Passive House US

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Passive House US

Description: 

"The Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) is a consulting and research firm working to further the implementation of Passive House standards and techniques" in the U.S. Works to establish standards in the U.S., training and certification, design guidelines, etc.

"The Passive House concept represents today's highest energy standard with the promise of slashing the heating energy consumption of buildings by an amazing 90%. Widespread application of the Passive House design would have a dramatic impact on energy conservation."

"A Passive House is a very well-insulated, virtually air-tight building that is primarily heated by passive solar gain and by internal gains from people, electrical equipment, etc. Energy losses are minimized."

"A Passive House is a comprehensive system. "Passive" describes well this system's underlying receptivity and retention capacity. Working with natural resources, free solar energy is captured and applied efficiently, instead of relying predominantly on ‘active’ systems to bring a building to ‘zero’ energy."

EcoNest Homes

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EcoNest Homes

Description: 

Architecture and home design company that specializes in homes built using natural techniques like timber frame, clay, and plaster. The goal is to create "healthy homes" and "deep ecology".

They offer workshops for builders who want to learn the techniques. They envision a network of EcoNest builders across the country.

Our Green Home

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Our Green Home

Description: 

A resource website created for friends and family, designers, builders and anyone with an interest in residential design and construction. It is run by a couple who's building their own 'green home' and building the site to share what they're learning.

Evergreen Institute

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Evergreen Institute

Description: 

The Evergreen Institute offers high-quality practical instruction on residential renewable energy and green building through courses and hands-on workshops (link to list of workshops by category) taught primarily by Dan Chiras, Ph.D., author of numerous books on green building and renewable energy. Courses and workshops are offered primarily through The Evergreen Institute’s Center for Renewable Energy and Green Building in Gerald, Missouri

The Evergreen Institute also offers Certificate Programs in Residential Green Building and Residential Renewable Energy (link to certificate program description) for individuals interested in pursuing a career in green building and/or renewable energy or individuals interested in furthering their professional credentials in these burgeoning fields.

Aeonian Bricks

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Aeonian Bricks

Description: 

They have designed an amazing new clay-based, interlocking brick that is waterproof, fireproof, insect-proof, soundproof, mold and mildew-proof, insulates the home, saves energy and best of all; it's the greenest construction material that exists on the market today.

Their system allows homes to be built faster and stronger. Rather than bond the bricks with mortar, they use a construction adhesive (much like liquid nails) which bonds to the brick, not just sticks to it. Once the bricks are glued together, they form a monolithic wall, much like a poured concrete wall.

The clay in their bricks is treated with a non toxic, environmentally friendly chemical that neutralizes the polarity of the clay molecule, making the clay essentially waterproof because there is no electrical charge to attract and hold the water molecule.

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Glumac - Engineers for a sustainable future

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Glumac - Engineers for a sustainable future

Description: 

Glumac provides consulting engineering for four market segments - Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) consulting engineering services. Our Sustainable Design, Information Technology, and Commissioning Services are key to enhancing our their capabilities. Their difference is in having LEED Accreditied Professionals on every project.

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EcoWall

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EcoWall

Ecolite Concrete

Description: 

EcoWall is the premier distributor of Ecolite -- a 'green' wall system made of post-industrial steel and recycled materials. It is a celullar concrete combined with metal studs. It provides an innovative way to cut costs, reduce construction time, and benefit the environment. Ecolite walls are built off-site and delivered as prebuilt walls to the construction site. Thus the construction site has less cleanup required.

EcoWall qualifies for points in four of the LEED rating categories.

Ecolite reduces green-house gas emissions compared to other types of concrete due to the high air content of cellular concrete and the thin cross section of our concrete. Ecolite wall systems are made from recycled cold-formed steel and a light weight proprietary concrete mix. This concrete mix is made up of approximately 25% recycled content, all of which is post-consumer, and at least 25% regional materials, more may be available depending on location of the project. Steel recycled content rates vary, but according to LEED NC 2.2 projects can assume 25% recycled steel content based on average minimums. When using Ecolite, detailed recycled content percentages for steel will be provided for more precise calculations.

Ecolite Concrete USA is a building systems technology company. We license a suite of technologies which enable our licensees to design and fabricate proprietary walls systems for commercial, municipal, and government construction, typically on a large scale. Ecolite's patent pending wall system and proprietary fabrication process enable the rapid production and delivery of walls directly to the job site.

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Unconventional Logic

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Unconventional Logic

Description: 

A new way of thinking about real estate. It is the process of taking everyday real estate problems and breaking them apart and looking at them from different vantage points and then reassembling them to form new, creative solutions. Seeks to provide new and innovative ways of looking at real estate projects and strives to better understand and promote the relationship between the built environment and the natural world.

Unconventional Logic is a real estate consulting company that provides creative solutions for everyday real estate projects.

Services: Financial and Feasibility Analysis / Entitlements / Due Diligence / Project Management / Market Analysis / Sustainable Development / Corporate Green Real Estate Strategy / LEED Management / Sale Leasebacks / Green Leasing / Alternative Energy Assessments / Real Estate M & A Analysis / DQI Services

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Architects, Designers, and Planners for Social Responsibility

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Architects, Designers, and Planners for Social Responsibility

Description: 

Architects / Designers / Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR) works for peace, environmental protection, ecological building, social justice, and the development of healthy communities. We believe that design practitioners have a significant role to play in the well-being of our communities.

