I’m not sure I would want to live in a house made out of power-plant fly ash, but hey, any idea in a storm. I attended a catered open house the other night (wine, beer, you name it) sponsored by a manufacturer of construction materials. The original 100 year-old, two-story home had been demolished and sent to a landfill, which meant that the land by itself was worth half a million dollars. The new 4,000 square home is unfinished, having just been framed up, and sits on less than an eighth of an acre. The young owners eventually arrived to partake in the festivities.
Because it is presently hip to do so, they are building what they think is a “green” home. It will be energy efficient for sure, having twice the insulation of a typical home, but it will also be an energy hog because of its size. Having a green home design is rapidly becoming the next status symbol. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. These people sure didn’t put all of this insulation in to save on heating bills. Defining what is really “green” is the next step. We need real examples of what that is so it can be envied, coveted, and copied.
