If you’re trying to find ways in which you can reduce your environmental footprint when building a new home, then you should consider green building construction practices. Using green building materials for your home construction is the best place to start.

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Building construction tends to use up a large quantity of natural resources. Around 60 percent of the raw materials, not counting fuel or food, used in the country’s entire economy are used for construction purposes.  By salvaging building materials, you’ll save energy as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to the fact that you’ll be reducing the need to extract raw materials, process them and then have them shipped.

There are many stores that now sell salvaged materials that you can use for your home construction project, including drywall, kitchen countertops, steel, carpeting, plastic lumber, insulation, glass tiles and more. Materials that have been salvaged for future use are required to have a “recycled” label on them so that you know that you are investing in green building materials.

If you are looking for a way to become more environmentally-friendly, then use green building materials for your construction. Contact us at Trilogy Partners for additional home building advice.

The green movement is no longer just a trend. More and more homeowners are concerning themselves with the design of green buildings in order to both save money and help reduce the negative impact they are having on the environment. Because of this, green building is quickly growing to the point where it will soon be the standard. The following are some green design features making an impact:

• 100 percent renewable – There are over 700 organizations that are now relying exclusively on renewable energy in order to cover their electricity use in the country. Not only are they setting an example for businesses around the world, they are creating a reputation as companies that care about more than just the bottom line.

• Advanced solar electric systems – Solar electric systems are becoming more complex. Before, most solar electric systems could only produce power during the daytime. Now, there are systems that can provide six hours of power even after the sun has gone down by storing solar power.

Green building design is becoming commonplace for both homes and businesses as people are becoming more aware of their impact on the environment. For more information about green building design, contact us at Trilogy Builds today.

If you are in the process of designing a home, then you should consider incorporating green building features. Not only will green building features provide you with a way to reduce your environmental footprint, you’ll be saving money on your energy bills. The following are some green building trends you should be aware of:

• Zero-net energy – Green home building has already hit the mainstream. Now, many owners and developers are going a step further by attempting to accomplish zero net energy on an annual basis.
• More competition against LEED – LEED certification is somewhat complex and can be costly, which has led to direct competition from other rating systems, such as Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes rating system.
• Use of solar power will grow – The use of solar power will grow in popularity, which will lead to more third-party financing offerings to take advantage of.

These are just a few of the green building trends to be aware of. It seems as though green building is the future of home building, which means you should plan for a green building design now. For more information about green building, be sure to contact us at Trilogy Builds today.

Trilogy Partners possesses both the skill and the experience needed to build you your dream home. However, having a home built is a significant commitment of resources, which is why we recommend green home building practices. Not only is it good for the environment, it’s also good for your wallet.

Consider these financial benefits of living in a green home:

• Green homes are built to be energy-efficient, meaning that they can either be heated or cooled using the least amount of energy possible while still maintaining a comfortable living space. Although the savings may not seem impressive to homeowners in the short run, they can build up to big sums over time.

• Similarly, green homes show the same efficiency when it comes to the usage of water both indoors and outdoors. This results in similar savings when it comes to water bills.

• Green homes are predicted to become more and more popular over time. At the moment, 60 percent of consumers show interest in green home amenities, which has translated to a 9 percent increase in value for homes with some kind of green certification in places like California.

Please contact us to speak about other green home benefits.

When does technology overstep its bounds? Metropolis Magazine answers this and more in their in depth look at Google’s new Project Glass.

Google has this to say about Project Glass,

We think technology should work for you—to be there when you need it and get out of your way when you don’t.

A group of us from Google[x] started Project Glass to build this kind of technology, one that helps you explore and share your world, putting you back in the moment. We’re sharing this information now because we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input. So we took a few design photos to show what this technology could look like and created a video to demonstrate what it might enable you to do.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

We are always thinking outside the box here at Trilogy Partners and are excited to see technology breaking down barriers, but are there some walls that should be left up? What are your thoughts?

A lot of things have changed on this year’s season of AMC’s hit TV show Mad Men. The show, which has been off the air since October 2010, came back bigger than ever with a record number of 3.5 million US viewers tuning in to Sunday’s two-hour premiere. Besides Don Draper’s new wife Megan, played by Canadian actress Jessica Pare, Draper is also sporting a new Mid-century modern pad in Manhattan.

The LA Times has featured a look inside this great apartment for those of us obsessed with the show.

Photo via the LA Times

Photo via the LA Times

Photo via the LA Times

Photo via the LA Times

According to the LA Times, set decorator Claudette Didul, drew inspiration from “two books by 1960s bestselling interior design author Betty Pepis and “Decoration U.S.A.,” a 1965 collaboration between Jose Wilson and Arthur Leaman.”

What do you think about Don’s new abode?

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is working in conjunction with The Home Depot to create an online green home products database.  The green database will feature products from The Home Depot that will help homeowners take steps in becoming more environmentally conscious in their home.

“The LEED green building program helps homeowners measure green home performance across a range of categories, and products play an important role in achieving certification,” said Nate Kredich, vice president of Residential Development at USGBC. “This database represents just one of the many ways in which The Home Depot is advancing sustainable, efficient and healthy homes by supporting green building and green products.”

“As the world’s largest home improvement retailer, we want to show our customers that building green can be easy and affordable,” said Lindsay Chason, senior manager of Environmental Innovation at The Home Depot. “We have innovative, environmentally-friendly products that make LEED certification simpler. Now through our partnership with U.S. Green Building Council and their LEED for Homes program, we are simplifying the process of bringing healthier, greener homes to reality.”

Currently there are over 2,500 products on the website. To learn more about this green initiative or to make your home a little more “green” visit leed.homedepot.com.