EnergySpin

All this talk about alternative energy producers/fuels/technologies, and I seemed to have forgotten a very important piece of the “green” puzzle, energy-efficient architecture. I know buildings wrapped in solar panels have been covered on other blogs, but how often are skyscrapers built? Residential housing will be where we see the most benefits of energy efficiency, or LEED certified building.

I have written before about the power small-towns will have in the future as the alternative energy/efficiency landscape progresses, and we are now starting to see more “townie” initiative. Charlottesville, VA has put the gears in the motion on LEED requirements for new residential construction. The benefits to mandating this at the town level are many: lower heating/cooling costs, less pull on the local-grid, etc…

As much as I care about the consumer, I care more about the investors. So what is in it for us? Well if Charlottesville, the #1 small town in the USA , does it, more towns will surely follow. This puts an increased demand on all LEED certified products. Lets take a look at some of the companies that are pushing innovation and unique products to the public. These are the companies we will want to pay attention to and/or invest in if possible:

• Pella Corporation: Pella Designer Series windows and patio doors with triple-pane glass are #1 for energy efficiency among top national brands. Superior NFRC U-factors and SHGC ratings. Also, the windows have built-in blinds (they are in between the glass). I am no interior-design nut, but this is pretty dam cool.
• Sarnafil: These guys seem pretty competent for commercial “green” and LEED certified roofing systems. I cannot find any info regarding residential applications, but their experience and product offering speaks for itself. Builders securing high-volume contracts for roofing supplies could surely work together with LEED architects and Sarnafil to come up with a terrific design.
• BondedLogic: Commercial insulation made out of recycled denim and natural cotton fibers!? That is pretty neat. This is primarily used for sound/heat insulation, but the idea itself is pretty novel.
• BioBased Insulation: Home insulation that is in the form of an expanding spray/foam. The advantages? It expands to 100 times its size to fill in every nook and cranny in your home. The restriction of air movement between panels is what a good insulation system has, and here it is. Click on the “The BioBased Insulation System” link (javascript window) to see how exactly this works. It looks like something from the SciFi channel, but oh so wonderful.
• MeTecno-Benchmark Architectural Systems: Ok, another commercial supplier. They build exterior panels to “dress” up commercial buildings. Again, with a little cosmetic tweaking, you can make anything look like faux-brick/wood. They have the technology, why not?

I will try to look for more interesting companies later, but if any of you know of any companies that SHOULD be on this list, please comment and I will add them.

As a conclusion to this post, here are my trend forecasts:

1. Local-government incentives/regulations will spur more energy efficient/LEED certified construction, and will thus increase demand for LEED certified products.
2. As most LEED credits are given to commercial products, LEED products are commercial oriented. The expertise they are developing in this segment now will make it a win-win for them to sell into the residential channel as consumers and municipalities build more LEED buildings.
3. Could it be possible that LEED credits will create a REC/Carbon Credit like market for those companies/individuals that do not comply? Landlords/Developers/Homeowners could sell their LEED credits to entities that want to have “green” friendly building. Being green all of a sudden makes our wallets look very “green”.

The consumer benefits of building/owning this home are many. This case-study on a “Silver-level” home really shows you the power of where new building techniques will take us. I will definitely be on the look-out for more news/updates surrounding this energy push at the local level.