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HEALTHY HOME, HEALTHY LIVING!

The message “danger radon” written on a yellow stripe – concept image

As we welcome 2016 with New Year resolutions for a healthier living, let’s not forget that our health could be impacted by the indoor quality of our homes. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average person spends 90 percent of their time indoors, so it is very important to test for pollutants that could be releasing gases or particles into the air causing indoor air quality problems and risking your health. January is also a month of action across the country to increase awareness of Radon, promoting testing and mitigation as well as the implementation of radon-resistant new construction practices to prevent thousands of lung cancer deaths caused by Radon exposure. Let’s join the effort; I invite you to add a New Year resolution to your list by testing your home for Radon, to ensure the safety and health of your loves ones.

WHAT IS RADON?

Radon is a potential health hazard, cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can’t see it, smell it or taste it; it is an invisible killer that could be present in your home. This radioactive gas comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation and also through the water supply.

RADON HEALTH RISK

Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, responsible for about 21,000 deaths every year.

RESOLVE TO TEST

Data collected by the EPA indicates that 1 in 5 Florida residences have elevated radon levels. The only way to know the levels in your home is by testing. This process is easy, inexpensive and should only take a few minutes and you can do it yourself. The Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommend

all homeowners to test their homes for radon. There are two kits available: short (2 to 90 days) and long-term (more than 90 days) available through the mail and in hardware stores. EPA recommends taking the short test first, if your result is 4 pCi/L or higher, takes the long-term test or a second short-term test. You can also hire a trained contractor to do the testing for you.

FIX AND SAVE LIFE

If you find high concentration of Radon, you should fix the problem immediately to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure to their family. Radon mitigation requires technical knowledge and special skills to achieve the maximum indoor air quality and performance. Selecting the best approach depends on the design of your home and other factors. In South Florida, most of radon mitigation is performed by a fixed rate of mechanical ventilation. Some of this mitigation doesn’t address problems associated with high indoor humidity, mold, or health consequences. I highly recommend hiring a qualified Green Building Contractor to help you pick the right treatment method based on building science and moisture management technology.

SELLING OR BUYING YOUR HOME?

If you are selling a home that already has a radon reduction system installed, make sure you inform your potential buyers about the system’s operation and maintenance. If you are buying an existing house, remember to request the radon test and if you are looking to build or buy a new house, I highly recommend buying a house approved with radon- resistant features or certified under the programs: LEED, FGBC, ENERGY STAR, and Indoor airPLUS. New homes should include radon-resistant features, which are especially important in areas reporting elevated radon levels. For more information, visit: www.epa.

gov/radon or contact the Florida Department of Health Radon Hotline at 1-800-543-8279.

By Maria M. Hernandez

Ciudad Weston Newspaper

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CLIMATE CHANGE: BUILDING OPPORTUNITY

Transformation of the gray, polluted town to a green, eco-friendly city with wind turbines and trees.

We end 2015 with optimism for the future! In a historical moment, one that can define the future of the planet and humankind, the whole world witnessed the negotiations on climate change in Paris. The future looks promising and healthier, thanks to the treaty made by world leaders at the 21st conference of the United Nations, COP21, where they agreed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, thereby holding the increase in average temperature to well below 2°C which will reduce the risk and impact of climate change. The fate of our planet and humanity is already in the political framework. Now is the time to respond to the urgency to make a positive lasting impact.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE URGENCY:

To unlock the opportunities of the 21st century economy, we must understand the urgency and challenges we are facing today. All the sectors present challenges, but the construction industry is one of the sectors with the greatest negative impact on Climate Change, which in turn contributes to large economic losses due to extreme weather events.

Globally, buildings are responsible for over 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which would double by 2050, if we take no action to correct it. In the USA, more than 40% of the total consumption of energy is consumed in the residential and commercial buildings. But at the same time, these buildings have a great potential for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions which represents a great opportunity.

BUILDING’S HIDDEN VALUE:

Most buildings in the USA have been built without considering the impact of energy use on the environment. As many as  72% of the buildings constructed in the USA are completely outdated and inefficient. As a consequence, we waste billions of dollars in energy, causing a tremendous burden on the environment and climate change. By transforming these buildings into high-performance ones, their owners would benefit from the hidden value of its assets.

The Rockefeller Foundation and Deutsche Bank Climate Change Advisers found that improving the efficiency of those buildings just by 30% with an initial investment of only $279 billion dollars would result in $1 trillion dollars of energy savings over 10 years, yielding a return on investment of 358% in a decade.

GREEN BUILDINGS:

After the meeting in Paris, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) will commit to scaling green buildings to more than 5 billion square feet (478 million square meters) over the next five years through the LEED and EDGE green building rating systems. It is predicted that by 2018, the construction of Green Buildings will represent a positive impact.

2016 TIME TO LEAD!

With the recent international agreement on Climate Change (COP21), the timing could not be better to aspire and commit ourselves to a sustainable new year to ensure the success and well-being of humanity. Climate change is the challenge of the 21st century but also the greatest opportunity for the global low-carbon Economy that will pave the way to the renewable energies and new efficient technologies.

For consultation about building transformation, Corporate Social Responsibility, LEED Certification, please send an email to: floridaleedap@gmail.com .

