http://www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/coolhomes/20120418hgtv-latest-green-home-eco-friendly-atlanta-farmhouse
HGTV's latest green home was completed in Serenbe, Georgia. The home showcases many green architectural features which earned LEED Gold certification (the second highest award). The house utilizes a Bosch solar photovoltaic system which cuts energy consumption in half, dual flush toilets to decrease water usage, LED lights to improve energy efficiency, and a spray-foam insulation system that minimizes the home's heat loss. Additionally, carpets made from recycled material were used for decoration, and wood flooring that is "FSC certified" was installed. (The use of FSC wood is a criteria to meet LEED standards.) Countertops and cabinetry in the home were manufactured locally to reduce transportation costs and emissions.
Overall, the home is meant to serve as a model for green building. Jack Thompson, the person who oversaw construction of all five of HGTV's green homes, said that the installation and usage of green features is becoming easier due to high consumer demand. New products are in circulation that were not around five years ago which makes it even simpler for homeowners to have access to environmentally-friendly products, and at a price they can afford.
I particularly liked the concept of HGTV's Green Home, because anyone can enter the contest to win this home. It also gives viewers tangible ideas of how they can use green building systems and furnishings to reduce their impact on the environment. Moreover, I thought the choice of location was especially intriguing.
Serenbe is a 1000 acre community that was designed as a national model for sustainable living. Its main goals are to "focus on land preservation, agriculture, energy efficiency, green building, walkability, high density building, arts and culture, and community living for multiple generations." Furthermore, Serenbe was developed in a sustainable way to preserve 70% of the land, with special attention being placed on the cultural history of the land. Native American archaeological sites and early farm settlements have been protected, and there is a large emphasis placed on cultural ties to the environment, demonstrated by their conservative farming techniques and local art festivals. For more information on this city visit: http://www.serenbecommunity.com/serenbeoverview.html.
HGTV's placement of the Green Home in Serenbe shows its commitment to promoting sustainable development. Rather than building the home in an urban development in California, the home was placed in a community that truly upholds conservation and admiration for nature. Do you think HGTV's Green Home and Serenbe will further environmentally conscious development? Is this another marketing gimmick where HGTV recognized a demand for green products/homes and developed an idea for a TV show, or is it something more?
I wonder if green homes and communities like this one in Serenbe, Georgia are not part of a revolution that will follow global fuel, energy, and food shortages. I have heard of another sustainable community in northern California that attempts to create all the conditions for self sufficiency (agricultural, energy, water resources etc.)Is the world on a path toward becoming more and more localized in the future? I wonder what benefits and consequences these changes hold for human life. It is inspiring that the photovoltaic panels cut the energy demands of the household in half. we still have lights (albeit LED) and i'm guessing HDTV put a television in this home. perhaps real estate developers would be wise to incorporate green efforts in their blue prints. not that there is much development going on right now...
ReplyDeleteAdmittedly, I have already entered to win this Green Dream Home! I decided to look into all of the features that make this home "green", since really I just applied in hopes of winning a house. There are some really simple features on this home that could be applied to all "non green" houses. For example, the house uses solar panels for part of its energy, which will pay itself back very quickly in the sunny suburb of Atlanta. The designers also planted the vegetation in the yard to be aesthetically pleasing, and also functional. The landscape captures run off of storm water from the roof to sustain the plants.
ReplyDeleteThese designs are simple, and really any existing house could implement them. Although not all states are as warm as Georgia, most can harvest the sun to help with some of the energy costs. Landscaping is a project that can be done any spring and could effectively capture and use the rain water.
I feel that HGTV should market this Green Home even more than they already are. This is a great opportunity to educate the viewers of HGTV on how to make their home even better.
Wow! I'd never heard of HGTV's green homes until reading this article. I think the ideas behind it are quite beneficial to society. For instance, HGTV is a widely popular television channel so its support of green architecture and home improvement is a great way to draw media attention to protecting the environment. Raffling off the house also increases awareness. Furthermore, the home incorporates many eco-friendly innovations which can be applied to other new houses being built. I think one of the biggest features to focus on is the increased insulation which will greatly reduce energy consumption and cost. In our society, energy over-consumption is a huge problem and increasing insulation is a fundamental step in combating the issue. Overall, I commend HGTV for taking major strides in promoting green living without requiring a complete lifestyle change. Simple steps can be taken in our own homes and future construction to be environmentally conscious.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with everyone else that this is a pretty cool idea. Sand-n-sun brought up a really good point - HGTV reaches a lot of viewers, which means that people can make small changes to make their homes more environmentally friendly, even if their house isn’t completely green like this one. While it does feel a little gimmicky to me, I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing; after all, people DO respond to gimmicks, and I have no problem with the ever-increasing popularity of “going green”. Little changes can add up and have big impacts if everyone does them. I’m unclear on one thing though is this giveaway a part of some sort of special that HGTV does every year? Will they film an episode where they show the house, the green features and the winner? I would assume so, but I didn’t see any information in the article about that. My concern is that people might take too much of an “all or nothing” attitude towards the idea of green homes, and not realize the smaller things that they can incorporate into their own homes. Another issue I have is that, ultimately, doing that is just another example of how “the environment” is mostly seen as a predominantly white, middle-upper class problem, in that going green is something that you must invest in, and therefore it’s only for those who can afford it - somehow meaning that everyone who can't isn't "doing their part."
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