Seminole Discussion Group on Recycling & Sustainability

Starting the New Year off right with two wonderful guest speakers.

Attend a fascinating meeting
Monday, January 7, 2013
10:00 am to noon

Seminole Community Library Program Room 
9200 113th St. N
Seminole, Florida 33722

PowerPoint presentations on

• Water Reuse
  Speaker: Joy Ingram, M.A., Global Sustainability
• Green Home Certification Program
  Speaker: Joe Triolo, Progress Energy

Bring your questions. Bring your neighbors.

For information and to RSVP, contact Mary, queenofrecycle@hotmail.com.

Homes with a Higher Standard

Planning to buy or build a home? Ask if it meets the Florida Green Home Standard. The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) has established home building benchmarks which address specific regional issues. The FGBC’s mission is "to provide a statewide green building program with environmental and economic benefits."

To gain Florida Green Home Standard certification, the builder uses the FGBC sustainability checklist for planning. When construction is complete, a third party inspector reviews the job.

The Florida Green Home Standard checklist has eight categories.

• Energy – based on projected performance 
• Water – efficient use indoor and outdoor 
• Lot Choice – promotes use of existing infrastructure, mass transit, public open space, and community resources 
• Site – protects local habitat 
• Health – addresses air quality and contaminants 
• Materials – waste reduction and sustainable materials. 
• Disaster Mitigation – includes termite protection. 
• General – credit for smaller house size, adaptability, renewable power generation 

For more details on the FGBC Green Home Standard, see http://www.floridagreenbuilding.org.
To learn more about home Green Certification Programs, download this fact sheet (pdf)

A Short Stop in Vancouver.B.C.

Ramona Madhosingh-Hector
Urban Sustainability Agent, Pinellas County Extension


I recently had the opportunity to visit Vancouver, British Columbia for an international conference on sustainability – the conference planners totally lucked out with this location! Vancouver is well known for its sustainability initiatives and it plans on becoming the greenest city in the world by 2020. Check here for Vancouver’s green city plan. In this blog, I’ll share my insights about Vancouver’s green efforts.

Although the conference was a short one, I couldn’t resist the opportunity for an early afternoon stroll through downtown Vancouver. The hotel was conveniently located in the city center and little did I know that it was connected to a modern shopping oasis called the Pacific Shopping Centre. Tempted as I was, I actually started my tour in Gastown.

I could easily tell that this was an historic neighborhood with its cobblestone streets and old Victorian buildings. The chic restaurants, trendy furniture stores, lofts and bars all with on street parking screamed urban renewal. The Gastown Steam Clock had a flock of tourists taking photos, including me! The clock replica is powered by a series of underground pipes which also heat downtown buildings. At night, Gastown gleamed with LED light strings and bustled with people.

Elsewhere in Vancouver, old and new buildings were creatively used. Lofts, offices and gyms were seamlessly woven into the downtown fabric. From my vantage point at the hotel, I could easily locate green spaces which weren’t restricted to street level view. In fact, many of the skyscrapers had green spaces and the parking garage at Vancouver International had a green wall installation. Trendy apartments along the waterfront had great vistas but were also well connected via the transit system.

The mixed uses in both the historic neighborhood and the traditional downtown provide many opportunities for residents to develop a sense of place and community where they live. The ability to work and play close to where you live is definitely sustainable. You save money on your commute, develop deeper relations with your neighbors, and contribute to economic stability within your community.

In the next blog, I’ll talk about Vancouver’s transit system.

Resources:
EPA Livability Principles
American Planning Association
Land Use fact sheet
Land Use: Subdivision Design fact sheet

A House United–for Savings!

Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project

The whole-house systems approach looks at the entire house as an energy system with interdependent parts. Like a human body, when one part functions poorly it affects the performance of the entire system. For instance, the benefits of an energy-efficient air conditioner are lessened when a duct system leaks, windows don’t close tightly, attic insulation is insufficient, and humid summer breezes are drifting in under the door.

The systems approach recognizes the interaction of windows, attics, foundations, mechanical equipment, and all other components and assemblies within the home.

Changes in one or a few of these components can cause changes in how other components perform. If you recognize and take advantage of this fact, and apply appropriate advances in technology to the components, you can reduce your energy costs while improving your comfort. An energy-efficient home is likely to be more marketable—especially if you can show the prospective buyers your low energy bills.

Parts of the system include: air Sealing, ductwork, insulation, windows, air conditioning, and lighting/appliances.

To learn more about how these elements affect each other, download this pdf fact sheet from the Florida Energy Systems Consortium.

How to Choose a Roofing contractor?

Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project

Your home’s energy efficiency has a lot to do with the quality of your roof. Because you expect your roof to last for many years, it makes a lot of sense to research the quality of the roofing contractor or company you select.

Generally, a roofing license is required. Under limited circumstances, roofing may be performed by a general, building, or residential contractor. The key is to make sure the contractor is qualified to do roofing and the specific type of roofing for your house.

