Many enticed by low construction costs, energy efficiency
By Paul Bianchina, Friday, May 9, 2008.

Inman News

When you’re ready to go shopping for building materials for your next home, you may not need to go any further than the nearest hay field. Straw-bale houses are becoming increasing popular and accepted in many areas of the West and Southwest, and this method of construction can offer an interesting alternative to conventional building.

There are a number of methods employed when constructing a straw-bale house, depending on the size and design of the house, local building codes, and a variety of other factors. Essentially, though, the house is constructed by using bales of straw for the exterior walls, which are then typically covered with stucco on the outside and plaster on the inside. Construction usually begins with a poured concrete footing, and the bales are then stacked up in courses with a running bond, similar to the laying of bricks, so that the mid-point of the bales on one course fall over the butt joints between the bales in the row below.

The tightly bound bales of straw have a good amount of compressive strength, meaning that they will support quite a bit of the weight of the roof. However, some sort of wooden or metal plate is used on top of the bales around the perimeter of the house in order to equalize and spread the roof load, and wood or metal posts are usually employed at set intervals between the bales for additional support.

At window and door openings, wood or metal support framing — called bucks — are installed first, then the bales are cut out and conventional windows are doors are installed. The thick bales result in some very deep window sills, and some builders will “splay” or angle the interior wood or plaster interior window openings to allow even more natural light to enter the rooms.

Once the bales are in place, conventional hand- or machine-applied stucco is used over the exterior. The stucco can be colored by painting or by adding cement dyes to the raw material prior to application. The interior of the bales is covered with plaster, again hand- or machine-applied. Interior walls are typically built with conventional framing methods, and finished with drywall or plaster to blend with the plaster finish on the exterior walls.

Being a relatively new and different construction process, one hurdle for the straw-home builder may come in the form of building code compliance. In the Southwest, for example, where this type of construction originated, many local codes have provisions that allow straw-bale homes and set the standards for their construction. Other jurisdictions may not have them in place as yet, so some solid research and communication with your local building department will be required before the first bale is ever set in place.

Two of the most common questions regarding straw-bale construction are how well the home will resist fire, and whether it is an invitation to insects and other pests. However, numerous studies and test homes built in a variety of locations have shown that once the bales are stuccoed and plastered, they are extremely resistant to both fires and pests. The U.S. Department of Energy quotes tests showing that straw-bale homes actually outperform conventionally framed homes when exposed to fire, and that the plastered walls so limited access to pests that they again outperformed conventional framing.

Another concern is rot, and this is something that needs to be addressed throughout the construction process. Straw-home builders look for bales of straw made up from thick, long-stemmed straw that is free of seeds, typically from the harvesting of wheat, oats, rye, barley, rice or flax. The straw needs to have been baled dry and then protected from the weather while stored at the construction site and also during construction. Moisture meters are typically employed to test and monitor how dry the bales are.

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Tags: building, development, environment, green, green building by Aria
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Wednesday, March 5, 2008

In the largest redevelopment opportunity ever for downtown Austin, the city has issued a request for proposals for the purchase and redevelopment of the Thomas C. Green Water Treatment Plant and the adjoining Austin Energy Control Center. The two properties total about 6.1 acres or 5 city blocks.

The Green and Austin Energy sites are being heralded by city and business leaders as the missing anchor between the Second Street Retail District and the future activity of the Seaholm District redevelopment. The properties could bring the most significant retail to downtown to date, city leaders say. The city also plans to direct 40 percent of the property tax proceeds from the redevelopment to an Austin Housing Trust Fund towards creating affordable housing in the urban core.

The minimum purchase price will be based on the final appraised value of the properties. The preliminary appraised value is $41 million, but a final appraised value should be determined before March 31.

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Tags: austin, austin real estate, building, downtown, economy, environment, green, neighborhoods by Aria
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Builders, consumers increasingly turning to metal roofs for durability, energy-efficiency and sustainability

By Nancy Keates
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Sunday, March 09, 2008

More home builders and renovators are saying no to asphalt-shingle roofs, heralding a revival of interest in slate, clay tile, wood shake and other historically popular materials that are considered both aesthetically pleasing and less harmful to the environment.

But most of these options are impractical. Slate and clay tile are heavy and might require structural reinforcement. Wood isn’t durable and offers limited fire resistance. And next to mass-produced asphalt shingles, all of them cost a small fortune, even on a moderate-size home.

There is one asphalt alternative whose resurgence is on a fast track: metal. Metal roofs are increasingly appearing on new homes and renovations because of their style and relative affordability. Some even mimic the look of slate and wood shakes.

Architectural metal roofs in new-home construction reached a projected 30 percent of the market in 2007, up from 23 percent in 2004, according to the National Roofing Contractors Association’s latest member survey. Meanwhile, fiberglass-asphalt shingles were used in a projected 44 percent of new residential projects in 2007, down from 50 percent in 2004. Slate roofs slipped slightly in that period to a projected 5.1 percent of new homes, while clay-tile roofs grew slightly to a projected 4.6 percent, and wood shakes slipped to a projected 2.1 percent.

