Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Pender County, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to wish all of our reader’s a Happy Valentine’s Day and share this very informative article courtesy of NC GreenPower that gives Green gift suggestions for this special day.

Flowers, cards, candy? GREEN up your Valentine’s Day with these ideas that both your significant other and the environment will appreciate!

•  Instead of traditional flowers for Valentine’s day, give a beautiful, long-lasting potted plant from a local garden.
• Cook a romantic meal using all organic ingredients from local markets. www.carolinafarmstewards.org
• Want to take your date to dinner? Then think about supporting a restaurant that uses locally-grown produce.
• Around a billion valentines are sent each year globally, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. Those one billion cards laid end to end would stretch around the world 5 times! That’s a lot of trees. NOT including cards exchanged in classrooms between children, 180 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged in the U.S. alone. So forget traditional paper Valentine’s Day cards! Instead send an e-card that will save paper and get to your Valentine right on time.
• If you’re really splurging this year and want to get jewelry, find a jeweler who uses conflict-free diamonds, like www.brilliantearth.com. Brilliant Earth uses Canadian diamonds and recycled gold, which means their sales never support slavery, child labor, or terrorism.
• Take a green vacation with your loved one – visit our website to purchase carbon offsets for your trip.
• Send your sweetheart organic fair trade chocolates this V-day. www.equalexchange.coop
• If you want to get a really unique gift, check out Ten Thousand Villages. It’s not only a socially responsible business but also eco-friendly.
• For a simple $24 tax-deductable donation, you can also give the gift of clean air with an NC GreenPower gift card! www.ncgreenpower.org
• Consider natural perfumes. Other fragrances are synthetic and often from toxic petrochemicals from crude oil.
• Take a trip to your local park, aquarium or zoo. Or better yet, make a donation to the ASPCA or Humane Society.
• If Valentine’s Day is an important day for you, show a bit of extra love for the environment by carefully considering what you buy.

Courtesy of: ncgreenpower.org

Brunswick County, NC Green home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers an article that was released on January 20, during the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, NV.

Kohler, Marvin Windows and Doors and Whirlpool are three manufacturers ready with new lines of green and sustainable products for today’s new homes, company representatives said today at the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.

But until lenders and appraisers learn to recognize the value of green innovation and the money it can save new home buyers, there is not enough incentive in the marketplace for large-scale implementation, said Bill Nolan, the Florida home building consultant who moderated the first of three press conferences in commemoration of Green Day at the Builders’ Show.

 Kohler’s water-saving toilets use an average of 39,000 fewer gallons of water per year for a family of four – a lifetime of drinking water for three people, said Shane Judd, senior marketing manager of water conservation for the company. New products will incorporate rainwater reuse and gray water – using the water draining from the shower stall to fill the washing machine, for example.

 Marvin emphasizes long-term sustainability rather than first-time costs and also pays close attention to green practices during the production process, said Brett Boyum, director of marketing. Each year, 8,500 tons of shavings and other wood waste are used to heat the company’s manufacturing plant.

 Ed Linder, division director, Whirlpool Corporation, said his company is manufacturing ranges that use 40 percent less energy and appliances that are “smart-grid” ready and is exploring shared-power technologies: for example, using the energy generated from a refrigerator condenser coil to heat the water in the dishwasher.

 For innovation to leap forward, it must be cost-effective, and that can’t happen until the additional first-time costs and long-term savings of most green technologies are appreciated by appraisers and bankers in the underwriting process, Nolan said.

 ”We can’t get lenders to appreciate the value of the net costs, and if we can’t get the values recognized, [manufacturers] can’t justify moving these products forward,” he said, noting that NAHB is working to educate appraisers and lenders. “The goal should be long-term energy efficiency.”

Courtesy of: NAHB.org

Wilmington, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share an informative article from GreenHomeGuide.com that explains things to look for when selecting Green paint. A new coat of paint can make a room feel fresh again, but it often has the opposite effect on the air quality in your home. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paints, stains, and other architectural coatings produce about 9 percent of the volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from consumer and commercial products, making them the second-largest source of VOC emissions after after automobiles. For the complete article, click here! 

