“This is evidence that the District is moving toward my vision for a sustainable D.C. and will lead the nation in implementing green practices and growing a green economy,” said Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “We are fully committed to being number one again next year.”

However, for the past decade, Chicago, still remains the top green roof leader among metropolitan areas, with over five million square feet of installed green roofs.

Components of a green roof include layers of protected membranes and soil medium, and planted with any type of vegetation such as grasses. Advocates say the benefits of added insulation for buildings, increased energy efficiency and better stormwater management outweigh the costs.

In addition, green roofs contribute to cleaner air, reduce stress off sewer systems through stormwater retention and help reduce the heat island effect that urban areas experience.

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) is an association that promotes the development of green roofs and walls. “We are definitely beginning to see results from policy support that has increased over the past few years,” says Jeffrey L. Bruce, chair of GRHC. “The industry is also benefiting from the more than 500 accredited green roof professionals (GRPs) in the market, who are committed to driving future industry growth.”

“As awareness grows on the multiple benefits of green roofs and the success of the industry, more homeowners will recognize green roofs as investments that will pay financial and environmental dividends,” said Paul Erlichman, membership coordinator for the association. “At a larger scale, an increasing amount of policies such as Toronto’s Green Roof Bylaw will require that developers use green infrastructure principles in their projects. Certainly, the further development of these policies will make our cities greener and drive the residential green roof market.”

For more information on  Atlanta green building visit Atlanta Real Estate Forum.

The three-day conference include educational programs, green product exhibits, local green home tours and the Muddy Boots Mixer, which is a networking and awards event.

“These awards recognize the best and most innovative builders and remodelers in green building”, said NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. “The demand for green building is growing in leaps and bounds, and these winners set a great example of what can be accomplished in terms of sustainable and energy efficient building practices.”

Five single-family home projects were honored:

• Purdue University of West Lafayette, Ind., for Project of the Year, Single-Family Concept and Research- Academic
• Meritage Homes of Goodyear, Ariz., for Project of the Year, Single-Family Production Builder
• TC Legend Homes/Zero-Energy Plans LLC of Coupeville, Wash., for Project of the Year, Single-Family Concept and Research- Enterprise
• Chandler Design-Build Inc. of Mebane, N.C., for Project of the Year, Single-Family Small Volume Builder
• MGM Construction of San Francisco, for Project of the Year, Single-Family Custom Builder

Two remodeling projects and one multifamily project were also honored:

• Trifecta Construction Solutions of Fort Meyers, Fla., for Multifamily Project of the Year
• G HOME of Rocking Horse Redevelopment of Phoenix, Ariz., for Remodeling Project of the Year Under $100,000
• G HOME by Rocking Horse Redevelopment of Phoenix, Ariz., for Remodeling Project of the Year Over $100,000

Two awards were given to individuals or organizations for their efforts in green building advocacy:

• G STREET of Scottsdale, Ariz., as Remodeler Advocate of the Year
• The Mungo Companies of Irmo, S.C. for Builder Advocate of the Year

A new award, NAHB Green Outstanding Contribution Award, was also presented to T.W. Bailey, of WaterMark Custom Builders in Frisco, Texas.

For more information on this year’s awards, visit the National Green Building Awards website.

Cambria quartz countertops are the only domestically produced quartz surfaces and go through an extensive recovery and recycling of water used in the production process. This results in greatly reduced water loss. Combined with the lack of carbon footprint from having to ship the countertops internationally to reach the slab gallery, it is one of the most ecologically-friendly surfaces on the market. During the sale, all Cambria products will be 15 percent off and all quartz remnant inventory will be $10 per square foot.

Vetrazzo recycled glass countertops will also be featured in the sale. These 100 percent recycled glass counter surfaces join the wide array of other brands on sale, including Artisan Stone Collection, Kohler, Saratoga Soapstone, Heritage Wood, Caesarstone, Silestone, Corian, Zodiaq, Shaw, HiMacs, Viatera, Dal Tile, Artisan Sinks, Coastal, Closet Maid, Atlanta Marble Mfg. and Mohawk.

