Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Jacksonville, NC Green home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share a recent RealtyTimes.com article outlining the future of Green Building. A new study from the U.S. Green Building Council estimates how many jobs Green building will support and how much money Green building will generate.  Below is an excerpt and to read the complete article, click here!

“The USGBC writes on its Web site that ‘buildings in the United States are responsible for 39 percent of CO2 emissions, 40 percent of energy consumption, 13 percent water consumption and 15 percent of Gross Domestic Product per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity.’ The study found that from 2000 to 2008, $178 billion in gross domestic product was contributed to the economy and 2.4 million direct/indirect and induced jobs were created or saved which generated $123 billion in wages.

‘Our goal is for the phrase ‘green building’ to become obsolete, by making all building and retrofits green — and transforming every job in our industry into a green job,’ said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chairman of US Green Building Council.

Fedrizzi says, ‘This study validates the work that the 25,000 people gathered here at Greenbuild, and every member of our movement, do every day.’ According to the press release, ‘The study also assessed the U.S. Green Building Council’s 19,000-plus member organizations and found that they generate $2.6 trillion in annual revenue, employ approximately 14 million people, come from 29 industry sectors and include 46 Fortune 100 companies.’ It further included results from workers including architects, construction laborers, truck drivers—all aspects of the green building industry.”

St. James Plantation, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is featured in the October/November 2009 issue of Concrete Homes Magazine! The highlighted Green home in Wilmington, NC, which was framed using LOGIX Insulating Concrete Forms, is only the second LEED Platinum Home in North Carolina. (LEED Platinum is the highest attainable certification for Green-built homes from the U.S. Green Building Council.)

Below is an excerpt and to read the complete article, click here or pick up a copy of the latest issue on newsstands now!

“Up to 50 percent of LOGIX blocks, by weight, are made from recycled materials, and the ICF product produces minimal waste, which can then be fully recycled. LOGIX foam panels are made from 10 percent recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam. LOGIX webs, which hold rebar within the form, are made of 100 percent recycled polypropylene.

Building with the LOGIX ICF delivered the first 26 LEED points by itself.

[Kevin] Johnson said the exterior walls are a foot thick: 6 inches of concrete sandwiched by 2 3/4 inches of LOGIX foam panels on each side, providing an R-50 insulation standard.   

The 114 cubic yards of concrete used to fill the ICFs was provided by Hughes Ready Mixed Co. in Wilmington, and was a 30 percent fly ash mix.

‘If I were building a home for myself, I certainly would build it with ICFs, especially in this coastal region where we know we are going to get hurricanes and other storms.’”