At the end of every year, I like to go back through my journals and see what happened that year and beyond, and make sure that I am on track with my original goals. I write nearly everyday, but only a few selections ever make it out onto this blog or in print somewhere. What I love to see over the last few years in these journals, is how this entire idea grew. I was reading something I wrote while I lived in Onekama, that really hit me. I was writing about the incredible lonely feeling I had while working on that house and fighting the township to keep the wind generator that they told us was in violation of their ordinance. How does someone find the courage, energy, and will to survive something like that? I had a smaller support group then, and I will never forget how the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association stepped up and made sure I was equipped with the right knowledge to fight this problem.
Imagine a time where you are trying to discover yourself, a time, when your spirit is crying to be free. A time that would forever define the person you want to be and will ultimately become. As I lived in that unheated 'white shack' over that Winter, I had to tell myself over and over again to "not quit". I knew that building the Onekama house would lead to great things, not just for me, but for the entire industry. The morning I left for Onekama, I said to my wife at the time, "Well, I have to go to Onekama now to seal my fate." As I left everything I knew and loved behind, I embarked on an epic journey, a journey filled with joy, accomplishment, loss, and pain. Onekama helped me become the person I am today, I had to become a man, almost overnight. I will remember the great times we had up there forever, and that is one of the great gifts that I got to pick up on my journey.
As I mentioned in an earlier post here, I have had to do some serious soul searching lately. It seems that my original idea of building the most cutting edge houses on the planet and helping people to live a sustainable life had derailed somehow. I was spending as much time dealing with bad things as I was dealing with good things. I was never alone over most of the last year, it seemed that every time I came home for my 24 hours rest, someone was standing in my driveway with their hand out, or telling me how I should run my business. This started to get old. I was no longer existing to build the most cutting edge houses for research and amazing homeowners, I was existing to keep a huge work force working so they could get paid every week. I felt so important to be what everyone was calling me, "amazing", that my vision was clouded. Then, one day it happened.
Not long ago, a person saw me drive by as I tried to get home undetected. This person runs a business that I used and he and I had had differences over their taking care of customers and issues that come up along the way. He is the kind of person that sees only fault in others and not in himself. As I stepped out of my truck that day, in my driveway, I heard the familiar sound of a vehicle pulling in behind me. He got out and took 2.5 hours of my time, of my 20 hours at home, to tell me everything that was wrong with me. He told me that what I was doing was not worth it. I have written about this confrontation, but I have to bring it back up for a moment. See, I was digging so deep around that time to find the reason why I was doing what I was doing. He came into my yard and was about as rude as anyone could be, and I just listened and figured out my new direction while he flapped his gums. I must admit, he crossed the line a few times, and I advanced on him at one point, that is when I knew he was not a man at all, he was just another vulture. Its interesting to see someone like that, a money hungry jerk. I never touched him, just puffed out my feathers and read him the riot act about talking like that in my driveway. I went on and on, to the point that the neighbors brought their kids inside. I grew that day, and learned, finally, why I was doing what I was doing.
Team Hybrid is a great idea, there are some great companies and people involved with it. However, there is a problem with it that I see, that I am having a hard time with. I have had people tell me that I am 'messing up the team'. They normally say this to get me to do something. This makes me laugh, because, I started this Team with the guys in Onekama who worked with me and lived with me for months there. The idea of growing Team Hybrid was concocted with the help of Steve's homemade wine and trips to the Cabbage Shed in Frankfort. I am happy with how things have turned out with Team Hybrid, but I wish now, that I would have spent all that money marketing Hybrid Homes, instead of Team Hybrid. I did that, because I wanted to let people know that the only way to consistently achieve incredible feats, is to form a team and do it as a group. Over the last year, I removed several people and companies from Team Hybrid. Companies and people who did not live up to the expectations of me, the coach, the environment, and most importantly, the homeowners. I am happy with that decision.
As things calm down, I am happy to be refocused. Last year at this time, I was managing 7 projects. It was also a lonely time. As long as there was money to be made, I had lots of friends. When there would be hiccups in the financing from banks, I was an outcast. It was difficult, because the company was not equipped to handle that much work. I am still digging us out of that.
The current projects that we have going on have helped to change my mind back to where it was when I started. I don't feel alone anymore, knowing that so many people out there are excited about what I am leading. I have had a chance to stop and smell the roses now, instead of just passing them by at 80 mph. Both Delton and the Earth Shelter Project up North, has helped me to realize what my true love is and why I started this business in the first place. I am excited for 2010, it will be a year of re-building for me and Hybrid Homes. I will look to continue to thin the herd of dead weight. In this economy, there are so many great qualified people and companies that are willing to help me reached my goals, that now is the time to act.
I know I have said it before, but, thank you all for your support. I hope the videos show you a piece of my life that I love. Have a great Holiday Season, and happy New Year!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
We are in Green Builder Magazine!
Check out the following link to read the article about us in Green Builder Magazine.
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/277aa969#/277aa969/30
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/277aa969#/277aa969/30
Friday, December 25, 2009
Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays everyone!
Thank you to everyone who helped make this a happy time of year for me. It is amazing that the warm wishes have come from all over the country, including: Washington State, Chicago, Hawaii, Oregon, Colorado, North Carolina, and the list goes on. The videos are reaching a large number of people, most of whom have amazing things to say about the journey I am on.
I wish you all a safe Holiday Season. Enjoy it with your families if you can, and keep your eyes peeled to Vimeo.com for the next episode of the Earth Shelter Project!
Thank you to everyone who helped make this a happy time of year for me. It is amazing that the warm wishes have come from all over the country, including: Washington State, Chicago, Hawaii, Oregon, Colorado, North Carolina, and the list goes on. The videos are reaching a large number of people, most of whom have amazing things to say about the journey I am on.
I wish you all a safe Holiday Season. Enjoy it with your families if you can, and keep your eyes peeled to Vimeo.com for the next episode of the Earth Shelter Project!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
My clearing mind - State of the State of Hybrid Homes
The last few years have been a blur. I have learned many valuable lessons and have worked to improve the efficiency of every house that I built during that time. The two bigger houses that I built got rave reviews! Imagine an executive style house that is about 4,500 sq feet total that heats to 73 degrees from the sun. A house that is so evenly heated, that the homeowners are amazed. Their old house was very drafty and cold, and they had to give their sweaters away, because the house we built is toasty and they do not need them any more. And, that is when the geo thermal heat is not running. Absolutely amazing, I could not be prouder.
The last year brought about much heart ache also. We had sub contractors that cost us a ton of money, money that came directly out of my pocket. We saw members or our Team get dropped off the Team. We had the Team shook to the very core in such a way, that I questioned why the members were saying they were part of the Team. There was a ton of joy and a ton of heartache during this past year, but still I push this ship forward into uncharted seas!
I am in Northern Michigan now. One of my goals when I knew I was coming up here, was to try to clear my mind. I have been pushed so hard by all the Team Members to keep work piling in and that is incredibly tough to do and breeds incredible pressure. I was told to keep booking work by some and it changed my focus. I was focused more on keeping people busy, then I was doing what I set out to do in the first place. We built some great houses over the last year, but it cost a lot of money. I am happy to say, I made a few tough decisions about 6 monthes ago that ultimately saved this company. I chose to limit the amount of work we would do. But, my mind was still clouded because of a number of stressors 'down state'.
Along came this Earth Shelter Project. This is the largerst Earth Shelter Project ever! I mentioned clearing my mind, how can this be taking on a project like this, another Earth Shaking industry changing project? One of the things that I need to mention, is that I am staying at a school that teaches natural health and massage. I am spending my non-working time with counselors and others who are helping me discover what my core beliefs are and to shape the future of myself and Hybrid Homes. For me to get out of bed every day, I need to feel purpose and also I need a challenge. This Earth Shelter Project is all that and more. I feel more alive at this point of my life than I have ever felt before. I am leading a group of workers from the immediate area, workers who I never met before. They have welcomed me into their homes and have befriended me, as I moved up here with no friends in town.
My mind is clearing and I am excited for Hybrid Homes. So excited, that I am working with a few people to create a way for Hybrid Homes to continue into the future and continue to be the driving force in this state in sustainable building. I will write more about this when I can, but I am happy to be moving the company forward, with some help....
For me, I am torn like an old sweater! This Earth Shelter Project is only in its 3rd week, and it has changed me already and helped me clear my mind. I have friends up here that I just met, who I already know will be my friends for years to come, long after this project is over. My passion lies in projects that push the envelope and connect me with the homeowners and their communities. I have sat in many kitchens and living rooms all over the country this past year and shared food and conversation with many, many people, and I love that. I am having a tough time seeing past this project, because of what it stands for and the experiences that we have had so far. I walked into the school tonight to go to my room, and there was a cooking class in the kitchen. I was last to come in, and I heard "Look, its Uncle Rog!". That made me smile! We have a huge fan base here in Northern Michigan and we can thank our videos for that. I could not get through the group without shaking hands, then I was asked to talk to them, so I did. I told the group of my journey so far and what my hope was for my future. The videos are reaching many, many people, and they are recieving the message that I was hoping to put out there. My goal was to reach the masses in 2009 with my message, and with an average of 2,000 viewers every week of our videos, I would say I reached that goal. I am working with TV people now, and you will most likely see our videos on your tv (if you have one) in 2010!
My passion for a sustainable lifestyle and sustainable building has grown incredibly over the last year, even through all the joys and heart breaks of this business. The economy has not effected our growth, just being connected with the wrong people has. I want Hybrid Homes to grow more, but, that will happen through a new strategic plan for 2010. My personal direction will be to build only specific projects, for people who truly wish to lead a sustainable life. Hybrid Homes will take on the majority of the projects, and I will lead projects like this Earth Shelter Project and others that will be off the grid. Does that mean that I intend on having someone else run Hybrid Homes, I am not sure at this point, but we are actively seeking someone to fill my role as leader of Hybrid Homes, so that I can focus on building my building science knowledge. I want to focus on my calling in life, start speaking, writing books, filming for tv, adn so much more. I will be around, and chances are, these changes won't take effect for some time to come, but, I know what my heart is telling me to do. That is, to build sustainable houses for sustainable people. I will have a list of criteria for the houses I choose to build, and the people I build for. At some point, I would like to build only off the grid houses. As the market builds for that, I will strive to lead Hybrid Homes into the future by building the most sustainable homes that a budget will allow. Once we get ourselves into the right positions, then there will be a noticable change to Hybrid Homes, which will be capable at that point of producing many homes per year, on time and on budget.
Stay tuned for blogs about the future of Hybrid Homes. For now, thank you for your support and here's to doing things in life that make a difference!
The last year brought about much heart ache also. We had sub contractors that cost us a ton of money, money that came directly out of my pocket. We saw members or our Team get dropped off the Team. We had the Team shook to the very core in such a way, that I questioned why the members were saying they were part of the Team. There was a ton of joy and a ton of heartache during this past year, but still I push this ship forward into uncharted seas!
