Green Modern Kits.com's blog

I got so sick of my weeds I ate them.

http://www.greenmodernkits.com/2008/05/garden-revenge.html

(Forgive the picture of me in my jammies with yesterday's makeup falling off my face, but I still like it anyway because it shows how large the burdock grows!)

By the time you read this, it will be my birthday.
I'm ugly and old as dirt.

So, in honor of the sands of time passing, imminent doom and whatnot, I thought I'd show you these *recycled* coffin couches.

You know, I'm still a goth girl at heart, and I'm certain the Addams Family would approve.

Read the hilarious commentary here:
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/04/28/coffincouchescom-rec.html

And the website: http://coffincouches.com/

"We at Coffincouches.com have the mindset of thinking "Green" and we know it is different but we strongly believe in recycling. Our niche happens to be 18 gauge steel coffins which we collected from local funeral homes primarily in Southern California. It is a health and safety law that funeral homes cannot resell used coffins to the general public. We approached funeral directors with the attitude of recycling. These coffins are not used for burial due to slight cosmetic inconsistencies. They are reconfigured and modified resulting in a finished product - a unique one a kind coffin couch. If you notice (although it may be too small) the six cast iron heavy duty legs are embossed with the universal biohazard insignia. The reason we utilized this sign was because safety was our utmost concern. If you are not aware, once a human body is placed in a coffin it is considered biohazard tissue. The legs have the embossed insignia for precautionary reasons in the event body fluids are exchanged on these coffins. Perhaps you would feel safe knowing that you are in designated biohazard scene!
Ha!!"

Ha, I like these guys! There's something... a touch o' goth rockabilly in 'em.

You should see our walls.

Every now and then I really, really look at them.
Maybe I'll be sitting in a sunbeam on the floor, enjoying the day, and then suddenly get a full eye-view glimpse of what we've wreaked over the year:

• The sippy cups dashed to the floor... wow, who knew milk flew that far and high?
• The grime from husband's latest "Oh I'm just gonna sand this piece o' furniture... in the bedroom."
• The detailed ink pen drawings of a 3 year old... the crayon, the marker, the pencil...
• And, I admit: the red wine stains flung and spattered from a too good party... they *always* trip over that dag-goned rug!

And then I read:
Self Cleaning Paint.

Dag.

Give it here, prof, I have a great test lab fer ya.

From http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/apr2008/2008-04-27-093.asp

"Self-cleaning Paint Uses Light to Cleanse Walls

CORAL GABLES, Florida, April 27, 2008 (ENS) - It sounds like something out of a householder's fantasy - walls covered with self-cleaning paint that repels dirt and grime.

But this new kind of paint is a reality now being tested on the walls of research lab at the University of Miami College of Engineering. The experimental initiative is designed to fit into the university’s commitment towards environmental sustainability on campus.

Dr. James Giancaspro, an assistant professor at the department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering has applied the innovative product on the walls of his lab, where undergraduate and graduate students work. The self-cleaning paint is an ecologically friendly product, Giancaspro says, which has the ability to keep walls clean and maintenance free by repelling dirt, smog, bacteria, algae and fungus that normally accumulates on surfaces, eliminating toxic odors at the same time. "

Read more here!
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/apr2008/2008-04-27-093.asp

...Later...

Sorry, guys, I survived the tornado.

So if you *thought* you saw a pink haired lady riding a shed through the sky cackling wildly… well, you shoulda just waved!

Any-hoo, I will avoid my usual, well-known gushing on Finland but thought I'd share this article from...
2005...

http://www.finnfacts.com/english/main/actualities/kemira_nano.html

Kemira's nano products
Clean wall, fresh air
8.6.2005

"The photocatalytic paints and plasters that have just come onto the market include nanocrystalline material thanks to which the consumer sees a cleaner wall and breathes fresher air," say Visa Vehmanen, a researcher at Kemira Oy.

Kemira Oy produces photocatalytically active nanocrystalline titanium dioxide that can be used as a raw material in self-cleaning paints and plasters that also clean the air.

Photocatalytically active titanium dioxide can decompose organic substances into carbon dioxide when it absorbs light. A photoactive paint surface decomposes dirt from its surface and harmful substances, like nicotine, from the air," Vehmanen explains.

