s a question he has to tackle.

Godfrey and other home builders in the area are banking on homebuyers being enticed to hand over more green for features that are green.

Builders Tell Congress Ways to Make Housing Green

2008-07-02T17:35:00.002-05:00

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) on June 11 testified before Congress on ways to improve sustainability and energy efficiency in housing while simultaneously supporting housing affordability.

Jerry Howard, NAHB executive vice president and chief executive officer, spoke at a House Financial Services Committee hearing on H.R. 6078, the Green Resources for Energy Efficient Neighborhood Act of 2008, also known as the GREEN Act.

"Because federal housing programs are such a critical component of the nation's housing system, NAHB believes that it is important to ensure that the incorporation of sustainable building practices for these programs is accomplished in a thoughtful and practical manner," Howard said. "Also, it is important to maintain a balance between the goals of affordable housing development and maximizing energy efficiency."

Overly stringent or unrealistic goals for energy efficiency compliance could boost the cost of building affordable housing to a level that is not sustainable over the long term, he added.

As the committee moves to adopt green criteria that would apply to federally assisted housing programs, Howard urged lawmakers to consider the following principles:

• Recognize and plan for a variety of green building rating systems to help increase the sustainability of federally assisted housing and allow for regular review and updating of these standards and criteria. Congress should avoid naming specific green criteria in federal legislation that may seem sufficient today, but that could become quickly outdated or unworkable in the very near term, Howard said.

• Provide necessary resources, including the additional staff and technology needed to implement the programs, as well as appropriations to help support the additional costs of building green.

• Structure new programs in a manner that allows them to be used easily with other housing programs, avoids duplicative rules and regulations, and supports funding timelines in concert with other program rules.

• Provide financial and other incentives to developers and builders of affordable housing to help them meet and even exceed green building goals.

• Work with builders, lenders, government-sponsored enterprises, nonprofits, community groups, appraisers, and others to develop attainable goals for the development of supportive financing mechanisms such as energy-efficient and location-efficient mortgages as well as appraisal standards that appropriately recognize the value of green building.

• Develop educational materials that can be used by the various stakeholders to learn and communicate best practices and promote sustainable federally assisted housing.

Currently, the association is working with the International Code Council to complete a rigorous standards-developing process that will produce the first standard approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for green residential construction and remodeling – the National Green Building Standard™.

"The development of the National Green Building Standard™ is the most recent and most robust effort undertaken by the industry to encourage green building in residential construction," said Howard. "When completed, it will be the only ANSI-approved standard for residential construction."

HOMEOWNERS CALL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES

2008-06-26T22:04:00.001-05:00

June 25, 2008 - As they grapple with skyrocketing energy costs, more homeowners are turning to remodelers for money-saving solutions. According to the results of the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) quarterly Remodeling Market Index (RMI), 33 percent of surveyed remodelers report that they are increasingly called on to improve the energy efficiency of their client’s homes.

The RMI measures remodeler perceptions of market demand for current and future residential remodeling projects.

“It’s no surprise with rising energy prices and other costs draining the piggy bank that homeowners want to maximize home performance with green remodeling options,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Lonny Rutherford, CGR, CAPS, CGP, a professional remodeler from Farmington, N. M. “Professional remodelers provide the solution for making the 125 million existing single-family homes in the United States more energy-efficient.”

The growing homeowner interest in green remodeling comes just as NAHB prepares for the upcoming National Green Building Standard,™ which includes the only consensus rating system for remodeling. This standard provides a roadmap for green remodeling and assures consumers that remodelers know how to plan and complete authentically green remodels.

According to the survey, remodelers have installed a number of efficiency-enhancing products in recent months, including:

- Windows—73 percent of surveyed remodelers installed more energy-efficient windows that are insulated to prevent outdoor heat exchange.

- Insulation—65 percent made upgrades such as insulation replacement and spraying foam or fiber insulation into enclosed walls and roof cavities, while 27 percent insulated foundations and 52 percent installed insulated exterior doors.

- High-efficiency HVAC systems (56 percent)

- High-efficiency kitchen appliances (47 percent)

- Water-saving faucets and fixtures (46 percent)

“Newer technologies are also quickly gaining in popularity,” says Rutherford. “Thirty-five percent of remodelers reported installing tankless water heaters, which save on energy costs by heating water on demand instead of continuously eating energy.”

For more information about remodeling, visit www.nahb.org/remodel.

