One of my favorite things about living in Lake Norman is the incredible variety and numbers of colorful birds, butterflies and furry critters.  Creating a “Certified Wildlife Habitat” garden is easy and very rewarding!  Every time I look out our windows I feel like I am in a Disney world alive with Golden Finches (above), Cardinals, Blue Birds, Hummingbirds, Chickadees…the list goes on and on.  Of course, we also attract deer, chipmunks, bunnies and squirrels with their own feeders although one day the squirrel above decided it would be fun to join the birds!

This Saturday, October 1st, you can learn all about how to qualify your own garden (it is SO easy), learn about Native Plants from local experts, learn how to attract wildlife and prepare your garden at the Wild Over Lake Norman! Backyard Wildlife Fair  which is being held from 11am-3pm at Duke Power’s Energy Explorium on Hwy 73 at the south end of Lake Norman.  (At the McGuire Nuclear Station).  There will be plenty of children’s activities plus exhibits on native plants, birds and butterflies.

I will be at the Wild Over Lake Norman! Certified Habitat Garden booth from 1pm-3pm so drop by and say hi!  Here is More:

Like it or not, most homeowners and home buyers, whether in Lake Norman or elsewhere in the U.S. think of a house as an investment, not just a home.  In the short term, I counsel prospective sellers to make their properties move-in ready since most buyers these days are not willing to do much in the way of remodeling or even painting of their new home.

There is no doubt, however, that the future of housing construction, once it is back in full force, will focus on energy efficiency, sustainable resources and other “green” components of a home.  Other cities in the country, from Portland Oregon to Austin Texas to Asheville NC, are way ahead of Lake Norman in their focus and incorporation of energy efficiency and construction of “high performance” homes.  It only stands to reason that the Lake Norman real estate market and Lake Norman home builders will be greatly impacted in the future by these growing global housing trends.

So why not get yourself one step ahead of the game as we wait for the economy to improve?  Here are some great thoughts and statistics from a recent article on the Green Building Advisor website:

• Investing in energy efficiency upgrades in your home should be included in your investment portfolio and future planning
• The average annual increase in energy prices (of all kinds) has been 6.33%
• The Consumer Price Index has only risen at an annual rate of 1.54% (Used to determine annual Social Security increases)
• Energy prices increase faster than Social Security payouts
• Drastically reducing energy demand can be an important hedge

Ted Clifton, the author of this article, focuses on what are called “net zero” homes which, while rare  right now, are certainly the future of housing.

So what if you are not in a position to build or improve your home to the level of Net Zero or better?  Why not, over time, start incorporating energy efficiency into your Lake Norman home or while looking to buy a home in the Lake Norman area, look for homes that already have some energy efficiency measures, do energy testing along with your home inspections, and look at future opportunities readily available to upgrade the home.

Here are some ideas:

• Trade your granite countertops for a better “envelope” and solar panels
• Consider sealing your crawlspace and attic
• Install good quality, Low-E windows
• When you replace your HVAC system, look for higher SEER systems and have your ducting evaluated for efficiency and flaws
• Have a Blower Door test and Thermal testing to find leaks in your existing home that can be sealed to prevent wasted heat and AC
• Have a Home Energy Rater (HERS) determine your current HERS score to see how you rate compared to today’s standard home.  (HERS ratings can be put on any MLS listing in the Charlotte MLS and is a national standard that out-of-state buyers may be using to evaluate their Lake Norman homes).
• Install solar or tankless water heaters

Energy efficiency upgrades are almost a no-loose proposition.  Not only will you enjoy lower energy bills but you are also making your home more competitive with the future housing market when it comes time to sell.  Don’t forget there are some great tax incentives for many of these products as well!

(Just as an aside, next week I will be attending a number of classes about “green housing” and meeting with numerous vendors  at the 21st Century Building Expo and Conference held in Charlotte by the North Carolina Home Builders Association as part of my responsibilities of being a “Certified Green Professional”  which is an accreditation earned through the National Association of Home Builders.  So, more to follow!).

Other Articles of Interest

EPA Launches Indoor AirPLUS to increase focus on indoor air Quality

Lake Norman Real Estate’s Business of the Week:  Think Green Recycle

Lake Norman Real Estate:  How to Harvest the Rain!

Lake Norman and Charlotte Remain At The Top of Places to Live in US

Lake Norman Relocation Resources

 ”IMAGINE      CREATE       INSPIRE       SAVE       LEARN”

Here is a little secret: some of us living on Lake Norman enjoy gardening  just as much as boating!  I confess that I am one of those crazy folks.  So, news about our annual Southern Spring Home & Garden Show on March 2 – March 6, 2011  might be even more exciting than the boat shows to some of us.

Held in Charlotte every spring, this wonderful event with over 400 exhibitors promises to inspire and tempt attendees with 24 stunning Showcase Gardens, Kitchen and Bath vendors’ latest and greatest products, a Green Living and Market and plenty of experts on hand to answer even your most esoteric questions about everything from orchids to home remodeling.

