Planning to build in the next year? Or just want to save some on your energy and water bills? Head to the new and improved Marin Home Show May 22 and 23, where sustainability reigns. New energy (pun intended) is pouring into this 34-year-old home building event with the recent acquisition by the Marin Builders Association. The new owners are not only aiming for the distinction of greenest home show in the country; they’re tweeting and facebooking about it and basically stirring the home-building pot. After all, green is no longer just a tacked-on luxury adjective for a few high-priced Marin homes; in the very near future, some say, it will be law.
“Many of the cities have already approved the green building ordinance, Marin Green BERST (Building, Energy, Retrofit & Solar Transformation),” says Jeff Jungsten, vice president of Caletti Jungsten and an active member of the MBA. “This collaboration promotes green building regulations, for both new construction and remodeling, and recommends parameters for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs for existing buildings. It won’t be long before these standards are countywide.”
Seeking to educate the public as well as fellow contractors, the home show organizers will feature seminars on energy and water conservation and provide info on and appearances by representatives of three accreditation groups: U.S. Green Building Council (for LEED certification), Build It Green, and the California Building Performance Contractors Association.
“The MBA has responded to the community by being a major player in the development of Marin County’s first green building ordinance [BERST], and we hold educational seminars on how to be more sustainable,” says association president Klif Knoles. “The Marin Home Show is a great way for us to continue these efforts and reach out to the community.”
The Green Mean
Are you average? The 2009 average monthly energy usage per household in Marin was 535 kWh and 46 therms, resulting in an average monthly bill of $143 ($96 electric, $47 gas).
