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Beauty Up and Around You, a Living Wall Garden

Guest Post by: Robert Garcia

In urban areas with limited space, designing and growing a living wall is gaining in popularity. Also known as vertical gardens, not all wall gardens are the same. With a bit of key information and inspiration, you can create a fresh garden space with this relatively new approach to growing.

Living walls, or vertical gardens as they are also known, essentially are specifically cultivated plants that grow in a frame on the side of a building or home, or directly on the wall. The trend is popular and catching on in cities and smaller gardens because they are very efficient at regulating temperatures and re-using runoff water. Of course, the biggest benefit is changing a plain concrete wall into something colorful and beautiful.

Vertical Garden Roots

Due to his extensive research in plants and surface structures, French botanist Patrick Blanc, called the grandfather of vertical gardening, introduced the first living wall systems about 20 years ago, and they have gained in popularity ever since.

Vertical gardens basically come in two categories: modular boxes and hydroponic systems. Modular boxes are singles boxes, typically made from recyclable materials, that are filled with potting soil or peat moss, and are planted with your chosen vegetation and hung on your wall or on frames connected to your wall. Hydroponic systems allows the roots of the plants freedom to grow throughout the wall instead of in separate boxes, allowing for more choices in plants. Living wall architects and vertical garden designers usually gravitate to hydroponic systems as it allows them more plant diversity and artistic freedom to create a lush and layered canvas of vegetation. However, modular systems offer great benefits as well, especially for temporary or smaller walls and areas since the boxes are easy to install, replace or remove.

Plant Picks

Selecting the right plants is the key to designing a beautiful living wall garden. Some online research will give you some awesome ideas and resources for picking the right plants, but you can always consult with a landscape architect for plants that work the best. If you'd rather leave the design of your wall up to the experts, make sure you work with a firm that specializes in vertical gardens and living walls. If the firm you pick decides on installing a hydroponic system, you are looking at limitless options. However, if you decide on a modular boxes system, you should look towards choosing plants that are drought-tolerant, native to your area, or is known to thrive in your local conditions.

If you're creating your own vertical garden or living wall, there are some great plants to choose from, for instance: Succulents - Shallow rooted plants like sedum, hens and chicks, houseleeks and rock garden perennials do great on a living wall.

Herbs And Vegetables - Veggies like lettuce, beets and radishes and herbs like thyme and mint are great for verticals. Also, imagine having a clever set of fresh crops at your fingertips! Grasses - Shallow root grasses like blue fescue look dramatic and love growing up walls.

Plants establish themselves pretty quickly on a living wall, so you don't have to provide a lot of maintenance, other than some trimming. Since vertical gardens can regulate temperature and can reuse water, they are both eco-friendly and popular in hotter climates and during the summer. Many outdoor enthusiasts find that a vertical living wall is fantastic at adding a new and fresh view to their patio rooms, and are creating cool outdoor living areas around their walls. Adding cooling patio furniture like teak wood and patio umbrellas, especially with UV resistant fabric, makes a beautiful outdoor resting area that never gets hot.

Lowering Our Carbon Footprint

As a green contractor, I have had a number of experiences in working with green building materials. The number of green facilities continues to increase throughout the world. From large to small, facilities are getting more creative with their new sustainable systems and practices. While these facilities are beneficial, other programs and initiatives exist at the city and state levels.

The state of California as a whole has done a fantastic job of developing new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Last month I traveled to San Francisco and was lucky enough to learn about a new pilot program the city is involved with. Along with NAVTEQ and ESRI, they have developed a mapping system that optimizes the cities fleet operations. This system will create more efficient routes for the city’s fleet vehicles resulting in lower municipal fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Fleet managers will be able to organize work assignments into routes based on actual street drive time and miles. The route scheduling function will further reduce fleet carbon emissions by suggesting an optimized stop sequence. This routing solution will also relate to 15-20% in cost savings.

The initiative put in place by San Francisco provides and excellent blueprint for other cities to follow. Cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and even smaller ones like Rochester, Burlington and Charlotte can implement these programs. With the number of green facilities continuing to grow; the implementation of green programs must continue to grow as well.

