DNRP > SWD > Green Building >

Green Building news and resources for King County and Suburban Cities.

Second Quarter 2008

Welcome to the new issue of the King County GreenTools Newsletter, a periodic electronic update to County and City staff interested in green building and sustainable development.

To submit stories, events, or announcements, click here.

Environmentally Certified Homes Bring a Premium
News Release, April 2008
A recent market analysis shows that “environmentally certified” homes in the Seattle/King County metro area—which includes those certified through Built GreenTM, LEED® for Homes, and Energy StarTM—sell for nearly 5 percent more on average. This study strongly suggests that homebuyers recognize that green homes provide better value, in addition to many health and environmental benefits. Not only this, but environmentally certified homes are selling more quickly in a slow real-estate market. Read more…

Shoreline Recycling and Transfer Station Honored
News Release, April 11, 2008
King County Solid Waste Division’s new Shoreline Recycling and Transfer Station received an honorable mention designation in April at ReGeneration 2008, the annual regional green design event. Over 60 projects from throughout the Northwest and Pacific Rim entered the first ever What Makes it Green? Regional Top Ten design awards. Read more...

Seattle Green Festival Big, a Success
Green Festival homepage, April, 2008
Over 20,000 people visited the Seattle Green Festival on April 12-13, the first-ever green living event hosted in the Northwest. Exhibits featured green building, renewable energy, organic and Fair Trade products, and community action organizations. A range of internationally-renowned speakers and presenters educated attendees about the many opportunities and aspects of sustainable living. Read More...

"Greening in Place: From Policy to Practice"
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Seattle University's Piggott Hall

Are you a local government manager or staff from King County or from King County’s urban and suburban cities? Please join us in a one-day conference and get up-to-the-minute information on green building and green built environment strategies.

"Greening in Place" will provide you with green strategies for new construction, building renovation, operations and maintenance, and other built environment infrastructure. Creating a sustainable built environment in King County requires collaboration, so this conference will be a premier information-sharing and networking event, with keynote speaker, recognition awards, tours of green buildings, and technical education sessions. You’ll hear about, discuss, and experience:

• Technology and Materials
• Planning, Policy, Incentives, and Costs
• Operations, Maintenance, and Resource Conservation
• Practical Applications and Case Studies

Who should attend? Local government project managers, planners, engineers, public works and facilities staff, and policymakers from throughout King County. The $45 registration fee includes lunch. More information and a session agenda will be available soon.

Life Cycle Building Challenge 2
The Lifecycle Building Challenge 2 is a web-based competition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Building Materials Reuse Association, American Institute of Architects, Southface, and West Coast Green. This national competition invites engineers, designers, planners, contractors, builders, educators and students to submit their ideas for buildings and building materials that facilitate and anticipate future changes to and eventual adaptation, disassembly, or dismantling for recovery.

Also known as design for disassembly and design for deconstruction, lifecycle thinking encompasses the idea of creating buildings that are stocks of resources for future buildings. By creating building components that can be easily recovered and reused, materials are kept at their highest value, which reduces energy and resource consumption.

Award Categories

• Building - an existing whole building or design
• Innovation - a connector, tool, policy, or education

Professionals can submit both built and unbuilt projects, and students can submit unbuilt ideas. For details and free registration visit Life Cycle Building Challenge 2. Please register online by June 15, 2008. Entries must be submitted by July 31, 2008.

For more information on design for disassembly and deconstruction, please contact Kinley Deller with King County’s GreenTools program at 206-296-4434.

New Green Home Remodel Guides Available
Two new guides have been added to the successful Green Home Remodel Guides series: Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audit Guide and Homebuyer’s Guide. The Audit Guide walks homeowners step-by-step through an audit of a home’s envelope and energy features. A convenient tear-out checklist helps track progress in making a home more energy efficient and comfortable. The Homebuyer’s Guide provides key items for buyers to look for when purchasing a green home. The guides are available online under Residential Buildings tab at GreenTools, or by contacting Dan Farrell with the King County GreenTools program, at 206-263-6037.

New Greenbridge Case Study
Greenbridge is an award-winning mixed affordable/market rate housing project in White Center, developed by King County Housing Authority. This case study outlines how this innovative affordable housing project was designed with full community input. The outcome is a successful project that meets the needs of a diverse population, while providing benefits to the environment through green building and Low Impact Development applications. To read or download a copy of the case study, click here. For more information about the Greenbridge project, please contact Patti Southard, with the King County GreenTools program, at 206-296-8480.

Recycled Products Now Available in King County
WoodStrawTM erosion control mulch is now available to King County projects. The use of WoodStraw is approved by the Washington State Department of Ecology, Washington DOT and Oregon DOT.

WoodStraw is manufactured from scrap veneer by Forest Concepts of Auburn, Wash. The material is available in 50 lb. and 575 lb. bales, and has been used on projects in King and Pierce Counties. WoodStraw product attributes include:

• successful on steep slopes (up to 70°)
• 100% weed-free
• dust-free
• resistant to high winds
• durable and long-lasting
• applicable by hand or blower
• promotes re-vegetation when under- or over-seeded

To learn more visit woodstraw, or call Forest Concepts at 253-333-9663. You can view the King County purchase order by clicking on “Supply” tab in “Term Goods and Services Contracts”.

MetroPaint, a 100% recycled interior/exterior latex paint is newly available for use on King County projects through State of Washington contract #00207. King County and other local governments that are Qualified Cooperative Members can use the state contract. MetroPaint attributes include:

• 100% recycled
• Green Seal certified as environmentally responsible product
• filtered to industry standards
• tested for performance and environmental safety
• 15 colors available
• affordable

When using the contract, the paint can be shipped from MetroPaint in Portland or picked up from distributor BJ’s Paint ‘N Place in Tumwater. Purchases of small quantities of MetroPaint outside of the contract can be made from Second Use Building Materials in Seattle. Learn more at the MetroPaint Web site, or call 503-234-3000.

For more information about these products, contact Kris Beatty, King County LinkUp program manager, at 206-296-3740 or visit the LinkUp Web site.

Subscribe | Unsubscribe

King County | Solid Waste Division | News | Services | Comments | Search

Links to external sites do not constitute endorsements by King County.
By visiting this and other King County Web pages,
you expressly agree to be bound by terms and conditions of the site.
The details.