Hickory Green Building & Solar Tour 2009

Covering Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba Counties

In partnership with community leaders, partner organizations and the American Solar Energy Society, The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association will once again host the annual Green Building & Solar Tour on Saturday, October 3, Saturday, October 10 and Saturday, October 17 in communities across our great state. The 2009 tour will educate citizens with the most up-to-date information on a wide range of green building solutions, technologies and energy efficiency measures.

This is your chance to visit and “see up close” various sizes and styles of “green” homes, businesses, schools, privately-owned renewable energy projects, and government facilities featuring solar and/or green building products and technologies on this self-guided tour in communities across North Carolina. Site owners, green builders, contractors, installers and other experts will also be available at tour sites to answer questions and provide more details.

Kickoff Event (8:00 – 9:00)

Western Piedmont Council of Governments

736 4th St. SW Hickory, NC 28602

www.wpcog.org

-Registration with coffee and donuts

-Alternative Fuel Vehicle Display

-Screening of the film “Kilowatt Ours”

Morning Tour (9:00 – 12:30)

-Catawba County EcoComplex

-Passive solar home with renewable energy features

Luncheon at WPCOG (12:30 – 1:30)

-Solar Thermal Presentation

Afternoon Tour (1:30 – 5:00)

-Snow Creek Elementary School

-Green home with ENERGY STAR and NAHB Green certifications

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

FREE tour with roundtrip transportation provided

(donations will be collected to cover food and fuel costs)

To register, contact Rob Howard at (828) 217-0506 or rob@homeenergysol.com

Affiliated with the National Solar Tour www.ases.org and the North Carolina Green Building and Solar Tour www.energync.org

Thank you to our sponsors:

Catawba Valley Green Building Council

www.cvgbc.org

Home Energy Solutions

www.homeenergysol.com

Contact Information

Email: info@hickorysolartour.com

Phone: (828) 328-3650

Address: Home Energy Solutions, Inc. PO Box 3352, Hickory, NC, 28603

 BUILD GREEN WITH BOWMAN CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN INC.

Building green means incorporating environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the home building and land development process to minimize environmental impact. During the design, construction, and operation of a home, energy and water efficiency, lot development, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality and homeowner maintenance should all be considered. Although we cannot entirely avoid affecting the environment when a house is built, green building can work toward minimizing that environmental impact.

The concept of green building isn’t new-our great-grandparents built climate-appropriate homes using locally-available materials. Today’s green homes incorporate not only climatic considerations, but are resource and energy efficient, safer for occupants, and often less expensive to maintain.

To learn more about building a green home in the Hickory Area Visit:

BOWMAN CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN INC. Clicking Here

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Randy Bowman has been a Licensed General Contractor since 1990, with an unlimited license, Bowman Construction & Design, Inc. is located in Newton, North Carolina. It is our goal to design and build homes of the highest quality. We insist on the best materials and put many “custom” touches in all of our homes.

Randy Bowman awarded the NAHB Certified Green Professional designation.

Randy Bowman named NAHB-RC Accredited Verifier for NAHB Green Building Program

Randy Bowman appointed to NCHBA Green Building Council

Randy Bowman in the Chairperson for the Catawba Valley Green Building Council.

Are rising energy costs getting you down and making your utility bills go up?

Home Energy Solutions can perform a home energy audit and show you how to conserve energy, increase comfort, and improve indoor air quality.

Home Energy Solutions offers home performance contracting for a turn key solution to your energy retrofit needs. Common improvements include HVAC duct sealing, air sealing and insulation.

Building a new home?

Home Energy Solutions offers third party verification for the ENERGY STAR Homes Program and several green building programs. They do plan reviews and perform inspections of framing, moisture protection, air sealing, insulation, and mechanical systems. They test the ductwork and the whole house for air leakage in order to estimate the home’s annual energy costs.

HOME ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Hickory, North Carolina

828-328-3650

For More Information Click Here

 Home Energy Solutions is a proud member of the Catawba Valley Green Building Council.

 Catawba Valley Green Building Council is where local Hickory professionals can help you build or remodel your home to make it more environmentally friendly and save you money in the long run. Contact one of the Hickory-Catawba Valley Green Building Council members to learn more about planning for your new home or remodeling project.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

For more information about Hickory North Carolina visit my website at www.MikeKellyJr.com

For more information about living Green in Hickory visit www.HickoryGreenHomes.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

About the Author: 

Mike Kelly Jr. is a cerified EcoBroker® in the Catawba Valley Area.

This is a value added service I offer to my clients. Contact me today to show your properties that are Built Green, have green energy saving aspects or could be remodeled green with your personal touch. If you own a green home and are ready to sell, list your home with me and I will market and sell your place to a green-minded buyer.

