Can My Home Be Green?

Many times I get asked “what do you actually do?” Fair question! 

While my mission is to help people create and live in better homes for healthier, more comfortable lives, how do you get there? 

Two ways! Education and programs. For those of you who have been following me for awhile, you likely have heard of my 2 education courses – What Makes a Green Home Green audio course and my workshop – How to Sell the Value of Green Homes and Features. (I seriously need a better title for this workshop. Any ideas?)  

The audio course is a good fit for anyone that wants to learn the basics of healthier, green homes and is actually a collection of educational podcast episodes with accompanying Resource Guides. The workshop is a good fit for any home professional (designers, realtors, remodelers, HVAC and more) who needs a quick “healthier, green home 101” AND an understanding of the benefits these homes bring so you can apply these principles and benefits to the home projects you support and/or sell. 

My programs are actually structured consulting offerings to help you and/or your clients determine materials, systems and practices that help to make a home healthier and more comfortable – be it a remodel or new construction. I also offer green home certification support and verification services for both remodels and new construction using the National Green Building Standard. Health and wellness certification support and compliance to Wellness Within Your Walls certification is also available. These two programs complement each other beautifully to give you a holistic approach to a better home. 

The Can My Home Be Green program is the first step for all my programs and consulting. In this 1:1 program for homeowners, landlords, and home professionals including builders, remodelers, designers, we learn how a home can meet health, wellness and green goals. Anyone who builds, renovates, and/or  maintains homes and features will appreciate learning about which features to incorporate into your homes and projects can contribute to creating healthier, more comfortable homes for your clients. 

Our session will include Green Homes 101 to help get on common ground with the practices and principles of a healthier, green home, or better said, what makes a green home green.  This introduction will provide a basic framework as we map priorities and goals to the practices and materials of a holistic healthier, green home.  In this manner, we can connect what you want in the home with the ways to get there.  

Let’s say the goal is a healthier home.  Is there a specific health issue to be addressed or just in general want a healthier home? Indoor air quality is a great way to work towards a healthier home.  For a newly built home or an existing home being spruced up, start with choosing products that are less toxic, such as low or no VOC paints.  You can choose hard floors, rather than carpet.  You can choose mechanical or natural ventilation.  There are lots of ways to create a healthier home once you’ve identified the goal. 

This program will also help you discover and/or create features and processes in your homes, projects, and/or designs for a healthier, more comfortable home. It also includes how to talk about the benefits of your homes or projects in your marketing and sales efforts.  It also provides a baseline for any additional work we choose to do together to plan, support or market a health and wellness or green-certified home or project. 

Understanding the goals and building a roadmap help to document the priorities, while also getting caught up in the trap of following what is available or easy, rather than leading with priorities. The Green Home Roadmap we create provides the fundamental practices and systems for the home or project.  It will also include information on choices that can be made in the home or project – selections for appliances, fixtures, finishes and materials, which all impact how your home meets the goals and priorities set out.  

The next step is to turn the roadmap and priorities into actionable items.  That action is what matters – the materials chosen and the practices followed.  

Resources

Healthier Home Checklist

Products to help build green

Living Green Effortlessly: Simple Choices for a Better Home book