Green 101 Library

How to Finance Your Green Dream Home [Podcast]

Listen and learn about financing for green home projects with Trisha McConkey of Associated Bank. Trisha and Associated Bank’s experience and expertise with mortgages and loans help homeowners to finance their dream home, especially a green home.

Expert Tips for a High Performance, Energy Efficient Home [Podcast]

Listen in as Kellye Markowski from Energy Smart Homes offers advice for homeowners/residents to reduce their energy and costs and know the best course of action for their house. She says people take a stab at doing the right thing for their home or property, yet they typically do the wrong thing or do the steps out of order.

Inspiration from Eco-Friendly Interior Design Experts

While almost any interior design idea could be adapted to use eco-friendly materials and furnishings, it’s always nice to see what the possibilities are if you work with a pro who knows all the perfect products. (It sure makes it a lot easier, too!) Fortunately, there’s a growing number of eco-pros and some of them even have great websites with photos of fabulous spaces and blogs with more details. Click through and check them out!

Can Sustainable Homes Be Affordable and Beautiful? These Video Tours Tell All.

Sustainability expert Josh Byrne is embarking upon a national research tour that will bring together the best high-performance housing projects. Follow along as he inspires conversation about the future of our housing and the demand for more energy efficient solutions while not forgetting the importance of designing homes that are comfortable, good for our health, hip pockets and our future.

What the Heck is Biophilia?

There are three pillars of Biophilic Design: Nature in the Space, Nature of the Space and Natural Analogues. To simplify, Nature in the Space is literally incorporating nature into the space. Adding water, plants, fish ponds, herbs, to an indoor environment. Nature of the Space is about orientation within the building and how things are positioned and designed to create a more comfortable layout for occupants. Natural Analogues are furnishings, building features or fixtures that emulate something natural, like trees, clouds or water. These three pillars contain fourteen principles, which can be incorporated into the design.

How Your Roof Affects the Environment: Know Before You Buy

Did you know traditional asphalt shingles are a petroleum product and require replacement every 15-20 years (or sooner), resulting in about 20 billion pounds of asphalt shingles ending up in U.S. landfills every year? According to industry data, roughly 7 million U.S. homeowners replace their roof each year and many are looking for new ‘green’, energy-saving options. Here’s what you should know about metal.

Green Homes 101