I am in Northern Michigan now. One of my goals when I knew I was coming up here, was to try to clear my mind. I have been pushed so hard by all the Team Members to keep work piling in and that is incredibly tough to do and breeds incredible pressure. I was told to keep booking work by some and it changed my focus. I was focused more on keeping people busy, then I was doing what I set out to do in the first place. We built some great houses over the last year, but it cost a lot of money. I am happy to say, I made a few tough decisions about 6 monthes ago that ultimately saved this company. I chose to limit the amount of work we would do. But, my mind was still clouded because of a number of stressors 'down state'.
Along came this Earth Shelter Project. This is the largerst Earth Shelter Project ever! I mentioned clearing my mind, how can this be taking on a project like this, another Earth Shaking industry changing project? One of the things that I need to mention, is that I am staying at a school that teaches natural health and massage. I am spending my non-working time with counselors and others who are helping me discover what my core beliefs are and to shape the future of myself and Hybrid Homes. For me to get out of bed every day, I need to feel purpose and also I need a challenge. This Earth Shelter Project is all that and more. I feel more alive at this point of my life than I have ever felt before. I am leading a group of workers from the immediate area, workers who I never met before. They have welcomed me into their homes and have befriended me, as I moved up here with no friends in town.
My mind is clearing and I am excited for Hybrid Homes. So excited, that I am working with a few people to create a way for Hybrid Homes to continue into the future and continue to be the driving force in this state in sustainable building. I will write more about this when I can, but I am happy to be moving the company forward, with some help....
For me, I am torn like an old sweater! This Earth Shelter Project is only in its 3rd week, and it has changed me already and helped me clear my mind. I have friends up here that I just met, who I already know will be my friends for years to come, long after this project is over. My passion lies in projects that push the envelope and connect me with the homeowners and their communities. I have sat in many kitchens and living rooms all over the country this past year and shared food and conversation with many, many people, and I love that. I am having a tough time seeing past this project, because of what it stands for and the experiences that we have had so far. I walked into the school tonight to go to my room, and there was a cooking class in the kitchen. I was last to come in, and I heard "Look, its Uncle Rog!". That made me smile! We have a huge fan base here in Northern Michigan and we can thank our videos for that. I could not get through the group without shaking hands, then I was asked to talk to them, so I did. I told the group of my journey so far and what my hope was for my future. The videos are reaching many, many people, and they are recieving the message that I was hoping to put out there. My goal was to reach the masses in 2009 with my message, and with an average of 2,000 viewers every week of our videos, I would say I reached that goal. I am working with TV people now, and you will most likely see our videos on your tv (if you have one) in 2010!
My passion for a sustainable lifestyle and sustainable building has grown incredibly over the last year, even through all the joys and heart breaks of this business. The economy has not effected our growth, just being connected with the wrong people has. I want Hybrid Homes to grow more, but, that will happen through a new strategic plan for 2010. My personal direction will be to build only specific projects, for people who truly wish to lead a sustainable life. Hybrid Homes will take on the majority of the projects, and I will lead projects like this Earth Shelter Project and others that will be off the grid. Does that mean that I intend on having someone else run Hybrid Homes, I am not sure at this point, but we are actively seeking someone to fill my role as leader of Hybrid Homes, so that I can focus on building my building science knowledge. I want to focus on my calling in life, start speaking, writing books, filming for tv, adn so much more. I will be around, and chances are, these changes won't take effect for some time to come, but, I know what my heart is telling me to do. That is, to build sustainable houses for sustainable people. I will have a list of criteria for the houses I choose to build, and the people I build for. At some point, I would like to build only off the grid houses. As the market builds for that, I will strive to lead Hybrid Homes into the future by building the most sustainable homes that a budget will allow. Once we get ourselves into the right positions, then there will be a noticable change to Hybrid Homes, which will be capable at that point of producing many homes per year, on time and on budget.
Stay tuned for blogs about the future of Hybrid Homes. For now, thank you for your support and here's to doing things in life that make a difference!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Earth Shelter Week 1
Click the following link to see the project that has everyone talking around the country, The Earth Shelter Project, week 1!!
http://www.vimeo.com/7960370
http://www.vimeo.com/7960370
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Nobody ever said that it would be easy-report from the front lines.
Here I am sitting in a bunk bed at the place we are staying at in Northern Michigan. Three days ago, we set out on an unprecedented journey to build the largest Earth Shelter Project ever built. We started on the Friday after Thanksgiving and we have three of the five domes up. I am very happy with the progress, given the issues that we have had to deal with. Not sure exactly what date it is or day, but that doesnt matter to me right now.
My purpose in all I do with sustainable building is to try to get more people to build sustainably. I never want to come across as someone who bashs any one product or process. I came close today. I hate to say it, but there is still alot of monkey business going on out there that one needs to be careful of. For example, a smooth talker behind a phone can sell a building package to someone and then just drop a big pile of metal out in a field and say good luck. Not that that happened, but, well, anyway, I will continue.
The process so far has been fairly smooth considering the sorting we have had to do with the steel componants of this Earth Shelter project. Once we got the back side of the domes up, we went pretty quick. The generic manual they sent is definately generic. We found no help in that book, so we decided to do what we do best and figure this out ourselves. Once we stopped wishing that the company knew what they were doing, we started to get a good pace established.
I have a tough task alot of times, in picking what team members to bring to what job. This job, I decided that I was going to be the 'sky walker', uncle Rog was going to be the goto guy on the ground and that I would add a new person to this crew. His name is Dale and he is an equipment operator by trade. We also have use of a local equipment operator here in town. I figured that we need people that could drive heavy equipment through waist high farm field mud, while I was strapped into or on that equipment. These steel beams are heavy and the right team means the difference between injuries and not getting injured. At this point, in my expert opinion, I would not recomend a novice homeowner/builder putting up these domes. Only if you have the equipment we have, which are: sky track, excavator, and crane. These have saved a ton of time and back ache.
Today, I injured my lower bicep muscle on my right arm. I was holding this metal beam up with my right arm and things gave way. I stopped the beam from falling with my right arm and then after setting the beam, fell to the planks on the scaffolding that were 20 feet up in the air. I was yelling in pain. I never felt that much pain in my life, I could not lift my right arm! I tried and tried, but it would not move. I started yelling because I was very mad. I kept yelling "I don't care if it hurts, I need it to work". I picked the team and I was the skywalker, and now I was taken out. I was very mad. So, I gained my composure and climbed down off the scaffolding with my good arm and started pacing back and forth. I told myself that I needed my arm to work. Nothing happened, so I yelled again. We took a small break, and I went to my truck to grab some Aleve and to change clothes to something lighter. My heavy coat made my arm hurt, so I threw it on the ground. I started massaging my arm and decided that I would gut it out and do everything with my other arm because I was the only one out there that would work that high. At some point, my arm started working again and we were back on our efficient pace. Hmmm. As I write this, I have that arm wrapped up and plan on working tomorrow. It was a test of will, and I won this time. Be careful. I don't need a trophy for being a stubborn guy, but some ice would be handy.
I mention this, because, I have built more out of the ordinary places than most people. I have worked high in the air with steel before, and because of how awkward this process is, there is a lot of pressure on that steel and that is what causes the problems. We figured out what we needed to do, and everyone has a smile on their face now. Yay Earth Shelter.
I will get pictures posted and stay tuned for the video on Vimeo.com.
Just like the first time we set SIPs, we have had some issues. We will work through those and figure how to do this properly, then, let others know what is going on. I love the idea of the Earth Shelter house and I am even more fired up now that we have three domes up.
My purpose in all I do with sustainable building is to try to get more people to build sustainably. I never want to come across as someone who bashs any one product or process. I came close today. I hate to say it, but there is still alot of monkey business going on out there that one needs to be careful of. For example, a smooth talker behind a phone can sell a building package to someone and then just drop a big pile of metal out in a field and say good luck. Not that that happened, but, well, anyway, I will continue.
The process so far has been fairly smooth considering the sorting we have had to do with the steel componants of this Earth Shelter project. Once we got the back side of the domes up, we went pretty quick. The generic manual they sent is definately generic. We found no help in that book, so we decided to do what we do best and figure this out ourselves. Once we stopped wishing that the company knew what they were doing, we started to get a good pace established.
I have a tough task alot of times, in picking what team members to bring to what job. This job, I decided that I was going to be the 'sky walker', uncle Rog was going to be the goto guy on the ground and that I would add a new person to this crew. His name is Dale and he is an equipment operator by trade. We also have use of a local equipment operator here in town. I figured that we need people that could drive heavy equipment through waist high farm field mud, while I was strapped into or on that equipment. These steel beams are heavy and the right team means the difference between injuries and not getting injured. At this point, in my expert opinion, I would not recomend a novice homeowner/builder putting up these domes. Only if you have the equipment we have, which are: sky track, excavator, and crane. These have saved a ton of time and back ache.
Today, I injured my lower bicep muscle on my right arm. I was holding this metal beam up with my right arm and things gave way. I stopped the beam from falling with my right arm and then after setting the beam, fell to the planks on the scaffolding that were 20 feet up in the air. I was yelling in pain. I never felt that much pain in my life, I could not lift my right arm! I tried and tried, but it would not move. I started yelling because I was very mad. I kept yelling "I don't care if it hurts, I need it to work". I picked the team and I was the skywalker, and now I was taken out. I was very mad. So, I gained my composure and climbed down off the scaffolding with my good arm and started pacing back and forth. I told myself that I needed my arm to work. Nothing happened, so I yelled again. We took a small break, and I went to my truck to grab some Aleve and to change clothes to something lighter. My heavy coat made my arm hurt, so I threw it on the ground. I started massaging my arm and decided that I would gut it out and do everything with my other arm because I was the only one out there that would work that high. At some point, my arm started working again and we were back on our efficient pace. Hmmm. As I write this, I have that arm wrapped up and plan on working tomorrow. It was a test of will, and I won this time. Be careful. I don't need a trophy for being a stubborn guy, but some ice would be handy.
I mention this, because, I have built more out of the ordinary places than most people. I have worked high in the air with steel before, and because of how awkward this process is, there is a lot of pressure on that steel and that is what causes the problems. We figured out what we needed to do, and everyone has a smile on their face now. Yay Earth Shelter.
I will get pictures posted and stay tuned for the video on Vimeo.com.
Just like the first time we set SIPs, we have had some issues. We will work through those and figure how to do this properly, then, let others know what is going on. I love the idea of the Earth Shelter house and I am even more fired up now that we have three domes up.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Working on the future
Today is Thanksgiving. There is definitely a lot to be thankful for, including that I have somehow managed to not become ill with all the hours I am putting in. What's the secret? Lots of vitamins and this stuff called "wellness formula" which is available at most natural health stores.
I will keep this brief.
I am very happy with the direction of this business over the last few months. We have gotten over a huge hump that was the results of how things were done a year ago. Although I still work as many hours as I did a year ago, I now feel that I am not going around in circles as much. A year ago, I spent Thanksgiving in the Detroit area, just long enough to eat before I had to leave to go make sure all those people that clung to me had work. This year I have come back to my house for the day to spend it with family. Friday morning, the bus leaves for the future!
