Case Studies Archives - Green Built Alliance

Leigha Dickens: Appalachian Offsets Looks Forward

Appalachian Offsets Looks Forward: Supporting Nonprofits with Solar, Reducing Community Carbon By Leigha Dickens Last fall, I attended the switch-flipping ceremony for the new solar array at Isaac Dickson Elementary School funded by Green Built Alliance’s Appalachian Offsets program. Consisting of 300 kilowatts of solar photovoltaic panels, the project...

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Tim Ormond, Renee Fortner and Keith McDade: A Steep Learning Curve

A Steep Learning Curve: Tackling the Technical and Social Challenges of Stormwater Management in the Mountains By Tim Ormond, Renee Fortner and Keith McDade [caption id="attachment_6407" align="aligncenter" width="358"] Completed site mulched and planted with native vegetation. Photo courtesy of Blue Earth[/caption] Here’s your chance to be a detective: The next...

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Margaret Chandler: The Value of Biophilic Office Design: ENO’s HQ Gets a Facelift

The Value of Biophilic Office Design: ENO’s HQ Gets a Facelift Margaret Chandler The opportunities for biophilic architecture in an industrial office park are not as limited as they might seem. Eagles Nest Outfitters, an Asheville-based outdoor company also known as ENO, had outgrown their downtown Asheville location and...

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Geoffrey Barton: Designing for Density: Green Affordable Homes at East Haven Apartments

Designing for Density: Green Affordable Homes at East Haven Apartments Geoffrey Barton [caption id="attachment_5065" align="alignright" width="460"] East Haven Apartments contains a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments in two four-story L-shaped buildings that enclose a large courtyard. Photos courtesy of Mountain Housing Opportunities.[/caption] When designing any building, and particularly...

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Rob Motley: Slope Hope: Building A Green Home on a Unique Site

Slope Hope: Building A Green Home on a Unique Site Rob Motley When I first met Kate Zubko and Jeff Konz at their property on Elk Mountain Scenic Highway two summers ago for an initial site visit, I left the meeting with two distinct impressions: that Kate and Jeff...

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Douglas Ager: Sweet Spot: Custom Home Balances Comfort and Environmental Responsibility

Sweet Spot: Custom Home Balances Comfort and Environmental Responsibility By Douglas Ager Mike Herrick loves Western North Carolina for the area’s temperate year-round climate, and his wife Ellen wanted to live closer to their grandchildren on the east coast. But their shared goal when building their new custom house...

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Emilio Ancaya: Blue Sky, Green Roof: Reimagining Asheville’s Rooftops

Blue Sky, Green Roof: Reimagining Asheville’s Rooftops By Emilio Ancaya Nestled on Lexington Avenue in the heart of downtown Asheville is an apartment building that offers a unique and distinguishable feature. Situated on top of the building is a beautiful 8,200-square-foot green roof that can be seen and enjoyed...

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Santiago Cely: Energy Efficient Homes for All: Affordable Housing and Energy Efficiency Are Perfect Pair

Energy Efficient Homes for All: Affordable Housing and Energy Efficiency Are Perfect Pair Santiago Cely At one point in time, only wealthy folks could afford cell phones. The same has happened with electric cars, computers, television sets and many other feats of technology. Over time, more and more people...

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John Senechal: Gray Rock Inn: The Evolution From Historic Boarding House to Affordable Housing

Gray Rock Inn: The Evolution From Historic Boarding House to Affordable Housing John Senechal In 2001, I took on a rehab project that featured energy retrofits, historic restoration, and affordable housing. At the time, the building at 100 Biltmore Ave. was falling apart and needed a lot of TLC. ...

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Ariane Kjellquist: Affordable for the Long Haul: Habitat Tests New Style of Housing in Curry Court

Affordable for the Long Haul: Habitat Tests New Style of Housing in Curry Court Ariane Kjellquist On 2.7 acres in Candler, not far from shopping and services, is a thriving community of 12 certified Green Built Homes created by Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity. Previously the site of five abandoned...

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