tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52591541469384571132011-07-07T18:14:46.391-07:00Green design, affordable housing, real estate issues and some fun stuff too!Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.comBlogger211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-16220752383874889402010-03-17T18:43:00.000-07:002010-03-17T18:48:03.528-07:00

Just completed a video tour for Woodland Hills, a lovely residential community and golf course about 10 miles east of Lincoln. I had a great time photographing this beautiful place. The people who live there LOVE IT! Watch the video and see why.

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-58967901996121794532010-03-09T20:09:00.000-08:002010-03-09T20:11:48.272-08:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-73579636904512251662009-07-20T11:30:00.000-07:002009-07-20T11:45:02.263-07:00

Tonight (Monday, July 2oth) I'm scheduled to be a guest on the KZUM radio show Earth2Lincoln. I told host, Eva Sohl, that I could talk about a variety of things related to improving home energy efficiency. Here are some of the links where you can get more information on the topics we're going to discuss:For info on tax credits for home energy improvments, from the Nebraska Energy OfficeOnline

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-30053197503659032942009-04-20T20:43:00.000-07:002009-04-20T21:03:07.780-07:00

Buildings use a tremendous amount of energy. How could they not? We work, play, make things and live in buildings. Making our buildings greener requires new skill and techniques. Learning about them is the subject of a NYT video story The Greening of the American Hard Hat. It's also entered the lexicon, Green-collar worker is an entry on Wikipedia. The Obama administration is counting on

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-11484156860975790372009-02-11T20:31:00.000-08:002009-02-12T08:42:26.886-08:00

I dream of going green ... or at least more green. I fantasize about solar supported radiant heat systems combined with zoned smart home features in a tight super insulated house. But for now I live in a little old house with its original windows and a big dog who likes the cold weather and is always going in and out and this winter has been cold! Yet I've not been shocked by my gas bill, I

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-73541702875765178472009-01-19T14:38:00.000-08:002009-01-19T19:28:03.363-08:00

A new time, a new opportunity! Over the past year a great deal has changed and the changes have only just begun. There are a lot of ideas about stimulating the economy and addressing climate change. Wind farms, electric vehicles ... big changes. But a lot of little changes can add up to a pretty big change too. Retrofits and improvements to the existing building stock can create jobs and save

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-68423383963699079262008-12-15T09:23:00.000-08:002008-12-21T18:53:35.193-08:00

Air, we take it for granted, but the fact is that the air indoors can become contaminated by toxins. Recently a cat and CO detector saved a Lincoln family. Of particular danger is Carbon Monoxide which can build up as a result of poor combustion in a furnace or back drafting from a fireplace. During the winter time the furnace may run a lot while houses are closed up tight. The danger is real but

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-1233396693822444272008-11-04T14:12:00.000-08:002008-11-05T10:02:26.354-08:00

Everyday I walk my dog near a park and a construction site that slowly transforming the neighborhood where I live. It's exciting to watch the changes of the Antelope Valley Project on a day to day basis. Over the past few weeks some of the most dramatic changes have been taking place as trucks line up to haul away the dirt excavated for new stream bed for Antelope Creek and for a premium new

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-73662522512953755552008-09-16T10:36:00.000-07:002008-10-08T11:27:37.119-07:00

I know its tempting just to pour it down the drain or hide it in a bag at the bottom of the trash, but if the label says danger, poison, toxic, flammable, corrosive, warning or caution, you have another option that you should seriously consider. For Lincoln and Lancaster county, the Health Department has collection days at different sites in Lincoln and around the county. Upcoming collection

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-32769016773115547022008-08-26T13:59:00.000-07:002008-09-02T21:04:33.412-07:00

Clotheslines have become increasingly rare. Is it time for that to change? Air drying is a fairly simple and practical way to save energy. A clothes dryer is likely the second biggest energy user in your home (the refrigerator is #1). Drying clothes on a line is not always possible in a place where anything can happen with the weather, but on a beautiful spring day it can make clothes hung

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-50192215497504999982008-08-25T16:00:00.000-07:002008-08-26T14:14:00.425-07:00

Its tempting to use the new tile job in the bathroom to make one's foray into art, however the results are going to be there for a long time. Even an accomplished artist like Christoph Niemann has to approach the project cautiously. In his blog at the NY Times Mr. Niemann talks about his process, but more importantly, shows some possible outcomes and the ultimate decision. He's happy with it

