A Breath of Fresh Air: The Importance of Indoor Air Quality By Sean Sullivan Homebuyers today are increasingly concerned about the indoor air quality of their homes. Issues like mold, radon, carbon monoxide and toxic chemicals have received greater attention than ever as poor indoor air quality has been linked...
Article Category: Indoor Air Quality
Rick Bayless: Health Considerations in a Green Remodel
Health Considerations in a Green Remodel: Knowing Your Home’s History is Key By Rick Bayless If you haven’t recently moved into a brand-new, green-certified home (or aren’t anxiously waiting for the build to be complete), chances are you’re one of the four in 10 Americans living in an older...
Amy Musser and Leigha Dickens: Fireplaces and Indoor Air Quality
Fireplaces and Indoor Air Quality: Do Fireplaces Right and Don’t Ignore Physics By Amy Musser and Leigha Dickens Ah, fireplaces. Few design decisions are more technical or more emotional than that of how to operate a fire safely and effectively inside a building. Fire is a deeply rooted part...
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...
Rick Bayless: Healthy Houses on a Budget: Identifying Ways to Improve Home Health for Less Than $1,000
Healthy Houses on a Budget: Identifying Ways to Improve Home Health for Less Than $1,000 By Rick Bayless All houses can be sick or healthy. A sick house ultimately brings an overwhelming load of both expenses and costs upon those who own and/or occupy it. These literal and figurative...
Radon in Our Mountain Homes: Detection and Correction Is Worth the Price
Radon in Our Mountain Homes: Detection and Correction Is Worth the Price Rick Bayless When you buy a new house, is radon on your radar? In Western North Carolina, the answer should be yes. Radon is an odorless, colorless radioactive gas which arises from uranium and thorium deposits in...
Whole Living: Completing the Green Experience
Whole Living: Completing the Green Experience Sean D. Sullivan It’s not hard to see why so many people have been bitten by the green bug. Coast to coast, consumers are realizing that green homes can sell faster — and for more money — than non-green homes. And consumers have...
Love of Life: Incorporating Biophilic Design at Home
Love of Life: Incorporating Biophilic Design at Home Emily Boyd We all know from experience that being immersed in nature makes us feel calmer, happier and rejuvenated. We seek a connection with nature, particularly when we are feeling stressed or sick. It was only about 55 years ago that...
Holding the Vision: The Winding Road to Our Dream Green Home
Holding the Vision: The Winding Road to Our Dream Green Home Mary Love My wife Deb and I moved to Asheville in 2003 with the dream of building green homes around a farm. At the time, green building was a new concept and investors were wary. Having grown up...
Phil Long: Hardwood Harvesters
Hardwood Harvesters: Local Sawmills Play Integral Role in Tree-Cycle Movement Phil Long Green building refers to the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout the building life-cycle. While there are many components of sustainable building, the purpose of this article is to...