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Chunking Information: Let's Assist Jim LaRue with Web Text Readability

“Ecovillage development will require us to think deeply about the impacts our buildings have on people and on the earth. We will need ecological building methods, as well as new ways to arrange buildings and public spaces to form communities.” Jim LaRue



The upside in the move toward "green building":
  
The downside in the move toward "green building":
The City of Austin, TX, has introduced the first city-endorsed "green building" program in which anyone building with government funds must demonstrate their "green building practice by the following:
• Made appropriate use of the land.
• Made efficient use of limited natural resources.
• Enhanced human health for builders and homeowners.
• Used nontoxic, local materials to assist the local economy.
• Preserved plants, animals, endangered species and natural habitats.
• Protected agricultural, cultural and archeological resources.
• Reduced total lifetime energy usage.
• Made the structure economical to build and operate.
• Demonstrated recyclability.
• Created a building that has a positive effect on occupants in the working or living space.
 
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center has completed a study on waste at building sites and found that the typical builder spends $511.00 per house for construction waste disposal, which includes:
• 790 pounds of solid wood scraps
• 458 pounds of manufactured wood
• 46 pounds of sawdust
• 154 pounds of cardboard
• 1,788 pounds of drywall scraps
• 155 pounds of plastic
• 262 pounds of asphalt roofing scraps
• 133 pounds of masonry materials
• 21 pounds of paper
A builder in Chicago is now building homes for moderate-income families that have 2,000 square feet of living space, and he guarantees that they will heat for less than $200 per year or he will pay the difference. He has not paid out a penny yet.
   

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These illustrations clearly demonstrate that home builders can take many positive steps to create an environmentally friendly house, but there is still much to be done. It is also very clear that until you, the homeowner, decide that you want a "green building," it is not likely to be built. On the other hand, it is also clear that once you do demand it, builders have been able to respond and produce a product that is not much more expensive to build and, in almost every case, is far less expensive to operate and maintain.
Whether you are building a new home or are thinking of making improvements to your existing home, paying attention to green building concerns will produce a better building, make for a healthier and more effective living space and contribute to the sustainability of our natural resources. Where can you start looking in Northeast Ohio for help with green building? Unfortunately, we have a long way to go to reach the level of resources available in a place like Austin, TX. In other parts of the country, the driving forces behind such efforts have been environmental or climatic concerns, such as water shortages, soil conditions, very cold or very warm or very humid weather. We happen to live in an area with plenty of water, a temperate climate and cheap natural gas. A building scientist visiting this area once remarked, "You guys can get away with a lot here because you are not dealing with any serious extremes; if you wait long enough the problem will go away." A bit overstated perhaps, but it means that anyone wishing to make strides in green building is not going to find much help in official governmental channels or through building industry organizations in this area....yet.
-Jim LaRue (aka "The HouseMender") is a local expert on home repair and remodeling. He was formerly the education director of the Housing Resource Center in Cleveland. This article was originally published in EcoCity Cleveland's Greater Cleveland Environment Book.
 
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