GreenHousing.net's FEATURE ARTICLE

by Kristena Cox and Justin Schmick

In late Summer 2002 we had the pleasure of meeting with Duane Woik, NewConstruction Consultant for Earth Advantage. Earth Advantage is a programsponsored by Portland General Electric that promotes sustainability in thePacific NW by working with builders to create healthier and more energyefficient homes. We sat down with Duane and asked him a few questions aboutthe Earth Advantage program.

Question: "What is the Earth Advantage mission?"
Reply: We want to promote sustainability in the North West and work with builders to create homes that are designed to be more efficient and promote healthier indoor air. Specifically, we want to build more "holistic" homes.

Question: "For the consumer, what do you believe are the key advantages to buying anEarth Advantage Certified home?"
Reply: Well, they can save owners money on utility bills. But home dwellerswill also get healthier indoor air quality, eco-friendly products and adurable life cycle on their home.

Question: "How much does it cost to use the program?"
Reply: Typical cost is .5% to 1% of total construction cost.

Question: "How does Earth Advantage set themselves apart from otherprograms/organizations that promote green building?"
Reply: Some have likened the Earth Advantage program to the popular Super Good Cents program that came out in the 1980s. The Super Good Cents program is an electrical based program that focuses on saving kilowatts. How EarthAdvantage differs is that we have a commitment to total energy savings andsustainability. We do not differentiate between gas and electric. And weconsider the home's total environmental impact. An Earth Advantage home mayfeature healthier indoor air, energy efficient systems, sustainable designand resource efficient materials.
We are one of the few organizations who provide third party, unbiasedcertification. Other programs leave it up to the builder. We are more"hands on". We do performance testing such as duct blasting and blower doortests.

Question: "Who are your strongest allies in the community?"
Reply: Our strongest allies are the builders and homebuyers. Governor Kitzhaber and the State of Oregon endorse us. We work with the Oregon Housing and Community Service. They provide low interest loans. We are also members ofthe Portland Builders Association and the National Association of HomeBuilders.

Question: "How have builders reacted to your program? What are the challenges tousing the program for your builders?"
Reply: We work with the leaders, those who are on the cutting edge of residential building. The greatest challenge for our builders is gettingtheir subs (sub-contractors) on board. It is a challenge to get them tochange the way they do business. If a builder is used to working with aparticular plumber but the builder wants to put in, say, a recirculating hotwater system and the plumber does not know much about that system, it canget pretty challenging.

Question: "Which communities have been most responsive to your program?"
Reply: We have a lot of different markets but I would say we have good responses in cities where there is a mix of both custom homes and affordable housing. The top communities are Portland, Eugene, Bend and Ashland. I believe change happens through creating community within our communities. It seems smallercommunities are more willing to support this program.

Question: "Which builders have you worked with in the Eugene/Springfield community?"
Reply: Well, we certify the homes, not the builders. But the builder or the homebuyer hires us. We are working with several builders right now: Metro, Gansen, Ives, Rainbow Valley and Koala. A couple of the 2002 Tour of Homesin Eugene were built using the Earth Advantage Certification program. Onehome was built in the South East at 4680 S. Shasta Loop by Ives Constructionand one in Ferry Street Bridge at 1625 Canoe Ridge Way by GansenConstruction.

We really appreciate the time Duane spent with us this summer during hisbusy building season. For more information on the Earth Advantage programyou can contact Duane at:

(888)-EARTH33
www.earthadvantage.com