Everyday Green Home

The stuff our homes are made of has changed as the world has become a smaller place.  While houses used to be built from whatever was available, usually locally, materials now may come from anywhere and everywhere. 

Using resources – materials and products – wisely is a key practice of green building and includes practices ranging from optimizing use of resources (such as wood for framing) to choosing durable materials that will stand the test of time and offer lower maintenance. 

Read more at The Green Home Coach Website! The Green Gab Podcast Links Bar:  Subscribe via iTunes |   Subscribe via RSS Feed |  Facebook Page |  Twitter Page |  Stitcher Page Connect with The Green Gab Podcast Hosts:

— Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

— Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

 Green Gab: About the Hosts of The Green Gab Podcast:

Green Gab Podcast Host Marla Esser Cloos is the Founder of The Green Home Coach – a company leading the way to inspire you to learn about, focus on and put into place Green Solutions when it comes to your life, home building and more.

Marla is an NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP and Missouri Woman Business Enterprise. She Earned her B.S. in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University.

Click here to learn more about Marla at her website online via TheGreenHomeCoach.Com

Connect with Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Green Gab Podcast Host Tony Pratte is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tony is a graduate of St. Louis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned a Masters in Environmental Management & Sustainability at Harvard University

Tony’s 20+ year career has allowed to him to collect a number of experiences, connections and perspectives that offer an incredibly unique point of view that adds incredible value to each episode.

Connect with Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

Wistar Wood, Chief Sales Officer for WegoWise, explains the meaning behind the name WegoWise, a web-based, company that tracks a property’s utility data, mainly water, electric, gas, and oil. Using an intuitive software platform, the company provides insight into a building’s energy and water efficiency, enabling building owners and property managers to achieve immediate and sustained savings. While the software is used for most any type of property, they mostly target multi-family buildings. The technology is very simple. For example, in a multi-family building, electric meters almost always track usage for individual units. Typically, the software service and/or meter is installed in the landlord or property manager’s unit as they are the ones responsible for paying the bill for their on-site unit as well as the common area’s heating and electricity.

WegoWise chooses multi-family residences for many reasons. Mainly when it comes to collecting big data and comparing the performance of one property against another similar property such as an individual apartment/condo inside a multi-family structure to another apartment/condo in the same building it makes the comparisons extremely relevant. It’s like comparing apples to apples versus apples to cucumbers. Collecting and comparing data establishes benchmarks and norms which help tenants realize they are using much more energy and/or water than their peers. In most cases, the building owner purchases the service and/or the meters and then train the on-site property managers. Generally, it’s the managers who become the experts at reading the data and the owners and tenants who get the benefits of saving money.

According to Wistar, “the bottom line is that you can’t manage it unless you measure it” and that’s what WegoWise does, by tracking big data on the usage of a building’s utilities and water. It’s all about awareness, so whether its multi-family residences, private homes, civic buildings or business offices, measuring and managing water, electricity, gas and oil usage saves money, sustains the environment and is just plain wise.

Read more at The Green Home Coach Website! The Green Gab Podcast Links Bar:  Subscribe via iTunes |   Subscribe via RSS Feed |  Facebook Page |  Twitter Page |  Stitcher Page Connect with The Green Gab Podcast Hosts:

— Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

— Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

 Green Gab: About the Hosts of The Green Gab Podcast:

Green Gab Podcast Host Marla Esser Cloos is the Founder of The Green Home Coach – a company leading the way to inspire you to learn about, focus on and put into place Green Solutions when it comes to your life, home building and more.

Marla is an NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP and Missouri Woman Business Enterprise. She Earned her B.S. in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University.

Click here to learn more about Marla at her website online via TheGreenHomeCoach.Com

Connect with Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Green Gab Podcast Host Tony Pratte is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tony is a graduate of St. Louis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned a Masters in Environmental Management & Sustainability at Harvard University

Tony’s 20+ year career has allowed to him to collect a number of experiences, connections and perspectives that offer an incredibly unique point of view that adds incredible value to each episode.

Connect with Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

Building or finding your dream home is a goal for many of us.  For me it is building a renovating the green home of my dreams.  So, it is important to understand not only how to pay for our dream home, yet also how to plan for it.  It is possible for you to have your dream home and make it a green home…with a little planning. 

Dreams and goals for your home start with what you want your home to feel like. Home is more than a place, it is also a feeling.  It’s more than just a place to shelter us.  If you look at the money, time and effort we spend on homes, it is obvious they mean something to us. Owning up to the feelings we want in our home is the first step.  Listen in to get your own dream green home going.