The Earth Shelter Project is beginning on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. My plan is to work around the clock, every single day, to get the domes ready for the volunteer core we have to start wrapping re-bar around the domes. This project is will be very interesting to follow, and we will be shooting HD video every step of the way. While I lead a core of volunteers, Uncle Rog and a few other 'recruits', my other employees will be back down state to finish what we have going on. I will be bouncing back and forth between the projects until we finish our downstate work. I am looking forward to finishing our other projects that are currently moving in their own directions, so that I can focus solely on this incredible project. This will be the largest Earth Shelter Project ever built on the face of the Earth (residential) and will be built to standards not usually seen in this area. We will build the south facing, passive solar wall and windows to withstand 300 mph winds and equip that side with thick steel plates to prevent anything from breaking the already, incredibly tough Andersen Window Storm Glass. These steel plates will drop into place when needed. The way I am approaching this south wall, is that I do not want anything to penetrate it, and I am sure that there are not many things on this Planet that could penetrate that wall once we get everything done. The underground complex will be buried in some areas under 22 feet of Earth. The exposed south facing walls will be ICF and the out side will be Certainteed Fiber Cement siding in a color that matches the landscape, so as to keep it from standing out where its located and to have an organic feel. You will see in the videos that we shoot, that this place will be out in a huge field surrounded by woods and big hills. When completed, it would take a trained eye to pick this place out, even from the sky.
This Earth Shelter Home, will be off the grid also. With 5 underground facilities all connected together, taking this sustainable complex off the grid will be no easy task. Can you imagine how tough it will be to passively vent an underground barn full of farm animals? Stay tuned and you can see how its done. We will be working closely with Ferris State University and their engineering students to learn together about this cutting edge project. How does this all make me feel? Well, I am stoked. I can't even sleep when I am dead tired, thinking about this project. I hope this project will connect me with others out there who wish to live in, on, or around a totally sustainable homestead.
Since it is Thanksgiving and I promised most of you that I wouldn't work today, I guess I better go and relax and get ready to got to Thanksgiving dinner.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
I will keep this brief.
I am very happy with the direction of this business over the last few months. We have gotten over a huge hump that was the results of how things were done a year ago. Although I still work as many hours as I did a year ago, I now feel that I am not going around in circles as much. A year ago, I spent Thanksgiving in the Detroit area, just long enough to eat before I had to leave to go make sure all those people that clung to me had work. This year I have come back to my house for the day to spend it with family. Friday morning, the bus leaves for the future!
The Earth Shelter Project is beginning on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. My plan is to work around the clock, every single day, to get the domes ready for the volunteer core we have to start wrapping re-bar around the domes. This project is will be very interesting to follow, and we will be shooting HD video every step of the way. While I lead a core of volunteers, Uncle Rog and a few other 'recruits', my other employees will be back down state to finish what we have going on. I will be bouncing back and forth between the projects until we finish our downstate work. I am looking forward to finishing our other projects that are currently moving in their own directions, so that I can focus solely on this incredible project. This will be the largest Earth Shelter Project ever built on the face of the Earth (residential) and will be built to standards not usually seen in this area. We will build the south facing, passive solar wall and windows to withstand 300 mph winds and equip that side with thick steel plates to prevent anything from breaking the already, incredibly tough Andersen Window Storm Glass. These steel plates will drop into place when needed. The way I am approaching this south wall, is that I do not want anything to penetrate it, and I am sure that there are not many things on this Planet that could penetrate that wall once we get everything done. The underground complex will be buried in some areas under 22 feet of Earth. The exposed south facing walls will be ICF and the out side will be Certainteed Fiber Cement siding in a color that matches the landscape, so as to keep it from standing out where its located and to have an organic feel. You will see in the videos that we shoot, that this place will be out in a huge field surrounded by woods and big hills. When completed, it would take a trained eye to pick this place out, even from the sky.
This Earth Shelter Home, will be off the grid also. With 5 underground facilities all connected together, taking this sustainable complex off the grid will be no easy task. Can you imagine how tough it will be to passively vent an underground barn full of farm animals? Stay tuned and you can see how its done. We will be working closely with Ferris State University and their engineering students to learn together about this cutting edge project. How does this all make me feel? Well, I am stoked. I can't even sleep when I am dead tired, thinking about this project. I hope this project will connect me with others out there who wish to live in, on, or around a totally sustainable homestead.
Since it is Thanksgiving and I promised most of you that I wouldn't work today, I guess I better go and relax and get ready to got to Thanksgiving dinner.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
What this all means to me and why I get up every day.
I was driving home yesterday thinking about my business and how much I work. Driving just over the speed limit, I longed to walk through my back door to see my dog Jagger, because, I had only been home 2 nights in the last 3 weeks of working. My schedule has become increasing difficult over the past few monthes. One of the reasons that I have been working so much lately, I thought that Thanksgiving was sooner than it actually was, so I was working around the clock to get our projects caught up. By the time I left Friday afternoon, I was completely wore down and in need of a short break. The ride home was 1 hour and 40 minutes, so I had plenty of time to think without the radio on. I tried over and over again to justify to myself why this journey in life was worth it. I thought over and over again about the incredible amounts of money I have or will spend to be a pioneer in this industry. It is very tough to stomach, especially when you are overly tired. I reflected on the past few years and thought about how much of an impact we have made on the industry. I repeated to myself (the way I did in Onekama), "don't quit, stick with it, don't quit". (Don't take this the wrong way, I was very tired, and those of you who know me personally will tell the others, that I need sleep and food to function at 100%, I was lacking both.) At that exact moment, I recieved an email on my BlackBerry. It was an email from someone at Green Builder Magazine letting me know that we won one of their 2009 Project of the Year Awards. Isn't that funny how things happen like that, an email that can reset your path.
Since I was only 30 minutes into my ride home, I had time to make phones calls and to think more about my journey in life. Why do I get up every day? I started to think about that. Normally, I would talk out loud to Jagger my dog, who, until recently went everywhere with me. What is in a person to get them up everyday, even when you have worked 3 weeks straight for 14 or more hours per day. Is it to load your walls up with awards? Is it to die with the most trophies? Or, is to work and perfect the art of sustainable building all I care about? Something gets me out of bed everyday beside the great Amish smoked bacon that our friends leave for us at Man Camp.
When you live on the road and have a motel bed to call your own, it makes it easy to get out of bed, because, most motel beds are not that comfortable. You only lay down long enough to sleep, then get back to work. Thankfully, we have the use of a camp now and have been sleeping well and feeling comfortable there. But, we still feel like we need to get up and get to work. Most of us figure, that as long as we are out of town working, we might as well work and not lay around camp. But, there is something greater than awards, bad beds, and continental breakfasts that get me out of bed everyday.
As I look around my office, I see many things. I see awards on my shelves and walls and I see several newspaper articles talking about my quest and the performance of the Team. Is this what gets me out of bed everyday? Do I long to have more awards than anyone else? Believe it or not, no! I do not do what I do for a piece of paper or glass that says I am the best. That is dangerous thinking if someone lives thru their awards and not their continuously improving passion and efforts. I am very pleased everytime I win an award, especially the big national awards. I think it's a great honor to be recognized as the best in North America, no matter what you do. You could be the best football player in North America, the best cook in North America, or even the best high school student in North America, and that is all incredible! But, if you look beyond the award and see the person or company that receives awards like these, you will notice a trend. You will notice, the person or company who wins these awards have a passion and intensity that is unmatched by others in their respective industry. A passion and intensity that drives them to be better, that makes them think outside the box, and that will let nothing stand in their way of doing their best. This is a very difficult thing to turn off when you get to finally go home. You can't just walk through the door and say, it's rest time. The passion and intensity follows you everywhere you go and gets you up at 4:30 am on a morning that you were hoping to sleep in. I love this, although, I would like to sleep in some day.
Here is the great thing about these awards. The greatest thing about these awards, is the press it gains us! Not for new business, although it certainly does help, but for the free publicity we get to spread the word of sustainable building. Awards are intended to raise the bar, to get people out the shadows and to bring light to progressive thinking. If I build a better, more energy efficient, Earth friendly house everytime I build a new project, and I win awards for that, then somewhere else in the world, someone will step up to challenge me. That is why I do what I do!!! I knew early on, that the only way to change an industry was to succeed and attract competition which shows up naturally as someone has success in an industry. I have seen a number of companies pop up in Michigan that are working their way to being my competitor. I can name off ten builders that have shown up as a result of the publicity we got from our Onekama Home. Does this concern me? No, because that was my plan from the beginning. Bring these people out of the wood work and create a new market! I want there to be better qualified sustainaable builders out there. The awards we win show those other companies that building this way is worth it.
I am proud to be a driving force in this state, but I can't stop there. I need to win these national awards so that builders all over the country begin to build more sustainably. I wanted to be a face for this industry change now for five years, and it is starting to happen. Am I worried that I am building competitors up that may take my work someday? No, that is the plan. We have to make sustainable building mainstream! I would rather work on the projects I work on, these projects are tough for others to stomach, because of how you have to think to get through the entire project. I turn down a lot of work, my hope is that one of those other 'green' builders will step up and do the right thing. There will always be cutting edge projects for us to build, I am not the least bit concerned that I am creating competition, that is Economics 101 and part of my overall plan.
I get out of bed everyday to be a leader, to be a learner, to be the pied piper of sustainable building, and to be a pioneer. I know that, good or bad, the news I get that day will somehow work towards my overall goal. I try to focus on the big picture, that is to: 'build sustainable houses for the research and to teach those willing to learn the information we gathered from the research, that, sustainable building is worth it and lessens the load on the planet".
A sustainable lifestyle is key to a healthy life. I feel very good that I can help people acheive a sustainable lifestyle. The awards we win are crucial for the forward movement of this entire industry change. Thank you all who support what I do and those that give me the encouragement I need to not 'quit', and to keep pushing forward.
Since I was only 30 minutes into my ride home, I had time to make phones calls and to think more about my journey in life. Why do I get up every day? I started to think about that. Normally, I would talk out loud to Jagger my dog, who, until recently went everywhere with me. What is in a person to get them up everyday, even when you have worked 3 weeks straight for 14 or more hours per day. Is it to load your walls up with awards? Is it to die with the most trophies? Or, is to work and perfect the art of sustainable building all I care about? Something gets me out of bed everyday beside the great Amish smoked bacon that our friends leave for us at Man Camp.
When you live on the road and have a motel bed to call your own, it makes it easy to get out of bed, because, most motel beds are not that comfortable. You only lay down long enough to sleep, then get back to work. Thankfully, we have the use of a camp now and have been sleeping well and feeling comfortable there. But, we still feel like we need to get up and get to work. Most of us figure, that as long as we are out of town working, we might as well work and not lay around camp. But, there is something greater than awards, bad beds, and continental breakfasts that get me out of bed everyday.