If you select a contractor or company without proper workers’ compensation insurance or good general liability insurance, you may be held responsible for any injury or damage.

Contact your local building department to determine the requirements in your area.
A warranty may not help much if the roofing company is out of business by the time you need a repair. Verify the length of time your contractor has been licensed and in business.. You should also check your local court records for any liens or judgments involving your contractor.

To learn more about roofing, download this pdf fact sheet from the Florida Energy Systems Consortium.

Six things to consider for roof repair

Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project

Your roof is one of your biggest investments in your home. Be sure to maintain it well, and consider these precautions before hiring a contractor.

1. Re-roofing estimates and work can be heavily impacted by the quality of previous roofing work, including repairs.
2. If roof damage is extensive, you may be required to bring your entire roof (not just the damaged portion) up to current building code standards.
3. Failure to hire a properly licensed and qualified contractor may invalidate your homeowner’s insurance coverage. It may also subject you to criminal penalties.
4. Failure of your contractor to obtain a roofing permit and comply with workers’ compensation and safety requirements may stop work and cost you more money to complete the work.
5. If your contractor suggests it will be best if you obtain the building permit yourself—beware: this is never a good idea.
6. If you pay your contractor and he or she does not pay the suppliers and subcontractors, you may legally be required to pay twice.

Your roof is the first line of defense in protecting your home and its valuable contents against the elements. Maintaining it will help keep you comfortable while being energy efficient.

To learn more about roofing, download this pdf fact sheet from the Florida Energy Systems Consortium.

Radio Broadcast Focuses on Green Homes

Green homes and free energy audits are the featured topics Thursday, Aug. 4, on There’s No Place Like Home, the radio show sponsored by the Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County. The show can also be watched on Pinellas County Connection Television, YouTube, or viewed online here.

The show features Joe Triolo, program manager of the Home Advantage Home Energy Program with Progress Energy, and Sam Moore of Planet Green Group. Guests will highlight the monthly energy savings that residents can enjoy with a few simple quick tips and share the latest in green building technologies.

The program, which features different issues each month, is sponsored by the Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County. It airs the first Thursday of each month from 10:05 to 10:35 a.m. on WRXB 1590 AM.

Questions or comments about the show may be emailed to Housing Finance Authority.

Green Building Expo Open to Public March 14

Our region's first ever Green Building Expo, featuring experts in green construction, landscaping and other facets of environmentally friendly living will take place at the Shops at Wiregrass off State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. March 14.

Sponsored by the Tampa Bay Builders Association, the Green Building Expo will host seminars, demonstrations and discussions explaining how public and private efforts are creating programs to promote green building in the Tampa Bay area, says association president Dan Molloy, president and CEO of Oak Creek Land Company.

Among speakers scheduled to appear are:
• Chris Dewey, coordinator of the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program of the Pasco County Extension Service.
• Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano, who will discuss county programs established to promote green living
• Jonathan Greaves will discuss green remodeling.
• Drew Smith, vice chairman of the Florida Home Builders Associations’ Green
Building Council, will discuss statewide efforts by the building industry.

These experts and others will showcase their products and services, explaining how they are integral parts of Florida’s green-building initiative. Among the topics are green washing, Green Building 101, Florida Friendly Yards, what to look for when shopping for a green builder and more than a dozen other topics.

Admission is free and the expo is open to the public.

Headquartered in Tampa, the Tampa Bay Builders Association is a professional organization serving Tampa Bay-area construction-related businesses including builders, developers, suppliers and subcontractors. Its members also include lending institutions, architectural and engineering firms, as well as other related businesses.
Currently, the TBBA has more than 1,300 member firms, and is among the largest building-trades organizations in Florida.

The TBBA promotes professionalism and continuing education within the Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco county building-and-development industry, while encouraging industry participation in the community at large.

To reach the Shops at Wiregrass from Interstate 75, go to State Road 56 (Exit 275).
At the end of the exit ramp turn right onto S.R. 56 and go about 2.5 miles. If coming from the north, turn left off the exit ramp unto S.R. 56.

For further information about the Green Building Expo or TBBA, call (813) 873-1000, or visit http://www.tbba.net/.

Join Us This Weekend at the Pinellas Living Green Expo!

Under one roof, discover nearly all you need to green every aspect of your life. Extension experts will be on hand, providing information on composting, rain barrels, urban wildlife, green purchasing, pest management, and other Solutions for Your Life!

This year’s event will be held at the Harborview Center, 300 Cleveland Street in Downtown Clearwater. Click here for a map to the venue. Over 100 vendors will be promoting their goods and services, and educational sessions will provide informative and entertaining facts on a range of topics from gardening for wildlife to redecorating your home. For a complete list of info sessions click here.

We hope to see you there Saturday May 3rd from 9 to 5 and Sunday May 4th from 10 to 4. Admission is free. Save Money. Save the Environment.