Featured Community

Featured Community by Port Blakely Communities

New! Take a virtual tour of the featured Built Green community of Issaquah Highlands. Or if you prefer to visit in person, it’s always a good day for a walk! That’s because a key element of the urban village design in this Built Green certified community is its pedestrian orientation. Issaquah Highlands is designed with homes clustered along narrow, tree-lined streets and oriented toward the sidewalk, often with front porches. Homes are never more than a 1/4-mile walk from a neighborhood park or playground. Issaquah Highlands features a mixed residential community, with single family homes, affordable housing, rental units, multifamily projects and high-end, exclusive residences.

This 2,500-acre community has preserved about 1,400 acres as permanent open space so that residents can share and enjoy trees, meadows, ponds, parks and spectacular views. Great care is taken during development to protect the soil from erosion and protect trees. Residents are prohibited from using toxic pesticides and herbicides, and water quality is continuously monitored to ensure high standards are met. Where trees have been removed, many have been relocated and areas have been replanted with more than 1,500 native trees. Issaquah Highlands has a unique wetlands protection program that is administered by volunteer residents within the community. A high-speed fiber optic network facilitates telecommuting that saves on transportation costs, and a 1,000 vehicle park-and-ride allows commuters to use public mass transit that saves gasoline.

To see other previously featured virtual tours, click here. Virtual tours created by Northwest Property Imaging.

New Members

Camwest Development Inc
Distinctive new homes, custom and unique homes on exceptional sites

Eco Seattle Homes Inc
A Built Green builder in Snohomish

Pacific Crest Cabinets
Superior quality, functional design

Premier Building Systems
North America's largest manufacturer of structural insulated panels

CrystaLite Inc
Skylights that bring warm, glowing natural light into your home or business

Elmwood Reclaimed Timber Inc
Reclaimed timber and stone products including flooring, cabinets, millwork, antique barn siding, hand hewn and rough sawn beams

Twin Peaks Embroidery
We sew on anything cloth - including horse blankets

Murtough Supply
Janitorial maintenance supplies & equipment

View our current members.

Events

Thursday, January 27
Stormwater: Turning a Potential Problem into an Asset
The Center for Urban Horticulture at the University of Washington is hosting this seminar on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Rainwater can be a resource. Learning to collect it, slow its movement through the landscape, and retain it in our soil and plantings will be the theme of this full-day seminar designed for builders, developers, contractors, landscape architects, engineers, planners, and landscape designers. Upcoming stormwater regulations will require many of the practices discussed, but the speakers will show that there are many reasons to start using them right now! The workshop cost is $40 and includes lunch; pre-registration is required. To register, or for directions to the seminar, call (206) 685-8033 or visit its website.

Friday, January 28
Metrics for Sustainable Building in Snohomish County: Turning Green into Gold
This Brown Bag lunch panel discussion will cover LEED for Commercial projects and why sustainable building should be considered in Snohomish County. It will be held Friday, Jan. 28 at PUD’s main offices in Everett at 2320 California Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For further information, email Chris Fate. Map to PUD.

Wednesday-Thursday, January 26–27
Shared Strategy Summit: Creating a Future for Both People and Salmon
A two-day event will bring together leaders from all interests participating in the Shared Strategy on Jan. 26–27 at the Tacoma Convention Center. The summit’s agenda is designed to confirm regional and local watershed recovery goals, 10-year objectives, the conditions that need to be in place to make implementation commitments, and the funding needed to achieve plan actions. The Master Builders Association is a co-sponsor of this important event that will provide the first opportunity for people to see how individual planning efforts will come together to create a comprehensive regional salmon recovery strategy—a shared strategy built on the foundation of local initiatives. Attendees will also hear about innovative and significant proposals, projects and incentives that meet the needs of both people and salmon. An Awards Banquet will be held on the evening of the 26th.

Sunday-Tuesday, March 13-15
National Green Building Conference
The national conference for residential green building, in Atlanta, March 13-15, 2005 at the Westin Peachtree.