As I look around my office, I see many things. I see awards on my shelves and walls and I see several newspaper articles talking about my quest and the performance of the Team. Is this what gets me out of bed everyday? Do I long to have more awards than anyone else? Believe it or not, no! I do not do what I do for a piece of paper or glass that says I am the best. That is dangerous thinking if someone lives thru their awards and not their continuously improving passion and efforts. I am very pleased everytime I win an award, especially the big national awards. I think it's a great honor to be recognized as the best in North America, no matter what you do. You could be the best football player in North America, the best cook in North America, or even the best high school student in North America, and that is all incredible! But, if you look beyond the award and see the person or company that receives awards like these, you will notice a trend. You will notice, the person or company who wins these awards have a passion and intensity that is unmatched by others in their respective industry. A passion and intensity that drives them to be better, that makes them think outside the box, and that will let nothing stand in their way of doing their best. This is a very difficult thing to turn off when you get to finally go home. You can't just walk through the door and say, it's rest time. The passion and intensity follows you everywhere you go and gets you up at 4:30 am on a morning that you were hoping to sleep in. I love this, although, I would like to sleep in some day.
Here is the great thing about these awards. The greatest thing about these awards, is the press it gains us! Not for new business, although it certainly does help, but for the free publicity we get to spread the word of sustainable building. Awards are intended to raise the bar, to get people out the shadows and to bring light to progressive thinking. If I build a better, more energy efficient, Earth friendly house everytime I build a new project, and I win awards for that, then somewhere else in the world, someone will step up to challenge me. That is why I do what I do!!! I knew early on, that the only way to change an industry was to succeed and attract competition which shows up naturally as someone has success in an industry. I have seen a number of companies pop up in Michigan that are working their way to being my competitor. I can name off ten builders that have shown up as a result of the publicity we got from our Onekama Home. Does this concern me? No, because that was my plan from the beginning. Bring these people out of the wood work and create a new market! I want there to be better qualified sustainaable builders out there. The awards we win show those other companies that building this way is worth it.
I am proud to be a driving force in this state, but I can't stop there. I need to win these national awards so that builders all over the country begin to build more sustainably. I wanted to be a face for this industry change now for five years, and it is starting to happen. Am I worried that I am building competitors up that may take my work someday? No, that is the plan. We have to make sustainable building mainstream! I would rather work on the projects I work on, these projects are tough for others to stomach, because of how you have to think to get through the entire project. I turn down a lot of work, my hope is that one of those other 'green' builders will step up and do the right thing. There will always be cutting edge projects for us to build, I am not the least bit concerned that I am creating competition, that is Economics 101 and part of my overall plan.
I get out of bed everyday to be a leader, to be a learner, to be the pied piper of sustainable building, and to be a pioneer. I know that, good or bad, the news I get that day will somehow work towards my overall goal. I try to focus on the big picture, that is to: 'build sustainable houses for the research and to teach those willing to learn the information we gathered from the research, that, sustainable building is worth it and lessens the load on the planet".
A sustainable lifestyle is key to a healthy life. I feel very good that I can help people acheive a sustainable lifestyle. The awards we win are crucial for the forward movement of this entire industry change. Thank you all who support what I do and those that give me the encouragement I need to not 'quit', and to keep pushing forward.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
What a difference two years can make.
Just today, I was looking in my files of newspaper articles and magazines articles, looking for the right ones to bring to an upcoming presentation. A number of these newspaper article chronicle the incredible growth that the State of Michigan went through in late 2007. These same articles also show the incredible growth of Hybrid Homes and of me, Adam Bearup.
Here is a brief idea of what I am talking about.
The day after the 2007 GLREA Michigan Energy Fair, as everyone left town to go back to their lives, the full impact of what happened that weekend while showing the Onekama house had not hit home. I knew that with all of that exposure, there was bound to be something huge lurking in the shadows waiting to get me when I let my guard down. We worked the rest of the week following the 2007 Energy Fair, and it was not until I got home the following weekend, did I realize what the huge monster was that was lurking in the shadows...the nasty NIMBY neighbor! (Not In My Back Yard)
The Onekama House had a residential wind generator installed on its property. Because I knew that this house was going to have a wind generator, I tried to cover all the bases by talking with the township explaining what are plans were. I was told that we could have the wind generator with no problems, and that their ordinances only applied to "those commercial ones". The weekend that I got home from the 2007 Energy Fair, I was handed a letter from the township telling me that the wind generator had to come down because it was in violation of a local ordinance.....
At this point in Michigan's history, there were very few township ordinances for residential wind generators, and the ones that existed could be interpreted in any number of ways. The only organization that knew anything about my rights as the contractor was the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association (GLREA).
Throughout late August of 2007 thru November of 2007 a battle raged over the wind generator. I spent an incredible amount of money trying to fight the township over this wind generator. There was no one there to help me. I went to every level of government, including the federal government and none of them could help. I got lots of moral support, but that doesn't pay the bills. This was a very pricey thing to go through when you aren't taking that much money as it was. The only organization, as I mentioned above that stood shoulder to shoulder with me was the GLREA. I will never forget that. It was such a scary awful time as I cut a path into the future for those others who wanted a brighter future to follow, and right there, helping my to cut down the path, was the GLREA.
We ended up being able to keep the wind machine, but had to move it 100 feet to the north. This came at even more cost to me. It was so expensive to battle over this wind machine, that I am still paying for it, but for what it did for the State of Michigan, the price was worth it.
As I read these articles on the front pages of the areas newspapers, I see how vividly the articles tell the growth of renewable energy in this state and that area. The papers are yellowing, as if they are from some long ago time....relatively speaking, it was! What a difference 2 years can make! There are still issues to look for and be concerned with, but the Onekama House and the controversy that the wind generator caused forced the news into the mainstream in not only this state, but all over the country as well!
I will never forget that Fall of 2007. I could not go into any stores or restaurants (only a few there, not a big town) without people staring at me and talking under their breath. It was a sad time for me, as I am a people person. Big John and I would go to a restaurant to have breakfast and we would see the zoning board sitting with their friends talking about the case. The governor got a kick out of that when I told her. That wasn't legal, but that is how township law works. It was so lonely up in Onekama, I longed with everything I had to be back home where I had friends. But, we stuck it out and got through the problems and the rest is history.
2 years later, there are warriors that handle problems like I had in Onekama. The path is laid and the course is clear. A handful of us pioneers helped shape Michigan's future and these yellowing newspapers tell that story so well....what a difference 2 years can make!!
(for more information on that trying time or to read the articles, let me know, I am working on getting the newspaper articles scanned and online. The state government has all of the articles in their library.)
Here is a brief idea of what I am talking about.
The day after the 2007 GLREA Michigan Energy Fair, as everyone left town to go back to their lives, the full impact of what happened that weekend while showing the Onekama house had not hit home. I knew that with all of that exposure, there was bound to be something huge lurking in the shadows waiting to get me when I let my guard down. We worked the rest of the week following the 2007 Energy Fair, and it was not until I got home the following weekend, did I realize what the huge monster was that was lurking in the shadows...the nasty NIMBY neighbor! (Not In My Back Yard)
The Onekama House had a residential wind generator installed on its property. Because I knew that this house was going to have a wind generator, I tried to cover all the bases by talking with the township explaining what are plans were. I was told that we could have the wind generator with no problems, and that their ordinances only applied to "those commercial ones". The weekend that I got home from the 2007 Energy Fair, I was handed a letter from the township telling me that the wind generator had to come down because it was in violation of a local ordinance.....
At this point in Michigan's history, there were very few township ordinances for residential wind generators, and the ones that existed could be interpreted in any number of ways. The only organization that knew anything about my rights as the contractor was the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association (GLREA).
Throughout late August of 2007 thru November of 2007 a battle raged over the wind generator. I spent an incredible amount of money trying to fight the township over this wind generator. There was no one there to help me. I went to every level of government, including the federal government and none of them could help. I got lots of moral support, but that doesn't pay the bills. This was a very pricey thing to go through when you aren't taking that much money as it was. The only organization, as I mentioned above that stood shoulder to shoulder with me was the GLREA. I will never forget that. It was such a scary awful time as I cut a path into the future for those others who wanted a brighter future to follow, and right there, helping my to cut down the path, was the GLREA.
We ended up being able to keep the wind machine, but had to move it 100 feet to the north. This came at even more cost to me. It was so expensive to battle over this wind machine, that I am still paying for it, but for what it did for the State of Michigan, the price was worth it.
As I read these articles on the front pages of the areas newspapers, I see how vividly the articles tell the growth of renewable energy in this state and that area. The papers are yellowing, as if they are from some long ago time....relatively speaking, it was! What a difference 2 years can make! There are still issues to look for and be concerned with, but the Onekama House and the controversy that the wind generator caused forced the news into the mainstream in not only this state, but all over the country as well!
I will never forget that Fall of 2007. I could not go into any stores or restaurants (only a few there, not a big town) without people staring at me and talking under their breath. It was a sad time for me, as I am a people person. Big John and I would go to a restaurant to have breakfast and we would see the zoning board sitting with their friends talking about the case. The governor got a kick out of that when I told her. That wasn't legal, but that is how township law works. It was so lonely up in Onekama, I longed with everything I had to be back home where I had friends. But, we stuck it out and got through the problems and the rest is history.
2 years later, there are warriors that handle problems like I had in Onekama. The path is laid and the course is clear. A handful of us pioneers helped shape Michigan's future and these yellowing newspapers tell that story so well....what a difference 2 years can make!!
(for more information on that trying time or to read the articles, let me know, I am working on getting the newspaper articles scanned and online. The state government has all of the articles in their library.)
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Preparing for whatever comes our way.
As you can imagine, I cover a lot of ground each week. In those travels, I come across all sorts of people with all sorts of ideas and positions. The one topic that is on top of my mind is the statement 'for whatever comes our way'.
Our recent trip to Washington State brought me to an area that is known to be a hot bed for the 2012 theory. This is the theory where the Mayan Calender ends and things start happening to the Planet. There are several theories as to what is going to go down. On the lighter side, 2012 will be the beginning of something that happens globally that will start a global climate change that will get increasingly worse for years to come. On the scarier side, some say that the new Planet X that was recently discovered will enter the Earth's orbit around the Sun..that does not sound good at all. Regardless of the severity that some think will occur, many are planning for this event in December of 2012.
Before I let you all know how I feel about these issues, lets explore other 'things' that Humans have gone through in the past.
The most memorable 'thing' in the past was the "Y2K". My family prepared for this event with food storage, stock piling fuel, gathering blankets, paying off the house, and so on. I did not live at home with my parents at the time, I lived in my own house, where we through a huge New Years Eve Party incase it were our last. In my own house, I stock piled a lot of cash and the one thing that I thought would be most beneficial if things went down, ammunition. I figured that I would use the ammunition to trade for other things and to get game and defend the 'safe house'.
