Why Go Green? Better health; greater comfort; lower utility bills; less maintenance; lasting value! Health concerns have increased in prominence as buildings have become tighter and more energy-efficient.

Energy affects all facets of building design, construction, and operation, from drawing the initial plans to installing light bulbs, equipment, and appliances. Energy use over the lifespan of a building may be the single most important environmental and economic issue to address in building ownership. Excessive fossil-fuel energy use to heat, cool, light, and power buildings results in significant environmental impacts at a local as well as global scale, and unnecessarily increases the building's annual operating and maintenance costs. Energy efficiencies can be gained in the design, construction, and operation phases of a building's lifespan.

Material: Reduce natural resource depletion by selecting materials that use wood, minerals, and petroleum products efficiently. Ask a Green Builders about some of the materials to use.

Energy: Green buildings consume nearly half the total energy produced annually in the U.S.

Reduce air pollution—in 1998, nearly 5 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions were produced to meet the energy demand of Austin's commercial customers. Blanco can apply energy saves as well, whether it is with Windmills, water, solar, or building materials.

Water: Conserve! In 1998, Austin's commercial water customers used nearly 11 billion gallons of water, almost 25% of the City's total water used. Processing water and wastewater is the single largest use of electricity in Austin. Just think how this affects the Blanco area water and what we can do to conserve. Take advantage of rainwater harvesting. On average, a 2,000 sq. ft roof area can capture more than 31,000 gallons of rain annually. Rain water can be used for a variety of purposes. We have locals that can assist you in the set up.

Waste: Reduce construction and demolition waste to preserve our remaining landfill space. This type of waste contributes nearly 30% to landfills annually. Addressing the problem beforehand saves money associated with raw materials, disposal, regulatory compliance, and liability.

Health & Liability: Sick Building Syndrome and building-related illnesses are found in up to 30% of new and renovated buildings. Indoor air quality problems increase building owner and employer costs due to sickness, absenteeism, and increased liability claims.

Buildings with effective ventilation, natural light, and proper lighting levels can increase worker productivity by as much as 16%.

Note: Some of the above services will cost more initially, but what will it save you and our area in the long run? Think about going Green. You can start with just one area. Every little bit will help.

Some Information for this article was taken from www.austinenergy.com. Check this site out. Always look at the Texas Residential Commission Construction site for registered builders (http://www.trcc.state.tx.us or Call 877-651-TRCC).

For additional Help, Information, or Services contact Debbie at (830) 833-4249 or dhomeier@moment.net .