JUST THE FACTS

The Southeast’s Largest Home and Garden Show

Belgard Gardens/Outdoor Living/Green Market/Decorative Arts & Crafts/Interiors/Kitchen & Bath/Building & Home Improvement/

Green Living/Taste and Travel/Marketplace Shopping

March 2-6, 2011

The Park Expo and Conference Center located at 2500 East Independence Blvd in Charlotte

704.376.6594

Website: Southern Spring Home and Garden Show

Facebook: Southern Spring Home and Garden Show

Additonal Articles of Interest

Lake Norman Relocation and Resource Guide

Lake Norman Real Estate: Early Signs of Spring

 Relocating to Lake Norman

Lake Norman, Our Inland Sea

Life in Lake Norman NC in June is all about the lake.  If you are a boater, skier, sailor or an enthusiast of myriad other water sports and recreation, most likely the lake will be your home away from home this month.

But there is another side of Lake Norman’s gifts to us lucky enough to live here and that is the flora and fauna; the wonders of mother nature.  Thanks to the growing efforts by Duke Energy AND many passionate residents, our lake continues to be home to an incredible array of wildlife, both furry and with feathers!

One of my favorites is the Blue Heron.  If you are lucky, you might see a Blue Heron walking along the shoreline or taking majestic flight like the photo above. 

To make this your June Wallpaper for your desktop computer, simply click on the button above “Lake Norman Calendar” and follow the simple directions.

Every month I ask for my readers to send me suggestions or photos for future calendars.  I would welcome your input or photos!  The photos need to be about 2MB in order to have the clarity I need.

July is coming…do you have any ideas?

“Blog Action Day  is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day on their own blogs with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. Blog Action Day 2009 will be the largest-ever social change event on the web. One day. One issue. Thousands of voices.”

Lake Norman Real Estatehas been participating in Blog Action Day since it’s initial launch on October 15, 2007.  According to their most recent email, 7108 blogs are participating in over 136 countries with an expectation of 11,214,552 readers today, Oct. 15th! 

Climate Change + Lake Norman “Green” Homes

While climate change  may conjur up images of melting icebergs, floods and droughts, if we focus on reducing emissions and renewable energy it is quite important and proper to write about “green” homes and the exciting trends in “high performance” homes that are cropping up in and around our Lake Norman communities. 

As a Certified Green Professional, EcoBroker and Green Realtor I have been a member of the Lake Norman Home Builders Association’s Green Building Council for over a year and I am witnessing on a weekly basis the growth and emphasis on using eco-friendly building materials and environmentally-conscious techniques in home building.  With over 50 members, our Lake Norman Green Building Council is comprised of builders, contractors, energy auditors, and suppliers of green building products and services ranging from insulation to formaldehyde-free cabinetry and flooring to environmentally friendly landscaping. 

In an article in the Lake Norman Business Magazine:  “Green Goes Mainstream” Gail Minter made a great statement:  “Green building – using eco-friendly building materials and environmentally-conscious techniques–has moved from being an oddity into the mainstream.”   I am convinced that once our recession is over and home-builders begin building again, there will be a significant change in the design and components of new homes in Lake Norman just as there will be around the country.  We will see an increased emphasis on green technology, sustainability and factors that affect a home from the planning stages through completion including:

• Site selection (placement on lot to take advantage of passive solar energy, minimize storm water run off, maximize use of  natural light, protection/minimal disruption of the natural habitat)
• Use of recycled or re-used material include old wood, bricks and glass
• Use of sustainably-harvested or rapidly renewable wood products
• Use of materials and products that are made locally or as close as possible to minimize energy use related to shipping/the carbon footprint
• Recycling of on-sight construction waste or minimizing waste through more efficient building practices
• Use of insulation, design and fixtures and applicances to minimize heat loss and maximize energy efficiency
• Increased use of alternative materials like cement, low-VOC paints, stains and glues to reduce chemical emissions

If you are interested in finding out more about green homes,  There is a great new book out:  Green From The Ground Up by David Johnston and Scott Gibson.

Or, go to Mother Nature Network to get their list of the 15 best carbon calculators   for individuals or households.

Finally, Fine Homebuilding has a great Payback Estimator for different types of insulation.

Honestly, this has been a bit of a rambling article.  The subject of “green” housing has become so broad and encompasses a large and diverse range of topics that I have just tried to wet your appetite and hope you will return to this blog for ongoing articles about Lake Norman’s green housing market.  It’s going to be exciting!

RELATED ARTICLES

List of Articles on this Blog Related to Green Housing and the Environment

Lake Norman Real Estate:  EPA Launches Indoor airPlus

 Lake Norman Real Estate:  How Green Is Your Home?

Lake Norman Real Estate’s Business of the Week:  Think Green Recycle 

Lake Norman Real Estate:  How to Harvest the Rain!

Lake Norman Real Estate Launches Lake Norman Green Homes!