Was I considered a radical? Maybe, looking back and seeing that nothing happened, but at the time, it was a smart way to position one's self 'just in case' something happened. My Mom's house was the rally point for a push up north. Yes, we had a game plan in place.
Growing up, my Mom always prepared us for bad things to come. We learned how to survive out in the wild, we spent time with different relatives learning how to hunt, fish, read maps, work out, and prepare to be leaders. It was a fun and exciting childhood, and all that experience is something I pull from everyday as I build this company. I was running a bulldozer the other day, and you know what, I learned how to do that when I was 14 years old up in the U.P. at my Uncle's Camp. At that camp, my cousin and I would run through the woods and have a blast learning survival skills.
Do you think that is weird? Well, it was not too long ago where there were bomb shelters everywhere as many Americans feared the Cold War and all out nuclear war. I get a little scared just thinking about that, and that we have let our guards down now that the media says the Cold War is over. Do you remember the bomb shelters around your town? Remember the movie "Red Dawn"? (R.I.P. Patrick Swayze), how about "War Games" and the list goes on. People were quite concerned about the COld War back then.
Ok, are you tracking? One more thing to think about. About 20 years ago, I saw on the news and in a few magazines that countries in eastern Europe were burning anything they could get their hands on to keep warm. The pictures still stick in my mind after all these years. People were digging up stumps from under trees in parks that they cut down. There was not one thing left standing there that could be burned. Park benches, trees, bus stops, trim in their houses, furniture, and even clothing were burned for heat. All that because their government withheld fuel oil from them, for whatever reason. Now, this is not end of times kind of stuff, but it could feel like it to those that lived in that country at the time. It's tough to say how they could have prepared for that, but it happened.
To answer your question, "Is this guy a radical?" The answer is no, I am a realist. I can hunt and fish circles around most people from doing it so much in life. I fill my belly from time to time and even live on venison during the monthes I have it, not because I have to, but because I like it and how lean it is. I feel that things are going to continue to get worse in this country, but I don't dwell on it everyday. If I did, then I would not be doing so well in my business. There are so many people in the State now that are upset, scared, and don't know what to do because there are no jobs. I say, make yourself valuable, or start your own business doing what you are good at. I would rather be scared to death running my own business then being scared about losing my job working for someone else. Realistically, the odds are in my favor being a business owner versus an employee.
You may wonder what I think of the theories of 2012. To tell you the truth, I had not even heard of 2012 until I went to Washington State. It is interesting, no doubt. My personal opion. If it happens, it happens. I am confident that those I have built for or will build for stand an incredible chance of surviving anything bad if they stay in their homes.
From a business stand point, I have talked with my employees and subcontractors, and this is my official statement as the president and CEO of Hybrid Homes, LLC. "It is not our job to predict bad things that might happen, it is not our job to judge those who may have opinions for or against such events occuring in the future, however, it is our job to put our all into whatever we build, it is our job to help people lessen their load in this planet, it is our job to treat all people with respect, and it is our job to do what we are paid to do, and then some. Helping people prepare for the future is our passion and has been for a long time...."
Our recent trip to Washington State brought me to an area that is known to be a hot bed for the 2012 theory. This is the theory where the Mayan Calender ends and things start happening to the Planet. There are several theories as to what is going to go down. On the lighter side, 2012 will be the beginning of something that happens globally that will start a global climate change that will get increasingly worse for years to come. On the scarier side, some say that the new Planet X that was recently discovered will enter the Earth's orbit around the Sun..that does not sound good at all. Regardless of the severity that some think will occur, many are planning for this event in December of 2012.
Before I let you all know how I feel about these issues, lets explore other 'things' that Humans have gone through in the past.
The most memorable 'thing' in the past was the "Y2K". My family prepared for this event with food storage, stock piling fuel, gathering blankets, paying off the house, and so on. I did not live at home with my parents at the time, I lived in my own house, where we through a huge New Years Eve Party incase it were our last. In my own house, I stock piled a lot of cash and the one thing that I thought would be most beneficial if things went down, ammunition. I figured that I would use the ammunition to trade for other things and to get game and defend the 'safe house'.
Was I considered a radical? Maybe, looking back and seeing that nothing happened, but at the time, it was a smart way to position one's self 'just in case' something happened. My Mom's house was the rally point for a push up north. Yes, we had a game plan in place.
Growing up, my Mom always prepared us for bad things to come. We learned how to survive out in the wild, we spent time with different relatives learning how to hunt, fish, read maps, work out, and prepare to be leaders. It was a fun and exciting childhood, and all that experience is something I pull from everyday as I build this company. I was running a bulldozer the other day, and you know what, I learned how to do that when I was 14 years old up in the U.P. at my Uncle's Camp. At that camp, my cousin and I would run through the woods and have a blast learning survival skills.
Do you think that is weird? Well, it was not too long ago where there were bomb shelters everywhere as many Americans feared the Cold War and all out nuclear war. I get a little scared just thinking about that, and that we have let our guards down now that the media says the Cold War is over. Do you remember the bomb shelters around your town? Remember the movie "Red Dawn"? (R.I.P. Patrick Swayze), how about "War Games" and the list goes on. People were quite concerned about the COld War back then.
Ok, are you tracking? One more thing to think about. About 20 years ago, I saw on the news and in a few magazines that countries in eastern Europe were burning anything they could get their hands on to keep warm. The pictures still stick in my mind after all these years. People were digging up stumps from under trees in parks that they cut down. There was not one thing left standing there that could be burned. Park benches, trees, bus stops, trim in their houses, furniture, and even clothing were burned for heat. All that because their government withheld fuel oil from them, for whatever reason. Now, this is not end of times kind of stuff, but it could feel like it to those that lived in that country at the time. It's tough to say how they could have prepared for that, but it happened.
To answer your question, "Is this guy a radical?" The answer is no, I am a realist. I can hunt and fish circles around most people from doing it so much in life. I fill my belly from time to time and even live on venison during the monthes I have it, not because I have to, but because I like it and how lean it is. I feel that things are going to continue to get worse in this country, but I don't dwell on it everyday. If I did, then I would not be doing so well in my business. There are so many people in the State now that are upset, scared, and don't know what to do because there are no jobs. I say, make yourself valuable, or start your own business doing what you are good at. I would rather be scared to death running my own business then being scared about losing my job working for someone else. Realistically, the odds are in my favor being a business owner versus an employee.
You may wonder what I think of the theories of 2012. To tell you the truth, I had not even heard of 2012 until I went to Washington State. It is interesting, no doubt. My personal opion. If it happens, it happens. I am confident that those I have built for or will build for stand an incredible chance of surviving anything bad if they stay in their homes.
From a business stand point, I have talked with my employees and subcontractors, and this is my official statement as the president and CEO of Hybrid Homes, LLC. "It is not our job to predict bad things that might happen, it is not our job to judge those who may have opinions for or against such events occuring in the future, however, it is our job to put our all into whatever we build, it is our job to help people lessen their load in this planet, it is our job to treat all people with respect, and it is our job to do what we are paid to do, and then some. Helping people prepare for the future is our passion and has been for a long time...."
Saturday, August 15, 2009
The Green Building Grand Slam
I was in deep thought recently, thinking about what I do for a living. Many things came to mind, for instance, how valuable the research information is that I get off of the projects. When I first started Hybrid Homes, a PhD holding scientist told me that the data that can be gathered from the different kinds of construction can benefit not only the scientific community, but also, myself and other builders looking to build more sustainably. The facts about cost versus return would be available for all to see once I had completed enough projects to start graphing everything.
Then, all of a sudden, an idea popped into my head (that is how it works for me, ideas pop up inside my head, and I act on them) and I decided that I just raised the bar even higher in our industry. What I came up with, was the 'Green Building Grand Slam'. Let all of you be my witness that I came up with this first, so that in a few years when others attempt it, the record will be set straight that I coined that term.... So, what is a green building grand slam, and why is it so important? Well, let's grab a cup of coffee and I will tell you.
Let's look at the general explanation of a grand slam in sporting events. In golf and tennis, the grand slam would be winning all the major events in one year. In hunting, a grand slam is to hunt and take a certain number of species in a year. Most of the grand slam titles throughout sports and the world are unofficial but is a title given to someone who can achieve this type of success. Dennys even has a Grand Slam, it consists of 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 strips of bacon, and 2 pancakes (thank you wikipedia for this fun fact).
I guess the very basic concept, is that a grand slam is an achievement that is hard to achieve.
The idea of the Green Building Grand Slam came to me, as I mentioned, because of a comment that the editor of the Journal of Light Construction said to me a while ago. He mentioned to me on the phone that I was the only one he knew of in the entire country that had the kind of experience that I have. He added that the variety of projects, the willingness to take on different projects, and having a big enough mouth to let people know what I was up to, was very important to the industry. The idea of the Green Building Grand Slam is a new idea that has taken a long time to iron out, although, the idea is actually quite simple.
According to my experience, logic, and research into this topic, to achieve The Green Building Grand Slam, one would have to build and complete a house of every type of main stream green building style. This would be nearly imposible to complete in one year, so there really is no time limit at this point, and that is what makes it an achievable feat if one puts their mind to it. If a company or college could track down research dollars to build every type of home for the sake of research, then maybe the Green Building Grand Slam could be achieved in one year, maybe that will be the real accomplishment in the future as this idea grows.
What idea do I have about the mainstream building techniques that would qualify someone for the Green Building Grand Slam title? Great question, here they are in no particular order: Advanced Framed (2x6 with 2' centers), Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs), Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), and Earth Shelter. The bonus would be to complete one or more of the many other kinds of houses that have been built over the years, that are not considered main stream at this time, which would include, but are not limited to: straw bale/straw clay, used tires, shipping containers, etc.
By now, you may be thinking to yourself, I kind of know Adam and he would not write about this if he did not think he was close to achieving this title, what is he up to? I will tell you what I have completed or will complete in the foreseeable future. This is what I have completed: Advanced Framed Houses and remodels (several), ICFs houses (several), SIP houses (several), and starting soon, an Earth Shelter House! To round that out, I am looking to build a straw/clay house and Eric Hughes from Image Design and I are working with a few potential clients trying to line one of these types of house up. Once the Earth Shelter house is completed, then, I will start to compile the data of how each house performs, etc. and start writing a book. A book for the world to see the facts, expel the myths, all while adding a dash of rock and roll to an otherwise boring topic to many.........wait and see what I have up my sleave!
To be the the first builder in history to complete the "Green Building Grand Slam" means alot to me, but also means alot to many people. Check this out! If you were a homeowner and you have thought a lot about using ICFs, like many of our customers do, you would have data to compare ICFs to other forms of construction. Does this exist now? Yes, but not in a way that is relevent. For me to have the information I do about the different forms of building, means that at some point, people will be able to seek out the best 'bang for their buck'. This is huge! This happens already with the houses that I price. I know what can be built in a person's price range, and I also know how efficient their home is going to be for the price. The Edgewood Project was advanced framed with an icf basement and we came in under budget at about 160k. This house is very tight and energy efficient, so much so, that it surprised me. If we had used SIPs, the addition cost would have been about 8k from the resulting items that are needed to use with SIPs. ICFs would have been about 16k more on average because of the resulting costs. But still, 176k for an all icf house? Wow! This is what I am talking about! Data! Facts!
