Home Green Homes

"...if somebody were to ask me, what would you do first? energy efficiency is always the first thing that you should do, because you want to reduce your home load or your home energy load before you put on panels..." Ruby Rose is a seasoned building industry professional with 1 O+ years experience specializing in affordable housing projects. Ruby Rose graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a Bachelor...

"...you get the best value when you're designing this way (using the rating systems) with a green home, this intent to finding the most durable building materials and then also the types of equipment and finishes and so on, that will be as efficient as possible over the long term." Alison Kendall is a California licensed Architect and LEED Accredited Professional with specialty in Building Design...

The biggest progress of Green Building is that more people recognize the value of green building; and the biggest challenge is it's not enough people yet. Mary Love is the Broker-In-Charge for her real estate company, Love The Green, as well as her property management company, Town Mountain Properties. She is also President of Mary Love Consulting Firm.  With a long list of qualifications, Mary ha...

“…the comparison isn't so much about the rate, it's about your house, and what other alternatives you have.”   William Brown is the National Renovation Sales Manager at Finance of America Mortgage, LLC. He brings a depth of knowledge and insights, gained over time, with more than 20 years of experience in construction trades and 15 years in the mortgage and housing industries.   During the past 10...

Chris Stratton and Wen Lee moved into Wen’s childhood home, which was built in 1963.  Wen has a background in environmental studies and education, and Chris in building science and architecture.  They decided to convert this very typical suburban house into a Net-Zero sustainable house via DIY, which took almost 4 years in total.   This was a house in a suburb of Pasadena with three bedrooms and t...

Home is where we get healed and energized. Deanne Dalton, a founder/design and project manager for Eco Design and Build Studio.  Her purpose is to "Bridge design with a state of well being"   She has been designing since she played Barbies as a child.  While in college as a nutrition major she fell in love with her Art History class and changed her major to structural design and also received an i...

“Looking at what is our furniture made of and understanding the importance of good quality indoor air will ensure that we experience wellbeing in the spaces we live and work in.” Originally from Paris, Sophie Castro, an interior designer, a LEED Green Associate,  studied Interior Design at the Parsons School of Design New York City.  She thrives to create well balanced, healthy, and beautiful spac...

"We need to radically reconsider what home means, and what’s beautiful and healthy."  - Mariam Mojdehi MAAM, founded by Meredith McDaniel and Mariam Mojdehi, is a collaborative design studio specializing in architecture and interior design. They believe good design is rooted in sustainability and resilience. Taking a pragmatic approach, they look for opportunities to incorporate sustainability int...

“Planting a native garden has endless upward spiral of benefits to homes, schools, communities and environment.“ Cassy Aoyagi is a LEED accredited practitioner, a board member of the USGBCLA and president of FormLA Landscaping, a full-service design+build and maintenance firm. She believes LA’s authentic, native beauty can save LA - from drought, fire, flooding and slides, all while improving our...

Norma and Alan Williamson are a husband / wife team who in 2003 renovated their home into an energy efficient solar home.  As it generates more energy than it consumes, it is technically a zero energy building. Alan is a certified Building Performance Institute technician and photovoltaic specialist with 20 years of experience.  Norma is a retired teacher, environmental project leader, and was nam...

Audrey Sato is a licensed architect in the state of California and Principal at Sato Architects, Inc. and has specialized in residential design since 2008 and founded Sato Architects, Inc. in 2010.  She is a LEED AP, and is committed to green building design.  Growing up in Hawaii, she gained an appreciation for the beauty of nature and the importance of community. Here are some talking points: He...

Based on the studies, we’re about 3 years away from gas powered cars leveling off and no longer having growth though they will still be selling. By 2025, a third of all cars will be electric, and by 203, 50% or more will be electric.  David Eagle, founder and CEO of CURRENT EV, is an Emmy Award Winning TV Producer/Director, a Green Technology Entrepreneur and an electric vehicle, solar power/charg...

"If you're not taking climate risk into your investment strategy, you're really missing out." Ben Stapleton is an LA native who brings a creative mind and consultative approach to a wide range of projects with a focus on building teams and designing programs to deliver impactful results. As Executive Director for the U.S. Green Building Council - Los Angeles,  his current work is based on coordina...