Nationally, ADPSR is currently engaged in three primary initiatives: 1) a Prison Alternatives Campaign, 2) annual Lewis Mumford Awards program, and 3) New Village Press. There are presently four ADPSR chapters in the United States: New York, Chicago, Northern California and Southern California. ARCPeace is ADPSR's international affiliate.

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Ecological Building Network

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Ecological Building Network

Description: 

The Ecological Building Network is a 501(c)3 non-profit entity in San Rafael, California. We are a growing and international association of builders, engineers, architects, academics and developers committed to promoting intelligent building methods and materials for a sustainable future.

The current (and primary) project of EBNet is the development of modernized earthen building standards so as to promote and develop the most environmentally and culturally-friendly building system of all.

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Energy and Environmental Building Association

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Energy and Environmental Building Association

Description: 

Provides education and resources to transform the residential design, development and construction industries to profitably deliver energy efficient and environmentally responsible buildings and communities.

A small contingent of building professionals representing the United States, Canada, and Sweden, gathered in Pine Island, Minnesota in early 1982 to develop criteria for the construction of buildings that were more energy efficient. These forward thinking pioneers created the Energy Efficient Building Association.

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U.S. Green Building Council

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U.S. Green Building Council

http://www.buildgreenschools.org/

http://www.greenhomeguide.org/

http://www.greenbuildexpo.org/

http://www.greenbuild365.org/

Description: 

A non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. USGBC is dedicated to expanding green building practices and education, and its LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED addresses all building types and emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor environmental quality.

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Built Green

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Built Green

Description: 

Built Green Colorado is one of oldest and largest green home building programs in the nation. A voluntary industry-driven program of the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver offered to builders across the state, the purpose of Built Green Colorado is to encourage home builders to use technologies, products and practices that result in homes that are better built and better for the environment.

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Florida Green Building Coalition

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Florida Green Building Coalition

Description: 

A nonprofit Florida corporation dedicated to improving the built environment. Their mission is "to provide a statewide green building program that defines, promotes, and encourages sustainable efforts with environmental and economic benefits."

FGBC was conceived and founded in the belief that green building programs will be most successful if there are clear and meaningful principles on which "green" qualification and marketing are based.

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Green Key Real Estate

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Green Key Real Estate

Description: 

Green Key Real Estate’s agents are green building professionals and Eco-Brokers®. We help buyers make smart decisions when choosing a healthy and environmentally friendly home. And, we guide sellers in marketing the green, or greenable aspects of their property.

Their service appears to be advice on attributes of a green home, and assistance with locating building contractors who can greenify a home. For sellers they have expertise in marketing the green or greenable aspects of a home. They can advise sellers on doing 'green' preparations for selling a home.

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Green Building Alliance

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Green Building Alliance

Description: 

The Green Building Alliance is a non-profit organization that advances economic prosperity and human well being in Western Pennsylvania by driving market demand for green buildings and green building products. In its 15th year, GBA has been a national pioneer, and continues to lead change in our region as the core green building catalysts – a desire for environmentally sound materials and minimal impact, healthy indoor environments and financial payoff in reduced energy, water and other operating costs – cascades across every aspect of the built environment, from offices, retail stores and other commercial spaces to schools, hospitals, and homes.

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Building Science Corporation

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Building Science Corporation

Description: 

Provides objective high quality information about buildings combining physics, systems design concepts, and awareness of sustainability to promote durable, healthy and economical buildings.

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Green Home Building

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Green Home Building

Description: 

Hosts a wide range of information about sustainable architecture and natural building. The reason for building greener homes is really quite important. We need to live more lightly on the earth, because the degradation of our environment is compromising not only our survival, but the survival of most other living beings on the planet. We can no longer ignore the impact we have on the earth's ecosystems. The way we live, the choices we make in providing for our needs, will have an enormous influence on the quality of life of those who will follow us. Now is the time to take responsibility for the consequences of our life styles!

They have information regarding natural building techniques, including Cob, Rammed Earth, Poured Earth, Earthbag, Strawbale, Cordwood, Timber Frame, Bamboo, Earthship, Papercrete, Lightweight Concrete, Stone, and manufactured systems.

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Earthship Biotecture

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Earthship Biotecture

Description: 

Earthship Design Principles: 1)Thermal/Solar Heating & Cooling 2)Solar & Wind Electricity 3)Contained Sewage Treatment 4)Building with Natural & Recycled Materials 5)Water Harvesting 6)Food Production

Earthship n. 1. passive solar home made of natural and recycled materials 2. thermal mass construction for temperature stabilization. 3. renewable energy & integrated water systems make the Earthship an off-grid home with little to no utility bills.

Biotecture n. 1. the profession of designing buildings and environments with consideration for their sustainability. 2. A combination of biology and architecture.

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Cob Cottage Company

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Cob Cottage Company

Description: 

Offers training courses in natural construction techniques, and writes publications related to Cob building techniques. Cob building uses hands and feet to form lumps of earth mixed with sand and straw, a sensory and aesthetic experience similar to sculpting with clay. Cob is easy to learn and inexpensive to build. Because there are no forms, ramming, cement or rectilinear bricks, cob lends itself to organic shapes: curved walls, arches and niches. Earth homes are cool in summer, warm in winter. Cob's resistance to rain and cold makes it ideally suited to cold climates like the Pacific Northwest, and to desert conditions.

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