Understanding LEED Certification

I am proud to work as an independent general contractor. I have enjoyed the opportunity of meeting many different clients in and around the Hamptons. In order to build my business, I understand that it is important to follow the codes and regulations that have been established.

Over the last few years, green standards have become very important in the world of commercial real estate. It is easy to get confused when professionals throw around a lot of technical terms and acronyms. However, the concepts are easy to understand when they are clearly explained.

You will hear a lot of talk about LEED certified buildings. The LEED rating system stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It was established by the U.S. Green Building Council in recent years to determine which buildings are following green standards. There are a lot of different components that go into LEED certification. A building needs to be energy efficient, have low carbon emissions and a low level of waste to earn LEED certification.

In the construction industry, we care a lot about LEED certification because it is important to the environment and to our customers. If you are building or buying a new commercial property, it is wise to consider the benefits of LEED certification. This type of certification will reduce your energy costs, and it will also make your property more appealing to buyers if you decide to sell.

Some people are intimidated by the thought of LEED certification, but the process is really not that difficult. There is a fee that comes with certification, but the costs can be recouped by the benefits. Green, Silver, Gold and Platinum are the different levels of LEED certification. Green is the most basic level, and many builders use it as their minimum standard. Some certification courses are available online, so it is easy to learn about LEED certification while you are still working hard in your business.

Over the last decade, the demand for green buildings has skyrocketed, and it is likely to continue to increase. As a building professional, I encourage my colleagues to explore all of the benefits of learning about LEED certification. It takes some time and money, but the benefits are much greater than the costs. In any business, you need to be able to adapt to changes, and green, LEED certified buildings will be the buildings of our future.

My Green Home

The ideal home is a green home, and houses today aren't very "green" at all. From what I've seen through my work over the years, people don't really care about anything but the price. I get questions like "Well, I'd love to buy a faucet with an automatic shut off, but it's just too expensive. This is always the point where I let them know that the most important part of worth is not only price, but value. Furthermore, they should understand that the added initial cost will always be worth the value in the end. (Pretty clever, right?)

Nevertheless, here are a few different ways to make sure that you're getting the most out of your home via construction:

Construction and Infrastructure:

Green architecture always starts with a foundation and skeleton. Although the standard wood and/or concrete home is considered a norm in the construction industry, there are a number of ways to build a home in an ecologically friendly manner. You can utilize recycled materials to build the structure of the home. A number of international projects have created sound foundations from beer bottles or car tires. Or, perhaps, you could build the home using old shipping containers. Their quite large and, once they've done their work, there's no other purpose. Consider what sort of option fits best for you both stylistically and financially.

Appliances & Furnishing:

Of course, a home isn't merely created by the empty walls erected by carpenters and construction specialists. A home is made by the inclusion of important items and furnishings. Personal items, appliances, all of these are significant considerations when making a green home.

One of the first things people should do is look to see if the appliances being installed by the construction company are energy efficient. Will it take three gallons of H20 just to flush the toilet? Will the fridge manage to suck warm air out and all hopes of using a reasonable supply of electricity? Ensure your appliances have the energy star seal of approval.

Then move on to your furnishings. Try to find chairs, tables, desks, and the like that are constructed out of recycled materials. There are a number of options out there to fit anyone's personal style while remaining true to the idea of environmentalism.

Maintenance:

Houses will undergo a lot when you live in them. There will be maintenance work that's needed to be done. Take, for instance, the ducting used for air conditioning. Air conditioning statistically takes up the largest percentage of raw power from the grid. If there's a leak in the ducting (which, over time, is almost inevitable), is it possible to reach it to repair it? If you have a basement, will it be possible to ensure it remains water and air sealed? Making sure that there's enough access to the various nooks and crannies in your home is prudent even without any green considerations. It's absolutely vital, however, with them in mind

Smart Conservation:

After you've made this green house a home, you're going to have to pick up some savvy saving habits in order to keep being environmentally conscious. First, consider the amount of water being used on a daily basis. Fresh water is actually one of our more scarce resources. Most of it often comes from large aquifers that are being drained rapidly. With all of that in mind, is it prudent to take a thirty minute shower every day?