Read more at The Green Home Coach Website! The Green Gab Podcast Links Bar:  Subscribe via iTunes |   Subscribe via RSS Feed |  Facebook Page |  Twitter Page |  Stitcher Page Connect with The Green Gab Podcast Hosts:

— Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

— Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

 Green Gab: About the Hosts of The Green Gab Podcast:

Green Gab Podcast Host Marla Esser Cloos is the Founder of The Green Home Coach – a company leading the way to inspire you to learn about, focus on and put into place Green Solutions when it comes to your life, home building and more.

Marla is an NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP and Missouri Woman Business Enterprise. She Earned her B.S. in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University.

Click here to learn more about Marla at her website online via TheGreenHomeCoach.Com

Connect with Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Green Gab Podcast Host Tony Pratte is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tony is a graduate of St. Louis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned a Masters in Environmental Management & Sustainability at Harvard University

Tony’s 20+ year career has allowed to him to collect a number of experiences, connections and perspectives that offer an incredibly unique point of view that adds incredible value to each episode.

Connect with Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

Erica Reiner with E. Leigh Designs, specializes in eco-friendly and non-toxic interior designs for every style and budget. Owner and creator of the Los Angeles based, interior design studio, Erica formed her business to help people create ideal residential, retail and commercial spaces. Because of her environmental expertise she made a targeted and purposeful effort to green her design business by researching and specializing in products, materials, furniture and accessories that are better for people’s health and the environment. Erica’s goal is to, “show that conscious consumerism is a beautiful thing.”

Erica values the importance of being available and accessible to many kinds of people. She does this by providing on-line design packages which allows her to work with people in commercial, retail and residential projects all over the world. She feels her job as an on-line design professional is to set the client up for success by asking the right questions, doing the research, sourcing and procuring on-line products, teaching proper measuring techniques and instructing them through the installation process. Erica notes that by not having to be on location, it keeps costs down, which opens the door for so many more people to be able to afford her design services. It’s easy to see that Erica is not just about eco-friendly home consulting, but through the intersection of great design, sustainability and good business, Erica helps clients transform spaces that reflect their identities, vision or branding without compromising on style or quality.

Read more at The Green Home Coach Website! The Green Gab Podcast Links Bar:  Subscribe via iTunes |   Subscribe via RSS Feed |  Facebook Page |  Twitter Page |  Stitcher Page Connect with The Green Gab Podcast Hosts:

— Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

— Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

 Green Gab: About the Hosts of The Green Gab Podcast:

Green Gab Podcast Host Marla Esser Cloos is the Founder of The Green Home Coach – a company leading the way to inspire you to learn about, focus on and put into place Green Solutions when it comes to your life, home building and more.

Marla is an NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP and Missouri Woman Business Enterprise. She Earned her B.S. in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University.

Click here to learn more about Marla at her website online via TheGreenHomeCoach.Com

Connect with Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Green Gab Podcast Host Tony Pratte is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tony is a graduate of St. Louis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned a Masters in Environmental Management & Sustainability at Harvard University

Tony’s 20+ year career has allowed to him to collect a number of experiences, connections and perspectives that offer an incredibly unique point of view that adds incredible value to each episode.

Connect with Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

Gabbing about financing for green home projects with Trisha McConkey of Associated Bank on the Green Gab. Trisha and Associated Bank’s experience and expertise with mortgages and loans help homeowners to finance their dream home, especially a green home.  

All types of home projects may qualify for green consideration – new construction, renovations to a home just being purchased, as well as existing home renovations and refinance. 

The way they think about new construction residential loans and renovation loans really helps further the whole idea of green homes and their value and benefits.  

Read more at The Green Home Coach Website! The Green Gab Podcast Links Bar:  Subscribe via iTunes |   Subscribe via RSS Feed |  Facebook Page |  Twitter Page |  Stitcher Page Connect with The Green Gab Podcast Hosts:

— Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

— Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

 Green Gab: About the Hosts of The Green Gab Podcast:

Green Gab Podcast Host Marla Esser Cloos is the Founder of The Green Home Coach – a company leading the way to inspire you to learn about, focus on and put into place Green Solutions when it comes to your life, home building and more.

Marla is an NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP and Missouri Woman Business Enterprise. She Earned her B.S. in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University.

Click here to learn more about Marla at her website online via TheGreenHomeCoach.Com

Connect with Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Green Gab Podcast Host Tony Pratte is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tony is a graduate of St. Louis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned a Masters in Environmental Management & Sustainability at Harvard University

Tony’s 20+ year career has allowed to him to collect a number of experiences, connections and perspectives that offer an incredibly unique point of view that adds incredible value to each episode.

