ABODE Hosts Plymouth State Sustainability Class

ABODE recently hosted a group of students from Plymouth State University to teach them about eco-friendly and sustainable construction practices. The students are learning about Sustainability, Second Homes and the Northern Forest, which focuses on the principals of sustainability in second homes in this region along with the sociological knowledge that can be applied to encourage homeowners to reduce their environmental impacts.

During the session the students learned about energy efficient building practices, environmentally friendly building materials and sustainable development. Much of the discussion touched on the sociological factors involved in the decision making process for building a second home, from how homeowners approach energy efficient building to how the word "sustainability" takes on a different meaning for different people and situations.

ABODE is happy to be able to provide a "remote classroom" experience for these students and extremely lucky to have such a great community partner in Plymouth State University. We look forward to the next opportunity to spread the word about green building.

Green Buildings Open House Tour

The New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association will be hosting a Green Buildings Open House Tour on Saturday, October 2nd, from 10am - 4pm. This statewide event features over 65 properties from Nashua to Berlin that are using renewable energy technologies from straw bales to geothermal and everything in between.

If you are considering building an environmentally friendly home, this is a great way to speak directly to homeowners who are already enjoying the benefits of eco-friendly living. To search for energy efficient homes near you or for general information, visit http://www.nhsea.org/gboh/. Enjoy!

Choosing Paints That Don't Give Back

Painting is one of the best ways to refresh a room. Unfortunately, most paints aren’t good for us: They give off volatile organic compounds, or VOC's, which can cause short- and long-term adverse health effects. Look for paints that say “low VOC” or “zero VOC,” as well as paint strippers that are nontoxic and biodegradeable.

Most, if not all of the major brands now offer both low and zero VOC options. If you are looking for other alternatives, Green Planet Paint is an interior clay paint that covers well, Anna Sova's food grade paint has zero VOC's and 94% food ingredients and AFM SafeCoat offers a broad array of interior and exterior options that were developed specifically for people with chemical sensitivities and allergies.

There are a variety of options out there, so do your research and ask a lot of questions.