Build It Green recently hosted a virtual training session on feasible strategies for designing and building affordable, all-electric multifamily homes. The instructors, Nick Brown of Build Smart Group and Robert Fortunato of ForStrategy Consulting, have been designing and building net-zero homes for over a decade.
ADU Innovation Tour While there is no singular housing solution for the multifaceted challenges faced in California today, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) have the potential
Meet Alicia Livitt, GreenPoint Rated Program Manager We are delighted to announce that Alicia Livitt will be joining our team to support the GreenPoint Rated
GreenPoint Rated, our certification program for high-performing homes, would not be possible without the investment and efforts of our Raters. Through these spotlights, we hope to provide a glimpse into the individuals behind the work—how they became interested in building healthier homes, how their perspectives have changed over time, and what they enjoy when they’re not on the job.
My path to the green building industry was a circuitous journey that started in college. While pursuing my master’s in environmental studies at San Jose State, my advisor asked me to teach a solar home design class. This early exposure to home energy-efficiency is what sparked my passion for this field.
Over the last few years, more than 50 California jurisdictions have formally committed to decarbonizing new construction. This map highlights these cities and counties that have set requirements for moving away from gas to show how far the state has already come in prioritizing sustainable, healthy, and resilient buildings and the opportunity that still remains to be done.
GreenPoint Rated Highlight: Resiliency and Affordability Measures As California’s extreme weather events become more frequent and the housing crisis more pressing, building resilient and affordable
California’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2045 will only be achieved by embracing electrification for new and existing buildings. The 2019 building code already mandates solar panels for new construction and offers compliance benefits for installing electric appliances; pro-decarbonization changes like these will only continue in the 2022 cycle.
Build It Green hosted Amie Brousseau, a California Energy Commission (CEC) Energy Commission Specialist, to explain the Building Energy Efficiency Standards as they relate to different types of ADUs. A highly engaged audience asked questions on every topic—from solar and water heating requirements to modeling—and left the session with a number of resources.
Achieving California’s goal of carbon-free electricity by 2045 will be impossible without major changes in the residential sector. Luckily, the transition away from gas isn’t just environmentally beneficial; homeowners, renters, and property managers who go all-electric end up paying less in utilities and get to live in healthier spaces.