ABOUT THE RMI: The RMI is based on a quarterly survey of professional remodelers, whose answers to a series of questions were assigned numerical values to calculate two separate indexes. The first index gauges current market conditions and is based on remodelers’ reports of major and minor additions and alterations, plus maintenance work and repairs, on both owner- and renter-occupied dwellings. The second index gauges expectations for the near future and is based on remodelers’ reports of their calls for bids, amount of work committed for the next three months, job backlogs and appointments for proposals. A variety of “special questions” are also asked at the end of the survey to help pinpoint market trends.

ABOUT NAHB REMODELERS: NAHB Remodelers is America’s home for professional remodelers, representing the 14,000 remodeling industry members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Founded in 1982, the organization provides information, education and designation programs to improve the business and construction expertise of its members and to enhance the professional image of the industry. Its membership incorporates 150 local councils in 49 states. Learn more about remodeling at www.nahb.org/remodel.

Focus on Green TV Promo Released

2008-06-19T15:55:00.000-05:00

KY3, the HBA of Greater Springfield, and City Utilities have partnered to launch "Focus on Green," a new public education campaign highlighting green building techniques and practices. Two new 30-second television ads were launched recently to kick off the new program (see them by clicking HERE). Now, KY3 has produced a new 30-second promo for the program that will run in rotation throughout the day to help build the program's brand. Watch the promo here:

Rebates for New Construction

2008-06-13T14:24:00.000-05:00

By Cara Shaefer

Director of Energy Management & Conservation

City Utilities of Springfield

EnergyWise rebates for new home construction

Efficiency in the construction of new homes almost comes naturally with the advances in technology of appliances and building materials. For example, most all natural gas appliances today are built with an electronic ignition, eliminating the standing pilot light – and refrigerators are approximately twice as efficient as those made just over a decade ago.

Even with these advances there is still room to increase on that baseline. The decision to install the higher efficiency equipment and energy efficient building techniques can make a significant difference for the homeowner from that first day they move in, to years down the road – whether they are still living there or if a new family calls it home. I think we all know that they best time to address overall efficiency is when each home is built.

It is with that in mind that the rebates developed by City Utilities for new home construction are there to help you make that incremental increase in efficiency, with little impact on the bottom line. With the efficiency bar constantly raising, the requirements that are there for the new construction today may soon be the standard tomorrow – therefore we are encouraging builders take that next step.

Incentives specifically for new home construction

Programmable Thermostat Rebate

CU customers can receive $15 back on the purchase of ENERGY STAR® labeled programmable thermostats that automatically adjust temperature settings, allowing customers to save energy during periods it is not needed.

Efficient Toilet Rebate

CU water customers who purchase and install a High Efficiency Toilet – that uses 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf) or less – are eligible for a $75 rebate. That increase over the standard can mean real water savings for years to come.

ENERGY STAR® Heating & Cooling Rebates

Possibly the most significant addition to the efficiency portfolio is this program that encourages the installation of highly efficient heating and cooling systems – the largest energy users in a home.

Natural Gas Furnaces

CU natural gas residential new construction customers who purchase and install a 92% efficient or higher furnace may qualify for a rebate of up to $400 per unit . This means that furnace is at least 12% more efficient than the standard model that is rated at only 80%.

Central Air Conditioners

CU electric residential new construction customers who purchase and install a central air conditioning system with a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 15 or higher may qualify for a rebate of $100 per Ton and $25 for each additional SEER for each unit. The standard central air conditioner efficiency is now 13 SEER.

Air-Source Heat Pumps

CU electric residential new construction customers who purchase and install an air-source heat pump with a SEER of 15, 11.5 Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) and 8.2 Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) rating or higher may qualify for a rebate of $100 per Ton and $25 for each additional SEER for each unit. Electric air-source heat pumps use the difference between outdoor air temperatures and indoor air temperatures to cool and heat your home.

Geothermal Heat Pumps

CU electric residential new construction customers who purchase and install a geothermal heat pump system may qualify for a rebate of $200 per Ton and $25 for each additional EER over the ENERGY STAR minimum efficiency standard qualifications. Geothermal heat pumps are similar to ordinary heat pumps, but use the ground temperature instead of outside air to provide heating, air conditioning and, in many cases, hot water. Because they use the earth's natural heat, they are among the most efficient and comfortable heating and cooling technologies currently available.

ENERGY STAR Home Rating Service

To help measure the efficiency of your homes, CU offers an ENERGY STAR Home Rating Service so you can have an objective, standardized assessment of a home’s energy performance. This service is performed by a certified Home Energy Rating System (HERS) professional who will compare a home’s energy performance to a standard measurement of energy efficiency.

