TAM Blog

On May 20 several homes in Marin in Sonoma Counties participated in Build it Green’s Green Home Tour. The handful of homes I saw were very diverse: a modern solar-powered home on the mesa in Bolinas with a view of the Bolinas Lagoon; a convent on Dominican University’s grounds built with recycled materials and environmentally friendly methods; a classic Eichler with a new radiant heat system.

I learned that green can be beautiful, modern and livable. I also learned that there are very expensive ways of ‘greening’ your house (photovoltaic systems, for example) and that there are more simple, subtle ways to go green. The builders of the Dominican Convent in San Rafael recycled their unused building materials instead of sending them to the landfill.

The homeowners were present to talk with the guests and explain the green aspects of their homes. There were also volunteers from the sponsoring organization ‘Build it Green’ www.BuilditGreen.org to answer questions. There were signs everywhere to point out and explain the green features. Some of the most prevalent green features were:

• the use of salvaged materials in construction or remodeling
• energy-efficient insulation
• hydronic radiant floor heating
• Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood framing or finish materials
• photovoltaic systems and solar hot water heating
• low- or zero-volatile organic compound interior paints
• dual-flush toilets

It was a beautiful, inspiring tour, and I can't wait until next year.