Besides price, there are other important things that we are finding out. 'Things' like indoor air quality, moisture/condensation, and soil types versus building style. Using different forms of construction means different things to. Soil type becomes an issue. On our Turtle's Hope Project, we did not use ICfs because of the pier foundation and the weight of all the concrete. This project was a perfect SIP project. This house will be very tight, as we paid close attention to the results of the other homes we built.
Here is another bit of info for you. Let's examine HERs scores for a moment and compare the different forms of construction. First of all, the HERs score is basically an energy efficiency rating set up through the Energy Star Program. The lower the score the better, with a score of '0' being a net zero home. To determine the HERs score, you take into account everything in the home, from lighting and insulation to the heating and cooling system and everything in between. Renewable energy and geo thermal plays a big role in getting a low score. I believe that the HERs software or 'RESNET' software is outdated for high performance houses, but it is still a great way to see how the house turned out. The info I wish to share with you, is the HERs scores of the different styles of building that I have done. The Energy Star test house scored 100 point and most average homes that are considered green score from about 65-80. How did we do? I am glad you asked...
The first house I ever had tested, was our Platinum LEED rated house in Onekama. We learned a lot from that house. That house was built with ICFs from the footings to the roof and had a lot of conditioned square footage. This is a factor in the HERs score. The HERs rating on that house was 51. That is actually a great score! How could we have improved? Well, we could have used GEO thermal if the budget allowed, instead of the natural gas fired boiler and we could have done some of the things that we did on our Vineyard Project that had to do with consumption. The score of 51 turned a lot of heads, but I caught wind of lower scores around the Midwest, and I had to get better.
The Watercress Project was a SIP Project that had an ICF basement. This project is currently projected at Platinum LEED for Homes and had a HERS score of 58. Right away, it seems like the SIP panels are the culprit, but they are not. 58 is still a great number, but what led to that score was the natural gas fired forced air furnace, the wood burning unit, and a few other items. Without having completed a number of houses to see how a HERs rating can help a person adjust what they do on a house, it is like the blind leading the blind.
One last example, then I will let you get on with your day. The Vineyard Project is built of all ICFs from the footings to the roof and is very similar in features and designs to the Onekama house. This house is projected Platinum as well, and had a HERs score of 34, the lowest score ever tested in Michigan! How could this be? What was different about this house over Onekama? One, was the RESNET computer program and the solar voltaics versus the wind generator. The other big factors were the geo thermal system and the reduction in conditioned air space. I insulated the houses the same, and followed the same procedures as I did in Onekama, but I looked at the Vineyard Project on a cost versus output comparison. I could make any house zero energy if given a big enough budget, but this just is not the case. I was very happy to see this improvement in HERS score. To date, I feel this type of design with the hip roofs and passive solar design has the best chance of reaching a HERS score of '0'.
Of all this information in this blog, I want people to know that I am passionately working towards making every home zero energy. At some point in the near future, I will put the word out that all I will build are homes with HERS scores below 35, but I can not do that yet, as my research is not complete. There is so much to learn. I already pick and choose what jobs I will do based on the homeowners beliefs and the designs of the homes. I do this for research, and its an incredible journey.
This Earth Shelter houses that we will be starting soon could be the first house in Michigan to have a HERS score of '0'. This house will be off the grid, and the homeowner and I are traveling the country looking at other Earth Shelter houses and interviewing people so that we can get this house right! It is such an amazing 'complex', that you will have to read all about it in a future blog. I have come in contact with many people acrossed the country who are living off the grid and have asked them what they like and dont like about it and what they would do differently if they ever built again. What amazing information I have recieved! I have been in contact with people in Colorado, Washington State, Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey, Maine, Marquette, and even locally that all share the same passion. They are part of our Team as we shoot for a true net zero, off the grid home. This entire project will be shot with video, even the behind the scenes efforts that go along with researching and then actually doing a project.
How will that turn out? Will we hit net zero? You will have to stay tuned to find out....
Take this with you: Does an under ground house stand the only chance to reach net zero, or can any one of the Green Building Grand Slam houses hope to reach net zero? My answer: Very shortly, I will release information that proves you can get very close to net zero, if not completly net zero with any of the Green Building Grand Slam houses as long as you use a proactive Team approach, study and learn from past projects, and keep an open mind. Time for more coffee, thanks for checking out my blog A B
Then, all of a sudden, an idea popped into my head (that is how it works for me, ideas pop up inside my head, and I act on them) and I decided that I just raised the bar even higher in our industry. What I came up with, was the 'Green Building Grand Slam'. Let all of you be my witness that I came up with this first, so that in a few years when others attempt it, the record will be set straight that I coined that term.... So, what is a green building grand slam, and why is it so important? Well, let's grab a cup of coffee and I will tell you.
Let's look at the general explanation of a grand slam in sporting events. In golf and tennis, the grand slam would be winning all the major events in one year. In hunting, a grand slam is to hunt and take a certain number of species in a year. Most of the grand slam titles throughout sports and the world are unofficial but is a title given to someone who can achieve this type of success. Dennys even has a Grand Slam, it consists of 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 strips of bacon, and 2 pancakes (thank you wikipedia for this fun fact).
I guess the very basic concept, is that a grand slam is an achievement that is hard to achieve.
The idea of the Green Building Grand Slam came to me, as I mentioned, because of a comment that the editor of the Journal of Light Construction said to me a while ago. He mentioned to me on the phone that I was the only one he knew of in the entire country that had the kind of experience that I have. He added that the variety of projects, the willingness to take on different projects, and having a big enough mouth to let people know what I was up to, was very important to the industry. The idea of the Green Building Grand Slam is a new idea that has taken a long time to iron out, although, the idea is actually quite simple.
According to my experience, logic, and research into this topic, to achieve The Green Building Grand Slam, one would have to build and complete a house of every type of main stream green building style. This would be nearly imposible to complete in one year, so there really is no time limit at this point, and that is what makes it an achievable feat if one puts their mind to it. If a company or college could track down research dollars to build every type of home for the sake of research, then maybe the Green Building Grand Slam could be achieved in one year, maybe that will be the real accomplishment in the future as this idea grows.
What idea do I have about the mainstream building techniques that would qualify someone for the Green Building Grand Slam title? Great question, here they are in no particular order: Advanced Framed (2x6 with 2' centers), Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs), Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), and Earth Shelter. The bonus would be to complete one or more of the many other kinds of houses that have been built over the years, that are not considered main stream at this time, which would include, but are not limited to: straw bale/straw clay, used tires, shipping containers, etc.
By now, you may be thinking to yourself, I kind of know Adam and he would not write about this if he did not think he was close to achieving this title, what is he up to? I will tell you what I have completed or will complete in the foreseeable future. This is what I have completed: Advanced Framed Houses and remodels (several), ICFs houses (several), SIP houses (several), and starting soon, an Earth Shelter House! To round that out, I am looking to build a straw/clay house and Eric Hughes from Image Design and I are working with a few potential clients trying to line one of these types of house up. Once the Earth Shelter house is completed, then, I will start to compile the data of how each house performs, etc. and start writing a book. A book for the world to see the facts, expel the myths, all while adding a dash of rock and roll to an otherwise boring topic to many.........wait and see what I have up my sleave!
To be the the first builder in history to complete the "Green Building Grand Slam" means alot to me, but also means alot to many people. Check this out! If you were a homeowner and you have thought a lot about using ICFs, like many of our customers do, you would have data to compare ICFs to other forms of construction. Does this exist now? Yes, but not in a way that is relevent. For me to have the information I do about the different forms of building, means that at some point, people will be able to seek out the best 'bang for their buck'. This is huge! This happens already with the houses that I price. I know what can be built in a person's price range, and I also know how efficient their home is going to be for the price. The Edgewood Project was advanced framed with an icf basement and we came in under budget at about 160k. This house is very tight and energy efficient, so much so, that it surprised me. If we had used SIPs, the addition cost would have been about 8k from the resulting items that are needed to use with SIPs. ICFs would have been about 16k more on average because of the resulting costs. But still, 176k for an all icf house? Wow! This is what I am talking about! Data! Facts!
Besides price, there are other important things that we are finding out. 'Things' like indoor air quality, moisture/condensation, and soil types versus building style. Using different forms of construction means different things to. Soil type becomes an issue. On our Turtle's Hope Project, we did not use ICfs because of the pier foundation and the weight of all the concrete. This project was a perfect SIP project. This house will be very tight, as we paid close attention to the results of the other homes we built.
Here is another bit of info for you. Let's examine HERs scores for a moment and compare the different forms of construction. First of all, the HERs score is basically an energy efficiency rating set up through the Energy Star Program. The lower the score the better, with a score of '0' being a net zero home. To determine the HERs score, you take into account everything in the home, from lighting and insulation to the heating and cooling system and everything in between. Renewable energy and geo thermal plays a big role in getting a low score. I believe that the HERs software or 'RESNET' software is outdated for high performance houses, but it is still a great way to see how the house turned out. The info I wish to share with you, is the HERs scores of the different styles of building that I have done. The Energy Star test house scored 100 point and most average homes that are considered green score from about 65-80. How did we do? I am glad you asked...
The first house I ever had tested, was our Platinum LEED rated house in Onekama. We learned a lot from that house. That house was built with ICFs from the footings to the roof and had a lot of conditioned square footage. This is a factor in the HERs score. The HERs rating on that house was 51. That is actually a great score! How could we have improved? Well, we could have used GEO thermal if the budget allowed, instead of the natural gas fired boiler and we could have done some of the things that we did on our Vineyard Project that had to do with consumption. The score of 51 turned a lot of heads, but I caught wind of lower scores around the Midwest, and I had to get better.
The Watercress Project was a SIP Project that had an ICF basement. This project is currently projected at Platinum LEED for Homes and had a HERS score of 58. Right away, it seems like the SIP panels are the culprit, but they are not. 58 is still a great number, but what led to that score was the natural gas fired forced air furnace, the wood burning unit, and a few other items. Without having completed a number of houses to see how a HERs rating can help a person adjust what they do on a house, it is like the blind leading the blind.
One last example, then I will let you get on with your day. The Vineyard Project is built of all ICFs from the footings to the roof and is very similar in features and designs to the Onekama house. This house is projected Platinum as well, and had a HERs score of 34, the lowest score ever tested in Michigan! How could this be? What was different about this house over Onekama? One, was the RESNET computer program and the solar voltaics versus the wind generator. The other big factors were the geo thermal system and the reduction in conditioned air space. I insulated the houses the same, and followed the same procedures as I did in Onekama, but I looked at the Vineyard Project on a cost versus output comparison. I could make any house zero energy if given a big enough budget, but this just is not the case. I was very happy to see this improvement in HERS score. To date, I feel this type of design with the hip roofs and passive solar design has the best chance of reaching a HERS score of '0'.