Connect with Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

Because water is a limited resource which we cannot live without, it’s vital we keep learning and remembering to use water wisely. As water is integrated into almost every part of our lives and is used in almost everything we manufacture, water affects us on every level. And because water is so affordable and readily available in this country we must be mindful to use what we need – not what we have One of the first things we can do to use water wisely is to turn it off when we don’t need it.

Being mindful of turning off the water when brushing our teeth, shaving, lathering up in the shower and putting shampoo in our hair can literally save thousands of gallons of water. Other good practices include rinsing dishes in one basin of water rather than keeping the faucet running and then using the rinse water to water the houseplants.

Running a full load in the dishwasher or waiting to wash a full load of clothes in the washing machine are other simple habits we can all adopt. It’s also important to be aware of the water we use outside our homes. Not letting the hose run when washing our cars is a good habit or better yet using a car wash that recycles the water is even better. Saving water when cultivating a perfect lawn may be achieved by using drip lines, planting native plants, buying rain barrels and planting rain gardens.

When building, or remodeling a home it’s good to think about purchasing low-flow toilets, fixtures and appliances. Choosing a tankless hot water heater and being mindful of where plumbing lines are laid helps everyone get hot water without having to run the faucet. It might be as simple as turning off the water as we rinse our dishes or brush our teeth but whatever it is, each of us can do something, in taking a role in using water wisely.

Read more at The Green Home Coach Website! The Green Gab Podcast Links Bar:  Subscribe via iTunes |   Subscribe via RSS Feed |  Facebook Page |  Twitter Page |  Stitcher Page Connect with The Green Gab Podcast Hosts:

— Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

— Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

 Green Gab: About the Hosts of The Green Gab Podcast:

Green Gab Podcast Host Marla Esser Cloos is the Founder of The Green Home Coach – a company leading the way to inspire you to learn about, focus on and put into place Green Solutions when it comes to your life, home building and more.

Marla is an NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP and Missouri Woman Business Enterprise. She Earned her B.S. in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University.

Click here to learn more about Marla at her website online via TheGreenHomeCoach.Com

Connect with Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Green Gab Podcast Host Tony Pratte is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tony is a graduate of St. Louis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned a Masters in Environmental Management & Sustainability at Harvard University

Tony’s 20+ year career has allowed to him to collect a number of experiences, connections and perspectives that offer an incredibly unique point of view that adds incredible value to each episode.

Connect with Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

Ron and Cindy with Hoodle, share this online web portal to help homebuyers find their neighborhood for building a new home. With Hoodle, homebuyers can learn about neighborhoods with new home construction, as well as the builders building the homes.

Hoodle helps new homebuyers learn about the homes in the neighborhoods, the amenities and the community. Hoodle helps people find their dream home.

Read more at The Green Home Coach Website! The Green Gab Podcast Links Bar:  Subscribe via iTunes |   Subscribe via RSS Feed |  Facebook Page |  Twitter Page |  Stitcher Page Connect with The Green Gab Podcast Hosts:

— Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

— Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

 Green Gab: About the Hosts of The Green Gab Podcast:

Green Gab Podcast Host Marla Esser Cloos is the Founder of The Green Home Coach – a company leading the way to inspire you to learn about, focus on and put into place Green Solutions when it comes to your life, home building and more.

Marla is an NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP and Missouri Woman Business Enterprise. She Earned her B.S. in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University.

Click here to learn more about Marla at her website online via TheGreenHomeCoach.Com

Connect with Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Green Gab Podcast Host Tony Pratte is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tony is a graduate of St. Louis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned a Masters in Environmental Management & Sustainability at Harvard University

Tony’s 20+ year career has allowed to him to collect a number of experiences, connections and perspectives that offer an incredibly unique point of view that adds incredible value to each episode.

Connect with Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

Erika Boeing, systems engineer, entrepreneur, CEO, and co-founder of Accelerate Wind shares her mission of having “as many wind turbines on as many commercial rooftops as possible that are economically viable through the development of several inventions currently in progress.” Current wind turbines tend to be noisy, unsightly and expensive. Rooftop wind also struggles to repay the initial start-up investment, as rooftop wind speeds are too low to extract substantial power.

Erika states Accelerate Wind solves these issues by incorporating the turbines into the architectural design of a new building or a retrofit project by placing them at the edges of the roof where wind is naturally forced to speed up as it travels around the perimeters.  The result is a wind energy solution that operates noiselessly, is less expensive, and is more aesthetically pleasing than many of today’s solutions.

