Oct 31 2007
While Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio have done a great job making films to inform Americans about Climate Change, Charlie Szoradi and Mark McGraw, along with a team of partners and Charlie's family, have spent two years building an eco-friendly house and a website that shows mainstream Americans how to help themselves and also save the polar bears.
GREENandSAVE is the first site to offer Return On Investment (ROI) rankings for home improvement projects that not only save you money but also help save the environment. The home remodeling site is designed for both hands-on weekend Do-It-Yourself DIY home improvers as well as people that just want to learn more information and then call in the installation experts or inform their builder.
Out of all the 'green' and all of the home remodeling websites, GREENandSAVE stands apart. First, the prototype eco-friendly house looks, feels, and functions like a traditional American home rather than a technology experiment, and second the website is the very first to provide a customer friendly ranking by 'Return On Investment' for over 50 of the top ways to improve your home.
Typically, people ask, "What's the Payback on 'Green' Home Remodeling?" and this site has the surprising answers. Extensive research from Government Reports to Product Specifications and from University Studies to Homeowner Results, has generated the information. Several hundred dollars well spent can go along way to save thousands over just a few years. The 'Calculation' summaries include elements like initial extra cost, payback in months or years, annualized savings, and the ROI ranging from Programmable Thermostats to Photovoltaic Solar Panels. Homes are Americans' largest investment, and since buildings account for over 40% of the national energy use, each step to make them 'smarter' goes along way to reduce the harmful CO2 output that it takes to generate the energy.
The new website for home remodeling is also unique in that it speaks to homeowners based on what they need at this point in their lives. As an example, visitors can search on Remodeling for their Kitchens and Faucets or go straight into High Efficiency Furnaces in the Heating section. Each topic page includes the photographs, descriptions, ROI modeling, and a 'TAKE ACTION' section with information on the top rated products, links to Grants, Tax Credits, or Installers, plus the research and direct access for the best places to make a purchase. The site also offers three paths of engagement:
- Light Green Home Improvement - Learn how to save money by just 'tuning' up your home.
- Medium Green Home Improvement - Remodel parts of your home, turn up the savings, and use cost-effective eco-friendly and healthy products.
- Dark Green Home Improvement- Transform your home into a High-Performance Residence: Save money, generate power, reduce utility dependence, and use eco/healthy systems
The Green Home Improvement site has been favorably embraced by a diverse range of environmental experts, editors, and bloggers, and even over the first week of its soft launch the site was featured in an article that ran on the Home Page of the #1 green lifestyle resource TreeHugger.com. GREENandSAVE.com includes eight categories with three major sub-sets for each. Remodeling: Kitchens, Bathrooms, and Basements. Finishes: Floors, Walls, and Windows. Appliances: Dishwashers, Washer/Dryers, and Refrigerators. Energy Savings: Electric, Gas, and Water. Heating: Furnaces, Radiant, and Solar. Cooling: A/C, Fans, and Ventilation. Landscaping: Garden, Lighting, and Patio/Deck. Lifestyle: Accessories, Furnishings, Health.
About Charlie and Mark: Charlie Szoradi is the GREENandSAVE founder. He is the son of an Architect and brother of an Environmental Photographer. As a Green Architect, Charlie has transformed his own house, along with the help and patient support of his wife, young son and also Mark McGraw, to create a sustainable residence over the past two years. Mark McGraw is one of the GREENandSAVE founding partners. He is a talented carpenter, on air co-host for HGTV's "Spice Up My Kitchen", and he has a great love for the outdoors. Mark is intimately familiar with homeowner needs, the means to reach their goals, and the way to clearly communicate the process.