Old becomes better

The opaque titanium dioxide crystal traditionally used in paints is more than 200 nanometres in size. The photocatalytically active titanium dioxide crystal is about 20 nanometres. The smaller size makes greater photocatalytic activity possible.

"With research methods based on nanotechnology we have a better understanding than before of what happens in the production process of titanium dioxide. When we understand the process thoroughly, we can affect the properties of products on a nanometre scale and make better products."

Nanotechnology is, according to Vehmanen, a means of obtaining better products from old ones. On the other hand, nanotechnology makes it possible to develop completely new applications.

"Nanotechnology is one part of the rapid technological development. From the consumers' perspective the most important thing is how the product works. Whether there is a new property in a product thanks to nanotechnology or not is of hardly any significance to the consumer," Vehmanen states. "Users of photocatalytic paints and plasters are still few in number, but usage is growing all the time."

www.kemira.com

Hi everyone!!!

I am thrilled to announce our prefab Green Cottage Kit design is here!

Although a modern enthusiast, I grew up (and my parents still reside) in a home built in 1801. A Virginia native, I appreciate old farmhouses, Victorian brownstones, colonial and happy, yes, exuberantly happy cottage architecture.

So, when people came to me on GreenModernKits.com asking for a cottage, I understood.

So I kidnapped Eric Drivdahl, an award winning architect with a heart of gold, and he designed a gorgeous, passive solar, SIPs, cottage kit with so many thoughtful details:

- 2,000 sq. ft. (and less: this house has 3 configurations)

- 3 bedrooms (or less)

- Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) for energy efficiency

- Passive Solar

- Trombe Wall

- Nooks and Crannies where you can curl up and read your books!

We haven't even named it yet, but we're so happy.

If you have any names you'd like to suggest, we'd love to hear them!

Sincerely yours,

Copeland

aka Green Modern Kits! : )

Despite my love of sailing (noted in below post) ; ) I spent the weekend landlocked in beautiful south-central Virginia discussing greywater with our contractor. (That is, when I wasn’t getting fat on all the yummy Amish food we bought: dinner rolls, goat cheese, pickled beets, zucchini relish and oatmeal cookies. Yum.)

The land perks, but because of the soil conditions I am trying to best approach the greywater as if it didn’t because of concerns for the stream (way below) the site.

It looks like we *are* going to be able to dig deep enough for rainwater cisterns (a separate topic) but I was having trouble explaining my idea for what I want to do with greywater and finding the "proof" of what other states/counties have done to back me up. (I am hoping to completely avoid a traditional septic field as that does not have peak performance for greywater- we will be using a composting toilet so the blackwater is separate, and using gravity to irrigate downhill where the land plateaus before continuing downhill to a creek...)

I keep a list of greywater manuals, etc. on http://www.greenmodernkits.com/greywater.htm

But what I found tonight is more food for thought:
http://www.enviroalternatives.com/toiletgraywater.html

Does anyone have any other information/resources to add? Anyone else building/using greywater treatment/fields?

Ok, don't tell anyone, but I flat-out admit it:
As a sailor, I loathe powerboats.

I watch them speeding by with inept skiiers, waves crashing into my (no wake zone) dock, jarring and jostling my beloved boat... The high whine of the sea-doos as they zip about oncoming boats with no inkling of right-of-way much less port or starboard... UGH. The oily film they leave about the piers where they congregate... Ew, I'm making myself queasy when I think of it (or maybe it was last night's Green Drinks cocktails?)...

Any-hoo, to that segment of our seafaring population, I humbly submit:
The Solar-Powered Power Boat

Go check it all out (there's even a video) here:
http://ecoble.com/2008/04/15/awesome-solar-powered-bicycle-boat-design/

and make *sure* you visit the designer's site:
http://www.mj-design.fr/

Hope y'all enjoy the Remarkable Trees of Virginia Project book and website my cousin, Nancy Ross Hugo, has created with Dr. Jeffrey Kirwan at Virginia Tech.

Here's my own personal favorite vote: http://www.cnr.vt.edu/4h/remarkabletree/detail.cfm?AutofieldforPrimaryKey=1996

Uhm, for totally unbiased reasons... : )

Book coming out soon!