On a related note, energy conservation is also a fundamental consideration. Not only will it help save the environment, but it'll save you a few dollars too! From the initial stages, you've already planned to save power. It's clearly evident by the solar panels you installed as the house was being constructed. Managing power wisely will help continue to cut down on your power usage and your ultimate carbon footprint. If you're not watching TV, is there a need for it to be on? The same goes with the laptop. If you're checking Facebook from your phone, why also do it on your computer? Prudent thinking in the utilization of resources will allow you to make your home a green home for years to come.

Hiatus

Working as an independent contractor takes a lot out of you, both mentally and physically. As such, it's difficult for me to add, manage and maintain a lot of the online materials that I've published both here and in other locations. However, (even as a newly wed and father of one) I have managed to make the time for a diary, or as I like to call it, "the little green book."

During my time away from sharing personal thoughts and experiences with my readers, I've undergone a minor adjustment in the way I conduct business; most of my jobs now are green only. In other words, through my connections in NY, I've gotten a handful of opportunities on construction work with many different types of commercial real estate. This could include anything from new developments, to apartment buildings and hotels. Most of it has to deal directly with the rental or "temporary housing" market. And it's not strictly NYC based either; I've had plenty of opportunity to travel (even abroad) and lend my craftsmanship expertise as part of a much larger team all working towards a common goal.

And a big part of that collective goal is to establish gold LEED certification. There's a lot that goes into a building that's LEED certified, but the principles behind it don't differ much from what I've seen as far as residential is concerned. Over the course of the next (however long), I'll be sharing a lot of my new experiences with you, and hopefully shed light on some more modern green technologies and how they're being applied from a commercial standpoint.

*Please note that not all of the materials you see here and in fact published by me; I have a loving and caring wife that will sometimes handle and coordinate my work and words.

Create Energy While Taking a Shower

Water power may be the oldest type of renewable energy. The hydroelectric dams at Niagara Falls have been around almost since electricity was first transported on metal wires, but the idea of drawing power from running water goes back a lot further than that. You can see a working waterwheel at any cider mill. It makes you think about how machines were in use for many centuries before we had gas pipes and electrical grids to power them, and how those machines were often run using the energy of an existing water flow. I like to think that inventor Ryan Jongwoo Choi was drinking a delicious glass of freshly pressed cider when he came up with the idea for the ES Pipe Waterwheel. This nifty device uses the velocity of the water in an ordinary pipe to generate electricity. The power is stored in rechargeable batteries connected to two light bulbs. The fully charged light bulbs can be removed from the pipe and used for lighting. It’s an incredibly smart idea. Tiny water wheels in a pipe can generate electricity just like the dam at Niagara Falls does. Although the ES Pipe Waterwheel was invented with remote African towns in mind, I’m excited about its potential in the kind of ordinary American homes I work on in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is full of people who care about the environment, and who can also appreciate a clever gadget. I think that these mini-renewable energy systems would be popular with people in the City, and particularly with the forward thinking and conscientious people of Brooklyn. I’m going to be honest, though. To me, the ES Pipe Waterwheel would be even better if it could recharge small electronic devices in addition to light bulbs. I’m already thinking about ways that I could rig it up to do that. I’d love to have this in my own home, and I think that it would be a great thing to add in as part of a bathroom remodeling or as a feature in a new development, as-is. However, if it can charge light bulbs, then it should be able to charge phones and digital cameras. Maybe it's not feasible, though. The recharge would probably take too long. Anyway, portable light bulbs are useful. They can act as nightlights. They can be used as reading lights. They can be used to light the way in an old, unlit or poorly lit basement or attic or to illuminate a closet or the area under a sink when you’re looking for something. A portable light is always a nice thing to have handy, and these will never run out of batteries. I think that ES Pipe Waterwheels will fly in the Brooklyn Real Estate market, and I’m going to test that theory by installing one in my next project.

