New Environmental Test Community (Oak Ridge, Crossville: maintenance, friendly, Wal-mart)

[JMT]

Originally Posted by happyappy

I wonder who the “[d]evelopers based in Overland Park, Kansas” are. The number of green developers is increasing all across the country; there’s even a bank in San Francisco that gives special financial considerations to green builders and developers.

This will be interesting to watch in many respects.

I'm curious what is required for a development to be "green." Is it like "free range" chickens where they only need to be let loose for something like 20 minutes a day to be called free range (and therefore aren't really free range)?

To be called green, does a developer simply have to use energy-efficient appliances (which cost twice as much) and a few low-E windows? Or does a certain percentage of the plywood have to be from recycled material? Are the roofing shingles all made from recycled asphalt? I hope, unlike other luxury housing developments, they won't have lawn irrigation systems.

I'm willing to bet that it doesn't take much for a development to receive the "green" label. And who gets to decide whether it's "green" or not?

[happyappy]

Originally Posted by JMT

I'm curious what is required for a development to be "green." Is it like "free range" chickens where they only need to be let loose for something like 20 minutes a day to be called free range (and therefore aren't really free range)?

To be called green, does a developer simply have to use energy-efficient appliances (which cost twice as much) and a few low-E windows? Or does a certain percentage of the plywood have to be from recycled material? Are the roofing shingles all made from recycled asphalt? I hope, unlike other luxury housing developments, they won't have lawn irrigation systems.

I'm willing to bet that it doesn't take much for a development to receive the "green" label. And who gets to decide whether it's "green" or not?

There are websites "out there" that can direct you to organizations that promote green practices if you're interested.

As to this article, the issue of how they established a "green" label for themselves isn't divulged, but maybe you could find out.

[kamoshika]

Two articles on Walden Reserve from the Crossville Chronicle:

Walden Reserve will be a 6,000 acre deep green community in Cumberland County just south of Grassy Cove off Hwy. 68. The property runs from Hwy. 68 over to Hwy. 70 E. and south to Alloway Rd.

"This will be the greenest community in America," Bray said.

The community will be developed with cutting edge technology, be self-contained and will be recognized all over the world, he said.
Crossville Chronicle, Crossville, TN - Residents meet with developers about deep green community

Bray said the initial development of the first phase includes 1,188 homesites and a community village center containing a fitness center, general store, spa, restaurant, chapel, conference center and a welcome center.
Crossville Chronicle, Crossville, TN - Deep-green developer meets with planning commission

[LauraC]

I have no interest in this story other than curiosity about the test. I like the idea of an experimental community, this one just happens to be on the issue of energy.

I'm not in the know, but these are my guesses:

My guess would be that the number of houses has to do with how many is needed for the purpose of the test. Without getting into research terminology-- at the end of the test, you can't say the results prove one thing or another unless your test is conducted on x number of dwellings. They have probably already determined how many overall and how many of each type of dwelling would be needed to be able to say at the end of the test they proved or disproved something based on results.

Why Crossville? My guess is the proximity of the community to Oak Ridge National Laboratory makes it easier for the researchers to gather data, monitor and tweak the test. It also makes it less expensive (travel costs, for example) to conduct the research.

You may also notice that the State of Tennessee is one of the 3 entities funding the test. Crossville is one of the few towns the State of Tennessee actively touts for retirement. You have already read that baby boomer retireees are targeted. I'm sure the developer has done some prior research to determine who (what demographic) would most likely be most receptive to this type of community. His goal is to sell.

Lastly, why Tennessee? It's Tennessee because the funding is coming from the TVA and the State of Tennessee and because Oak Ridge National Lab (DOE) has an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program which, if I am not mistaken, got a chunk of money dedicated to it in a recent federal budget, and because they were the original researchers involved in the Habitat For Humanity test house:

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/eere/PDFs/03-02617_Habitat.pdf

[TnHilltopper]

Although not related to this proposed green test community, I thought I would post this information for folks who are interested in various incentives for energy conservation. No reason why folks who already have existing homes can't take advantage of various Federal and State programs that encourage people to "go green". From rebates to grants and coupons for future efficient appliance purchases, this site is a great source of local and Federal information.


DSIRE: Incentives by State: Incentives in Tennessee

[happyappy]

This is fascinating stuff. Thanks for starting the thread, LauraC.

Imagine paying $.45/day for energy for a home, and then eventually, maybe not-too-distant future, $0/day!

The Crossville Chronicle articles mention rain water collection; this is a subject I’ve gotten into in many online discussions over the years. Wyoming apparently has no water sources other than what falls from the sky within its borders (if I recall correctly). Wyoming’s population might certainly benefit from the Walden Reserve’s tests and future technologies in water collection and handling. As weather patterns in America continue to shift and some areas experience less—in some places much less—precipitation, water collection and conservation will grow ever more important.

I’ve been reading some of the threads in the Maine forum. There was a big discussion in which energy costs for home heating was mentioned in numerous posts. The average home energy costs in Maine are now 43% higher than the national average. One poster complained of paying over $5000 in 2006 (he admitted he has a big house, however). Would this new technology ever be a boon to Mainers!

In fact, the entire world will benefit, and all from an experiment in East Tennessee. Tennessee is ahead of the curve in many respects I’m finding out.

[Deborah53]

Great thread LauraC. Every poster brought up interesting points, too bad this isn't read by many more people. Our country has been sitting on its laurels in the green area. Actually I believe much has been developed over the years, but the government and big business control such endeavors. All ones needs to do is look at the cost of oil per barrel, that has been coming since the
70's. And then look at the loss of industry to foreign countries. A country built on the ingenuity that ours was, just seems maybe the government is protecting special interest and not the people and environment. Perhaps we will become a leader in green tech.

[12buttons]

this is a joke! why don't they clean up the air first? TN has some of the worst air in the country...check out scorecard.org
oak ridge air quality is really bad...too bad since it is such a pretty area...cars and industry, high humidityetc...they need to address these issues first...what good is an eco friendly house if the air around it is so compromised? I don't understand that thinking...sorry...TN is a great state - it deserves better...

[happyappy]

Originally Posted by 12buttons

this is a joke! why don't they clean up the air first? TN has some of the worst air in the country...check out scorecard.org
oak ridge air quality is really bad...too bad since it is such a pretty area...cars and industry, high humidityetc...they need to address these issues first...what good is an eco friendly house if the air around it is so compromised? I don't understand that thinking...sorry...TN is a great state - it deserves better...

Excellent point! But cleaning the air doesn't drum up business, so . . .

However, I view this experimental community as a vital step in very dramatically reducing energy usage from conventional means. If these motors/generators/alternators work as advertised, think of the changes that can be made in myriad power generation applications.

The air shouldn't been cleaned INSTEAD of this experiment but IN ADDITION TO this experiment--in my humble opinion.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by 12buttons

this is a joke! why don't they clean up the air first? TN has some of the worst air in the country..

Perhaps a part of the test might be to see if the introduction of 7,000 new dwellings decreases the quality of the air in Crossville.