Homebuilders can use the rating to verify the increased energy performance of the home, homeowners may qualify for an energy-efficient mortgage, and the ENERGY STAR label brings added value to the home.

ENERGY STAR qualified homes must meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy-efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.

The ENERGY STAR Home Energy Rating Service is performed for a fee of $350 for any CU customer (normally over $500). This cost includes two thorough on-site inspections of a home by a certified HERS energy rater.

Green Building

Because "Green Building" incorporates so many different aspects, the HBA is a natural partner for CU to provide information and resources to assist local builders as they work to construct environmentally responsible, energy efficient and affordable homes in greater Springfield – and perhaps most importantly, educate potential homeowners. CU will be offering green building verification – a key component of the entire program.

CU, community derive benefits from wise use of resources

Sometimes we get asked what the utility gains by encouraging energy efficiency and water conservation with programs like these. Basically, encouraging wise use of resources helps to extend the utility’s assets and resources, both natural and man-made, further into the future than they would otherwise. When utility customers take action to use energy and water more efficiently, they not only impact their individual usage, but conserve the resources our entire community depends upon to sustain an excellent quality of life.

Learn more about EnergyWise

For more information about any of these programs, or any of our other resources and tools to help customers save energy and water, contact me at 874-8200. You can also find all program details at our website, www.cuenergywise.com.

New HBA TV Spots Launch "Focus on Green"

2008-05-09T15:37:00.000-05:00

SPRINGFIELD, MO --Today the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield announced it is partnering with City Utilities of Springfield and KY3 to launch a large scale new local public education program designed to promote and define green building practices in the Ozarks. The new partnership, titled “Focus on Green,” is based on the model of the hugely successful “Focus on Home” program, which is a joint effort of the HBA, KY3, and the Greater Springfield Board of Realtors.

“We’ve learned through ‘Focus on Home’ that an aggressive campaign mix of ads, promos and tips can help educate the public and drive them to Internet resources that provide a deeper understanding of issues related to their homes,” HBA Executive Officer Matt Morrow said. “The new ‘Focus on Green’ allows us to apply that proven model to a rapidly emerging movement in the housing market that is still largely undefined by many.”

The HBA today released the first two 30 second television spots, both of which will begin airing on KY3 on Monday, May 12. The spots were written and created by ADSmith Communications. The spots give the basics on green building and guide viewers to learn more at www.springfieldhba.com, where the HBA has access to abundant green building resources, including information on the new National Green Building Standard, local builders who build green, and a local green building blog. To watch the television spots that were released today, click the play buttons on each window below.

In April 2008, the HBA of Greater Springfield was honored with the 2008 Springfield-GreeneCounty “Choose Environmental Excellence Award” in recognition of environmental stewardship that serves as a model for business and industry. In 2007, the association adopted voluntary residential green building guidelines to encourage environmentally responsible building and development. The HBA applied these guidelines to its own office building, a project that was completed in May 2007.

HBA of Greater Springfield Receives 'Choosing Environmental Excellence' Award

2008-05-09T15:35:00.000-05:00

April 18, 2008
Springfield News-Leader Re-print

The annual Springfield-Greene County “Choose Environmental Excellence” Business Award was presented to the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield during a luncheon today at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

Each year, the chamber recognizes a chamber member whose efforts toward environmental stewardship serve as a model for business and industry. The HBA has led the way in the Springfield community for green residential building through its adoption of the National Association of Home Builders Green Building Guidelines.Such guidelines include lot preparation and design, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency and conservation, occupancy comfort and indoor environmental quality, and operation maintenance and homeowner education. In addition, HBA has set an example by building its new office space according to these residential green building guidelines.

Other applicants for the chamber’s Choose Environmental Excellence Business Award included J. Howard Fisk Limousine Inc., Missouri State University, Ozarks Technical Community College, Watershed Committee of the Ozarks Inc. and Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. Choose Environmental Excellence is a voluntary, nonregulatory education program that encourages increased awareness of our impact on our natural environment, presenting viable alternatives and recognizing accomplishments that foster environmentally responsible decisions.

HBA's New Home Draws Green Attention

2008-05-09T14:42:00.000-05:00

When the HBA of Greater Springfield cut the ribbon in June 2007 on its new headquarters, the association highlighted cutting edge green building techniques and products as part of the building project. The project, headed by builder Sam Bradley, was used as a demonstration project to highlight common sense green building techniques that have a practical residential application. Below is a KY3's coverage of the green building issue in conjunction with the grand opening of the HBA offices a year ago.