Going Green
Going Green Updated 09/26/2007 08:05:27 AM CDT Posted Wed., Sept. 26, 2007 Vanity Fair did it. The Emmy Awards did it. Former Vice President Al Gore won an Oscar for it and Oscar nominated actor Leonardo DiCaprio is talking about it in his new documentary called "The 11th Hour." New law makes alternate energy sources more attractive to homeowners. 
"It is important to me because the country and the world are slipping down a slope," said Edith Van Hoesen, who is a partner with her husband George, in US Green Building, LLC. "We must conserve what we have right now; we can do things in a more sustainable way and preserve our resources." And that is the emphasis of their local company-providing environmental consultation services to developers, builders and homeowners who want to lessen the impact of development "for a green earth and a healthier home." "We are trying to get a subdivision going in Christian County that would be a very environmentally and energy efficient," George Van Hoesen said. "There are a lot of challenges to that. What I do is community and environmental planning and work in energy efficiencies. We are doing solar panels, efficient methods of handling water reuse and ground-source heating." The Van Hoesens, who live in Fremont Hills, say there's a better way to build and minimize waste as well as costs, and their expertise will fill a void in the rapidly-growing southwest Missouri region. "The supplies we use in building a home contribute to such waste," Edith Van Hoesen said. "Some of (that waste) can be used. There is a niche in the area and there are a lot of green organizations-and they have amazing and lofty goals." Water quality Everyone knows that water quality is paramount. But not everyone knows how to protect the waters we drink from and play in. The recreational waters in the region are an essential part of the healthy economy. And protecting rural wells from pollution and depletion is equally important. "The James has some bigger concerns that aren't being addressed," George Van Hoesen said. "I was out with my Scout Troop and found more than 250 tires in the river on a 20-mile stretch-a sink, a car and a kitchen cabinet-from Hootentown to Galena and 200 head of cattle watering in the river. Livestock in the rivers will continue to be a problem. It is distressing to me." Couple that usual scenario with others like Springfield emptying effluent from its wastewater treatment plants in to the James and Ozark and Nixa releasing theirs into the Finley. The Van Hoesens advocate a better way. "We've created this problem," George Van Hoesen says. "Farmers should understand that cattle gain more weight and are healthier if they don't swim in the water they are drinking. They would have healthier cattle and the farmers would gain more revenue. "We've got golf courses taking water out of the channel and putting nutrients back in with fertilizers and no regulations." George Van Hoesen says that even when cities meet federal and state regulations, pollution continues to occur. The James and Finley rivers merge in northern Stone County just south of the Christian County line and flow into Table Rock Lake carrying a mix of ingredients with them from bacteria to fertilizers that foul the water. "Cities are permitted by the DNR and EPA (to empty effluent into the rivers) and they take the nutrients like phosphorous with them; and, we wonder why we have algae blooms and fish kills and general degradation of water quality." That's not the legacy Edith Van Hoesen wants for her children. "Basically what I am in this for is to make a difference," she said. "We've got four kids and we want a good place for them and everybody else coming along behind us." The methods exist to redirect effluent and minimize or negate storm water runoff along maintaining good septic systems. "If we would take a fresh approach and look at this," George Van Hoesen says. "What we've done in the past doesn't work. We need to start looking at different methods." The Van Hoesens are passionate about their efforts to bring a low impact development to an environmental subdivision. "We have a plan for a low impact environmental development with a mix of new urbanism and community planning," George Van Hoesen said. "We have a design, we have a location, we've been to the DNR and EPA to make sure we are meeting the needs of the community. A group of investors are very interested in doing the right thing." The right things include using: *Geo thermal heat pumps *Solar power *Constructed wetlands *Storm water runoff recharge methods *Community planning and design In this kind of development, instead of bulldozing all vegetation in sight, builders would not strip anymore soil than absolutely necessary because grass will hold even in heavy rains preventing erosion. Homes would be closer together with common green space and native landscaping. Rain gardens and natural features would handle storm water. A centralized wastewater treatment system would use natural features to cleanse and be absorbed back into the environment. George Van Hoesen said there is no time like to present to do things differently. "A subdivision that has all of those things rolled