Welcome to the Bright-Minded Home. Herein, I’d like to recycle the trendy notion of the “green home” into the idea of a smart house, and talk about the ways architects, builders, and you and me, are making our homes healthier and more efficient for the future.
The “bright” in the name comes from Alex Steffen’s concept of bright green environmentalism, defined as the exploration of social innovation and new technologies to reduce human impact on the planet. Sustainability, he suggests, needs to be more useful and deeply satisfying in order to change our habits. That’s the goal here, too. I’m looking for the simple ways we can make the roof over our heads—whatever size or style it is—something of a fortress against the grand uncertainties of the world.
I’m a believer in the little things that make a difference. Greenwashing aside, when building or retrofitting a home, we can all make smart choices that feel right to us. It can be anything from the use of antiques, reclaimed wood, recycled building materials, and local stonework, to super insulation, low impact landscaping, Energy Star appliances, air quality ventilation, wood pellet stoves, low flow toilets, and heat pumps. Some even take it to the next level with solar electricity and hot water, geothermal and wind power, a blower door test and deep energy retrofit, and LEED or passive home features such as passive solar siting and exterior sun shading, to name but a few options.
Though I live in a LEED home, I’m not claiming to be the expert here, rather I’m looking to you and the builders, designers, and visionaries to inspire me with the realm of the possible. I welcome your questions and comments and invite you to share your own projects and bright ideas, big or small. You just might see them show up here.
An investigation into the creation of beautiful, healthy, and energy-efficient homes.
