Why I blog

I am starting this blog to discuss all things that point to a more sustainable world. My specific interest is in low and zero energy construction, although i am very interested in fair trade, local sustainable economies, carbon fuel transition and other items relating to the future of our planet.

I have spent my adult life working in the construction industry as a design/builder. I hold a degree as an architect, and employ these skills in furthering my construction. I have specific interest in all things alternative (now called green). When I started working 25 years ago, I was on the outskirts of the real construction world constructing earth sheltered, passive solar, off grid, healthy homes. It was a tough road and I worked my way eventually to starting a "conventional" design/build firm in Roanoke, Virginia. I did however keep up my interest in alternative construction complete a number of new technology projects including SIP and ICF construction. About 8 months ago I discovered Passivhaus design. This is a European design system that basically took the low energy homes we were construction in the seventies and eighties in the US and Canada and applied German precision through the use of building physics to create a design system that lowers energy consumption by up to 70% from current US construction codes!

I am currently working on the first non-residential Passiv project in the Southeastern US. We have had this project under design for several years and will be breaking ground in the next couple of months. I intend on posting about this construction in the future.

Please feel free to follow this blog and to ask me questions about construction, as I have a great deal of expertise and am happy to share.