Past list view

A RARE OPPORTUNITY - I've arranged for a hardhat (and wear heavy shoes) tour of the new LEED Gold Neighborhood House under construction in West Seattle. Ray Li, the Director of Strategic Initiatives will lead the tour.

The building: 20,000 square feet of classrooms, gathering spaces, social service offices, technology labs and more, located in the heart of the redeveloped High Point public housing community.

Green notes: Constructed with the environment in mind

•When certified, the Neighborhood Center will be the first LEED™ Gold-certified building constructed by a nonprofit agency in Washington, meeting the highest standards of environmental design and sustainability as designated by the U.S. Green Building Council.

•The building will use 244 solar panels to produce up to 50 percent of its own energy needs – the largest array of solar panels in the state of Washington.

•A ground source heat pump will significantly increase energy efficiency. By running a non-toxic fluid through underground piping, instead of coils exposed to constantly changing air temperature, the building’s heating and
cooling system will take advantage of the relatively constant temperature of the earth to provide much more efficient heating and cooling.

•Natural daylight will illuminate nearly all regularly occupied spaces to reduce reliance on electric lighting. The building will use only electric power (no natural gas); because most of Seattle’s electricity comes from hydroelectric sources, the building will need very little fossil fuel to operate.

•Highly reflective roofing and light-colored paving materials will harmlessly reflect away heat rather than absorbing heat and then radiating it into the surroundings, avoiding the “heat island” effect typical of many buildings.

•Storm water runoff from the site will be slowed by using permeable paving materials and collecting rainwater from the roof in a cistern and series of rain gardens.

•Ninety-five percent of construction waste will be recycled.

•Reinforced concrete will contain high levels of recycled fly ash (an industrial by-product), replacing some of the cement typically used, which requires large amounts of energy to produce. Steel used for reinforcement also will contain a high percentage of recycled material.

•To ensure optimum indoor air quality, the use of low- or no VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints, sealants, coatings and adhesives will reduce or eliminate the cancer-causing off-gassing that occurs in most buildings, as does the elimination of added urea-formaldehyde in wood and agrifiber products.

“This new building, this crown jewel is important for Neighborhood House but also for the country and for the world. It will change the conversation about social uplift and the environment. This is an extraordinary, bold, breakout move. Neighborhood House should be applauded and supported for taking this first step.”

Van Jones, Nationally recognized environmentalist and social activist and now Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)

This tour is being offered in recognition and service of Earth Day.

High Point is a vast in-city redevelopment that has received many accolades and both national and international awards. The first phase is nearly complete and almost fully occupied.

Get an up-close and personal look at the environmental aspects of this Built Green certified community:

~ Bioswales
~ Porous streets and sidewalks
~ Community gardens
~ Pocket parks
~ Pond and waterfall features

There are 3 and 4 star Built Green Certified homes for sale in the neighborhood. Some are new construction, some are resales with just one owner. If you would like, you can tour available models and resale homes currently on the market on the day of the walk. You will need to consult with Wendy prior to the meetup if you wish to tour homes.

The organizer and tour guide, Wendy Hughes-Jelen, is a licensed real estate agent and holds the designation of "Built Green Certified Professional: Real Estate". She has lived in the area for nearly 12 years (West Seattle). When she saw the new HP she sold her home to move to High Point. She also writes a blog called Green Spaces Real Estate.

The High Point Neighborhood Center - where it all comes together.

This state-of-the-art neighborhood center will be designed to meet the diverse needs of the High Point neighborhood - a vibrant mixed-income community in West Seattle. Within its walls, preschoolers will learn and play together in Neighborhood House's Head Start program, adults will receive on-site job training and access to case workers, and teenagers will gather with their peers after school.

The center will double as an environmental learning center - a LEED gold-certified building where visitors can learn how reducing our own consumption of energy and natural resources can improve the quality of life for all. The building integrates seamlessly with the surrounding High Point neighborhood, which is dedicated to sustainable and green development.

High Point Groundbreaking Ceremony
Mark your calendars for this momentous occasion! Join us Saturday, August 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Commons Park at High Point, as we break ground on the High Point Neighborhood Center. Following the official ceremony, we will continue with fun, food and entertainment until 3 p.m. The community fair, hosted by Neighborhood House and the High Point Neighborhood Association, will feature live entertainment, music, multicultural activities and food from around the world.

The Commons Park at High Point is located at 3204 SW Morgan St., at the corner of Lanham Place SW and Sylvan Way SW. Parking is limited, so please carpool or use public transportation.

Mode Organic Salon came to my attention when attending last Fall's Crave show. I met both of the owners and in December I went back and let Joe Carling "design" my cut and color before going to New York City to celebrate the New Year (and 10th anniversary).

Michelle, the other owner, is very knowledgeable and willing to share with us what makes natural hair care products. All of the products they use and sell have organic ingredients wherever possible and are free of the harsh chemicals found in most conventional product lines. Organic is a standard of growing and cultivating fruits, vegetables, herbs and other plants as product ingredients without the use of pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals. That said, there are very few if any products available in the professional beauty industry that are 100% organic because... if it can't be grown then it can't be grown organically.

When choosing products for the salon they also look for natural ingredients. These are ingredients that occur in nature but are not cultivated like minerals & some plants. This also includes things that are directly derived from natural & organic sources like vitamins & antioxidants.

Some ingredients they avoid that you will find in conventional product lines include ammonia, sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens & recorcinol. Clinical studies have indicated that these chemicals may create substantial health risks.

They also sell Colorescience Micronized Mineral Makeup. Colorescience products come from the earth's natural minerals. The mineral pigments reflect light so that the colore seems to come from within, softening features, giving the skin a youthful glow. These products are formulated for all skin types and have a positive effect on the actual condition of the skin. With the use of patented ingredients and nanotechnology, Colorescience claims that ?looking good is now good for your skin.?

We will learn more about these and other products now available to the consumer interested in having only natural products on ther skin and scalp!

This is part of the "Learn Along With Jenny" field curriculum series for Spring 2008.

Jenny is a senior at Redmond High School and is working on her final project. The question she is working on and will be presenting in a report and also a Power Point presentation to her class in order to meet graduation requirements is: "How can I create change in my behavior and influence the people around me to lead a more sustainable lifestyle? And how would I continue to grow and increase my participation in a long-term sustainable lifestyle over the next 5, 10, and 20 years?"

Field curriculum designed by Wendy includes:
A guided field tour of the Built Green Community of High Point in West Seattle (3 hrs)
Learn about environmental functions that manage water runoff in addition to showing off green living features indoors.
Staff-led guided tour of a PCC and/or Whole Foods store (1 hr each)
Take a tour of ecohaus (formerly known as Environmental Home Center)
Go see a L.E.E.D. certified commercial building (1 hr)
Explore organic clothing, cosmetic, and hair care options (3 hrs)
Read current topics on a recommended list of environmental blogs from a selection I will provide (1 hr+)