Green Neighborhoods

Is your town or city looking a little bland lately? Office buildings and chain stores can easily overtake formerly vibrant areas. Replanting trees in your community is a great way to bring back some color while also offering other benefits. Trees can help minimize the effects of urban heat islands (UHIs), metropolitan areas that show significantly higher temperatures than nearby rural areas. Just a few new trees can also help combat air pollution and raise property values in the neighborhood, while encouraging inhabitants to spend more time outside.There are several locally-based programs in cities around America dedicated to planting trees. Trees for Tucson in Arizona, Replant Neighborhood Trees in Philadelphia, Forest ReLeaf in St. Louis, and MillionTreesNYC are just a few examples of communities that have taken it upon themselves to improve their natural surroundings. The national Alliance for Community Trees helps promote the same agenda in urban areas around the country. (more…)

Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done, whether it’s passing a difficult test or finally finishing that novel they’ve been working on. In the case of completing a green building project, the reward is inherent in completing the project. Successfully finishing a sustainable construction project can mean everything from economic advantages to improved health for the occupants. Nevertheless, some organizations still recognize the best of the best with annual awards.The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) hosts the National Green Building Awards, “honoring excellence in green residential design, construction practices, and outstanding green advocacy efforts.” The organization recognizes at least two winners for Advocate of the Year, with at least one from the Builder, Remodeler, Individual, Group, and HBA categories and another in State or Local Government. In addition, NAHB names the Green Project(s) of the Year (Single-Family, Remodel, Multi-family) and the Green Site Development of the Year. (more…)