Courtesy of: GreenHomeGuide.com

New Hanover County, NC Green home builder, Mark Johnson Custom Homes enjoys the informative articles on the U.S. Green Building Council’s Green Home Guide website. One particular article outlines 15 Green home improvements, each under $500. Below is the list written by Jeanne Huber of This Old House and to read each one in more detail, click here!

1. Build a clothesline
2. Add a tube-type skylight
3. Put a recirculating pump under the sink
4. Insulate hot-water pipes
5. Plant deciduous trees
6. Install a programmable thermostat
7. Create a rain garden
8. Install a smart ceiling fan
9. Replace can lights
10. Build a worm bin
11. Install aerators on faucets         
12. Clean your refrigerator coils         
13. Replace weatherstripping         
14. Reduce light pollution         
15. Clean green  

Article Courtesy of: GreenHomeGuide.com Photo Courtesy of: Rob Howard

St. James Plantation builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes enjoyed attending the CFGBA’s Green Living Expo and Conference yesterday in historic downtown Wilmington, NC! A particular highlight was hearing GE’s Ecomagination Executive Director Katharine Brass explain GE’s initiatives to find new solutions for energy resources. Below is an excerpt from a Greater Wilmington Business Journal article by Josh Spilker and to read the complete article, click here!

“’We are at the forefront and continue to be thought leaders in how everyone can survive and thrive in a resource-starved world,’ Brass said about GE. She explained how the company that Thomas Edison founded would continue to innovate and develop new technology.

‘We look at what society needs going forward,’ Brass said. ‘You develop what is truly needed.’ And what is needed is new ways of consuming energy. In a set of compelling graphs, Brass explained that if the burgeoning Chinese and Indian populations develop modern conveniences in the same way Americans have, the rate of growth and the provision of energy is not sustainable.”

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

“We are proud to have constructed such a beautiful yet environmentally conscious home and are thrilled about the savings the homeowner will enjoy for years to come,” said Kevin Johnson, Vice President of Business Development for Mark Johnson Custom Homes. “In five or ten years these energy efficiencies will be standard construction practices, but for the time being, we are excited to be viewed as pioneers in our industry”. 

Mark Johnson Custom Homes focused on health, sustainability, energy and water efficiencies in the 2,770 square foot, 4 bedroom/4 bath concrete home located at 2002 Kenilworth Lane, Wilmington, NC 28405. The home is listed for $624,000.

Brunswick County home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes introduced their readers to SmartStrand Carpet in May, but now you can watch it in action! This video highlights its stain resistance and how simple it is to clean. We welcome you to familiarize yourself with our website and consider us for your next home or remodeling project!

July 8, 2009

Alternative Energy:  Technology of Today Fueling the Jobs of Tomorrow

           Every citizen of this country has felt the squeeze of higher energy costs.  Whether it’s increasing utility rates or gas prices, American families and businesses consistently rank energy costs as a top concern.  Our nation relies heavily on fossil fuels including petroleum, natural gas, and coal.  It is vitally important to our national security and our economic security that we continue to look at expanding domestic production of these traditional energy resources, while also look to the future of cleaner, greener, American-made alternative energy sources.  Southeastern North Carolina has such promise to be on the cutting-edge of these energy alternatives that I am hosting a summit on alternative energy to highlight what the future may hold.

            This event, called Alternative Energy Summit:  The Technology of Today Fueling the Jobs of Tomorrow!, features preeminent speakers in the fields of marine spatial planning, alternative fuels, bioenergy research, energy efficiency, worker training, and alternative electricity generation.  The Summit will be held on Monday, July 20th at 9:00 a.m. at the Burney Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

            The first panel will help answer the question, “How can we tap into our ocean resources?”  The waters off our beautiful coast contain significant power that may be able to be harnessed and turned into energy.  Dr. Sandra Whitehouse of the Ocean Conservancy and Dr. James Leutze of the North Carolina Senate Advisory Committee on Offshore Energy Exploration will focus on the possibility of harnessing the immense wave energy generated by our oceans.  They will also look at how we can site various energy facilities, such as windmills, offshore energy platforms, and pipelines in a way that maximizes energy efficiency while minimizing impacts to the environment and local communities.  Dr. Steve Eitelman of UNCW will discuss the University’s ongoing research into algae as a feedstock for vehicles fuels.