By Maria M. Hernández, LEED AP ID +C

Ciudad Weston Newspaper

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WARNING: Energy Vampires lurking your home

Halloween is almost here and a band of spooky energy vampires could be lurking around your home. Ghosts and zombies will be roaming the streets, be careful, stay at home and prepare to hunt down those pesky Energy Vampires that are already sucking your power bill. Watch out, don’t let these vampires give you a scare this Halloween, keep them at bay year round by learning some tricks on how to hunt phantom loads and ward off Energy Vampires.

Energy vampires are appliances that even when turned off utilize a small amount of electricity, called phantom loads. The average home in the US spends around $150-$200 every year on vampire energy. Some estimates suggest that Americans have anywhere between 30-65 vampire devices throughout their homes. Nearly every appliance has become smart with electronic digital displays. Some of the biggest energy consumers include cable or satellite set-top TV boxes, computer modems and aquariums.

Haunted rooms found in your home:

  • Living Room: this is the scariest one, most homes have two or more TV/cable set-ups, so you could easily be losing $50-$100 a year on TV-based phantom load alone. If you leave your cable box plugged in for a year and never turned it off, it would add $17.83 to your electrical bill and If this cable box has a DVR capability, the energy waste will doubles to $43.46.
  • Office: Be aware, this could be another scary room. Just a desktop computer left running, connected to monitor in sleep mode, can cost over $87 per year, also, you have to add the computer speakers (3 watts); a wireless router (5 watts); a printer (5 watts); surge protectors (2 watts), and a cordless phone that uses 3 watts even when it’s completely off adding a waste of $25.50 a year.
  • Bathrooms: could be a cause for concern if you’re leaving devices like hair dryers, curling irons, or electric shavers plugged into the wall. Even when turned off, these devices can idly sip electricity from your outlet costing you money.

TRICK on how to slay the Energy Vampire:

Here I share with you some tricks on how to kill the Phantom load and the amount of power you waste:

  • Unplug all your appliances and device chargers when you are not in use.
  • Use a power strip with an on/off button so you can easily shut down multiple devices at once.
  • Set your computer or laptop to go to sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity or less.
  • Purchase appliances and equipment EnergyStar qualified products that use less energy and limit the amount of standby power they draw.
  • Install switches or timers that automatically stop powering devices once they go to standby mode
  • Use a “Kill a Watt” on your appliances to cut down the cost.

Unplugging energy vampires can lower your electric bill up to 10%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Now that you know the Tricks, don’t let the Vampires and Phantoms attack your power bill, treat yourself with extra cash and a better planet reducing your carbon footprint.

We can help you to find ways to fix leaks in your home with a simple home energy audit. By making upgrades following a home energy audit, you can save up to 30 percent on your energy bill.

By: Maria Mercedes Hernandez. Leader in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED AP), Building Analyst, General Contractor. hernandezmaria@hhdcgreen.com

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BETTER HOME IMPROVEMENTS, OFFER BENEFITS

Minimalist white bathroom with vertical garden, wooden floor and pebbles, hotel, spa, modern interior design

As a professional of the construction industry, it fills me with joy and optimism to see how the industry has been slowly awakening, boosting our economy and creating new job opportunities. At the same time I have observed several faults in the Residential market that could create a negative effect not consistent with the projection for the coming years.

There is a big trend in remodeling of aesthetic: change in order to increase its value, focused primarily on the selection of flashy materials without knowledge of its composition or origin of manufacture.

Another point is the selection of cheap labor without proper certification and experience or lack of legality of the process in order to reduce the project costs. This has very serious consequences and risks that will depreciate the investment.

Moreover, the owner of the property makes renovations without appropriate professional advice to inform and help them understand new trends and projection of the industry.

Modern construction, interior design and decor are completely changing to adapt to a new era of technology. A focus on sustainability, resilience and energy efficiency will allow us to compete globally with the best construction in the world, with a demanding young market and to thwart the effects of climate change.

PROFESSIONAL TIPS FOR A GREAT INVESTMENT:

The key is to remodel and decorate looking for a return on investment without compromising the beauty and style. Invest your budget in better projects that generate savings through the implementation of efficient technologies and materials that enhance healthy indoor air thus creating spaces comfortable and healthy. This will add value to the property and place it at a competitive level for future buyers.

Interior painting: Paint technology has reached a very high level, being able to recognize their characteristics will bring great benefits. Today there are completely organic paints with no pollutants that cause cancer and other diseases; choosing this type of paints will eliminate toxic levels in the indoor environment. There are also paintings with thermal insulation that will reduce energy consumption, water resistance and fire retardants.

Remodeling kitchens and bathrooms; has been in high demand this year. The smart remodeling will be the one that implement efficient technologies for energy and water conservation. Use cabinets built with recycled materials without toxic emissions and water-mildew repellent. New materials such as bamboo, glass and paper recycled will be of great trend for countertops because they offer excellent features of durability, strength, and zero toxic emissions.

Curtains: It has always been an element of elegance in a house but the best investment will be those that incorporate ecological fabric without chemicals which in turn reduce energy consumption and serve as insulation of sound, creating healthier, comfortable, and more efficient environments.

For more information about remodeling, interior design, decoration and green building please contact me at: floridaleedap@gmail.com

By: Maria Mercedes Hernandez
Leader in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED AP ID +C)

Ciudad Weston Newspaper

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