Leigha Dickens Archives - Green Built Alliance

Local School Gets Solar Makeover Thanks to Appalachian Offsets

Leigha Dickens

4 construction workers installing solar panels.

Earlier this fall, I attended the switch-flipping ceremony for the new solar array at Isaac Dickson Elementary School. Consisting of 300 kilowatts of solar photovoltaic panels, the project was six years in the making, and is estimated to save the school more than $30,000 a year in energy bills–money that...

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Indoor Air Plus: A Green Building Certification Program That’s All About the Details

Leigha Dickens

We’ve written here before about the benefits of a green-building certification to homeowners for energy bills in particular, such as the assurance that your builder is following many of the best practices known to building science, or that common issues that cause high energy bills are caught by a professional....

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Lessons from Asheville’s First Zero Energy Ready Home

Leigha Dickens

The Department of Energy would like builders to up their game. Though it is worth celebrating the average 20% greater energy efficiency advertised by the Energy Star for Homes program, these days it’s possible to build homes that are even more energy efficient than that. It’s even possible while also...

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Residential Green Certification Program Guide

Green Built Homes

By now you’ve watched me argue against the common reasons people fail to seek green certification on their home, and you’ve read my follow-up detailing common problems that can happen in homes that don’t bother to certify. Intrigued, hopefully you’ve then gotten a better understanding of the process of getting...

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The Process of Getting a Green Building Certification

Green Built Homes

By now, you’ve seen my arguments in defense of green building certification programs, and you’ve even seen some of the problems that can arise in homes that don’t certify. Now that you’re convinced of the importance of green certification, it’s time to take a little time to help you understand...

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The Importance of Building Science

Leigha Dickens

If you’ve made it to this blog, chances are you’ve heard a thing or two about green building, or about its components: energy efficiency, air quality, material sustainability or building durability. But have you heard about an umbrella term that encompasses many of these topics, the interdisciplinary study of building...

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Five Mistakes that Green Building Certifications Can Catch

Leigha Dickens

Last month, I listed common reasons I hear from those who build homes but don’t get them certified through a third party green building certification program—arguing that with certification you end up getting a better house out of the deal. Often this is because of important details that are easily...

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Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda: (Flawed) Reasons People Don’t Certify

Green Built Homes

If I had a dollar for every time a custom new home client chose not to certify their home through a third party green building program (e.g. Energy Star for Homes, LEED for Homes, Green Built Alliance's own Green Built Homes program)…then I’d have more dollars than you might think....

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April-Fools Humor: Our Member Adds Twist to Passive Solar Design

Leigha Dickens

Originally posted on April 1, 2018, Green Built Alliance member company Deltec Homes created a humorous April Fools' Day video highlighting a proposed new twist in passive solar design. "After years of research, we’re excited to announce our newest home feature that will truly change the industry as we know...

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