Make My House Greentm Has come to Missoula!

Local Missoula, KECI-NBC, The Trail 103.3, and First National Bank of MT are pleased to announce a world event this summer in Missoula.  Monte Turner will conduct weekly interviews and updates for Montana Today starting in early July.  The Trail will broadcast live radio at the final open house in late August.  This truly is the event Missoula has been waiting for.  The pros are saying this is the second biggest event Missoula has ever seen (stupid Rolling Stones).

Welcome to MAKE MY HOUSE GREEN tm!!! 

Located at 646 Longstaff in heart of Missoula, this could easily be the most environmentally conscious remodel project the world has ever seen!

The key concept behind the Make My House Green (MMHG) project is to provide an interactive and informative public demonstration on “green” building methods.  We will be evaluate energy efficiency and a complete project cost analysis so that you can ultimately determine which aspects may make sense for your upcoming home remodel or new construction.    Most people believe that going green is just too expensive, but this is not necessarily the case.  MMHG has developed a 3-step process for building or rebuilding a home utilizing some of the latest sustainable methods.  This ongoing summer event will consist of 6 Saturday open house viewings during July and August.  Additionally, we will host interactive technique demonstrations by our professional contractors and suppliers.  If you’re looking to go green, you won’t want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to see it in action.  Check the Makemyhousegreen website for a schedule of events and information on our Go To Green Team of Professional Contractors and Suppliers who support sustainable, efficient building.

            MMHG will tear down a home that was originally built in 1925 and reconstruct the house into an eco-friendly, energy efficient, locally engineered home.  The home will be rebuilt using the 3-step guidelines developed by MMHG to maximize efficiency and minimize ecological impact.  By reusing the materials extracted from the house and incorporating sustainable new lumber from the Good Wood Program, we ensure a minimum negative impact to our forests and environment.  We will also install energy efficient windows, doors and appliances to save on fossil fuels and hydroelectric energy consumption.  Finally, we will seek out locally engineered and produced goods and services to minimize product transportation and support our local economy.  During the ongoing research for this project, we have found that there are numerous options that fit within our guidelines.  We have selected what seems to the most cost effective combination of these options and implemented them for you.

            MMHG has strategically developed our set of guidelines to determine whether a house meets the “green” building design or not.  One of MMHG’s primary goals is to encourage everyone to go “green” when building or re-building.  A national program has allocated the LEED certification for a “green “ home.  Unfortunately, this certification is expensive and therefore many builders and homeowners avoid it. We feel that everyone in every financial situation should be encouraged to build “green.”  One of our goals is to show the public how to meet some of these nationally accepted green standards without necessarily having to go through the burocratic process of a certification.  We need to realize that the certification is not the critical part of the green building movement, but rather it is the efforts taken to make the world a better place.  MMHG will provide Missoula with cost effective methods of going “green” based on our three general criteria.

Ø      Sustainable Materials

Ø      Energy Efficiency

Ø      BUYING LOCAL!

            During this remodel project there will be 6 FREE educational events that the public will be invited to attend.  The events will take place at the project site during July and August and will feature professional demonstrations by the Green Team, including efficiency seminars by Russ Hellem of Energetics and John Diem of Advanced Energy Solutions.  Enjoy Design of Thought as sustainable designer Lucas Dupuis takes you through the thought process of a sustainable set of prints.  Also Local plumbing supplier, Mountain Water will let you in on the latest low-flow faucets and fixtures and a 98% efficient radiant heat system.  These seminars will give cost effective demonstrations that make sense to the common homeowner.  Individually, you may or may not be able to do all the “green” feature upgrades but the demonstrations are for every homeowner and you will certainly find methods that apply to your home. 

            MMHG has also developed the definitive “Go-To Green Team” here in Missoula.  All of our “Green Team” contractors and suppliers were interviewed and screened, and many applicants were turned away because they were not the best fit for the MMHG criteria.  MMHG endorses our Green Team and encourages you to contact them for professional services.  We will leave their contact and company information available on this site for the subsequent year after the project concludes.

             www.localmissoula.com and www.makemyhousegreen.com will provide the inside scoop and details as the project develops.  Check back for the schedule of events and stay tuned to KECI channel 13 and 103.3 The Trail as we bring you the most practical public demonstration project in history. Enjoy!!!