Metal roofs boast a number of advantages. They are regarded as more fireproof than wood shakes and traditional asphalt shingles, and they last up to twice as long, contractors say. They can withstand high winds and, when treated with coatings and finishes, they reflect heat, helping keep the house cool and utility bills down in hot climates. As concerns mount over used asphalt shingles clogging up landfills, many consumers like having a roof that is often both recycled and recyclable.

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Tags: austin, building, economy, environment, green, investing, real estate by Aria
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Friday, February 29, 2008

Austin Business Journal - by G. Scott Thomas Contributing writer

We live in stressful times. Consider the evidence:

• Forty percent of Americans say they are frequently subjected to stress, and another 36 percent sometimes feel that way, according to a January survey by the Gallup Poll.
• Nearly half of U.S. adults believe the stress in their lives has escalated during the past five years, as reported in an October study by the American Psychological Association.
• Three of every 10 Americans say they experience persistent stress or have panic attacks, as documented in a November survey by the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.

These numbers reflect the dimensions of a “national pressure cooker,” to use the American Psychological Association’s term, and it’s causing untold damage to physical and emotional well-being and relationships. Several factors contribute to the daily pressure felt by millions of Americans, ranging from finances and unemployment to traffic, crime and pollution. The intensity of this toxic mixture varies from market to market across the country, as does the level of stress.

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Tags: austin, environment, neighborhoods by Aria
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By Shonda Novak | Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 03:25 PM

Groundbreaking has been delayed for the condo project called 1155 Barton Springs, which is destined to replace the long-vacant Treehouse restaurant and nightclub at Dawson and Barton Springs Road.

Developers Elisabeth and Steffen Waltz and their partners had hoped to start construction on the project by the end of 2007. But yesterday, Elisabeth Waltz wrote in an email:

“These times seem to call for a measured approach. It may take us a few more months to start construction; we will start when we have 50% or more of the residences sold. (Personally, having been a real estate broker for many years, I would prefer all of them pre-sold).”

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Tags: austin, austin real estate, condos, downtown, economy, environment, financing, green, investing, neighborhoods, sellers, staging, urban living, where to buy by Aria
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By Matt Presser | Tuesday, January 29, 2008, 10:11 AM

Eleven companies with ties to the Austin area are among the 53 Fortune 500 corporations that participated in a challenge by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to use more renewable power.

The EPA published a list Monday ranking the top companies for purchasing green power, which is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind and biogas, rather than using conventional power technologies that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

Intel Corp., which has an office in Southwest Austin, ranked first on the list of corporations by purchasing 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours of green energy per year.

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Tags: austin, environment, green by Aria
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Austin Wins!

Today, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Novelis Inc. and Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB) announced the winners in the fourth annual Cans for Cash: City Recycling Challenge at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 76th Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. To encourage recycling, the program challenges like-sized cities to compete against each other in aluminum can collection for monetary awards. During October 2007, more than 50 cities collected over 191 million used beverage cans.

“Through the City Recycling Challenge, we continue to actively promote and encourage growth in aluminum can recycling programs in communities,” said Kevin Greenawalt, President, Novelis North America. “In addition to its economic benefits, recycling reduces carbon emissions which helps combat climate change; so it is more important than ever to energize community recycling and build a sustainable environment. By recycling these aluminum cans, cities avoided more than 24,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, which is equivalent to taking more than 25,000 cars off the road for a year.”

“We are proud that our Cans for Cash Program helped jump-start existing programs and redirected many communities to focus on a common goal,” said Douglas H. Palmer, Trenton Mayor and President of The U.S. Conference of Mayors.

“The City Recycling Challenge is an excellent example of the type of sustainable initiatives we are encouraging through the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 10-Point Plan. As outlined in the 10-Point Plan, cities are encouraged to implement programs to improve community energy efficiency and reduce community carbon emissions. The goals of the Recycling Challenge complement this and demonstrate how aluminum can recycling positively impacts the environment. Participating cities should be excited and proud that they contributed to the recycling of more than 4.5 million pounds of aluminum cans.”

he winners of the $5,000 awards for the most aluminum cans recycled are:

• Division One (population 250,000+) Milwaukee, WI* - 1,385,328 pounds, Mayor Tom Barrett
• Division Two (population 100,000-249,999) Fontana, CA* - 774,614 pounds, Mayor Mark Nuami
• Division Three (population 50,000-99,999) Des Plaines, IL - 1,120,660 pounds, Mayor Anthony Arredia
• Division Four (population below 50,000) Richmond, IN* - 43,381 pounds, Mayor Sally Hutton

* Note: 2006 Winners in Division Category

To help mayors engage their communities in recycling and raise awareness about its importance over the long term, cities submitted innovative education and marketing ideas for an additional $5,000 award. The cities being recognized for the most innovative campaigns are as follows:

• Division One: Austin, TX, Mayor Will Wynn
• Division Two: Irvine, CA, Mayor Beth Crom
• Division Three: Fargo, ND, Mayor Dennis Walaker
• Division Four: Poland OH, Mayor Christine Yash

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Tags: austin, environment, green, marketing, money by Aria
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