My 13 year old daughter’s Christmas list this year started out with gift cards … only gift cards. Until she realized … we weren’t going to buy them. Each year as the kids get older it gets harder to shop for them. The $10 gift requests are long gone when Barbie was the gift of choice, replaced with expensive electronic gadgets and toys. Shopping has certainly gotten easier with the advent of online shopping – but what is all of that shipping and delivery doing to our environment?

We are saving gas, time, physical energy, and headaches by avoiding the stores and shopping from the comfort of our homes. Perhaps if we ordered all of our gifts at one time the cost considerations would be different; however, if you are like me … you purchase some things … then think of some more … and then some more and before you know it, you have five packages on your doorstep as opposed to one. And, along with the gifts you have ordered you now have a cardboard box, bubble wrap, and yet another catalog (in addition to the 5-10 you receive daily during the holidays).

I have tried different things to reduce my waste at the holidays. I scorn wrapping paper in lieu of fabric drawstring bags that the kids and I made one year out of felt and glitter glue – we reuse these each year for gifts. We purchased a beautiful fake Christmas tree that will last us for years and years. I reuse the paper gift bags that we receive or wrap gifts with comics and paper bags. I don’t send Christmas cards. We make charitable donations for my sister and parents and they do the same.

What do you do to Green your holidays?

These are the Audubon Societies tips: http://www.sawmillriveraudubon.org/GreenHolidays/Greening_Holidays.pdf

Goal:  Net Zero Buildings by 2030. This is the track of government required green design.

The 2012 version of the International Energy Code code is about 30% more stringent than the 2006 version. High efficiency HVAC, more efficient lighting systems, and onsite renewables are options for complying with the code. An energy cost analysis will be required during the design phase. Spaces over 10,000 SF of certain building types will be required to have daylighting components including translucent fenestration and associated lighting controls.

Who is adopting this code? 38 states will be adopting codes that meet or exceed the 2009 IEC Code by the end of 2015. At this point it too early to tell when and how many states will be adopting the 2012 version. Image is as of May 5, 2011. Keep an eye on the energycodes.gov website as they post the current status of the energy codes and the anticipated adoption.

What does this mean, practically? It means that standard construction will change. Walls, roofs and foundations will require more insulation. Windows will be checked against solar heat gain requirements.  HVAC systems and electrical systems will be smarter and more efficient. Sustainability is no longer an option but will be required as an additional submittal in the standard permitting packets. Some may argue that this is too much too soon, and others may state that this is not enough. I, for one, am quite excited about the challenge to have every building built in the U.S. be a Net-Zero building. We have a long way to go before 2030.