Builders Circle Project Blog

In January 2011, the HBA of Greater Springfield announced it would partner with Habitat for Humanity of Springfield to build the first two homes in Habitat’s new Builders Circle development. The homes will be certified to the National Green Building Standard and their construction will serve as a demonstration of flexible and affordable methods by which construction professionals can build green in a residential setting.

Home builder Scott Kisling, himself a Certified Green Professional (CGP), is managing the project on behalf of the HBA. Here, Scott’s Builders Circle Project Blog helps keep HBA industry professionals and curious consumers up to date on the latest green building features being incorporated into the project. The blog also provides updates on the project’s latest progress and upcoming needs. Those who would like to help with the project are encouraged to leave their comments at the end of blog posts. Or, e-mail Scott directly to offer your assistance.

Builders’ Circle Blog: How Green is Greene?

Jim Baker, B & G Drafting

Greene County has been “green” for years.  My Grandmother decades ago told me things like, “take care of the land and it will take care of you. Waste not, want not.”  And of course, “Turn off the …

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Builders’ Circle Blog: The Sound of Green is Free

Jim Baker, B & G Drafting

You have to love words that don’t go together, words like “sound”, “green” and “free”. Placed in a sentence as in this title, they don’t appear to make sense. The confusion is that you first have to …

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Builders’ Circle Blog: Can You Hear Me Now?

Jim Baker, B & G Drafting

Remember those old “tin can” phones connected with a string that we all played with as kids? “Can you hear me now” was always the question and the answer was seldom related to that question. Communication was …

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Builders’ Circle Blog: 30.78 Acres of Trees

Jim Baker, B & G Drafting

It is not too often that I get to brag about the building industry that I work in, but bragging proof came in the mail yesterday.   ENERGY STAR notified me that I had rated 38 houses that …

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Builders’ Circle Blog: HVAC – the Vast Unknown

Jim Baker, B & G Drafting

We all love to untangle a mystery, and building “green” can be a mystery. But things are changing. In the last ten years Building Science and applications in the field have come together so that the buying …

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Builders Circle Blog: Thirty-Nine and Still Counting!

Jack Bennie, the famous comic from years ago, always claimed to be 39 years old. Year after year he remained 39. I like the idea of not aging, but some things need to grow in number. We …

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Builders Circle Blog: Football, Golf and HERS Ratings

The HERS energy rating on a house is more like golf than football. Football is loud, rough, and high score wins. Golf is quiet, skillful, and low score wins, with the typical championship golf courses having par …

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Builders’ Circle Blog: It Is Official—Springfield Is Number One!

How does it feel to be number one? Springfield is number one, according to WIKI.  I found out accidentally when, with no special reason in mind, I Googled the question, “What city has the most varied weather?”  …

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Builders’ Circle Blog: If You Don’t Know Where You Are…

How do you know you are going in the right direction if you don’t know where you are? Haven’t we all, on occasion, made a wrong turn in some large, unfamiliar city? We did not think we …

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Builders’ Circle Blog: How Low Can You Go?

Low is not always something we like to think about. To lower your driving speed when you are late for a doctor’s appointment, to get there just in time so he can tell you to lower your …

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