DallasDirt » sustainability

New Resource Group Forms: Dallas Green Building Alliance

Catherine Horsey — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:10:36 +0000

Last year a group of contractors, while working together on a sustainable/green/resource-efficient residential project on Walnut Hill, started hanging out together to talk about sustainability, how to make their projects more sustainable, and how to support each other in those efforts. After months of once-a-week conversations, they decided to start a new group, the Dallas Green Building Alliance. Their mission is to be a resource for homeowners, Realtors, builders–anyone with an interest in learning more about building and remodeling in a sustainable way. Their brand-new website is absolutely loaded with information, technical and otherwise, on heating and air conditioning systems, low-VOC finishes, solar, projects, etc. Yes, they are looking for business, but they have definitely drunk the Kool-Aid and they are really committed to this. Check it out.

Green Certification Class for Realtors This Week

Catherine Horsey — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:43:44 +0000

You’ll remember that last year the National Association of Realtors developed a pretty comprehensive certification for Realtors that covered many different aspects of “green” buildings. There’s a two-day core curriculum class, being offered this week at MetroTex/dfwRealtors, and then a one-day elective in residential, commercial or property management. It’s hard to give up two days, but you Realtors will be amazed at how much has been crammed into the class–all of which will come in handy sooner or later.

Dallas Real Estate: About That LEED Certification

Candy Evans — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:26:24 +0000

An article in the New York Times relays what many of us have been wondering: how reliably green is that LEED label? Is it window dressing for sales and marketing, or a sincere effort to save our planet? Coincidentally, I had lunch with Marc Kleinmann of EGC Dallas today and will have much more to tell you about this.

The New Look For DallasDirt And The Rest Of dmagazine.com

Adam McGill — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:02:57 +0000

You may have noticed a new look to this blog, not to mention the entirety of DMagazine.com. You can find more info here, or just do some exploring on your own. Take a look at the place. We hope you like it.

Whole Foods Lakewood: Special Parking For Hybrids

Candy Evans — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:32:20 +0000

Vehicles, that is. I could park in this spot — not the truck. (Sorry!)

Whole Foods Lakewood: No More Excuses Not To Cook

Candy Evans — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:29:14 +0000

Or, like me, let meat and poultry get freezer burn in my freezer while I doodle around with recipe books. One-of-a-kind, this tech-age scale weighs your meat choice (even venison and buffalo), prices it, then prints off three recipes so you know what the hecvk to do with it, AND serve with it: appropriate side-dishes and the perfect wine selections are also included. Will it suggest the perfect guests? Spouse? Will it do the dishes?

Whole Foods Lakewood

Candy Evans — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:23:49 +0000

60-foot long timeline marking notable events in Lakewood history and important dates in Whole Foods Market History. Anyone remember the Bluebonnet Cafe?

Whole Foods Lakewood

Candy Evans — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:22:29 +0000

Since this store marks the move of the famous, 22 year staple Whole Foods on Lower Greenville, WFMI went to extra lengths to make this store a significant “crunchy” showcase and take a nod to the community’s as well as the chain’s lineage, as depicted with this 60-foot long wall timeline.

Whole Foods Lakewood

Candy Evans — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:20:51 +0000

Counters are made of recycled bottles and jars.

Whole Foods Lakewood

Candy Evans — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:19:44 +0000

Go green: Lights in the frozen food cases are motion-activated, turn on when a shopper walks by.

Whole Foods Lakewood

Candy Evans — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:18:23 +0000

The personal shopper service is free the first time, fee thereafter but get this: this store utilizes “Go Green” Concierge Service which uses only hybrid and biofuel vehicles.

Troy Aikman’s New Acquisition

Candy Evans — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:52:59 +0000

Troy’s lust for his neighbor’s lot set him back more than $8 million, I am told. Supposedly he was to keep the Potashnik home as a “carriage house” but a reader informs me the tear down process has already commenced.

“Drove by this morning and the house next door to Troy’s is already getting torn down.”

He’ll certainly have his pick of contractors in this economy.

