Red Hot and Green

The new show on HGTV called RED, HOT and GREEN is hip, fun and informative. It sounds like it could be a show about Mexican vegetarian cuisine… but it’s an eco-friendly renovation show. Carter Oosterhouse is the big star of the network and he’s not only a hotty but he knows his stuff. I’ve only seen the show once, but I have seen Carter’s other show, Carter Can, and his furniture building skills are amazingly impressive! Nicole Facciuto is a great sidekick and designer… her stuff is top notch. What makes this show a recipe for success? The talents of the carpenter and designer, and it’s slick, well produced quality.

Put the roof in your pipe and smoke it!

Did the grass hut go out of style? The Flinstones certainly don’t think so. Fred is about as eco-friendly as you can get, but I do wonder if he wears leather (not in the bedroom… where’s your head?)

I think Elton John was onto something when he “sat on the roof and picked off the moss”… Five percent of everything that goes into a landfill comes from roofing industry, so we really need to give this industry a second glance in durability and sustainability.

This waterproofing membrane is usually what causes pesky leaks – it’s exposed to extreme temps and can breakdown over time. Dow’s inverted roof (or PMR) uses Styrofoam insulation above the waterproofing membrane, and can be used with any roof type.

It’s a sustainable product because it “reduces the total energy consumption of the building.” It’s said to reduce monthly electric bills which in turn lowers pollution from burning fossil fuels (ie. less carbon monoxide in the air.) Also it’s said to be a recycled product.

Let’s talk about the veggie roof. The most common of the veggie roofs is an intensive garden roof – which is like another lawn. It needs to be mowed regularly and a wider variety of plants can be used. The biggest benefit of a veggie roof is that it is cooler and absorbs heat so it reduces energy costs.