USBG Green House Gets Gold

If you have only built one home, can you still be a giant in the green housing industry? The St. Petersburg Times reported on the first "gold"- certified house, rated by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Located in St. Petersburg, the 2,000-square-foot home uses 55 percent less power and 30 percent less water than a traditional house. Its dual-flush toilets use recycled bathwater. The air-conditioning system makes cool air from the geothermal system with 1,200 feet of pipe six feet underground, where the temperature is 72 to 75 degrees. The light-colored metal roof reflects 85 percent of the heat energy from the sun. Foam insulation panels 8.5 inches thick, along with two vapor barriers and a heat barrier - and the lack of an attic -block the rest of the heat. The builder, Darren Brinkley, said that zero heat escapes through the roof. Wall insulation panels are 6.5 inches thick, and doors and windows are well-sealed. A 1,000-gallon tank collects the water from the gutter system.