Page 44 - Green Builder Magazine Sept-Oct 2021

If a Tree Falls
“In my house in Maine, drastic
temperature changes are a big
issue. We have no air condi-
tioning. We used to have a tree,
but we lost that—so now, the
BRENT WEBB
sun beats in and it’s hard to
focus because it gets so warm. KRISTEN FULMER
I go down in the basement to
use my treadmill, because it’s
20 degrees cooler.
“We have an air monitor, so
now that I own a house I’ve
been thinking about fun things
like radon and mold. We’ve Fine-tuned ERV? Panasonic just
also been affected by wildfire released a new energy recovery
smoke, even here. These ventilator (Intelli-Balance 200)
problems are global, so I sleep that accepts MERV 13 filters, a
at night knowing I’m doing my step toward solving the growing DEAN YOUNG
best on climate justice issues.” problem of importing smoke
KRISTEN FULMER, RECIPRIC, from outdoors into the home.
PORTLAND, MAINE

Landlord Re-Education 101

“We’re renting an older house in Orlando, so insulation and all-around
sealing is something we’ve repeatedly tried to work with the landlord
about…but we say: ‘Hey, it’s still really hot in here and you’re wasting all
HOLLY BRIDWELL
this energy.’”
HOLLY BRIDWELL, CLIMATE FIRST BANK, ORLANDO, FLORIDA

The Gas Must Go
“We love to cook. But we have an Awair monitor that’s shown us one of
our biggest obstacles (to healthy living) is cooking with gas. So, we’re
moving to electric induction cooking. Healthy living to me is a space with
privacy, function and good indoor air quality. But mental health is also
huge—having space to escape.”
CHRISTOPHER MATOS-ROGERS, REALTOR, ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Trapped by Toxic Air
“The one thing I wish I had in my (rental) house is a kitchen exhaust
vent that goes to the outside, instead of just blowing fumes around
the kitchen.

“What I end up doing is cooking food that won’t put out a lot of
smells, because there’s no exhaust fan, and I don’t want to breathe
all that stuff. I mostly stick to frozen vegetables and ground turkey.
I cook often, but cook the same thing a lot.
CHRISTOPHER MATOS-ROGERS NICOLE LEBLANC
“We also have no air conditioning. If you open the windows, it’s all
smoky outside, so we sit inside and sweat, or breathe terrible air.
Thankfully, the smoke doesn’t always make it over here to the west side
of the mountains.”
BRENT WEBB, PERFORMANCE INSULATION ENERGY RATER,
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

42 GREEN BUILDER September/October 2021