WRR Gets House Porn

Candy Evans — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:27:09 +0000

It happened rather suddenly today — our director of marketing, the fabulous Mary Poe, asked me to fill in for Tim Rogers (as if my Choos could even tap his Cole-Haan’s) over at One Arts Plaza where the D empire is co-broadcasting with WRR the first week of every month. I arrived at the sleek WRR One Arts “studio” to see Adriana Bate sitting on a Barcelona chair and — broadcasting! I did radio so long ago it was the technological dark ages — we had to be in soundproofed rooms with giant earmuff headsets. Over at One Arts, people wandered in and out and I wondered, are we actually on the air? Don’t we have to whisper? Seems not — the mikes are so powerful they probably picked up the sound of my brain cells dying. In any case, it was SO MUCH FUN! Not only did I get to talk about people buying and selling Dallas dirt — oh yes, we were talking about Daria Place big time. I delighted in the guests — particularly Kevin Moriarty, artistic director of the Dallas Theater Center. Kevin was describing the uber coolness we will experience when the new Wyly Theatre is complete — it will pull creative talents from everywhere like a magnet. The seats, he said, will be movable. They can appear. Or disappear. The audience can sit in a traditional auditorium or move to the stage. Seating can also be surrounding the stage, like at a sports event. Architect Rem Koolhaas, a genius with glass, has designed a glass enclosed stage that will be visible to all then can dissappear in a snap — Star Trek images came to mind, “Beam me up Scotty!” Kevin said Mr. Koolhaus told him he was designing a theater machine for Dallas — “and you,” said Koolhaas, “will make great art in it!”

Update: An earlier version of this post, and my interview on WRR, contained information that I had been given from a knowledgeable source who told me one reason why the Bushes bought their new home on Daria Place was that their neighbor, Tom Hicks, had agreed to give them access to his helipad. A spokesperson for Mr. Hicks tells me he does not have a helipad on his property. While Mr. Hicks occasionally obtains a day permit to land a helicopter on his land, I’m now told there was never any official discussion about letting the President and Mrs. Bush “borrow the landing space”.

Green Building Increases In Dallas Exponentially

Catherine Horsey — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:01:06 +0000

Just came from the Texas Green Home Summit–which had almost 700 attendees, blowing everyone’s estimates out of the water. Mayor Leppert reaffirmed the City of Dallas’s commitment to green building, both for the health of the universe and for the bottom line. Michelle Russo from McGraw Hill had some great data on how much green building has increased over the last couple of years and how much it’s expected to increase over time (basically becoming the only way to build), as well as what consumers are looking for. (Presentations are expected to be posted on the website.)

But the best news came from someone in the City building department, who told me that permits are UP over the same period last year. Now that’s some good news. Long may it continue.

Ice Storm

Candy Evans — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:37:59 +0000

It’s almost time to leave the house, darn it — had such a great time lolling about, getting spooked by the sound of ice chunks sliding down the roof. Question: are you more productive in a condo? That was one of my thoughts this morning — and last night — as I battened down the hatches, made sure the pool was on freeze guard, the outside shower turned off, the garage door sealed, the porch plants covered, the heater on in the plastic greenhouse (oh forgot that one), dogs peed and ice wiped from paws, all doors shut and mental note to have insulation re-done on back door to patio — the seal is like a cold air sieve. Ironically, my ice maker is broken: no margaritas. So here I sit at home, tootling on the computer, drinking coffee, petting the dogs, and I think how much more productive I’d be if I lived in a condo closer to everything. A place where you could just walk — or slide — to work. I think this because we went to the Tate Lecture Series last night and I am concerned over my geographical footprint which must be the size of Bigfoot. After listening attentively to Chris Jordan and admiring his work, I wanted to grab the mike and ask him if we shouldn’t just all give it up. I mean, the only way for us to stop contaminating this world is to stop virtually everything we do, especially living as the way we know it. No more wood floors in our homes — let’s go back to living in caves. No long distance travel, just stay in the tribe. Let de-throned financial types hunt for food (eating only what is in a ten mile radius, though I suppose with accelerated fitness they could dig up Arlington zucchinis). Shut down Whole Foods. Quit trucking in those berries from Mexico, even though they are loaded with anti-oxidants! As for the owners of 10,000 square foot houses, you might as well Photoshop Bigfoot, enlarge and stretch him out over five acres.

Thoughts? �