If you live in Southern California, most likely you're eligible for rebate. Kim O'Cain is the President of O’Cain Consulting, a small, woman-owned consulting firm in Santa Monica, CA providing water conservation planning, public policy and outreach services to public agencies and businesses. Kim has more than 18 years of experience developing and implementing water conservation and efficiency prog...

It's a value proposition both on the cost savings and potential time savings for the overall budget. PlantPrefab is the nation's first prefabricated design and manufacturing company dedicated to sustainable construction, materials, processes, and operations. It was spun out of LivingHomes, a sustainable design development company responsible for dozens of award-winning prefabricated homes, includi...

“For a resale value, new buyers are very interested as all those things pay benefit back to the owners.” Todd M. Lynch, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, is a Principal Project Planner for UCLA Capital Programs, with specialty in sustainable design and construction of new buildings and major remodels, from initial studies through construction and into post-occupancy. Todd has helped many campus projects a...

Beate Kirmse is a fellow Green Realtor in Palos Verdes, orinally from Germany.  After working with architects and contractors as an energy and green building consultant for a few years, she became a Realtor® and got her Green Realtor designation.  In addition, she is also a LEED AP Homes, WELL AP, and Certified Passive House Consultant. Originally, Beate thought about green homes to be how the bui...

Rojelio comes with a wide range of qualifications:  licensed real estate agent, California Mortgage Loan Originator, City of Los Angeles Power Generation Steam and Turbine Engineer, Certified Refrigeration EPA 608 Universal, Registered home improvement salesperson, AND designated ADU specialist.  Rojelio dissects the little known FHA mortgage, EEM.  EEM stands for Energy Efficient Mortgage.   EEM...

Rochelle "Sheli" Nilsson currently oversees the risk management department for one of the largest remodeling companies in the nation, Treeium Inc.  She has been part of the Green Movement since she was a young girl. Being an avid lover of nature and the ocean she is constantly on the lookout for innovative techniques to help reduce the carbon footprint of the company, the operations and individual...

Stuart Cooley is Professor of Renewable Energies at Santa Monica College and the lead faculty of the Sustainable Technologies Program, where he teaches courses in solar energy and storage, energy efficiency, lighting, and sustainability.  Meanwhile, he and his wife Dede are about to start a green remodel process of their own home!  While targeting for net zero, Dede was influenced by watching HGTV...

Nick Brown has over 20 years experience in building materials and a passion for green building acquired from his time in the field observing how homes are built. He holds an Economics degree from Princeton and a Michigan MBA, and is certified to perform energy modeling for California Title 24 compliance.  Nick and his wife, Holland, who is also passionate about living sustainably, purchased a home...

Scott Kelly is a full service General Contrator providing Green home building and home remodeling services, he provides Green Building/Energy Efficiency Advising and Verification Services for "existing" and "new build". Through Building Science and Energy technology he delivers solutions for Near Net Zero and Net Zero residential building professionals.  Upon getting licensed as a general contract...

Jan Green,  HomeSmart Elite Group, has been a realtor since 2002.  Due to the housing market change, Jan switched her focus to energy efficiency in real estate in 2007, earning both EcoBroker & NAR GREEN designations thereafter.  According to Jan, the interesting paradox about green homes is that you keep hearing more about “green products” but people are interested only when the subject is br...

Mark Buhler is a Certified Residential Appraiser with over 25 years of experience in California.  Mark has found a niche in the valuation of resource efficient, ‘green’ homes; which are becoming increasingly common. Mark has recently presented on the valuation of solar and green property at Appraisal Institute conferences and state coalition meetings. Mark is also presenting the ‘Accredited Green...

Dav Camras is a staunch environmentalist, started his business, HouseSmart Green Solutions after departing from the non-profit sector in 2008. Today, through House Smart Green Solutions and HERSRaterLA, Dav brings home energy efficiency and resourse conservation to homeowners and businesses across the Los Angeles basin. Through home energy consulting, air balancing and special inspections for heat...