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Subtitle:  For its LEED for Homes program, the USGBC needs to step back and look at the big picture instead of arranging deck chairs on the Titanic Images: 

In a post from last summer on LEED for Homes, I mused on the ineffectiveness and confusion surrounding the required Durability Planning process, the preparation of a project-specific Durability Checklist, and third-party inspection of this work. The general consensus among green raters I know is that the entire Durability Planning process in LEED for Homes is confusing, arbitrary, and extremely difficult for most construction teams to get their heads around.

Subtitle:  My ongoing saga with the local historic preservation commission Images: 

In case you haven’t read my earlier posts about my aborted attempt to build myself a house, Green From the Start Home Edition, Green From the Start Home Edition, Volume 2, and the dismal ending to the first half my saga, What We Have Here Is a F

The original listing of leaders in the remodeling industry ranked by dollar volume

Top 500 remodelers talk about conditions they're facing and share their outlook for the future

So you’ve got a job to do and it’s up in the attic of somewhere. It’s easy enough for you to get your body there. What about the tools for a good job? Do you get out the hose, compressor and your new Duo-Fast DF350S Framing Nailer or Paslode’s CF325 Round Headed Cordless Framing Nailer? Paslode’s CF325 Round Headed Cordless Framing Nailer will solve your remote nailing needs. It has a small cylinder of gas and a battery to make it go bang just when you need it to. Sounds simple—and it is. Loading is easy: Charge the battery, insert the gas cartridge and nails, and go to work. Press the nosepiece and pull the trigger. How hard can that be? Why, even a caveman could do it, if he had electricity.

Changing certification programs, new treatments drive usage

Builders using sustainable wood for siding projects need to keep an eye on some possible changes looming on the certification horizon.

As you know, credits can be earned toward LEED certification through the use of wood siding originating from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). However, while only wood siding certified by the FSC qualifies for LEED points, there is momentum to expand the options for LEED eligibility, opening the door for possible inclusion of other certification programs in the LEED rating system, such as the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

Energy-efficient appliances, water-sipping showerheads, recycled-content countertops, and more.

Lighting designer recommends "subtle" lighting, touts benefits of CFLs and LEDs.