8 Ways to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution

Did you know that indoor air is on average 5 times more polluted than outdoor air? I was shocked when I heard this statistic because, in general, I feel as though I have more control over the air in my home than the air outside. But, it turns out that furniture, paint, and cleaning supplies emit chemicals into indoor air, which are then trapped within the relatively small space of my home. After a little bit of research, I put together this list of 8 tips for reducing indoor air pollution:

1) Easily reduce the amount of particulate matter that gets into your home by having everyone take off their shoes right outside your front door. I’ve been doing this for years, just because I am more comfortable in bare feet and slippers, but I was happy to read that this is also one of the best ways to reduce household dust.

2) Vacuum at least once per week. Don’t be lazy. Sweep and vacuum regularly.

3) Dust with a wet rag. Some cleaning supplies emit VOCs and contain artificial fragrances, so water and a reusable cloth is the best option for regular dusting.

4) Wash bedding at least once a month. We’ve all heard that a big percent of dust is actually made up of skin cells, and that combined with how much time the average person spends in bed, means your bed might dirtier than you think.

5) Be careful with anything that sprays – hairspray, perfume, cleaners, etc. All have the potential to leave hazardous chemicals and particulate matter lingering in the air. This is one of the reasons that I’ve recently switched to perfume made from organic essential oils rather than traditional fragrances.

6) When re-decorating look for low-VOC options. Furniture and paint manufacturers are responding to consumer demands by creating low-VOC products. One example of air-conscious furniture is made by a company I blog for - the Pure line of rugs by Merida Meridian has been recognized by the Carpet and Rug Institute [CRI] for the incredibly low level of VOCs emitted by the rugs.

7) Use potted plants. Plants help naturally filter the air around us and can even decrease VOC levels!

8) Open the windows. It is finally summer, so skip the air conditioning and open all of your windows instead. This is a great and money-saving way to get clean air circulating.

Cameron Bruns is the founder of Boston Green Blog and a contributor to Merida, the premier source for distinctively designed natural rugs with a conscience for sustainability.

#indoor #air #pollution #voc #painting #fragrance #dusting #cloth

Spring Pests

with the past year or so, I've replaced almost every window in my house. It wasn't until this spring that I realized there were nagging carpenter ants inside the frame & moulding surround the each. So far, I've killed approximately 134 ants; And yes, I'm counting! This has become quite a problem to say the least, but for any of you experiencing similar issues, there are solutions.

Background

From what I've read, carpenter ants like to borough inside wood - Keep in mind I say borough, not feed off of, so they aren't as bad as let's say, termites. Yet, they still pose an eminent threat. As you can see from the pictures below, if left untreated, they can certainly do some damage.

Treatment

There are a large multitude of products that can be found at any local hardware store, and most will contain the necessary ingredients to kill carpenter ants. Likewise, they will kill just about every other household bug or insect nuisance. But the biggest problem with terminating carpenter ants completely is locating their satellite nests, because simple traps or baits won't necessarily remove the problem as a whole. In other words, these products aren't guaranteed. Usually, you'll want to hire a professional to take care of the situation, but I can certainly reveal their secret remedy, and that is Boric Acid.

Most simply put, boric acid is a weak form of insecticide. It comes in powder and liquid form, and will almost always do the trick. You can literally spend hours spraying areas of infestation with household formulas and get undesired results, whereas with boric acid it sometimes takes a simple puff. You can find this product online, or at your local hardware store as well.

As a supplemental and preventative solution/measure, you may want to consider purchasing a pesticide to pour around the base of your foundation. This will keep most of these pests at bay, at least for the warm season.

#spring #pests #carpenter ants #pesticide #boric acid

Guest Author Guidelines

Although I've done a number of guest posts, I have yet to publish work from an outsider. Now, I think it's time my readership get a sample of somebody else's work. For the time being, my guidelines as follows:

Write from the heart.