Thursday, March 17
Built Green Conference & Expo: "Greening the 21st Century"
Seattle Center, Seattle
Exhibit space is limited and will fill up quickly! Contact Gina Davis for details or call (425) 460-8219. If you’re interested in sponsoring the conference or an event, contact Pam Worner for details or call (425) 460-8217. If you’re interested in teaching an educational session send an email to Robin Rogers.

Built Green Conference Keynote Speaker
Steve Loken, nationally recognized expert in energy and home building technology. Read more about this Montana builder at his website.

MBA Calendar of Events is posted at the bottom left of the homepage. For more information, contact James Cadungug at (425) 460-8213.

Courses

See the MBA University Fall Education Catalog for a Full List of MBAU Courses. Email or call (425) 460-8238 for information or to register.

Tuesday, January 11
Introduction to Built Green provides an overview of the entire program on Tuesday, Jan. 11 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the MBA. The course is free and open to anyone. This course (or equivalent) is required for certifying a Built Green project.

Thursday, February 3
Tapping the Green in Built Green Homes offers real estate clock hours for the professionals who want to learn about green homes and reach the eighty percent of home buyers who say they want green homes. It will be held at the MBA on Feb. 3 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Wednesday, March 2
Implementing Built Green Strategies I is a nuts-and-bolts course that walks you through the “top green building picks” of the experts. It will be held at the MBA on March 2 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Wednesday, April 6
Implementing Built Green Strategies II provides up-front design strategies that can help achieve green points while keeping costs down. It will be held at the MBA on April 6 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Thursday, April 21
Built Green Sales Boot Camp provides intensive practice at pitching green features, and teaches you how to identify buyer types. Real estate clock hours are offered for this class that will be held at the MBA on April 21 from 8 a.m. to noon.

See the MBA University Fall Education Catalog for a full list of courses. Contact (425) 460-8238 or via email for information or to register.

Suggest a Project

Small Habitat and Drainage Improvements
The Small Habitat Restoration Program (SHRP) and the Drainage and Habitat Improvement Program encourage you to propose a habitat restoration or drainage improvement project within unincorporated King County, including Vashon Island. Projects are being solicited for the 2005 construction and planting season, and project applications must be submitted by Jan. 31, 2005 for consideration. The Small CIP Programs design, permit and construct small habitat restoration and drainage projects in and around streams and wetlands throughout unincorporated King County on private or public lands. If you know of a habitat or drainage problem that you would like to see remedied, you can fill out an online application form. Questions? Please contact Mason Bowles at mason.bowles@metrokc.gov or (206) 296-8736.

Snohomish PUD

Energy Efficiency Incentives for Businesses
Snohomish County PUD offers incentive funds to its commercial and industrial customers, which can help cover up to 70 percent of the project cost for installation of energy-efficiency measures. Examples of measures funded include:

• Lighting controls & fixtures
• HVAC equipment
• Compressed air systems
• Motors, pumps & fans
• Refrigeration
• Heat recovery systems & controls
• Variable speed drives

The PUD's Energy Services staff is available to work with businesses to evaluate cost effective ways to improve energy efficiency, improve comfort levels in facilities and lower utility bills. For more information, call Snohomish County PUD at (425) 783-8290 or visit PUD's website.

From the Director

You may have noticed a new feature in this newsletter and on our website: virtual tours of Built Green homes and communities. These high-quality 360-degree virtual tours and still images of Built Green homes have been created especially for us by Northwest Property Imaging, a Built Green/MBA member company. Because Built Green homes are unique, with features chosen from hundreds of items on the Built Green checklists, these tours make it possible to show certified homes as they are: all different. The case studies of actual certified homes provide a glimpse into the wide variety of sustainable possibilities that anyone can discuss with their builder, remodeler or designer. In this issue of the newsletter, you can view NWPI's newest work that captures some of the Built Green community of Issaquah Highlands. See above "Featured Community."

