Concerned about your travel footprint?

Wallet a little thinner than you’re used to?

Whether planning to visit another state or country, house swapping is a great way to take a bite out of your travel plan footprint and save a wheelbarrow full of cash.

Ever wish you had a close friend living in every cool country you ever wanted to visit? Now you do, sort of. Home Exchange Now is a website that lets users temporarily swap their living quarters. Think of it as an international exchange program – minus the college coursework.

Users of the site pick a country, when they’d like to stay, and then search for like minded foreigners who’d like to swap houses for a spell. 

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1. “Go green.”  More and more consumers are realizing the importance of buying green homes.  Energy efficiency measures alone can save them thousands each year.  The rising number of “light green” consumers, those motivated to go green by the promise of energy cost savings, is going to push the demand for these types of homes.  “Dark green” consumers, those who have been on the bandwagon for years and are doing it out of their beliefs about the planet, are going to be looking for more than just energy efficiency.  Features like recycled materials, indoor air quality, local materials, and non-toxic interiors are going to be popular with this set.

2. “Share your green philosophy.”  This ties in closely with the next point, but consumers want to know that their home builder is doing all they can to reduce their impact on the environment, as well as reduce costs.  Including a green philosophy in your marketing materials may make the difference between who a consumer chooses to buy their house from.  It is important to make sure this philosophy extends beyond just buildings and construction practices.  Take a look at day-to-day business practices to see if they can be “greened up.”

3. “Find your green niche.”  Cardis advocates knowing your potential customers “so you can combine tangible value with the green benefits they want and can afford.”  Whether it be high-end or low-income housing, each presents its own green design challenges.  Knowing what your customer base can afford, and where their money is best spent, can help you gain their confidence, and, hopefully, their business.

4. “Avoid green washing.”  Basically, don’t make promises you can’t keep.  Some home builders are guaranteeing that their houses will not cost more than X dollars a year to heat and cool.  If you can make such a promise, great, but be ready to pay if the house doesn’t perform.  Be sure to research materials and equipment carefully, as the green claims of some products are not always true.  Make sure that if you are advertising a “no VOC” (volatile organic compound) house, that all of your materials measure up.

Built in Darmstadt, Germany, this structure is called Waldspirale or “Forest Spiral.” It was designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, a celebrated Austrian architect and painter. Planted along the 12 floors of the rising roof are beech, maple, and lime trees. The structure even incorporates a running stream. The building comprises 105 apartments. In the tower on the Southeast corner, a restaurant and cocktail bar rises over the entire structure. Source: Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt.

Nestled in Pembrokeshire, in Southwest Wales, this structure is truly an eco-dream home. It was built about three years ago by a single family and their friends over the course of four months. The family estimates that it took about 1,000 to 1,500 hours of work and cost only about £ 3,000. It was constructed mostly out of logs, straw and mud, which acts as an effective insulator. According to the house’s inhabitants, the home “feels gentle. Feels to me more like being part of the (natural) world, less like a commodity in a box.” Source: Simondale.

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Gary founded his company in 1976, and he tells the story of what happened to solar power, and how it’s coming to the forefront once again. Gary serves on the board of directors of several non-profit organizations including a non profit solar industry trade association, the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA). He is also a mamber of ADPSR (Architects, Designers, Planners for Social Responsibility).