While reading the morning Statesboro Herald, I read a great article by Jan Moore. It looks like the green bug has made it’s first bite on the ‘boro. Excellent!

William Powell has built the first LEED Certified Statesboro home for Don and LuAnn Harris.

For your convenience, I have re-posted the article below. You may also see the article by visiting here.

 

By JAN MOORE
jmoore@statesboroherald.com
912-489-9463

Jan Moore – Building ‘green’ is not easy

 

, to the sustainability of the lifestyle we now enjoy in this country, it looks as if we are headed for a different place, and there isn’t any turning back.

            One couple among us has decided to embrace the new reality of conservation setting an example that has not yet been set in this county. Don and LuAnn Harris have recently constructed a new home in the Brannen Lake area, and have built it according to the stipulations of the United States Green Building Council’s LEED program.

            The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is a third party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

            The Harrises chose local contractor William Powell to build their home. Renowned for the quality of home that he builds, Powell has been constructing homes in this area for the last five decades. He has seen builders and styles come and go, but according to Powell, building to LEED certification is a whole “nother” story.

            “There were so many things that had to be taken into consideration,” Powell said. “The lumber and brick in the home had to come from less than 500 miles away. Every appliance and light fixture had to have a certain energy conservation rating. We even had to weigh the waste from the construction site to make sure that we weren’t exceeding limits. It is a very complex process.”

            LuAnn Harris said she and her husband had lived on Tybee Islandfor a number of years and were afraid of losing their home to a hurricane, so they decided to move to Statesboro and build the home of their dreams. They planned the home for a year and a half, and Powell began construction in March 2007.

            “We knew we wanted to build as conscientiously as possible, and after interviewing a number of builders, we just felt like Pete was the right one,” LuAnn Harris said. “

            Powell said the Harris’s architect provided him with the guidelines and he took it from there.

            “I have to be honest, there was so much involved, and it wasn’t easy,” Powell said. “But, it was very worthwhile project, and the Harrises seem very happy with the results.”

            LuAnn Harris said she really isn’t sure what advantages being LEED certified will provide.

            “We should have our certification in the next few weeks,” she said. “You can be certified at different levels, up to a gold certification, but we live too far away from town to get that one. I am not even sure what kind of tax breaks, if any, that we will get. For us, it was the right thing to do.”

            The Harrises are in the process of constructing a web site that does have some pictures in addition to information about what they have done to comply with the Georgia/National LEED program.  The website address is www.lochhaven.us.

            “I read everything I can get my hands on about the building industry,” Powell said. “I really believe this is where our industry is going.”

 

http /www.statesboroherald.com/news/article/12175

 

 

Environmentally friendly sustainable buildings don’t have to cost more to construct, and operating costs are significantly lower. The cost difference is slim to none. See article: MYTHS vs FACTS ABOUT LEED BUILDINGS

*Photo by cathy.rodgers58

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Anne Robinson, Recycling Education Coordinator for the City of Savannah , will give a Recycling Education Presentation

Tuesday, May 27 for the Savannah Chapter of the United States Green Building Council’s monthly meeting.

It will be held from 5:45-7 p.m. on the second floor of Wild Wing Cafe in City Market. The meeting is free and open to the public.  RSVP to wards@thempc.org.

The presentation will introduce recycling as a market driven industry in order to explain why certain items are recyclable in some regions at particular times and not recyclable in others. In terms of local recycling; the presentation will cover where, what, and how citizens can recycle and explain the importance of recycling in Georgia for both economic and environmental reasons.

A review of the waste hierarchy will be included to remind the participants that recycling is only part of the equation – in order to make a real impact on our waste disposal habits we must first intercept our trash by either limiting our consumption or reusing materials.

Don’t miss this opportunity to find out how waste is being handle – and can be recycled – at Tuesday’s meeting. Also, find out more about Savannah’s curbside recycling program, starting January 2009!

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via The Business Briefcase

Home Builders Association of Georgia Launches Fight to ”Take Back” Builders Insurance

Posted: 23 May 2008 09:22 AM CDT

HBAG reported that over the last five years Builders Insurance, which provides workers’ compensation and other insurance to builders across the state, has paid excessive salaries, fees and indirect compensation to its directors, reported at more than $1.9 million in 2006 and 2007 alone. HBAG believes that additional unreported payments in 2007 are likely. This is out of line with market compensation for similarly sized companies and as a percentage of revenue far exceeded directors’ compensation at large public companies like United Parcel Service and Delta Air Lines during that time.

Moreover, since 2000, premiums have skyrocketed while dividends to policyholders/owners have plummeted from 13.6 percent of premiums to 1.5 percent.

Charlie Eison, president of HBAG, said, “At a time when our industry is fighting for survival in a tough economy, it’s outrageous that Builders Insurance’s board members have padded their pockets with exorbitant payments that rightfully belong to our members who are the policyholders and owners of this company. We need to take control and return Builders Insurance to its rightful mission of serving our members – not creating a financial jackpot for directors.”

Underscoring the need for accountability and transparency, HBAG reported that Builders Insurance has undertaken the following actions:

• stopped reporting a large portion of directors’ compensation in 2007;
• changed the bylaws to increase its control making it virtually impossible for owners/policyholders to remove a director or hold a special meeting;
• attempted to throw out HBAG and replace it with a shell association with little or no accountability to policyholders;
• Supported legislation without consent of the policyholders that would enable them to reorganize the company on terms financially favorable to the directors.

Ed Phillips, executive vice president of HBAG said, “Builders Insurance is not being properly managed and has no accountability or transparency. Feedback from our members shows strong support for taking back the company and cleaning house to protect policyholders’ interests.”

Since owners/policyholders share the liability of a captive mutual company, HBAG considers it paramount for owners/policyholders to control the company’s management.

Below is the reported compensation for Builders Insurance’s directors for 2006 and 2007. HBAG believes there might be more than has been reported.

(a) Other than directors’ fees and some minimal additional compensation, the total 2007 compensation is unknown because Builders Insurance has ceased to report it.

Builders Insurance was started by HBAG in the early 1990s to provide affordable workers’ compensation and other types of insurance exclusively to its builder members and local builders associations across the state. As such, Builders Insurance is owned by policyholders, similar to a co-op or credit union.

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