What I want to see are highly personalized pieces with a touch of emotion, whether it be humor, sadness, happiness or remorse - I'm really looking to see an individual reflect the core principles of blogging, back before content farms and automated spam. This can also mean opinion; the more argumentative, the better. Please, feel free to send me your submissions at [email protected], but make sure they're coming from you.

I think that about sums it up. Happy Monday!

#guest #post #guidelines #article #submissions

Landscaping & Gardening 101

So I'm a little overdue for a post, but remodeling projects never sleep - Remember that. Anyway, one thing that's been on my mind recently is my home landscaping. If you're a homeowner that cares about his or her landscape, and you witness continuous wear and tear from the cold season, it may be smart to stay ahead of this by taking cautionary measures.

Just as you would with anything inside your home, you also want to prevent things from going bad outside. Here are a few simple tips to keep your landscape looking fresh to death:

Lay down extra (matching) mulch each year to keep a vibrant looking spread. This will also help prevent weeds by keeping your underlay nice and flat.

If your mulch or stone has slowly eroded away, this may be an opportunity to lay fresh fabric or stone.

Trim your bushes in mid-spring, and water your flowers to let them flourish quicker.

Enrich your garden or landscape soil with fertilizer at the beginning of spring.

If you're already to the point where you're getting weeds, DO NOT use round-up or any other weed killer for that matter - This will kill everything else as well. Believe me, I've done it. Instead, carefully pull what needs to be removed.

Perennials are easy to maintain, as they come back every year. However, if you're a seasonal flower planter, be sure to keep all the above in mind, and don't forget to water!

Survey your yard: In other words, don't let pesky critters invade your garden or landscape. I have about three neighborhood cats that like to destroy my perennials each year. After some thorough investigating, I found ways to keep them out without harm.

Start a composite pile - Keep all your clippings, leaves and raked up materials in a bin and spin regularly. This can all be used as fertilizer at a later date.

Landscaping can be tedious and annoying, but it's worth it in the end. By remembering these few simple tips, you'll have a luscious & beating landscape/garden each and every spring and summer.

#gardening #spring #organic #landscape #maintenance #compost #trimming #weeds #perennials

Don't Regret Anything: At One Point, It Was Exactly What You Wanted

Going back to my buyer's remorse piece, I'd like to speak a bit on the issue of regret. Furthermore, what I'm really interested in discussing is a few psychological factors that I think can help us avoid this feeling, specifically for those who simply aren't attracted to their home any longer.

For folks who have lost interested in their current residence, it may be easier to rely on factors within their control. Example 1) Homeowner X decides he absolutely hates the feel of his kitchen, but can't afford to remodel. The fact that homeowner X isn't happy (emotions) can't be controlled, and neither is the fact that he or she isn't earning enough money. This is, unless of course he or she decides to find a new job or take out a secondary loan. But in this particular case let's say it isn't possible to do either.

So, what can be controlled? Well, our perceptions, beliefs and imaginations tend to take a bite out of us sometimes, but they can certainly be tamed. Hence, homeowner x's position on his kitchen is based on the belief that it should look one way, when it doesn't. His perception is now skewed due to community standards and "modern day appeal." Now, here's where it gets tricky; in order to alter those perceptions and beliefs, he or she must succumb to his or her imagination. In other words, homeowner x must imagine a world without standards or beliefs that one look is better than the other. Realize that a) everything in your kitchen works, and b) your look is just plain old different from your neighbor's and c) there's nothing that warrants immediate repair or remodel.

In other words, you're fine - Relax! Tougher said than done, but buyer's remorse extends beyond the bounds of plain old money. You can be the most broke SOB on the planet, and still love your home. It's all about internalizing that happiness.

And, since my blog is more than just assessing home value through design and remodels, it would only be appropriate that I urge homeowners to find value in their home's current state, as well as their own self.

#buyers remorse #regret #self-worth #value #home value

Things are coming along just great. Brand new laminate hardwoods, surrounded by white accents. Hopefully there's enough space for a bar!