You won’t have to worry about missing a deal across the huge 13 acre facility, as there will be a shuttle to run guests from the indoor slab gallery, slab yard and other buildings. You can explore all over to find more than 3,000 granite and quartz slabs with hundreds of colors, styles and sizes to choose from. More than 30 experienced Construction Resources Project Managers will be on site to assist with your selection process.

Make sure to mark your calendars for this event on May 11 and 12! For more information about Construction Resources and the products on sale, visit their website www.constructionresourcesusa.com.

Your home has missed out on a little TLC over the winter. While others may tell you to dust your baseboards and wash all of your curtains to give your home the love it needs, Traton Homes has some things that you should be doing to your home that you may not even be thinking about to keep it performing at its best. Below are a few suggestions.

Inspect your air conditioner: The last thing you want to do is to try to turn on the A/C on the first day that the heat has become too unbearable to keep the air off any longer and find that it’s not working. Call a qualified HVAC contractor now to make sure your system is running efficiently.

Check your water heater: This is another major appliance that you don’t want to go out. If your unit is older than five years, then check the bottom for any leaking or rusting. If you find any, then it’s probably time to replace the unit.

Check for leaky window sills: Once you do turn on your A/C, you don’t want all that cool air to leak outside. Check your window sills, door sill and thresholds for cracks, replace your weather stripping and caulk the edges.

Traton Homes is a metro Atlanta home builder that has been building quality new homes for more than 40 years.

For more information, visit http://www.TratonHomes.com.

Every Bay Area home is made with the aforementioned amenities in addition to high-efficiency toilets and low VOC paints. These homes offer reduced levels of pollution, green house gases and are less dependent on finite energy sources.

Buyers of Signature Homes not only promote health in the environment, they also save money by investing in homes equipped with environmentally conscious elements. These elements improve residents’ quality of life as they save energy and money. Build It Green has come alongside Signature Homes to ensure that every home is constructed with environmentally conscious materials.

The builder constructs new homes in several Bay Area and Sacramento communities with features such as elegant kitchens, ceramic tile flooring, granite slab countertops and Whirlpool appliance packages in addition to their energy saving construction.

Signature Homes has built over 6,000 homes in more than 70 residential communities in the Bay Area and Sacramento region with no end in sight. Thousands of buyers have become part of the Signature Homes family and with new plans on the horizon, there will be many more to come.

Signature Homes has sought to combine the environmentally conscious elements of green building with sophisticated design in each of its unique Bay Area homes. These energy saving amenities provide homeowners with energy renewable homes that are both affordable and luxurious.

For more information about Signature Homes or its communities, visit the website.

In Smyrna, Brookfield Park at West Village is a true live/work/play community. Restaurants include Blue Moon Pizza, Crepe Revolution, Five Guys Burgers, Lime Taqueria and more. Businesses at West Village include an organic grocer, boutiques, dentist office, gym and salons to name a few. West Village received the Development of Excellence Award from the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Woodstock Knoll is walking distance to downtown Woodstock, accessible by wide sidewalks the entire way. A wide variety of restaurants are located downtown, from Hot Dog Heaven for a quick lunch to fine Italian dining at Ipp’s. Cafés, a pizzeria, gourmet Mexican and more round out the offerings. Salons, boutiques, a bicycle shop, bookstore, yoga studio, painting studio and more provide entertainment and shopping venues for Woodstock Knoll residents.

Woodstock Knoll and Brookfield Park at West Village offer single-family energy-efficient homes. Homes at Woodstock Knoll are priced from the low $200,000s to $500,000s and homes in Brookfield Park at West Village are priced from the high $200,000s.

For more information on these walkable communities, visit the Ashton Woods Homes website.

Equifax Finance Blog writer Mechel Glass shares some tips in her article Need Extra Cash? Host a Yard Sale.