            The second panel will focus discussion around the question, “Can biofuels reinvigorate the economy of North Carolina?”  Mr. Steven Burke of the Biofuels Center of North Carolina will discuss the Center’s efforts to cultivate and fund alternative energy research at its campus near Raleigh.  Many companies throughout the state are looking into biofuels development, and the Biofuels Center can provide the resources and technical assistance to make these projects a reality.  Dr. Siva Mandjiny of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke will discuss the research project that the University is undertaking regarding readily-available agricultural waste as feedstock for conversion into vehicle fuels.  This process could provide extra value to farmers while creating an affordable way to make alternative fuels. Mr. Gary Nealy of Southeastern Community College will discuss efforts to train workers in the field of biotechnology to service the growing industry.  The average annual wage of U.S. bioscience workers was $71,000 in 2006, more than $29,000 greater than the average private-sector annual wage.

            The third and final panel will look at the question, “Can the southeast generate significant renewable electricity?”  There are concerns that the resource-deficient southeast cannot meet aggressive goals for alternative electricity generation.  Mr. Larry Shirley of the North Carolina State Energy Office will discuss the state’s efforts to increase wind and solar generation while also pursuing a strong energy efficiency program.  Conservation can significantly help reduce electricity bills and reduce our consumption of energy sources.  Mr. Chip Leavitt of Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation will be discussing the efforts and challenges of local utilities to generate more energy from clean sources.

            Alternative energy development has great promise here in North Carolina and across the country.  Some day in the not-so-distant future, we may see local electricity plants burning agricultural, solid, municipal, and animal waste for nearby communities at an affordable rate supporting many jobs.  Investments made today in research, development, and deployment will bring us to that day.  Join us on July 20th as we prepare for the future!

In an effort to build a LEED home, Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc used the TerraGuard Rapid Flow Curb Drain Filter to protect the storm sewer inlets on site. It is a strict LEED requirement to install such erosion control products, which can be made of silt fencing, silt sacks or rock filters.

The TerraGuard Rapid Flow Curb Drain Filter is a flexible tune containing lightweight, plastic rocks encapsulated in a high strength knitted fabric. It conforms to any shape and can be manufactured in many lengths or diameters.

The plastic rocks are specially designed with multiple flow channels that allow water to flow from all directions, while leaving the soil and debris behind. The plastic aggregate has more than five times the flow rate of typical gravel and are tough enough to withstand heavy wheel loads.

Each Rapid Flow Curb Drain Filter comes with pre-engineered weight belts that will keep the filters firmly in place. These belts can easily be filled on site with any common material such as sand or rock.

Being a Green home builder, Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc understands the Green efforts made by organizations around the world. Not familiar with FSC certified wood? Read on to learn about the formation and mission of the Forest Stewardship Council.

HISTORY of the FSC: Although wood is one of our most renewable resources, by the late 1900s, environmentalists were concerned with overuse of the earth’s forests. The world’s appetite for wood, wood products and forest land took a toll. Drastic deforestation threatened to deplete resources, damage forest wildlife and contribute to global warming.

As environmentalist groups gained supporters, certain forest management companies sought a way to demonstrate their commitment to well-managed harvesting. Various groups, including environmental groups and timber traders, worked together to find a way to evaluate forests and wood products for responsible, envir­onmentally friendly management. In the early 1990s, these groups established the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an international organization dedicated to regulating and maintaining accreditation standards.

­The FSC’s main purpose is to provide a way for consumers to know that wood and its byproducts come from responsibly managed for­ests and supply chains. The council maintains a set of principles and criteria to make sure that wood products don’t destroy natural resources or threaten wildlife.

The council lays out the standard for two different certifications: Forest Management (FM) and Chain of Custody (CoC). FM certification is granted to a well-managed forest. On the other hand, CoC certification is granted to products that are appropriately manufactured and tracked from the forest to the consumer. With a CoC certification, companies that package and trade forest products can brand their products with the FSC logo. Consumers know that when they buy products with this logo, they’re buying green goods.