Government vs. Economy

The administrations great Going Green Initiative. Like so many policies created by our legislature designed to improve our environment and enrich our lives, money was spent but not much had changed. Millions has been given to people to replace their old appliances which weren't as energy efficient (without regrading the fact that they'd be going into our landfills, not a very green concept...buy new to throw away something that was functioning). Other recent mandates included eliminating Incandescent light bulbs for more efficient Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs), again the lack of foresight missed out on our increasing the amount of mercury in our every day environment by producing all these CFLs and having them plugged in only inches from us on a regular basis. I once heard the phrase, "Let government govern, and the economy solve problems." Through all the millions spent by our government recently, very little has changed for the better or changed for the greener. The economy however has been much more successful of late with creating a green society. Due to rising cost of oil, many manufacturers have done away with or reduced the amount of plastic created to house their products while some retails pushed for smaller packaging, less plastic, and to be more "eco-friendly". Mandate and force a belief system down our throats all you want Government, until the private citizens request the desire for something or big business feels it would be more profitable to move in that direction, all that will occur is more of our tax dollars spent without much to show. Thank you economy for staying true and being the main decision maker within our free society.

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/112852/retailers-greener-packaging-nyt

- Design is what you make it.

Does it pay to go green?

Incentives, incentives...the upfront cost of going green with solar panels (most common interpretation of going green for residential use), can sometimes scare off homeowners who could benefit financially while helping the environment benefit through reduced fossil fuel consumption. The financial burden has been greatly reduced through incentive based programs by states and the federal government. In most cases, the overall cost is reduced by 50% after applying for and receiving the tax credits. This reduction makes the installation of solar panels for home energy independence much more affordable and shortens the time line to recoup the upfront costs. Massachusetts has dedicated $1 million dollars to this endeavor. Speak to some contractors to see how much it would cost for you to make your home more green friendly and review the incentives you could receive. Creating a green friendly home not only helps the environment, but also can help save you money in the long term as well as increasing the value of your home.

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/greenblog/?p1=Well_Local_GreenBlog

- Design is what you make it.

LONG TERM OR SHORT TERM...which is the better plan?

A new standard has been delved out by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), ALL new construction and major renovation projects must meet LEED Gold certification. This new regulation has created heated debates on both sides of the issue. The reason? MONEY

It's safe to say that everyone agrees that being more efficient with one's energy consumption is advantageous in the long term, but at what price up front? This simple question is easily answered using a Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA). One simply calculates the up front cost of using the more efficient system, subtracting the cost savings over a specified period of time, and if the number is negative then the more expensive up front cost system actually saves you money.

The problem with the new regulation, is that this LCCA is not being taken into account. This means that there are some projects which would cost less money in the long term by using more conventional, less efficient systems. In order for one to truly appreciate the situation, imagine if you bought a home anticipating only being in that home for 5 years. Would you spend extra money on a roofing shingle because it'll last 30 years rather than 20 years? The answer is no. It doesn't make economical sense. While the effort on this new program should be applauded for it's intentions, good intentions do not equal good methodology. Perhaps in the future our elected officials will take into consideration the whole picture before they jump on the bandwagon of the latest ideas and concepts, performing their due diligence and critically question each and every program before increasing the spending of limited tax dollars.

http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/2010/12/101207leed_gold_required.asp

- Design is what you make it.