This month, from September 20-26, the World Green Building Council (umbrella organization for the US Green Building Council and many councils worldwide) is celebrating World Green Building Week–expanded from World Green Building Day last year.  This week will revolve around two main events: the release of the WorldGBC’s Special Report “Tackling Global Climate Change – Meeting Local Priorities”, a coordinated series of green building events hosted by Green Building Councils from around the World.  20 countries from 6 continents will hold events, including Canada and the UK.  Events will range from green expos and LEED conferences to regional leader summits and national clean-up days.

Of course, the Special Report by the WorldGBC, to be released on September 20th, is a major focus of the week, bringing a overarching view of the developments in green building from various parts of the world, and how each country has used innovation and natural resources to its advantage for green building.  The GreenHomeImprovement.com blog will bring you a summary and links of the report following its release.

In the meantime, we encourage everyone in our community, whether you’re a green remodeler, manufacturer of green products, or a homeowner concerned with all things green, to check out the progress of green building week here. Even use this time to look around your home and get ideas about how it could be more eco-friendly.

And, we’d love to have your input!  Do you know of an inspiring new green home?  Whether it’s in Thailand or South Africa, Ireland or Peru–we want to hear about it.  Share the wisdom you’ve gained with GreenHomeImprovement, and celebrate Green Building Week with us.

More updates blog coming soon…

Hemp. It’s one of those wonders of the world that every generation finds a new use for. Naturally, we don’t advise inhaling, but the many uses of hemp have widened from rope-making and clothing fibers to this newest usage, which has been making quite a splash in the U.K. construction industry.

Lhoist UK just released a new product called Hemcrete, an intriguing blend of hemp, water and lime. Hemcrete is an alternative to traditional concrete and has surprising (or maybe not so surprising) benefits over its conventional counterpart.

Sustainability
Like other plants, hemp collects carbon from the air and stores it within, while releasing oxygen back into the atmosphere. The bonus here is that hemp takes in more carbon than the manufacturing of Hemcrete gives off, making it a carbon-neutral product.

Energy Efficient
Hemcrete, when installed as a wall fill-in, creates a large thermal mass which serves as advanced insulation. This means that when used properly in wall construction, no additional insulation needs to be added—which also means less labor and materials have to go into the project.

Superior Building Material
Hemcrete is just as beneficial to the contractor as it is to the homeowner over time. Since the product is lighter than traditional concrete, it makes projects run smoother and faster, reducing time and costs on any given jobsite.

Additionally, Hemcrete is vapor-permeable, so it will continually dry the wood that surrounds it, assuming it’s used in timber frame construction. By keeping moisture from penetrating the wood, Hemcrete essentially keeps the structure’s frame from rotting and deteriorating due to the elements, lengthening its longevity.

Most importantly, it means a hefty 80 percent in energy savings and a significant increase in the life of each individual bulb. The new LED 60-watt bulb can last up to 25 times longer while saving up to 32.6 terawatt hours of electricity across the United States each year. That amount alone is capable of powering the lights of 16.7 million households, or about 14.4 percent of the total number of households in the country.

For consumers looking for a clear indication of how the new compares to the old, it’s all in the numbers. A standard 60-watt bulb is rated at 1,000 hours. In comparison, the new LED light bulb is rated at 25,000 hours. This increase in the bulb’s lifetime can save a family over $120 per lamp. Businesses can reap similar benefits, along with significantly lower maintenance costs.

The new bulbs will be available in the 4th quarter of this year, but a retail price has yet to be decided on.