Everyday Green Home

When buying or renting a home, the way we look at the associated costs may be misleading. Rarely are all of the expenses of buying or renting AND operating a home taken into consideration. This total cost of ownership is what really should be considered and Kerry Langley with Project TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) has a tool to change that.

Project TCO is a program to help get a more accurate picture of what the true costs of a home will be, especially when building or buying a home. Typically, mortgage associated expenses are where most of the effort is spent – interest, closing costs and fees, insurance. Rarely included in the buying process are the rest of the expenses of owning and operating a home – utilities (natural gas, electricity, water, sewer, trash, communications/cable), maintenance and repairs. It is this total cost of owning a home that truly allows buyers to compare the costs of homes.

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

Andy Ellis of Half-Moon Construction in New York state is an outdoor enthusiast and a green builder. He listens to his customers to build a house that is affordable and meets their needs – “houses that last generations.” His job is to decipher the needs and wants, prioritize and then design. The magic happens when he listens to clients. It’s an “education process in both directions” and key to “design house properly.”

Start with the wall system and Andy uses Logix ICF construction for their “resilience, sustainability and comfort.” (sic) Green “houses don’t really cost more, just shifting costs.” EPS foam in Logix is non-toxic and doesn’t lose R-value. Concrete takes a long time to change temperature and with ICF blocks, even longer. It’s a very stable environment in the house. Can build faster with ICF. Its a great air barrier and controls air in and out; healthy and comfortable

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 training – homeowner training specifically. It is all about habits – habits and training. Homeowner and building owner training, documentation and resources are crucial if you want to operate and maintain your home.

It sounds a little dry but this is a big deal.” How many times do you get a homeowners’ manual with a home you buy or rent?

This podcast episode is sponsored by: 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

Eric Tilden joins us to gab about Sustainability and Green Building at NAHB – National Association of Homebuilders located in Washington D.C.

NAHB is a trade association of home builders and others in the home builder industry representing nearly 140,000 members across the United States. Home Builders Associations (HBAs) and Building Industry Associations (BIAs) are local organizations across the country and they are part of the federation of NAHB.

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

With Dr. Katie Belisle-Iffrig gabbing about her book Going Green for the Genius. Dr. Katie discovered her love for nature at an early age. She came to work at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Center in St. Louis and there worked with gardens and nature in many ways – butterfly gardens, youth gardens and was in on the ground floor of the plastic pot recycling program.

At heart, Dr. Katie sees herself as an educator, so writing her book was a natural step in her work to educate people on how their actions impact the environment and in turn, how the environment impacts human health. Her motivating factor was her daughters and she realized the importance of starting early with environmental education yet also educating people in all occupations and all walks of life.

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 with Green Jean Ponzi of Missouri Botanical Garden’s Earthways Center.  Jean has long been a pillar of the green and sustainability movement in the St. Louis area through her work and her show Earthworms.

She is a mentor to Marla and both of us have worked with her in various capacities over the years at the STL HBA, US Green Building Council and other projects and organizations.

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

Marla and Tony are joined by special guest Angie Mendica from Crescent Plumbing Supply. The plumbing industry is acknowledging that water is our most precious resource. The plumbing industry promotes water efficiency aesthetically to commercial and residential sides of the market.

As an outside sales leader with Crescent Angie does this by educating her customers of the benefits and value of water efficiency. Also, that it can be easily achieved while also maintaining the aesthetic beauty we have all come to desire in our bathrooms and kitchens. Angie states with humorous insight ” Plumbing products you interact with throughout the day and people don’t put any level of importance on those products you just expect them to work.”

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

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is currently more focused than ever the green building movement. This is very important in the resources materials we build with and the standards and codes we regulated building with.

Matt Dobson of the Vinyl Siding Institute joins the Green Gab today. Matt is a past chair of the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) subcommittee on Sustainability and Green Building which Marla serves on

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

Say Economics and many people groan at the thought of microeconomics and macroeconomics in school.  Economics is actually a language – the language of business.  Elliot Eisenberg of the Bow Tie Economist gabs with us about many economic aspects of green and sustainability. 

Elliot was a senior economist with the National Association of Home Builders for over a decade and currently speaks across the country about, you guessed it, Economics! We gab about possible impacts from our new administration on sustainability, renewable energy and green building.  Elliot’s knowledge and style make economics easy to understand and fun.  

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 sustainability today. Sustainability, and its cousin – green – are two words that have many meanings and are often misunderstood.  Both words often are perceived as political buzzwords to be ignored. Some people think of sustainability and green as a mainstream way of life. Whatever the “truth” may be, the basic principles of “green” and sustainability have been around ever since humans have walked the earth.

As sustainability and green becomes marketed more, especially for products, there has been a direction towards marketing towards women.  Yet what about men? The article “Is sustainability a woman’s business?” laid the basis for this conversation.  As both women and men research products and companies more, how a company considers sustainability and how it shares that information is becoming a vital factor.

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