EcoVative Building Conference 2011 Review
5/11/2011

The Home Builders Association (HBA) in Portland hosted the 2nd annual EcoVative Building Conference and Expo on May 10th.  I would like to share some of what I learned...

Although many are still old school craftsmen, the building community understands that consumer preferences are changing toward a more sustainable direction.  Education is necessary to help transition how residential buildings are being constructed, and EcoVative is method of teaching the building community. 

The Keynote speaker to help set the mood for the day was Mark LaLiberte.  He has dedicated the last 30 years helping educate the homebuilding industry about the benefits of constructing durable, energy efficient, healthier, more environmentally sustainable homes. 

LaLiberte said, "builders have the opportunity to build structures that will last longer than our lives...it's a unique opportunity to leave a mark."  He's optimistic as well that we will come out of the woes in new construction for homes with a tremendous opportunity to meet the needs of a very large population of 25-40 year olds who are educated, making money, and have families. 

After LaLiberte was finished and break time was over, one of the options for the next session was to understand the Energy Performance Score (EPS) for homes in Oregon.  Developed by the Energy Trust of Oregon, this tool is the 'miles per gallon' of energy efficiency and carbon output for new homes.  It's a way for buyers to compare homes, judge the quality of work, and back up claims made by builders.  It's currently available for new homes, but a pilot project is underway for existing homes.  Below is a video to learn more about it.

Also at EcoVative were vendor booths to peruse between info sessions.  One of them was for geothermal heating and cooling for homes.  This is where pipes are dug into the ground and the earths temperature, which is constant, is used to heat and cool homes.  Geothermal is the most efficient heating and cooling system that can be installed in your home.  Plus, there is a 30% tax incentive that is available for a few more years.  Contact mark@specialtyheating.com for a free consultation.

EcoVative is helping bridge the gap for green home building.  For builders that didn't attend or not interested in this, they are missing opportunities that will be available down the road.  As more craftsmen jump on board to green building, they give future generations of families a healthier home and planet.

By: Jonathan Davis, Founder and Editor of GreenPosting.org
 

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