Of all this information in this blog, I want people to know that I am passionately working towards making every home zero energy. At some point in the near future, I will put the word out that all I will build are homes with HERS scores below 35, but I can not do that yet, as my research is not complete. There is so much to learn. I already pick and choose what jobs I will do based on the homeowners beliefs and the designs of the homes. I do this for research, and its an incredible journey.
This Earth Shelter houses that we will be starting soon could be the first house in Michigan to have a HERS score of '0'. This house will be off the grid, and the homeowner and I are traveling the country looking at other Earth Shelter houses and interviewing people so that we can get this house right! It is such an amazing 'complex', that you will have to read all about it in a future blog. I have come in contact with many people acrossed the country who are living off the grid and have asked them what they like and dont like about it and what they would do differently if they ever built again. What amazing information I have recieved! I have been in contact with people in Colorado, Washington State, Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey, Maine, Marquette, and even locally that all share the same passion. They are part of our Team as we shoot for a true net zero, off the grid home. This entire project will be shot with video, even the behind the scenes efforts that go along with researching and then actually doing a project.
How will that turn out? Will we hit net zero? You will have to stay tuned to find out....
Take this with you: Does an under ground house stand the only chance to reach net zero, or can any one of the Green Building Grand Slam houses hope to reach net zero? My answer: Very shortly, I will release information that proves you can get very close to net zero, if not completly net zero with any of the Green Building Grand Slam houses as long as you use a proactive Team approach, study and learn from past projects, and keep an open mind. Time for more coffee, thanks for checking out my blog A B
Friday, July 17, 2009
A sustainable lifestyle - the Edgewood Project
Where ever I go, I keep my eyes peeled for examples of a sustainable lifestyle. After all, that is what I am all about. It shocked me a week or so ago when I was told that one of our homeowners was called 'crazy' for having a large garden and livestock. Crazy? I thought that was only something I was called a few years ago. The things I would have told that person that called one of 'us' crazy!I was working with my dad, a.k.a. 'Uncle Rog', this past week on the Edgewood Project, working towards getting the occupancy permit on that house. This project turned out amazing. I am not just talking about the trim, hardwood floors, and how incredibly tight this house is, I am talking about how sustainable the entire property and project is. If you were to drive back to the house, you would be driving across a big field of alfalfa, which is harvested to feed livestock at a local farm. The driveway is made of crushed concrete, which came from local road construction. Instead of piling it in a landfill, we used it for the driveway. Once you arrive at the house, you immediatley see the large gardens that are nearly full of vegetables. The homeowner has local customers who pay her for the freshest vegetables around. The customers show up and the vegetables are picked fresh! That is leading others to a sustainable lifestyle! The garden also produces the homeowner's vegetables that is consumed by her family. That is sustainable! She will not have to worry about what she is feeding her daughters, because all of the vegetables that they will eat come out of that garden. To store the vegetables after they are harvested, there are plans in the works for a Michigan cellar, which is a cool, dark area where the harvest is stored underground.
The picture above is great. I took this picture the other day while on site. Usually, when I tell people I saw a bunch of chicks , they think I mean something else. This bunch of chicks arrived in the mail from Iowa...yes, I said the mail. The homeowner brought them out to the site along with a group of ducklings and all of us gathered around to see them. These chicks will grow up to be egg layers, which the homeowner will sell and use for her family. That is cool! That is sustainable! The ducks will provide the family with eggs and also will be a source of sustanance. Along with the ducks and chickens, the homeowner intends on having goats, pigs, and anything else she sees fit to raise out on her land. I have approached her to raise a pig for me that I will ultimately use to feed our crews. I love it!
The homeowner has had this vision of a sustainable life for a long time. I am happy to have helped her, along with our crews, create a sustainble home that will compliment her incredibly sustainble lifestyle. I applaud her for all she is doing, it is not only 'cool', but it is a great story for others to spread the word about. She is setting a positive example, an example I hope others will follow.
Great job, I am proud of you and wish you the best of luck!!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
I think we did it!
Over the past few days, Mike Holcomb and I have been getting the energy efficiency rating of our Vineyard Project together. The HERs score is basically a rating of how energy efficient a home is based on a number of things, including a blower door test, the HVAC system, energy usage, and so on. The HERs rating is what is used to qualify a home for the Energy Star Rating. The rating is based off of a home that was rated originally tested and used as the test case. Most homes that qualify for Energy Star homes come in around at about a HERs rating of 80. That means that those houses are 20% more energy efficient than the test house. This is really good and a step in the right direction.
Most of our houses have been scoring in the 50's, which is where we would expect the to fall. This HERS score qualifies our homes as 5 star+ in the Energy Star rating system.
The Vineyard Project came in at a remarkably low score (low is good). As many know, I am a firm beleiver is Kaizan, or continuous improvemet. I want each house we build to be as energy efficient as possible for the budget. It would be less of a challenge to build a super tight house if we had a huge budget, but it doesn't work that way.
The Vineyard Project obtained a HERs score of 34!! According to our research to this point, that is the best HERs score ever achieved in the State of Michigan. This extremely low HERs score means that our Vineyard Project is now projected at the Platinum Level under the LEED for Homes program. Both Eric and I are very excited about this.
The reason this is such huge news, is because this house now proves to every other builder out there that you can build a tight house and still keep the prices down. Before the $22,000 in tax credits that this house qualifies for, the cost was at $136 a square foot. There is nothing on this house that is not custom and it also has geo thermal, solar hot water system, and almost 4kW of PV Solar. After the tax credits, the house nets about $126 a square foot. That is crazy! For that price, why wouldn't homeowners demand that their builders get them solar or geo thermal for their budget?
I am fired up, and watch what type of attention we get for this. I am now going to go on the cirquit and explain why I think builders have the ethical responsibility to offer these important sustainable options on the homes they build for their clients....
Rock on!
Most of our houses have been scoring in the 50's, which is where we would expect the to fall. This HERS score qualifies our homes as 5 star+ in the Energy Star rating system.
The Vineyard Project came in at a remarkably low score (low is good). As many know, I am a firm beleiver is Kaizan, or continuous improvemet. I want each house we build to be as energy efficient as possible for the budget. It would be less of a challenge to build a super tight house if we had a huge budget, but it doesn't work that way.
The Vineyard Project obtained a HERs score of 34!! According to our research to this point, that is the best HERs score ever achieved in the State of Michigan. This extremely low HERs score means that our Vineyard Project is now projected at the Platinum Level under the LEED for Homes program. Both Eric and I are very excited about this.
The reason this is such huge news, is because this house now proves to every other builder out there that you can build a tight house and still keep the prices down. Before the $22,000 in tax credits that this house qualifies for, the cost was at $136 a square foot. There is nothing on this house that is not custom and it also has geo thermal, solar hot water system, and almost 4kW of PV Solar. After the tax credits, the house nets about $126 a square foot. That is crazy! For that price, why wouldn't homeowners demand that their builders get them solar or geo thermal for their budget?
I am fired up, and watch what type of attention we get for this. I am now going to go on the cirquit and explain why I think builders have the ethical responsibility to offer these important sustainable options on the homes they build for their clients....
Rock on!
Friday, May 29, 2009
A pleasant suprise
Just yesterday, down in Scott's Michigan, I was working on something (a secret) on one of our projects down there, and the owner of the drywall company we use walked up to me and said "so, your green, right?". I looked down at my arms and made sure I had not turned any shades of colors that are not my own, as I answered, "Dark green brother!" (I prefer 'sustainable' or something close to that, but since he caught me off guard, I thought that I would see what he was getting at.)
I got up off of the floor, where I had just ripped my brand new pair of work pants, and walked towards him. That is when he handed me an empty tube of drywall adhesive that he had been using on this house and the past house he did for us. Right away, I saw a green leaf on the bottom of the empty adhesive tube and got excited. I asked him to tell me about the adhesive, and he started his sentence, something like this, "Since I know what you stand for, I searched this adhesive out and actually used it on the little house out back. My wife has been pushing me to get into this green movement and we thought it would be a great opportunity to get started on that track. Here is an empty tube for you to take with you."
To that, I responded, "Wow, Chris, I know I mentioned that we wanted to use low or no V.O.C. ahesives or paints whenever possible, but you took that ball and ran with it. Do you know why it is important to have the drywall adhesive be low to no V.O.C.?" To which he replied "Because of the off gasing through out the years. It is one of the reasons people can get sick in their homes." For those of you who know me, could you not see me clapping at that point? I was blindsided in a good way by his comment and that he looked around the house to find me to show me that tube!Bravo! A very valued Team Member indeed!
It wasn't very long ago, that Eric Hughes and I were out knocking on our supplier's doors trying to get green products from them. They did not even kow what we were talking about. Now, I have our drywaller, walking in to find me, putting up with me blowing my nose and sneezing to make sure that I knew that this house and any other house that they did or do for us is safe! Indoor air quaility is huge, we almost said that at the exact same time.
I was absolutely blown away by what I saw yesterday, and it gives me an renewed hope in this industry! I can almost gaurantee that the drywaller will take what he has learned to other builders and help them keep their clients safe by using low to no v.o.c. products in their homes. I was so excited yesterday......
I got up off of the floor, where I had just ripped my brand new pair of work pants, and walked towards him. That is when he handed me an empty tube of drywall adhesive that he had been using on this house and the past house he did for us. Right away, I saw a green leaf on the bottom of the empty adhesive tube and got excited. I asked him to tell me about the adhesive, and he started his sentence, something like this, "Since I know what you stand for, I searched this adhesive out and actually used it on the little house out back. My wife has been pushing me to get into this green movement and we thought it would be a great opportunity to get started on that track. Here is an empty tube for you to take with you."
To that, I responded, "Wow, Chris, I know I mentioned that we wanted to use low or no V.O.C. ahesives or paints whenever possible, but you took that ball and ran with it. Do you know why it is important to have the drywall adhesive be low to no V.O.C.?" To which he replied "Because of the off gasing through out the years. It is one of the reasons people can get sick in their homes." For those of you who know me, could you not see me clapping at that point? I was blindsided in a good way by his comment and that he looked around the house to find me to show me that tube!Bravo! A very valued Team Member indeed!
It wasn't very long ago, that Eric Hughes and I were out knocking on our supplier's doors trying to get green products from them. They did not even kow what we were talking about. Now, I have our drywaller, walking in to find me, putting up with me blowing my nose and sneezing to make sure that I knew that this house and any other house that they did or do for us is safe! Indoor air quaility is huge, we almost said that at the exact same time.
I was absolutely blown away by what I saw yesterday, and it gives me an renewed hope in this industry! I can almost gaurantee that the drywaller will take what he has learned to other builders and help them keep their clients safe by using low to no v.o.c. products in their homes. I was so excited yesterday......
Saturday, May 23, 2009
My Favorite House.
First off, welcome to my blog! I figured that this would be the best way to connect with everyone. This blog will give me an opportunity to post stories and information from my life as the Hybrid Home Guy.
