Creating a country-wide "green building" lobby...

[ixion]

I'm writing this as a compliment to my GD post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8778821

I'm closing on 7 acres of land this week, and setting out on my 20 year-old-dream of building my own house on my own land. My goal is to build something sustainable and energy efficient, as you might expect. I've been tracking and/or researching green building techniques for years, and feel confident that I can accomplish this task, save for one issue: my local county board.

Why is that?

Well, it seems that 'green' building is largely poo-pooed by our local fiefdoms, who much prefer that you go the far more expensive and far less efficient route of building something -- for lack of a better phrase: "to code."

"Code" is the codified term for maintaining the revenue stream for the well-connected status quo, at the peril of progress or anything else. Come hell or high-water (literally, in some cases), these small-minded folks see fit deny attempts at green building at nearly every turn.

Sure, there is a way around this issue: Money.

Money, you see, solves everything.

This is the crux of the problem with our society, in my opinion: We stave off progress and maintain the status quo for the sake of the status quo itself.

Ultimately, this will be our undoing, again, in my opinion.

So I'm tossing this out there for feedback. What we need to fight this issue is a lobbyist group of some sort. A single voice cannot win against a closed-system. If green builders, architects, property owners and engineers got together, perhaps we could put a few cracks in that iron wall.

What do you think?

[izquierdista]

1. Does Don Quixote come to mind?

I did my own tilting at windmills a few years back, until I gave up with the City of Las Vegas and sold out. It really depends on where you are; some places will let you use a lot of green building ideas and some rule everything out (like Las Vegas). Ironically, if you are in a really redneck area, you might just luck out. Their distrust of "Big Gub'mint" extends down to the county building inspector, and they don't cotton to having some revenooer come out and inspect the property or what they are building on it.

I have found that areas that are vibrant and growing have the most intrusive building departments, and those that are caught in a slump will pretty much let you do what you want. I could believe that if you went to Flint, MI, they would be so happy to see a warm body, that they would let you build an earthship out of recycled tires. On the other hand, in the upscale parts of California, they have codes on how high your mailbox can be and what the setback from the road can be.

[ixion]

2. Well, Don Quixote was chasing windmills in the desert

I'm talking about actual tested methods being systematically disregarded.

For example, when you buy a house, there are nickel-and-dime palm greasing that goes on endlessly. Well-connected inspectors, testers, agencies all line up with their hand out to take a piece and provide nothing more than some paper shuffling, for the most part.

The same is true of building. Well-connected architects, engineers and builders have gamed the system such that you use their services or do nothing at all.

There is no room for innovation or experiment. We're using the same inefficient and out-dated building methods we've used since WWII.

It's time to change the system. That's not a Quixotic Quest, that's a dire issue for the survival of our species, on the long term.

[izquierdista]

3. There is innovation

Why do you think everyone has had to change over to GFI receptacles, after changing over to grounded plugs in the '70s? Got to keep revising the electrical code so new products can be sold to people who just shelled out money for the old kind. In Europe, they are still using the same old two-prong plugs, although you can now find ones that have a ground. Interesting though, that their design, with the ground pin on the receptacle, doesn't require replacing all the receptacles in the house like the American design did.

But you're right, if the innovation saves money for the consumer or can't be mass marketed, that's not gonna catch on.

The other place for experimentation is in style, not substance. There's always a new flooring material in a trendy style being rolled out, marketed to convince people that their old floor is ugly and they need to change. Actual long-lasting durable material that might wear out in 60 or 80 years, that's not so popular (with the manufacturers). Plumbing fixtures is another area where style is all important. And as you know from TV commercials, if you don't have the most stylish faucet in town, you might as well be living in a cardboard box.

[LWolf]

4. It would be a start.

Meanwhile, if you want to avoid "code" issues, build your house to be "portable."

Whether you ever transport it anywhere or not.

That lets out some really interesting green building techniques: earth bags, straw bale, cob, cordwood...

but allows for these:

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

And these:

http://www.shippingcontainerhousedesign.com/

[ixion]

5. Yep, I've been mulling over several different possibilities

and I saw a confirmation of one of my ideas in the documentary "Garbage Warrior" last night.


I'm thinking of using tires packed with earth as large pod-style footings (sort of like a tether-ball pole, but bigger, and stacked), and the structure will be modular and bolted, hence the possibility of disassembling it.

Big picture, though, yeah, getting around the idea of what constitutes a "permanent" structure is a good initial path.

Appreciate the advice, and the links! :toast:

[txlibdem]

6. ICFs are a very good option

Insulated Concrete Blocks are easy to work with, you can build the whole thing yourself.

Look into fox blocks. Those are the most reasonable in cost. http://www.foxblocks.com has a project estimator so you can get an idea of the price as well as plans, a photo gallery and instructions. I'm a couple years behind you but I plan to build my house using fox blocks.