Whether it’s driving, flying or turning on the air conditioner, our daily activities produce carbon dioxide emissions. Participation in the Carbon Offset Program is an easy and inexpensive way to balance out, or “offset” the environmental consequences produced by our energy-intensive lifestyles.

The Carbon Offset Program can help you reduce your carbon footprint.

Through Duke Energy’s partnership with NC GreenPower, a non-profit organization, you can purchase carbon offsets to support programs that reduce or prevent the release of carbon dioxide emissions. NC GreenPower evaluates each program using strict criteria established by the Environmental Defense Fund.

• A carbon offset may be purchased for $4 per month, which will offset 500 pounds of carbon dioxide.
• The average residential customer uses 1,000 kilowatt hours of energy per month.
• By purchasing two carbon offsets each month for $8, you can balance your home’s carbon output.
• You may also elect to purchase additional offsets to help compensate for the emissions from driving, flying, etc.
  

Duke Energy will match your contribution by partnering with their customers to reduce carbon emissions and protect our world for future generations. For the first $4 carbon offset each customer buys, Duke Energy will match the contribution to NC GreenPower up to $1 million through 2009.

To read more information about the Carbon Offset Program – Click Here 

To purchase a Carbon Offset – Click Here

…………………………………………………………………………………..

For more information about Hickory North Carolina visit my website at www.MikeKellyJr.com

For more information about living Green in Hickory visit www.HickoryGreenHomes.com

………………………………………………………………………………… 

I am a cerified EcoBroker® in the Catawba County Area. This is a value added service I offer to my clients. Contact me today to show your properties that are Built Green, have green energy saving aspects or could be remodeled green with your personal touch. If you own a green home and are ready to sell, list your home with me and I will market and sell your place to a green-minded buyer.

 WHAT: Celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day Growing a Green Future

WHEN: Saturday, April 25 between 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. rain or shine

WHERE: Grassy Area at the SALT Block at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library, 375 3rd Street, NE Hickory

More than two dozen educational, environmental and environmental-orientated business booths will be set up in the grassy area across the front of  during the event.  

Vendors will have giveaways, including free T-shirts to the first 500 people and 600 tree seedlings, and information about the importance of being green.  There will also be an environmental film series, food vendors and 60 free pizzas will be given out at the event. 

Participants representing environmentally-oriented businesses and organizations with booths:

City of Hickory Recycling Advisory Board – Giving away 500 free T-shirts and free pizzas.

City of Hickory Community Appearance Commission/Landscape Services -Giving away 200 River Birch, 200 Red Maple and 200 Shumard Oak tree seedlings.

City of Hickory Engineering/Stormwater

City of Hickory Public Utilities

Catawba County

Catawba County Utilities and Engineering

Keep Catawba County Beautiful

Catawba County’s Riverbend Park

City of Conover

North Carolina Cooperative Extension

Reese Institute for Conservation of Natural Resources of Lenoir-Rhyne University

GoGreen Hickory

Catawba Valley Green Building Council

Garbage Disposal Services (GDS)

Wild Birds Unlimited

Carolina Thread Trail

Sunquest Solar Heating

Health Hut

Mike Kelly Jr. Eco-Broker/Century 21 American Homes

Air Purification

Dirtball Fashion

Home Energy Solutions

Shaklee Products

Hickory High School – Environmental Science students

Catawba Valley Medical Center Green Team

Good Wood Pizza

Environmental films will be shown in the community room at the Patrick Beaver Memorial Library, below is the schedule:

Start Time      Film

ll:30 a.m.       ”Energy Crossroads -A Burning Need To Change Course” (1h/10m)           

1:00 p.m.       ”Thread Trails”             (20 min)

1:45 p.m.       ”Our Gentle River”        (30 min)

2:30 p.m.       ”After The Storm”        (22 min)

In addition to the Growing a Green Future event at the SALT Block on April 25, the Catawba Science Center has a full day of programming and all its exhibits will be open, including its special exhibit “Swamp Things” and people are encouraged to check out Patrick Beaver Memorial Library and check out what’s new at the library.  

For more information, call (828) 323-7500 or go to www.hickorygov.com  under special events.  

For more information about Hickory North Carolina visit my website at www.MikeKellyJr.com

For more information about living Green in Hickory – Click Here

I am a cerified EcoBroker® in the Catawba County Area. This is a value added service I offer to my clients. Contact me today to show your properties that are Built Green, have green energy saving aspects or could be remodeled green with your personal touch. If you own a green home and are ready to sell, list your home with me and I will market and sell your place to a green-minded buyer.

