2007 June
2007 June Vol. 5 No. 6
Focus on...Going Green
A Call to Action
When most people hear the term green building, they often think of photovoltaic solar panels, cisterns, wind turbines, or straw bale homes. With these images in mind, it's no wonder that people think green building is a fringe alternative. Read More
How Green Is My Condo
While we were all busy with other things, LEED came mainstream. No less a source than the Harvard Business Review agreed that green building is good in a June 2006 article by Charles Lockwood, an environmental and real estate consultant. Read More
Greening Your Home
It's almost impossible these days to open the daily newspaper and not see an article on the rapid growth of green building, the technique of using sustainable design to build homes with renewable materials used prudently in an effort to conserve energy and environmental resources. Indeed, according to a recent survey of home builders by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and McGraw Hill Construction, one out of every 10 homes built will be "green" by the year 2010. And 85 percent of green homeowners surveyed say they are happier with their new green home than they were with their previous, more traditionally built home, in part because of the lower operating and maintenance costs that come with energy- and resource-efficient homes. Read More
Expensive Errors
At the outset, overplanted landscapes and gardens look great. They're lush and full from the get-go, and they make a wonderful first impression. But from that first day onward, an overplanted garden or landscape will evolve from a thing of beauty to an unending struggle between the plants and the homeowner, association, or landscaper tasked with taking care of it Read More
A Safe and Fun Summer at the Pool
You've hustled, sweated, and cajoled to get the pool open by Memorial Day. With all the hard work done, you can kick back and downshift to cruise control until the end of the swim season. Or can you? Read More
The Family Friendly 40B
When Massachusetts lawmakers passed the state's 40B zoning law in 1969, their goal was to increase dramatically the quantity of affordable housing units in the state. Read More
Vale, No Pasa Nada Y Tranquila
W hen you read this title, did you think that I might be enjoying a little tequila as I wrote? If so, I'm sorry to say that that was not quite the case. But it's probably fair to say that I am drunk on Spain, where I recently spent two weeks visiting my daughter who is enrolled in a study-abroad program there. Read More
Fiberglass 102
Window replacement projects are a big proposition for any homeowner. Making an educated decision is critical, and any time spent in the planning phase is well worth the investment. This is particularly true if you are researching on behalf of your association, which may include hundreds of homeowners. Read More
