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The Portland metro area has continued to make headlines around the world for its innovation in the field of green building. As the buzz around sustainability continues to build in the region, more and more homeowners are looking to go green with their new construction and remodel projects. With so many individuals interested now in greening up their home projects, the need for appropriate information on choosing the best green materials, comprehensive design, and professional services is growing.
Enter the new Regional Green Building Hotline from Metro and the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development (OSD).
The fast-growing trend in green building inspired Metro, OSD, and Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties to create a regional Green Development Resource Center. The virtual Resource Center, which opened in fall 2007, currently houses a Green Building Hotline and an informational website, and in the near future it may include a mobile or fixed showroom, library, and expanded web services. The development of the center is a response to overwhelming requests for green building information previously received by OSD (about 5000 inquiries a year) and aims at spreading green building throughout the region. Hotline staff act as professional guides through the industry, allowing those who have never contemplated green building before to seriously consider it.
The Hotline is equipped to address any how-to questions associated with greening home improvement and new projects. So far, the Hotline has attracted a wide range of questions from “How do I begin a green project in my home?” to “Where can I find the most recent recycled flooring options?” Armed with a plethora of detailed information, Hotline staff can answer callers’ questions about material procurement, remodeling and product certification, sustainable site planning, green contractors, design questions, and salvaged and recycled materials. The Hotline also helps to outline the process of green building from start to finish for those building from the ground up.
“The Hotline helps to demystify the how-tos of green building,” said Valerie Garrett, OSD’s green building specialist who manages the Hotline. Garrett learned about the building codes for each jurisdiction in the region and has pulled together a comprehensive list of purveyors of green products and services. Most recently, she has compiled a green building glossary with more than 600 entries to help decode technical terms that can sometimes make this process daunting.
While the Resource Center and Hotline are also open to builders, realtors, and developers, homeowners are taking the most advantage of this resource to green up their building and renovation projects. Out of the first 100 calls recorded by the hotline, Garrett said that 47 were about a residential remodel. Similarly, 44 of the first 100 calls came from homeowners interested in green products or construction.
The majority of callers so far have asked about specific green materials such as insulation, flooring, roofing, heating equipment, tile, and water-free urinals. With a call to the Hotline, homeowners can compare different green building options, discover the best and newest green products for their particular home remodels, and where to locate them for purchase. Garrett has worked hard to ensure that most of the resources can be found within the region, which adds to the overall sustainability of the project and makes it easier for local callers.
Garrett has noted that the change of seasons has brought on a whole new category of questions about storm water management, insulation, and rainwater harvesting. As households have been protecting themselves from the harsh winter weather, they increasingly want to know the greenest ways to do so. “Every call provides an opportunity for the Hotline to gather more information,” Garrett said. “If one person wants to know about a particular subject, I can be pretty certain that someone else will call about that same subject soon after.”
In addition to learning more about various green building products, services, and design options, homeowners who call are finding that there is value to be added to their home through green building financial incentives. Hotline specialists explain how energy efficient products or techniques can earn cash incentives up front to reduce the cost of a remodel or construction or qualify for a potential tax credit for the homeowner. Homeowners who use the Hotline may be surprised to find that green products such as recycled-content carpet, tile, low-flow plumbing fixtures, water-conserving appliances, low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint, adhesives, and sealants are equal in cost to conventional products. In fact, re-used or salvaged products, such as Metro’s recycled paint or salvaged lumber, cost less than their new equivalents.
The popularity of the Hotline among homeowners shows that green isn’t just for large-scale development projects anymore. As the Green Building Resource Center develops other services in addition to the Hotline, the creative possibilities for green homes in the region will be endless.
The Hotline is open to calls Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Call 503-823-5431 to speak with the green building specialist or submit a question through email anytime via the Green Development Resource Center website at www.buildgreen411.com. In addition, check out the website for a list of regional resources including local organizations, water bureaus, salvage yards, financial incentives, the new green building glossary, and zero- or low-cost project options.
