Home Improvement Corner
Too much of a good thing could prove to be bad.
This is not an opinion column, rather a resource for home and lifestyle improvements from the perspective of a local remodeling contractor. Lifestyle improvements involve more than just the house, but also how the home functions as a part of the community. Although I believe a vast majority of our community is environmentally responsible, the emotionally-charged few are pushing for severe restrictions on the very lifestyle we enjoy.
The Green movement is affecting everything from construction permits to plastic grocery bags. In the national housing industry, innovation has always been the response to increased legislation. These days, government at all levels is applying exceeding pressure in reaction to the cries of a select few. The results are increased restrictions that drive up the cost of home building and remodeling, making “affordable housing” an impossible goal for our region.
So where’s the balance between going green and affordability? Naturally, a free market economy dictates the pendulum swing. Take for example the recent national oil consumption numbers. After several years of 1% annual increase in consumption, this year was a 3% decrease. But is this due to less driving, or choosing greener alternatives for the same number of miles commuted? By way of comparison, would natural gas consumption decrease because homeowners choose to turn their furnaces down to 60 degrees, or better insulate their homes to heat more efficiently at 72 degrees?
Alternative energy sources are becoming more readily available. Combined Heat and Power generation (CHP) systems are now being produced on a scale that is safe, practical, and affordable for residential applications. Cogeneration systems provide heat and electrical energy from a single appliance. In addition to wind, solar and geothermal, it’s an initially-expensive long-term payoff solution.
The point is we don’t have to go to extremes when it comes to living a responsibly greener lifestyle. We can simply make adjustments that make better sense for decreasing our “carbon footprint”. In terms of the Green Craze, “y” is the buffer that keeps craze from turning crazy. The more we ask why of our lawmakers, the more they will be forced to consider the decisions that affect their constituents.
Michael Tenhulzen, CGR, CAPS is President of Tenhulzen Remodeling in Redmond (425) 885-9871 www.tenhulzen.com.