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-70623712691307335492008-08-18T14:46:00.000-07:002008-08-18T22:06:41.841-07:00

As Dick Cheney might say "get them there so you don't have to get them here," or as Tom the Cartoon Cat Mr. Jinks is known to intone "I HATE MEECES TO PIECES!!!!!"Over the years I've learned that if I go on the attack early and often I can keep mice out of my house. I have a little old fashioned garage (built for the Model T) that I use as a storage shed. Late in the summer its not unusual

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-59882127338939870132008-07-22T21:09:00.000-07:002008-07-22T21:19:32.394-07:00

Just the other day, late in the evening, my dog Buddy woofed and pointed to the back ... something was up. I looked out the kitchen window and saw flames in the alley. A fire! A quick investigation showed that the neighbors dumpster was on fire. Immediately I called 911 and in a few minutes the firetruck arrived. Fortunately the fire was contained by the dumpster. The nearby garage had some

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-18989845502937329972008-07-11T18:12:00.000-07:002008-08-25T15:40:07.915-07:00

On a recent trip to Denver we went to meet a friend as he got off of work. We parked near his office and went in through a back entrance from the parking garage. After touring the office we went out the front and on to an intriguing street of shops, restaurants, offices and places to live. We browsed through books and played catch with the dog in a design oriented store store and left with

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-73122398183326276572008-06-18T14:43:00.000-07:002008-07-11T18:53:34.829-07:00

Owning a dream home, whether it looks like a castle or feels like a tiny hideaway, is often the best opportunity a person will ever have for achieving romantic notions of the good life. The only limit is one’s imagination. – Dennis Wedlick, Good House Hunting While cruising around the Slow Home Website I stumbled upon a review of Good House Hunting by Dennis Wedlick, an architect and writer

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-64300096839801519442008-05-23T09:52:00.000-07:002008-07-11T18:54:15.253-07:00

Are the remnants of old projects tying up your valuable storage space? Or do you have project that could use any old lumber or paint? Looking to match that old woodwork or simply need to replace the toilet in the basement? Then the EcoStore is for you.In fact the EcoStore is for just about anybody. The artist, the landlord, the homeowner, there renter, the spendthrift or the person with the

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-34182484633676937972008-05-09T19:28:00.000-07:002008-07-11T18:55:15.519-07:00

Where would we get the most bang for our buck in the reduction of carbon emmissions? A new report from the Commission for Environmental Cooperation suggests that "the design,location, construction, operation and disposal of buildings" all represent occasions where decisions are made that affect the environmental impact of a building.Upfront construction costs vs. ongoing utility costs are all a

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-3596014003813187122008-04-19T21:41:00.000-07:002008-04-28T20:21:36.601-07:00

Walking through the Barnes and Noble I saw a table full of "green" books. Yes, at least a portion of the cover art was green, but I'm not talking about the color. Green is about an attitude of conservation. This isn't your Fathers conservative (unless your Father was a hippie). If you really want to know what is meant by green I suggest a quick review of the NYT Sunday Magazine from 4/20/08.

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-43171695697839714412008-04-15T20:22:00.000-07:002008-08-15T10:59:38.783-07:00

Suddenly, down the street, there is a house with one of those signs in the window. A HUD Home, hmmm, could be a bargain? Well that may be, call your Realtor (or me if you don't have one) and take a look inside.Don't have a HUD home down the street but want to see whats on the market? HUD Homes in Nebraska can be seen at a site called Best Assets. The HUD house is being sold as is and you can't

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-22731408558917520392008-04-07T15:00:00.000-07:002008-07-11T18:56:42.087-07:00

... gardens and wet basements. Here in Lincoln it is not uncommon to see basement walls pushed in by the pressure of saturated ground. The walls crack and a damp basement may result. Yet when its dry out, keeping the lawn or garden green means running water from the city water supply and higher utility bills. Its seems to me that one could address both of these problems with rain

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5259154146938457113.post-10745176944124902522008-04-07T14:53:00.000-07:002008-04-07T15:00:48.949-07:00

Been thinking about building a home?Perhaps you should consider a little advice from the White Stripes ... Rock On!

Doug Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14788781024792004362noreply@blogger.com0