Fortunately for us, NWPI is committed to sustainability, both as a company and through the personal beliefs of its individual contributors. NWPI donated its time and materials to Built Green for these case studies. Not only do the virtual tours help us publicize and educate about the advantages of building green, we also save paper by posting the files electronically instead of printing them! For further information on the unlimited possibilities of virtual tours -- restaurants, landscapes, homes, multifamily units, parks, neighborhoods, communities, retail, rental facilities, commercial office space, golf courses, etc -- please contact Cheri Westphal via email or at (206) 870-0968.

Robin Rogers, Program Director

Product Spotlight

Abet 2201 Power Conditioners

• UL listed - Scientifically proven by independent testing
• Saves money by reducing energy consumption
• Surge protects entire home
• Extends life of household appliances through heat reduction
• Delivers cleaner power

Contact Gary Fowler via email or at (206) 361-1124.

For information on how to list your "green" products* in this space, please contact Pam Worner by phone at (425) 460-8238.

*Products must be able to meet at least one Built Green credit (see the four Built Green checklists on our website) to qualify, and the company must be a member-in-good-standing of Built Green.

Gingerbread Surprise

Our Gingerbread Team!

This year's village drew 300,000 visitors and raised $74,000 for research aimed at finding a cure for juvenile diabetes.

Over the holidays, hundreds of thousands of visitors streamed through the lobby of the downtown Seattle Sheraton to view amazing gingerbread creations, and were granted the opportunity to vote on their favorite design. The Built Green gingerbread house entry was chosen as this year’s favorite by popular vote! Our gingerbread house team included: Quadrant Homes for the house design itself; Jay and Rachell Sardeson our extraordinary chef and his wife; Redmond High School students Jason Alleger, Stephanie Schneider and Sally Rogers; Aaron Adelstein of the Environmental Home Center; MBA staffers Donine Grigsby, Pam Worner, Gina Davis and Robin Rogers; MBA staffers’ spouses, Anthony Davis, Gina’s husband, and Julie Duyff, wife of Jeff Danks in our accounting department. Donations are accepted during the month-long event to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Seattle.

BG Member News

HGTV selected Built Green/MBA member company LLK Interior Design as one of three design firms to compete on an episode of its reality TV home decorating program, "Designers' Challenge" to be aired this winter. You’ll get a front row seat to watch as this Bellevue firm creates a unique room renovation plan for a Woodinville homeowner.

EHC features green finish materials

Environmental Home Center, is now open to the public after a devastating fire destroyed its showroom and warehouse. EHC is the nation’s first sustainable building supplier. The Built Green/MBA member company offices, showroom and warehouse are now located at 4121 1st Avenue South, in Seattle’s SODO district.

Sustaining Sponsors

Built Green Sponsors Help Sustain Our Non-Profit Program

Whirlpool Corporation completes its third year as a major corporate sponsor and Industry Ally of the Built Green program. Port Blakely Communities provides another two-year commitment to support the Built Green program as a Building Partner. Both companies have provided necessary support to sustain Built Green’s non-profit certification and outreach programs that extend to the industry and the general public.

Whirlpool continues to play a leading role in the development of innovative technology and high efficiency home appliance products that save energy and water resources for consumers in markets worldwide. It is the first major appliance company to announce a global greenhouse gas reduction target that will be achieved in substantial part through the indirect emission reduction effect of producing resource efficient appliances. Whirlpool has also been honored with the ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Award five times (1999-2002, 2004). Learn more...

Port Blakely Communities has provided a model for green development to communities all across the country with its Issaquah Highlands Built Green community. Port Blakely’s efforts to promote green homes and site development to a wider audience have included training and promoting Built Green to builders, sales agents, architects, multifamily developers, and even to commercial projects. Port Blakely’s collaboration with Bennett Homes and the MBA resulted in more than 8,000 visitors learning about green building principles by visiting the Gold Nugget Award-winning on the Puget Sound Energy Built Green Idea Home.

Environmental Pollutants

Let the ALA Find Environmental Pollutants in Your Home – or Teach You How

The Master Home Environmentalist™ is a program of the American Lung Association® of Washington that promotes health by reducing pollutants in the home through volunteer-based education and action. Volunteers perform free home assessments for residents and other outreach activities, and are involved in every aspect of program design, delivery and evaluation. Contact ALA of WA to request a trained Master Home Environmentalist to come to your home to do a free home assessment, or find out how you can become a Master Home Environmentalist. ALA promotes lung health by increasing awareness of home environmental pollutants and encouraging action to reduce exposure in 10,000 homes.