In my green building business, my mission is affordable housing. As you (and I) make decisions on what kind of foundation, systems, and other considerations for the construction of your home, I always look at the financial figures and think, "Where can I save money?" When I started this quest, often those"great" cost-saving steps instead cost me money.

• Remember when I bought those great windows at Habitat for Humanity's Restore and Craigslist? Great cause, great idea, recycling and all, cost $600, now I can't use them for my modern house kit. (Note to all: I will reuse them, somehow, maybe in a future barn. But in the meantime, they collect dust in the garage...)
• Remember when I spent five thousand dollars on shop drawings for another type of house framing where I would then have to insulate and pay for the labor to do so... and then I discovered SIPs (structural insulated panels- strong, incredibly insulated panels) for the same price quote? Ouch.

Oh well, that was before I founded Green Modern Kits.com so someone else wouldn't have to make those mistakes! ; )

So whenever I find great resources I will add them to my "resource" tab on the site, and whenever I find great tips I will add them to my green building blog under "money saving tips".

And here is my latest money saving tip:

Windows and Doors:

If you have time, know that your local Home Depot/Lowes, etc. have regular sales.

Wait for one. Even better, strike up a conversation with the guy with whom you'll be placing your order and ask him to help keep you informed on special deals.

Our prefab kits come with a window and door schedule. I took that schedule to my local XYZ Hardware Store to get the original price quote for my budget, which ended up being around $9,000.

Well, guess what? Next week my local store is having a 15% off sale.

15% off of $9,000 is... appreciated! You can then ask them to take it a step further: Ask them to send the bid to the buying headquarters. They then go to the manufacturer who will often take off another 5 to 12 PERCENT! Woo!

Hope that helps someone else in a similar situation in this internet ether.

Keep your fingers crossed as I wait for the final price!

(Which will then be posted in my "final costs" post)

Well, my fabulous contractor, Ron Bernaldo of Giant Oaks Construction just called to tell me...

He has the building permit for our modern plan casa ti house kit in his hand!

Now the fun begins!

Stay tuned!

If you'd like to follow along, you can also check regularly on my modern prefab green building project page and my blog for our own casa ti house kit.

We all know the saying... Good fences make good neighbors...

On the Bay, fences are rarely used.

Yesterday I took you for a lil' tour of mid-century modern. Unfortunately, these architectural gems are not as appreciated today as new homeowners raze and build three story monstrosities.

I just sit back, admire the original squat mod architecture (where it still exists) and tell myself that those tall glass houses will overheat the occupants or shatter with the first real storm.

Oh, and are there storms.
So doesn't it make sense to build for it? Low to the land, taking advantage of the breeze... but you've already read that post, now, haven't you?

Today I'll review newer architecture on XYZ Point, and show you the changing landscape...

For example,
I see this...

Change to this... now twenty feet to the right of the above picture...

Ah yes, vinyl houses rise out of farm fields... can someone please tell these guys about Smart Growth?

At least some people are incorporating their "new" structures into the original architecture, look closely:

This homeowner did NOT tear down the original cottage, and instead expanded and incorporated the original into the larger total structure.

Sure does fit a lot o' grandchildren...

Any-hoo, on my documentation of mid-century modern, it also compelled me to more closely inspect the overall architecture... and fences.

As a landowner I understand the value of a fence. It keeps livestock in, coyotes out, provides clear delineations between what is "yours" and "mine" so that there doesn't have to be the wondering and feuding that occur when there is that question.

However, as someone who adores Snufkin, the fence statement is all in how ya do it.

This fence says,
"Step through the exuberant garden and come in for a cup o' tea!"

This fence says, "Come in! Gather round, it's time for lunch after a long morning of sailing! Momma's just come in from pruning hydrangeas for the table and made you grilled cheese and a glass o' cold milk!"

And this fence?
This fence, below, says...

"You're not invited and we sooooooooo don't want to know you. You thah, yes, you there on the road, keep along, hop now, move on!"

Well, guess what, Mr. Snotty Fence:
Here, as we tumble about and run wild like pirates on the Bay... we might not want to know you, either.

Let the good times roll!