in together-there are lots of opportunities for people who are interested," he said. "As our energy crisis rises, utility bills will follow gasoline prices. Transportation costs are not going down but going up." Power While nearby Springfield City Utilities invest in the old technology of a new billion-dollar coal-fired power plant to meet growing demands for energy, a new state law provides homeowners incentives to do it themselves. "If we buy power (the utility companies) have to use petroleum products to get it to us. The cost of energy goes up because the cost of producing energy is going up. We will reach a point where alternate sources and conserving energy are much more important. SB54-signed into law last month made net metering law. That means if I am farmer and I want to put in solar power, the utility company has to buy excess power from me. It allows us not to have an expensive battery backup. This makes it (more) affordable to have solar power and use it." George Van Hoesen explained that energy-efficient homes built with grid tied- solar systems can sell back excess power to the utility company. Nathan Jones, owner of Power Source Solar, a 10-year-old Springfield company that sells and installs solar power systems said he's seen a dramatic increase in demand and expects to see more with the new law. "We have new regulations that are being implemented allowing an individual producer of electric to back feed into the power grid," he said. "If you can produce more than you use, you receive a credit by running your meter backwards." Jones said solar power is easier and more affordable to use than ever before. "That's been the big evolution-the simplicity of the systems-we can just link the system directly into the power grid and flow into it from both directions." And Jones said the sun in the Midwest climate yields plenty of energy. "We have plenty power-our weather patterns here are much better than in Germany," he said. "Germany is 40 percent of the total world solar market." What's the biggest obstacle for Jones and other American solar retailers? Suppliers, Jones said. "In America we have supply issue because availability is tight," he said. "It's been difficult." It's been difficult to get the systems because U.S. suppliers can sell their products at higher prices in Europe. Still, Jones said, the U.S. solar market is expanding. "The solar business has been able to sustain a 40-45 percent growth rate for three to four years," he said. "We are growing exponentially. The public-they are the ones who are driving the expansion because of higher fuel costs and environmental concerns." Jones said the new law will necessarily make utility companies look at solar power through a new lens. "Thus far, in the history of solar, (utility companies) have perceived solar energy as a direct competition," he said. "Now they are mandated by law to allow these interconnect systems. We have the first system in the state under the new law under the law in Booneville." It all makes sense to Ryan O'Reilly, who is building a new home on the edge of Christian and Stone counties. George Van Hoesen is working for the contractor, Ron Middleton, to construct the home using many of the techniques described: solar power, geothermal heat pump, spray insulation, rain gardens and native landscaping. "I want to show people you can build a 'green' house without sacrificing elegance, charm or functionality," O'Reilly said. "It will be a good thing to invest in." The home will use as many native products as possible, minimize waste and blend into the landscape. Instead of using sheets of fiberglass insulation that can degrade and float loose into the air after time, O'Reilly will use a "closed cell polyurethane" non-airborne product that hardens and mitigates infiltration problems. The house will be designed to be energy efficient, rather than energy dependent. O'Reilly said it was important to him to build his home as environmentally friendly as possible. The young man and published novelist is just one of many of his generation who are acutely aware of their environment and committed in one way to another to respect and protect it. "Why not get into environmental building?" he said. "Somebody has to take the lead on this. There will be a green house up here for every one to see." For Jones, he thinks within a few years, green building like O'Reilly is doing, will be the norm rather than the exception. "Everyone talks about green building now," he said. "I think in five years no one will know what green building is-that will be just the way we build." And for the Van Hoesens, that will be a very good thing. "We change things by educating people," George Van Hoesen said. "We have better ways, because we know more about the environment than we ever have." -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com |
posted by Branson Missouri at 4:40 PM
Comments on "Going Green"
-
Zion's Mom said ... (September 27, 2007 at 6:07 AM) :
post a commentI think this is awesome. I am very interested in building a "green house". Any articles on this subject would be much appreciated. Especaiily the cost comparision. Can the average couple afford to build in this manor?