Everyday Green Home

Homes involve so many components and things to keep track of whether managing a home or remodeling or building a home. It’s important to homeowners to keep a home in tip-top shape while living there and then that well-maintained home is a selling point when the time comes to sell it. As homeowners work through the sometimes overwhelming number of things to do to maintain and operate a home, one of the biggest enemies to our homes and all built structures is water. Water is everywhere and covers about 70% of the earth. Water shows up in and around our homes in many ways – rain and stormwater runoff, flooding of rivers, lakes and streams, and on the flip side, we also are working on water conservation. So many homes are destroyed by water and covered by insurance claims because of damage by water. Whether it’s flooding, hurricanes, mold and mildew, or busted pipes, there’s been damage to homes and buildings from it.

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

While reviewing this podcast and the podcast notes from Tony, my mind flashed on a scene from an older movie on the subject of home control.   I was seeing (in my mind) the movie PillowTalk with Doris Day and Rock Hudson.  And more specifically, a scene in his “bachelor pad” where the stereo turns on, the lights turn off and a few other things happen at the flick of a switch, conveniently located from the sofa!   Fast forward to today’s homes and what we can do in them now.  

While the systems accomplish similar outcomes, the look, operation and efficiency has become quite different.  Technology for our homes is changing rapidly and allowing for greater efficiency and ease of operation for our homes. Convenience, safety and energy efficiency can be achieved through today’s innovations, including home control and automation, smart appliances and renewable energy.  

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

Water is liquid gold. Water is everywhere. It’s necessary for our survival and the survival of life. Water is very powerful – both in its chemical make-up and its key to life, but also in its sheer force. Put water and rock together and water wins, just think about how the magnificent Grand Canyon was created through erosion. Water can also be violent as you think about how sand is created from the waves upon the beach.

Your home is also subject to water, not only in and around the structure yet also around your home on the land your home sits on. Stormwater and the erosion it can cause are present around your home too. Planning for that water as much as possible through features and landscape can help both your home and the land it sits on. There are many different ways to think about water and how it affects our homes and land. Join us in this episode to explore managing and using stormwater and landscape around your home with ideas from rain barrels to native flowers.

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

Today at The Green Gab Marla and Tony are gabbing with Mike Collignon, Executive Director of The Green Builder® Coalition which is a not-for-profit he started with Ron Jones in 2010 dedicated to supporting builders and suppliers drive advocacy, education and policy change for more sustainable home building practices.

They are expanding quickly in many states that have natural disasters. Their whole process is if you have a clean slate to start from why not go ahead and start the right way. They want people to recognize what’s going on and help. Little steps add up and if you get enough people doing little steps then that’s a big step. The multiplier step is real!

“We Want Energy, Yet We Need Water”.

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 Michelle Foster of Home Innovation Research Labs, the VP of Innovation Services. Michelle speaks a lot with the housing financial industry to help them see the impact of an NGBS (National Green Building Standard) green certified home or project.  Taking the lower expenses of a better-built home into account in the financial process can allow more money to be spent on the asset of the home. 

Home buyers can think holistically about where they will be most comfortable, what is the smartest investment for them and will make them happiest going forward.  As we spend a lot of time indoors in our homes – our refuge, it only makes sense that our homes be comfortable and support our needs. An NGBS Green Certified Home can do just this. Green homes are just a better place to call 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

Gabbing with Bob Fincher, the CEO and publisher at Sustainable Community Media, LLC with 2 media websites – Proud Green Home and Proud Green Building.   These sites were created and shared for the marketplace to learn about high-performance, green building in both the homes and commercial building industries.   

Learn one reason some builders may be resistant to the change high-performance, green brings.  Market trends, building codes and certifications are also impacting the adoption of high performance, green homes. 

Proud Green Home and Proud Green Buildings worked in concert with EEBA to produce the white paper “High-Performance Homes at No More Cost.  Yes, no more cost.  

Get the white paper and learn how successful builders are re-imaging homes to build high performance with a budget that is not more than standard traditional 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

 

As recycling is the 3rd R in “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle,” the next step is what else can we recycle.  How can we turn “trash to treasure” or in keeping with the “R theme… Refuse to Resource?” Recycling is nothing new, Nature has been doing it all along.

In William McDonough’s book Cradle to Cradle, in nature there is no such thing as waste.  Every output of one process is an input for another.  This is a good model for manufacturing, as well as our consumption of stuff.

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

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 -

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

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 -

Gabbing about lighting and how it is brilliant – both in beauty and practicality.  Nick Frisella of Metro Lighting joins us to share his involvement both at work and in the community.  Nick’s passion for energy efficient lighting and community involvement show what a difference people can make.  Nick is involved in his community of Maplewood MO as well as organizations in the St. Louis area.  This combination has helped raise involvement and action in many areas in and around St. Louis.  

Some of the highlights of Nick’s energy efficiency and community involvement include helping people save $11 Million in energy savings through energy efficient lighting; 7 Energy Star awards for Metro Lighting; serving on the Board of Directors - St. Louis Earth Day; working with Green Dining Alliance, Recycling on the Go and Earth Action Grants. 

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

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

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

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...