Read more at The Green Home Coach Website! The Green Gab Podcast Links Bar:  Subscribe via iTunes |   Subscribe via RSS Feed |  Facebook Page |  Twitter Page |  Stitcher Page Connect with The Green Gab Podcast Hosts:

— Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

— Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

 Green Gab: About the Hosts of The Green Gab Podcast:

Green Gab Podcast Host Marla Esser Cloos is the Founder of The Green Home Coach – a company leading the way to inspire you to learn about, focus on and put into place Green Solutions when it comes to your life, home building and more.

Marla is an NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP and Missouri Woman Business Enterprise. She Earned her B.S. in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University.

Click here to learn more about Marla at her website online via TheGreenHomeCoach.Com

Connect with Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Green Gab Podcast Host Tony Pratte is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tony is a graduate of St. Louis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned a Masters in Environmental Management & Sustainability at Harvard University

Tony’s 20+ year career has allowed to him to collect a number of experiences, connections and perspectives that offer an incredibly unique point of view that adds incredible value to each episode.

Connect with Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

What does green living really entail and how can it help save ourselves? Join the gab about green living and consumer education for homeowners and residents to learn how to live greener. Green living can start with our buying choices and our behaviors, and education helps us know where to start.

Through a little know-how, homeowners and residents can learn how to “drive” their homes better and get better living from them. Green living can impact our health, comfort and more and works for all homes -existing, new and remodeled.

Read more at The Green Home Coach Website! The Green Gab Podcast Links Bar:  Subscribe via iTunes |   Subscribe via RSS Feed |  Facebook Page |  Twitter Page |  Stitcher Page Connect with The Green Gab Podcast Hosts:

— Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

— Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

 Green Gab: About the Hosts of The Green Gab Podcast:

Green Gab Podcast Host Marla Esser Cloos is the Founder of The Green Home Coach – a company leading the way to inspire you to learn about, focus on and put into place Green Solutions when it comes to your life, home building and more.

Marla is an NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP and Missouri Woman Business Enterprise. She Earned her B.S. in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University.

Click here to learn more about Marla at her website online via TheGreenHomeCoach.Com

Connect with Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Green Gab Podcast Host Tony Pratte is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tony is a graduate of St. Louis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned a Masters in Environmental Management & Sustainability at Harvard University

Tony’s 20+ year career has allowed to him to collect a number of experiences, connections and perspectives that offer an incredibly unique point of view that adds incredible value to each episode.

Connect with Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

This year’s 5th Annual Metro East Home and Garden Show, led by Lisa Masters, was the biggest and best yet! Hosted by the Knight Stewards organization, a parent group of Metro-East Lutheran High School in Edwardsville, Illinois, the free two-day fundraising event hosted over seventy vendors displaying everything needed to update, renovate or improve the inside and outside of a home. Community services such as confidential on-site shredding, pet adoptions, fire safety demonstrations and fingerprinting for children by the Edwardsville Police Department were also available.

Being true to their desire to promote sustainability, the show also provided free electronic recycling and educational speakers such as Farmer Joe who spoke on sustainable backyard gardening. Likewise, Marla’s message encouraged people to “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle,” and reminded folks that only if we can’t reuse or repair do we then recycle. Much applause and thanks to Lisa for her great contribution in spear-heading this amazing sustainable community event and for reminding us that sustainability is about the big picture and the true impact each of us has on the community and the world itself.

Read more at The Green Home Coach Website! The Green Gab Podcast Links Bar:  Subscribe via iTunes |   Subscribe via RSS Feed |  Facebook Page |  Twitter Page |  Stitcher Page Connect with The Green Gab Podcast Hosts:

— Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

— Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn

 Green Gab: About the Hosts of The Green Gab Podcast:

Green Gab Podcast Host Marla Esser Cloos is the Founder of The Green Home Coach – a company leading the way to inspire you to learn about, focus on and put into place Green Solutions when it comes to your life, home building and more.

Marla is an NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, LEED AP and Missouri Woman Business Enterprise. She Earned her B.S. in Engineering and Public Policy and a Certificate in Energy from Washington University.

Click here to learn more about Marla at her website online via TheGreenHomeCoach.Com

Connect with Marla Esser Cloos on – The Web – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Green Gab Podcast Host Tony Pratte is the Director of Builder/Contractor Relations at The Sound Room in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tony is a graduate of St. Louis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned a Masters in Environmental Management & Sustainability at Harvard University

Tony’s 20+ year career has allowed to him to collect a number of experiences, connections and perspectives that offer an incredibly unique point of view that adds incredible value to each episode.

Connect with Tony Pratte on – The Web – Facebook – LinkedIn