EcoBrokers® are equipped with additional energy and environmental information and tools that help them provide added value to all of their real estate transactions. EcoBroker® training helps real estate agents address the newest topics in real estate, such as “green” home certification programs like Energy Star® Qualified Homes, energy-efficiency, and environmentally-sensitive design. The EcoBroker® designation assists real estate agents in working through issues that may arise in any real estate transaction, such as mold, radon, and poor indoor air quality, providing real solutions. EcoBrokers® grow their client base by attracting the green-minded consumer and providing valuable energy and environmental information to all types of clients. With expertise and Affiliate relationships, EcoBrokers® are known for providing exceptional value to all of their relationships.

 The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 was signed into law in October and starting January 1, 2009 the law expanded and extended valuable federal tax credits for homeowners that make certain energy efficient upgrades. Benefits include lower energy bills, reduced home air pollution, and increased indoor comfort.  You can also save with the energy efficient products that are eligible for the new federal tax credits that actually lower the amount of federal income taxes that taxpayers must pay. The following shows how much you could save if you take advantage of the some of these tax credits.

PURCHASE: Central Air Conditioner of Heat Pump  (only some Energy Star products qualify)

TAX SAVINGS: $300

PURCHASE: Furnace or Boiler (only some Energy Star products qualify)

TAX SAVINGS: $500

PURCHASE: Windows  (all Energy Star products qualify)

TAX SAVINGS:  up to $200

PURCHASE: Insulation and Sealing   (must meet model building code as installed)

TAX SAVINGS:  up to $500

PURCHASE: Ground Source Heat Pump  (only Energy Star products qualify)

TAX SAVINGS:  up to $2,000  

*NOTE: maximum of $500 total for home improvements

In some areas and regions, consumers will also be eligible for utility rebates, state rebates, or state tax incentives for homes, vehicles, and equipment.

For more information about living Green in Hickory - Click Here  

 I am the first certified EcoBroker® in the Catawba County Area. This is a value added service I offer to my clients.  Contact me today to show your properties that are Built Green, have green energy saving aspects or could be remodeled green with your personal touch. If you own a green home and are ready to sell, list your home with me and I will market and sell your place to a green-minded buyer.

EcoBrokers® are equipped with additional energy and environmental information and tools that help them provide added value to all of their real estate transactions. EcoBroker® training helps real estate agents address the newest topics in real estate, such as “green” home certification programs like Energy Star® Qualified Homes, energy-efficiency, and environmentally-sensitive design. The EcoBroker® designation assists real estate agents in working through issues that may arise in any real estate transaction, such as mold, radon, and poor indoor air quality, providing real solutions. EcoBrokers® grow their client base by attracting the green-minded consumer and providing valuable energy and environmental information to all types of clients. With expertise and Affiliate relationships, EcoBrokers® are known for providing exceptional value to all of their relationships.

Source: Alliance to Save Energy and The Certified Residential Specialist

Written By Mike Kelly Jr.  1/23/09

The Green Building incentives section of the Catawba County’s building fee structures is a special allowance to provide an incentive for building in accordance with LEED, Energy Star, and NC Healthy Built Homes.

The incentive based fee structure is intended to increase renewable/sustainable energy technologies and green building certifications for homes and commercial buildings in Catawba County.

Various permit and plan review incentives are available for new and existing construction. To qualify, the builder or owner needs to obtain all permitting from Catawba County and a green building certification from a third party agency (LEED, Energy Star, etc.). For new construction, once a Certificate of Occupancy is issued, a percentage of the permit fees will be reimbursed to the permit holder.

For existing structures, upon completion of final inspection, permit fee rebates will be issued to the permit holder.

Catawba County will rebate all fees related to plan review or express review for commercial buildings seeking LEED certification.

Regular fees must be paid in full at time of plan review or permit issuance. Fee rebates will be refunded upon project completion and certification by a third party agency.

Here are just some of the examples of residential rebates:

Geothermal Heat Pump – Mechanical Permit Fee – 50% rebate – $27.50 value

Geothermal Heat Pump – Electrical Permit Fee – 50% rebate – $25.00 value

Solar Hot Water  – Electrical Permit Fee  – 50% rebate – $25.00 value

Solar Hot Water  – Plumbing Permit Fee  – 50% rebate – $12.50 value

Gray Water Collection for flushing fixtures – Plumbing Permit Fee – 50% rebate – $30.50 value

For more information about these permit incentives you can contact the Catawba County Utilities & Engineering, Catawba County Government Center, 100 A South West Blvd., Newton, NC 28658, Phone: 828-465-8399.

