Green is Personal

Green means different things to different people, and there are many different definitions to choose from.  The Green Idea House in Hermosa Beach, CA gives visitors a glimpse into all the decisions that a thoughtful homeowner might consider on the way to building their dream green home. The family made design and material decisions in terms of their lifestyle, and achieved “net zero” energy use in the process.   I visited the jobsite recently and had some fascinating takeaways.

Learn how personal green building decisions are

Green is Personal

Wall Systems Will be Forever Changed in California with Title 24

The updated California energy code is changing the insulation and plaster systems used throughout the state.  The new code requires significant upgrades in the insulation of wall systems.  While residential standards for wall systems in much of the most populated areas of the State will remain status-quo, commercial standards represent a paradigm shift in how exterior walls of commercial structures will be built in the State.  Requirements vary by climate zone and type of construction.

Read more about Title 24′s effect on wall systems >>

Wall Systems Will be Forever Changed in California with Title 24

California Title 24 Calculations

There are 16 climate zones in the State of California, each with different requirements for energy efficiency.  They break down, for residential construction, into three categories:

  • Temperate zone:  coastal areas and the greater LA/San Diego regions
  • Central Valley:  the interior of the state, including Bakersfield and Fresno
  • Extreme zone:  the Deserts and Sierras

Read More about our Title 24 Services >>

California Title 24 Calculations
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About Us

Build Smart Group is a group of experienced, hard-working people focused on helping people build energy-efficient homes.  We are members of California Association of Building Energy Consultants, and are certified to do energy calculations for the current set of Title 24 regulations.

KEY PERSONNEL

Nick Brown, President:  Nick is responsible for energy modeling and sales.  He brings 12 years experience in the building industry, including stints running manufacturing companies making drywall and stucco products.  He has managed key homebuilder relationships and learned from a materials standpoint how homes are built with energy- and cost-efficiency as the goals.  He holds a BA in Economics from Princeton University and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.  Nick also completed a Green Building Certificate Program at California State University at Long Beach.  CABEC certifications # R08-10-1975 (Residential) and NR08-11-3771 (Non-Residential).  nick@buildsmartgroup.com

Holland Brown, Vice President:  Holland manages all operations at Build Smart, including coordinating jobs, customer deliverables, managing finances, and customer service.  She has worked in marketing and human resources in building materials and consumer food industries.  She also writes a column for patch.com on sustainability in our local community.  Holland holds a BA in Economics from University of Virginia and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and she holds a Green Building Certificate from California State University at Long Beach.  holland@buildsmartgroup.com

California Title 24 Energy Calculations

Build Smart is certified by the State of California’s CABEC organization to perform analysis of your building plans and produce reports for you to submit to your local Building Department when starting a project.  This certification requires extensive knowledge of the state regulations and compliance with the CABEC code of conduct requiring integrity in business dealings. 

CABEC certifications # R08-10-1975 (Residential) and NR08-11-3771 (Non-Residential)

Consulting Services

Build Smart Group offers consulting services in the areas of energy efficiency, green building, and plaster systems.  These services allow builders to take advantage of BSG’s experienced personnel in designing the most cost-effectively energy-efficient homes possible.  We can help you prioritize “bang for the buck” of various energy saving technologies in order to meet your goal, be it basic compliance with California Title 24, 30% better than Title 24, or achieving a certain threshhold under Build it Green, LEED, or another rating system.