Mid March Lawn Care

For those of us living in NY, it's time to lay down some pre-emergents. If you're already familiar with pesky crabgrass, then it's quite clear why you'd want to take preventative measures.

Quite frankly, it's nearly impossible to eliminate once it's germinate. You'll spend an entire weekend ripping it out of your yard and replacing those holes with new grass. Instead, grab a bag of something like Scott's Springtime with Halts Crabgrass preventer. Likewise, organic alternatives like corn meal have been known to work.

It's typically best to do this during mid-March or the beginning of April. With this weather, I'm inclined to do mine this weekend.

For more information on lawn care year round, please check out http://www.tlehcs.com/Pdf%20files/cnylcg.pdf.

Thinking Laminate? Think Tile...

Laminate flooring in plank or tile form is now readily available and cost effective for most home owners. Like any flooring choice there are advantages and disadvantages in using this product. For the purists in our society, the fact that laminate flooring is fake--not the real thing-- may be a problem. It is a photographic representation of many woods, brick or stone types sandwiched between a very strong wear layer of aluminum oxide and a layer of MDF or manufactured wood. It looks remarkably like the real thing, so many people choose it as a way of having the look of wood or stone without the cost or difficult installation. Laminate flooring appeals to many because of its long wear life of from 15 to 20 years, versus 5 to 10 years for many vinyls and carpets.

The advantages of using laminate tile or planks attract many home owners. It is easy to install with few tools and a medium skill level. Because you are working with small units like tiles or 4 foot planks, you can make cutting mistakes without ruining the whole floor. It is advisable to purchase a little extra to allow for mistakes and waste. What is trimmed off one tile or plank can likely be used on another part of the floor. A home owner can install laminate tiles or planks in places that have a sub-floor not conducive to real wood flooring, ceramic tile or stone. Laminate floors can be installed over many kinds of old flooring like vinyl or wood because it is a floating floor. It can be installed over sub straits like wood, MDF or cement. With a little patience, most homeowners can install a laminate floor in a week end and have the look of real wood, brick or stone. Laminate floors are easy to maintain and very durable and water resistant.

Laminate tiles and planks come in click together or glued together types. The click together type is easier to install, but is more susceptible to water damage if water is left standing for periods of time. Glued laminate floors are more difficult to install, but are better for areas that may have water problems like bathrooms and kitchens. Because laminate floors are not the real item, some may object to using fake anything. The better quality laminate floors have surface texture added to make them look even more like the real thing. Even though most laminate floors have moisture barriers on the back, it can be damaged by standing water. Laminate floors don't last as long as the real thing. Another disadvantage of laminate flooring is that it can be scratched, but can not be sanded down to repair. If damage happens, the tile or plank affected will need to be replaced.

#laminate tile #laminate #flooring #home improvement

Spring Window Cleaning

Well it's getting close to that time of year again, meaning that as a homeowner, you've got a handful of chores to do before your home is ready for the spring. However, one of the tasks that I've found to be quite easy, yet significantly helpful to readying your home for the warm season, is window cleaning.

For a single male homeowner, I can tell you that cleaning my windows is NOT at the top of my priority list, especially since I cannot reach half of them. But I'll be the first to say that it makes a difference with respect to the overal quality and feel of a neat home.

For starters, having clean windows has an impact on both the exterior and interior shine. Folks on the outside can see that you genuinely care for home, while both you and the people inside can as well.

Secondly, putting that extra gloss on your windows can also help you protect against future smudges, swipes and smears. Certain products can help with this, all the while remaining safe for the environment. Remembering the basic elements of environmental safety can go a long way!

I don't have many other reasons why you should clean your windows other than the above two, but they are both extremely important!

I was shocked when I had completely finished cleaning all the glass surfaces in my home. If you're a homeowner, and you truly believe in the value of your home, don't hesitate to get out the old rag and go to town. And if you're using the right product(s), you should only need to do this a couple times a year.

A glimpse into the life of a homeowner and general contractor. This is the beginning of operation new basement. -2 walls

Stay tuned for more uploads, including with the finished product.

#basement remodel #refinished basement #general contractor

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