For more information on Green building programs:

http://www.usgbc.org/

http://www.energystar.gov/

http://www.healthybuilthomes.org/

http://www.nahb.org/

For more information about Catawba County or Hickory please feel free to visit my website at www.MikeKellyJr.com

I am the first certified EcoBroker® in the Catawba County Area. This is a value added service I offer to my clients.  Contact me today to show your properties that are Built Green, have green energy saving aspects or could be remodeled green with your personal touch. If you own a green home and are ready to sell, list your home with me and I will market and sell your place to a green-minded buyer.

Written by: Mike Kelly Jr.  1/22/09

The Catawba County Government has made a concerted effort to promote education and responsible behavior regarding conservation of energy, recycling, waste management, energy efficient building, and beautification.

The following is a list of just some of the steps a few of the county departments have taken.

Catawba County Government

Ranked in the top five counties within North Carolina for recycled materials for the last six years

Created a buy recycled policy for all departments, employees, and buyers

Tracks the annual purchases of recycled content goods and products

Asks all staff to turn off their electronic equipment when they leave work

Operates 12 hybrid vehicles

Catawba County Schools

Will be constructing Snow Creek Elementary with new energy efficient materials. These materials will allow Snow Creek to operate 40 to 45 percent cheaper than the last elementary school that was constructed, which was built in 2006.

Library System

Capturing rainwater in rain barrels for landscape irrigation

Ink cartridge and cell phone recycling drop off

Computers and copiers are shut down at the end of each day.

Recycle newspapers, magazines, many types of paper, cardboard, cans, plastic bottles.

Whenever possible, print on both sides of the paper

Many staff use ceramic coffee mugs, real silverware, plates and bowls to cut down on the amount of Styrofoam cups and paper goods that we use.

As incandescent light bulbs burn out, the division replaces them with the newer fluorescent energy saving light bulbs

Staff members are asked to turn off lights in the public service workroom, storage room, and auditorium when those spaces are not being used.

Some staff members who live far from the library work flexible schedules to limit the number of times that they have to drive to Newton for work.

Staff members at Main Library have presented story programs for preschoolers on:

Recycling and helping keep the earth clean

Daycares and pre-schools can check out a story-time book crate called “Our Earth” to teach children how to care for the earth.

If you are interested in more information about energy efficiency and environmental information about the local area please feel free to contact me at my website www.MikeKellyJr.com.

I am the first certified EcoBroker® in the Catawba County Area. This is a value added service I offer to my clients.  Contact me today to show your properties that are Built Green, have green energy saving aspects or could be remodeled green with your personal touch. If you own a green home and are ready to sell, list your home with me and I will market and sell your place to a green-minded buyer.

EcoBrokers® are equipped with additional energy and environmental information and tools that help them provide added value to all of their real estate transactions. EcoBroker® training helps real estate agents address the newest topics in real estate, such as “green” home certification programs like Energy Star® Qualified Homes, energy-efficiency, and environmentally-sensitive design. The EcoBroker® designation assists real estate agents in working through issues that may arise in any real estate transaction, such as mold, radon, and poor indoor air quality, providing real solutions. EcoBrokers® grow their client base by attracting the green-minded consumer and providing valuable energy and environmental information to all types of clients. With expertise and Affiliate relationships, EcoBrokers® are known for providing exceptional value to all.

Written by:   Mike Kelly Jr.   1/17/2009

Due to the drought that has gripped the south east for more than a year – the city of Hickory has restricted water usage for its businesses and residents.  Hickory High School has a found a way around the city water restrictions. They are participating in the Community Conservation Assistance Program through the NC Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.

The school will install a cistern to hold rain water that drains off the roof of the athletic building. The cistern will hold the rainwater until the school needs it to water plants, garden, and irrigate the athletic fields around the building.

The state will pay for seventy-five percent of the cost through the Community Conservation Assistance Program. This will cover the cistern, pipes and other materials.  The school will just have to dig the hole.

The tank will hold seventeen hundred gallons and will be installed underground.  The hope is that it will catch up to fifty-five thousand gallons of rain water per year. Besides being used to irrigate the vegetation around the school this cistern will also slow the water going into storm drains which will improve overall water quality.

It is great to hear about local groups increasing the awareness of the importance of water conservation.

For more information about Hickory NC please visit my website at www.MikeKellyJr.com

 Hickory NC Government is helping Residents Purchase RAIN BARRELS

Written by: Mike Kelly Jr.  11/24/2008

The Hickory government is partnering with RainBarrel USA to offer residents a means to purchase rain barrels at wholesale prices as part of their continued effort to conserve water and implement stormwater management. Hickory government is not making a profit from the sale of these rain barrels. The manufacturer delivers the rain barrels to the Julian G.Whittener Municipal Building for residents to pick up.

For more information about eco-friendly resources please visit my website http://www.mikekellyjr.com/

For more information about this Hickory Government program please visit www.hickorygov.com