I’m interested in building a super environmentally friendly green home that is also durable enough to stand up to coastal storms. I’ve seen bits and pieces of projects that claim to be both energy efficient and truly friendly to the earth, but have not seen one total example. Are you aware of such a home?
Our Answer
Green building is all about being earth-friendly, but the strength to safely withstand whatever Mother Nature can dish out is a smart expansion on the theme. One good example is Florida’s Showcase Green Envirohome.
Contractor Mark Baker and his wife, Nonnie Chrystal, vice president of Mark Baker LLC, were inspired to create this innovative house for Mark’s mother Betty Baker-Farley after hurricanes Frances and Jeanne left her seaside home ravaged by wind, water and mold damage in 2004. They decided they could rebuild the home to be better, stronger, smarter, safer and greener, and that’s exactly what they’ve been up to since construction began last year.
The 3,500-square-foot Envirohome’s stated goal is to resist hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fire, mold and termites while being ecologically friendly. Mark and Nonnie are also going for a result that’s near-zero-energy and near-zero-runoff, with lowered costs benefitting the resident as well as the environment.
“We want to demonstrate that safe, efficient homes can be affordable and rewardable,” says Nonnie.
For a look at the plans for and progress of this innovative green home, click over to the Envirohome site.
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