First, you need to pick a date for the yard sale. Some last for the entire weekend while others are a one-day affair. Once you select the date, make sure and get any necessary approval from your homeowner’s association or local government. Also, some neighborhoods designate a specific weekend or two each year for yard sales and do not allow yard sales at any other time.

Second, try and recruit neighbors to help. Turning your yard sale into a multi-family yard sale can increase traffic and allow for greater advertising.

Third, be sure and promote your yard sale heavily. You can check your local newspaper for yard-sale specific ads. Online sites like Craigslist.org or garagesalesource.com have resources to help with advertising. Be sure to be descriptive about some of the key items you have – baby items, collectibles, furniture, etc. If there are many families taking part in the sale, use terms like “multi-family” or “neighborhood sale” to help let buyers know.

To ensure that your yard sale is a success, be sure and read Glass’ full article.

Lakeside is a proposed community to be built along Lake Michigan on Chicago’s South Side where the U.S. Steel’s South Works manufacturing plant used to sit.

The 500-acre site will include enough single-family homes and high-rise units for 50,000 residents, retail and entertainment space, a marina and a new high school.

The Chicago Lakeside Development Master Plan is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) certified community from the U.S. Green Building Council and will include these environmentally friendly features:

*Large open spaces, compact walkable neighborhoods and access to bike paths and public transportation.

*1.7 miles of additional lakefront access, 91 acres of lakefront park and 125 acres of green space.

*On-site and off-shore wind development.

*Geothermal/lake water cooling.

*Solar panel inclusion.

*An innovative stormwater management plan.

Want to learn more about this new community? Read our story:

Untapped Chicago Real Estate About to Bloom

Then, check back to Chicagoland Real Estate Forum for updates on this exciting project.

Most recently, Sterling poured the foundation for its second custom home in the community, which is developed by Hal Jones Development Team. The luxurious and elegant home is perched on a cliff and overlooks Lake Travis.

The community is nestled among 3.5 miles of shoreline on the southern banks of Lake Travis. Waterfront home sites are priced from the $199’s, and the maintenance-free villas are priced from the $500s.

Homeowners in The Reserve at Lake Travis enjoy resort-style amenities including a private Cypress Club Pavilion, lazy river pool with swim up bar, full-service equestrian center and world-class marina for its members.

As one of the top Austin home builders, Sterling places emphasis on every aspect of the homebuilding process, knowing that these aspects translate to the home buyers’ lifestyle and enjoyment of their home. From everything down to site selection at The Reserve at Lake Travis, the builder offers advice and design solutions for all preferences. For more information, visit Sterling Custom Homes online or call 512-263-2214.

Below are some tips provided by the National Corn Growers Association to get you started.

• Fill Up with Ethanol: Gasoline with 10 percent ethanol not only helps lower gas prices, but it also assists with stretching the petroleum supply. Recently, experts noted that ethanol has lowered gas prices by 15 percent, saving drivers $70 billion dollars this year alone.
• Purchase Hybrids or Flex Fuel Vehicles: You can save money at the gas pump while helping the environment when you invest in a hybrid or vehicle that runs on E-85, an 85 percent ethanol blend fuel.
• Buy Locally Grown Foods: Packaging, transportation, advertising and profits account for 24 cents on the food dollar. By choosing local meat, milk and produce, you not only support your local farmers, you also eliminate the costly transportation bill.
• Turn off Your Home: According to the United States Department of Energy, a whopping 75 percent of electricity used in a home occurs while your appliances are off. Unplug these items or use a power strip to cut off power when not in use.
• Set Your Thermostat: Although winter may seem months away, keeping your home nice and toasty raises your energy bill. Keep in mind that for every degree you lower the thermostat in the 60 to 70 degree range this winter, you’ll save 5 percent on your home’s heating costs.

These are just a few of the things you can do to help lower your energy bills while making a positive impact on the environment.

Do you have more money and energy saving tips? Share them here.