King County

Sunset Magazine advertisement

Consumer Marketing of Built Green
After several years of focusing on attracting new members, this year Built Green began to work on attracting new buyers, and launched its first consumer marketing campaign. A survey given to Idea Home visitors was used to identify which elements of the home most appealed to homebuyers. The survey found that homebuyers care most about:

• Energy efficiency (low utility bills)
• Good value (durable products, low maintenance costs)
• Health (nontoxic materials and indoor air quality)
• Environmental sensitivity (resource conservation and habitat protection)

These results were used to drive the campaign. Funds contributed by King County and MBA were used to develop and place a series of ads that would deliver the message that Built Green homes provide these four key values. King County paid marketing consultants to develop a strategy of ad timing and magazine placement to reach the greatest number of prospective homebuyers.

The first ad appeared in August. That month, for the first time, the number of visits to the Built Green website surpassed 3,000 – increasing by more than 500 visits. More ads ran in September, October and November in Pacific and Sunset magazines. Ad space has already been purchased for February, March and May of 2005. In October and November King County paid for a series of public service announcements featuring the tagline “Built Green- Imagine if everyone did” on KUOW. Since the campaign launched in August, the number of visits to the Built Green web page increased each month, reaching 3,749 visits in December. Also during that time, unique visitors to the site grew by about 700 to about 2,800.

In addition to marketing the Built Green program as a whole, the marketing campaign includes development of a toolkit to help builders market Built Green homes. King County has already printed some of the items in the toolkit such as yard signs that are available now by emailing us. The City of Seattle is developing new materials, such as a marketing strategy outline and a template that builders can use to develop brochures for their projects. The complete marketing toolkit will be introduced at the Built Green Conference at the Seattle Center on March 17.

Comments Welcomed

ESA Critical Habitat Designations Changed
The federal government recently unveiled "critical habitat" boundaries for salmon and steelhead populations in four Western states, including Washington. The newly identified critical habitats, required under the federal Endangered Species Act, are much smaller than the areas originally designated. These designations are still open for public comment. A Seattle public open house/hearing is scheduled for Jan. 18, 2005 from 6:30 - 9:30 pm at the Radisson Hotel Seattle Airport, 17001 Pacific Highway South. Other public open houses will be held in Portland, OR, on Jan. 11, Kennewick, WA, on Jan. 13, and Boise, ID, on Jan. 25. You may also comment via email. Include the docket number 030716175-4327-03 and RIN number 0648-AQ77 in the subject line of the message. More information about how to make comments.

Resources

Energy Benchmarking Tool
Okay, so you build homes that are energy efficient for your customers; how are you doing with your own offices or facilities? Here’s an online tool from Snohomish PUD that helps you compare the energy usage (electricity and gas) for your facilities with other commercial facilities of similar size. Best of all, it’s FREE!

PSE Built Green Idea Home
Interactive website

Further Reading

National Model Guidelines for Green Homes are available online for review from the National Association of Homebuilders.

Watch Your Seafood
The next time you're shopping for fish in a market or restaurant, you can know what’s at risk, environmentally-speaking – what's good for you and good for the ocean! The famed Monterey Bay Aquarium keeps tabs on the best choices and what to avoid regionally. See the West Coast Seafood Watch Card. Our own local Seattle Aquarium and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium are partners with Seafood Watch.

Built Green Signage

Contact us for your Built Green yard signs today! Most of you should have received window statics, vehicle decals and CDs with the new logo files, courtesy of our partner King County!

Contact Built Green

Master Builders Association
335 – 116th Avenue SE
Bellevue, WA 98004
Directions
Phone (425) 460-8238
Fax (425) 646-5985
builtgreen@mbaks.com

MBA Calendar of Events

If you have news items for this newsletter, please send us an email.