Home Style Green - Sustainable Design and Building

Foam is an incredible thermal insulator. For the price and size, it's about the best insulation material you can get. But many people are concerned about the chemicals and process used to manufacture polystyrene.

I spoke with Curtis VanDyke from RL Adams Plastics about what they're doing to make foam 'green' and therefore make it an even greater building material.

http://homestylegreen.com/143
http://www.goadams.com/

Direct download: 143_Adams_Fanfold_Insulation_Board.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am NZDT

Bamboo Technologies, LLC (Bamboo Living) design and manufacture structurally certified bamboo homes. Founded in 1995, Bamboo Technologies has produced over 350 homes in Hawaii and around the world. I spoke with founder David Sands about why bamboo is sustainable as a building material.

http://homestylegreen.com/142
http://www.bambooliving.com/

Direct download: 142_Bamboo_Living.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:48am NZDT

I love Rich Williams' enthusiasm for what he does. Even if you don't live in the temperate climate of San Diego, you can learn a lot about the relevance (or not) of concepts like Passive House for a better performing home.

Alliance Green Builders are dedicated to 'building tomorrow's homes for today'. As well as being Passive House designers, they also offer LEED, GreenPoint and Zero Energy Ready homes.

http://homestylegreen.com/141
http://alliancegreenbuilders.com/

Direct download: 141_Alliance_Green_Builders.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:50am NZDT

In episode 10 of Home Style Green, I interview Carlin Archer, the creator of Ecobob. Now Ecobob has a completely fresh new look, and is still going strong as New Zealand's leading eco home forum. In this episode, I talk with new owner Kristy Hoare.

http://homestylegreen.com/140
http://ecobob.co.nz

Direct download: 140_Ecobob.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:03am NZDT

The terms 'sustainability' and 'eco' are not obvious on Adam Taylor's website. They are there (see if you can find them). But perhaps the future of green design is embedded in good design. Not something separate.

http://homestylegreen.com/139

http://adamtaylor.co.nz

Direct download: 139_Adam_Taylor.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:35pm NZDT

Dr Allison Bailes III has used his PhD in physics and background in teaching to educate the world about better buildings. Through his company Energy Vanguard, Dr Bailes has been recognised as a great communicator, turning complex ideas like relative humidity and psychrometrics, into understandable fundamentals for better home performance. 

Direct download: 138_Allison_Bailes.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:11am NZDT

Jeffrey Dinkle brings over two decades of experience in sustainable construction and renovation to his board service at the National Passive House Alliance. Founder and owner of Eco Custom Homes and its parent company ICON Development Corporation, Jeff has become a recognized leader in Atlanta’s green building scene. He holds degrees in economics and sociology from Emory University and has trained in EarthCraft principles at Southface. Through Eco Custom Homes, he builds and renovates incredibly efficient high performance structures that embrace comfortable and healthy living and function.

http://homestylegreen.com/137
http://ecocustomhomes.com/

Direct download: 137_Eco_Custom_Homes.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:41pm NZDT

Passive House vs Passive Solar with Lloyd Alter

Much of this comes down to two design principles which are similar in name and have some overlap in their detail, but are fundamentally quite different. As Lloyd Alter points out, the 'Superinsulated' house was really the origin and (along with airtightness) is the basis of Passive House design.

'Passive solar' design is what's in question here, in particular the reliance on thermal mass and sun angles.

http://homestylegreen.com/136
http://www.treehugger.com/author/lloyd-alter/

Direct download: 136_Lloyd_Alter.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:59pm NZDT

PIDCOCK - Architecture and Sustainability is focused on desirable, sustainable architecture.

http://homestylegreen.com/135
http://www.pidcock.com.au/

Direct download: 135_Pidcock_Architecture.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:24pm NZDT

Sue co-founded Bioregional in 1994 because she wanted to develop and implement more sustainable ways of producing the products we need and of living our lives to reduce our human impact on the natural world.

http://www.bioregional.com/

http://homestylegreen.com/134

Direct download: bioregional.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:03pm NZDT