Over the last 5 years, I have had the wonderful opportunity of building a number of cutting edge projects that others had never before seen to that point. I had built ICF homes before suppliers, inspectors, and other builders ever knew what ICF stood for. Then, after being called crazy and lots of other things, I started mastering the art of SIP's and working to make sure the connection points were addressed in the quest to build the tightest house possible. Recently, I was able to prove to the world that I could build a house that was advanced framed, around 160k and that it would be tighter than any other house in that price range. It has been very fun and rewarding in deed to build this variety of houses.
Would I dodge this question of which home is my favorite? Could I even answer a question like that without just saying, they are all my favorite? Well, it is true, I love them all and every house that I have built or remodeled has a piece of me in it. I am very proud of every house I have ever been involved with. I leave each project with something special that I personally built or installed and that let's me leave with a feeling of confidence, acheivement, and pride that only comes from putting your all into doing something well.
I continued, "I know this still hasn't answered your question of which is my favorite. That is definately a tough question because we have so many projects at so many different stages. I can tell you what I like about each place that we have finished recently and then tell you which one of those project I think is the most sustainable based on the homeoowner's lifestyle. And that is what I will do."
Over the last 5 years, I have had the wonderful opportunity of building a number of cutting edge projects that others had never before seen to that point. I had built ICF homes before suppliers, inspectors, and other builders ever knew what ICF stood for. Then, after being called crazy and lots of other things, I started mastering the art of SIP's and working to make sure the connection points were addressed in the quest to build the tightest house possible. Recently, I was able to prove to the world that I could build a house that was advanced framed, around 160k and that it would be tighter than any other house in that price range. It has been very fun and rewarding in deed to build this variety of houses.
Since I seem to never pass up a challenge, I am now interested in building homes with straw clay, Earth Shelter houses, and anything else that comes my way. The biggest problem is having enough time to do all of the projects that are before us. But, I am getting that figured out.
Recently, I was asked by a client, "What is your favorite house out of all of them that you built?" This was a great question and one that the client asked in front of the homeowner's in the home that we were touring. What was I going to say? I bet there are people out there who wonder how I was going to answer that, especially with a Hybrid Alumnist present.
This was my answer: "Please have a seat because this is going to take some time to answer. That is a very good question, consider this: I am not a parent, and I have no idea what it is like to raise children. But, I am quite certain that I have a pretty good idea that if you asked a parent who has several children, their reponse to a question of "which one is your favorite" would be something like what my response would be to the question that started this posting. Imagine if you will, that I have 19 children who are scattered all over the State of Michigan and are off all ages. Each of these children has at least one trait that makes them special. Each of these children also have traits that may make them farther advanced than the others, but all were raised to lessen their load on the planet, be sustainable, and most importantly provide a safe and enjoyable life to anyone that comes in contact with them. Of course, I am talking about the Hybrid Homes that I and my Team have built all over the State of Michigan."
Would I dodge this question of which home is my favorite? Could I even answer a question like that without just saying, they are all my favorite? Well, it is true, I love them all and every house that I have built or remodeled has a piece of me in it. I am very proud of every house I have ever been involved with. I leave each project with something special that I personally built or installed and that let's me leave with a feeling of confidence, acheivement, and pride that only comes from putting your all into doing something well.
I continued, "I know this still hasn't answered your question of which is my favorite. That is definately a tough question because we have so many projects at so many different stages. I can tell you what I like about each place that we have finished recently and then tell you which one of those project I think is the most sustainable based on the homeoowner's lifestyle. And that is what I will do."
(side note: any homeowners of ours that are reading this, do know that I feel strongly about every home and that I love them all equally)
"When I built the first Hybrid House in Shelby Michigan, we were so far ahead of anyone else, that we had to pave the way. That house has split stone from the land, is all ICF, has miles of tongue and groove pine in it and will forever remain closest to my heart, because it was my first. Together with the homeowner, we built that house from the ground up, and did it for such a low price, it made me rethink how projects are priced. It uses very little propane to heat the house and is in a location that is incredible. This house kickstarted the green movement in Michigan because it got people's attention!"
"
Another house that will forever be near to my Heart is the house in Onekama, Michigan. This house blew green building in Michigan out of the water! When you talk about blood sweat and tears, this project were all those and more! One of the things that happened there was when the township blind sided us with a notice of violation reagarding the wind generator that we had just put up. The meetings were almost every week for about 6 monthes. I had locals calling me a renegade and others calling me a hero. In Onekama for a 6 month period, I could not walk into any of the stores or restaurants without getting evil stares, or pats on the back. This was such a tough time because no one was there to help with the finances it took to survive this unfortunate ordeal. Onekama helped define the person I am today and although I am not there right now, the house we built there remains and is a symbol of prosperity and advancement. This house was the main attraction of the Michigan Energy Fair for two years in a row and it has won every award there is to win! Governor Granholm went to the house to see what all the hype was. This house was built at a time when everyone in our state was wondering what Green was. This house paved the way for all those in this state who are either working towards a more sustainable business/lifestyle, or who poppped out of the wood work to jump on the green band wagon. The Onekama house is one of my prized children who has acheived amazing things! This house has a wind generator and also a solar hot water system."
Another house that will forever be near to my Heart is the house in Onekama, Michigan. This house blew green building in Michigan out of the water! When you talk about blood sweat and tears, this project were all those and more! One of the things that happened there was when the township blind sided us with a notice of violation reagarding the wind generator that we had just put up. The meetings were almost every week for about 6 monthes. I had locals calling me a renegade and others calling me a hero. In Onekama for a 6 month period, I could not walk into any of the stores or restaurants without getting evil stares, or pats on the back. This was such a tough time because no one was there to help with the finances it took to survive this unfortunate ordeal. Onekama helped define the person I am today and although I am not there right now, the house we built there remains and is a symbol of prosperity and advancement. This house was the main attraction of the Michigan Energy Fair for two years in a row and it has won every award there is to win! Governor Granholm went to the house to see what all the hype was. This house was built at a time when everyone in our state was wondering what Green was. This house paved the way for all those in this state who are either working towards a more sustainable business/lifestyle, or who poppped out of the wood work to jump on the green band wagon. The Onekama house is one of my prized children who has acheived amazing things! This house has a wind generator and also a solar hot water system.""
Once a person achieves success in a project, it usually means that their star will burn out, because of the work it takes to go through an ordeal like the Onekama Project, and not wanting to go through the same kind of things again. I knew this and I tried so hard to make sure that the follow up house to the Onekama house would be more advanced, or at least as cutting edge as the Onekama House was. Que the Vineyard Project. The Vineyard Project came at a time when we were mobilizing out of Onekama, had just finished some green remodeling projects and were ready to get back to business. It also meant that after about 4 monthes, we had to go back on the road and start all over in a different community. What I found out on this project, is the power of a Team of people instead of just building a house with two people. I was happy with the over all progress of the house but learned many more things on this project that would help me develop into a better leader. There were areas that we improved on with this house and in the end, this house turned out amazing! One of the most amazing things to happen, is the addition of 3.3kW of solar voltiacs on this home which provides over 85% of the electricity used in the home! With the addition of this PV and the solar hot water system, this made the Vineyard Project our most sustainable project to date! It will most likely win many awards like the Onekama House did, but it was most definately an answer to the question, what would we do next. I am very proud of this house, not only because of it being one of the most sustainable homes on the planet, but because it answered the lingering question inside me, "Will I have it in me to build another house like Onekama?"
Once a person achieves success in a project, it usually means that their star will burn out, because of the work it takes to go through an ordeal like the Onekama Project, and not wanting to go through the same kind of things again. I knew this and I tried so hard to make sure that the follow up house to the Onekama house would be more advanced, or at least as cutting edge as the Onekama House was. Que the Vineyard Project. The Vineyard Project came at a time when we were mobilizing out of Onekama, had just finished some green remodeling projects and were ready to get back to business. It also meant that after about 4 monthes, we had to go back on the road and start all over in a different community. What I found out on this project, is the power of a Team of people instead of just building a house with two people. I was happy with the over all progress of the house but learned many more things on this project that would help me develop into a better leader. There were areas that we improved on with this house and in the end, this house turned out amazing! One of the most amazing things to happen, is the addition of 3.3kW of solar voltiacs on this home which provides over 85% of the electricity used in the home! With the addition of this PV and the solar hot water system, this made the Vineyard Project our most sustainable project to date! It will most likely win many awards like the Onekama House did, but it was most definately an answer to the question, what would we do next. I am very proud of this house, not only because of it being one of the most sustainable homes on the planet, but because it answered the lingering question inside me, "Will I have it in me to build another house like Onekama?""
While we were building the Vineyard Project, we started a few other projects. The Watercress Project started about the same time as the Vineyard Project and it provided an outlet for the creative juices that flow threw my veins. This house was also to be an answer to the Onekama House in regards to that lingering question inside of me. Starting from the beginning, this project had challenges, most notably, the size of the lot and the two streams that came out from under where the house was to stand. What was so unique about this house, besides how sustainable and energy efficient it is, is that we had a chance to reuse items in it and also to use the trees from the lot inside the home. We had a larger Team on this project than any previous project. We had an interior designer, among others, who was there to direct what we did inside. I was able to talk them into using trees inside the cottage and together we found ways to use the cedar, cherry, and maple lumber that we harvested from the building site. Although, this house is not in a real good position to use renewable energy, it is still very sustainable and a place that is absolutely custom and amazing! There are approximately 30 custom features in this house, including custom built-ins, custom bar, custom handrail system, and so much more. This place is right on a lake and will forever stand as a symbol of sustainability, art, and harmony in a setting that is just out right incredible."
While we were building the Vineyard Project, we started a few other projects. The Watercress Project started about the same time as the Vineyard Project and it provided an outlet for the creative juices that flow threw my veins. This house was also to be an answer to the Onekama House in regards to that lingering question inside of me. Starting from the beginning, this project had challenges, most notably, the size of the lot and the two streams that came out from under where the house was to stand. What was so unique about this house, besides how sustainable and energy efficient it is, is that we had a chance to reuse items in it and also to use the trees from the lot inside the home. We had a larger Team on this project than any previous project. We had an interior designer, among others, who was there to direct what we did inside. I was able to talk them into using trees inside the cottage and together we found ways to use the cedar, cherry, and maple lumber that we harvested from the building site. Although, this house is not in a real good position to use renewable energy, it is still very sustainable and a place that is absolutely custom and amazing! There are approximately 30 custom features in this house, including custom built-ins, custom bar, custom handrail system, and so much more. This place is right on a lake and will forever stand as a symbol of sustainability, art, and harmony in a setting that is just out right incredible."I have to add, that I did not go into such great detail with the client I mentioned above, but I did make sure to let him know that I was very partial to all of the houses, including the 7 that we have going on right now. He was, however wanting to know the answer to his question, "Which house is your favorite?" I did tell him what house I thought was my, as some may say, favorite, but, for that answer, you will have to stay tuned to this blog................................
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)