County landfill to create electricity
By: Scott Nicholson
The Watauga County Board of Commissioners gave the go-ahead for a gas-to-electricity project at the former county landfill Tuesday night.
Blue Ridge Electric Offers Solar Water Heating Rebate Program
Story by Celeste von Mangan
Water heating in your home uses a large portion of electricity and is preceded in energy consumption only by air heating and cooling systems. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using a solar water heating system in conjunction with a backup electric heater can cut costs by 50 percent. Though it may take several years to recoup the initial outlay at the time of purchase, recovery of this cost can be facilitated by taking advantage of a $500 rebate from Blue Ridge Electric, along with progressive tax credits from the federal and state government.
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Click here to learn more about Blue Ridge Electric
Attention Builders—Last Opportunity To Earn CGP Designation Coming This Fall
Early Registration for NAHB’s Certified Green Professional Courses Ends September 18
Story by Sam Calhoun
Face it—if you are builder and don’t have a plan to go green soon, you are way behind the pack. Green is definitely the buzzword these days, especially in regards to building, as homebuyers are now more than ever looking for homes that are energy efficient, sustainable and feature renewable technologies. So why are you still building yesterday’s stick-built home when you could be learning how to build tomorrow’s sustainable, energy-efficient masterpiece?
First ISBU in North Carolina Matures
Last year, High Country Press introduced readers to High Country Green Boxes’ DwellBox, the first permanent inter-modal steel building unit (ISBU) residential home in North Carolina. The brainchild of local entrepreneurs and partners Casey Pond, Ethan Anderson and Jeffrey Scott—collectively known as High Country Green Boxes LLC—the DwellBox certainly struck a nerve in the national and international communities. In the last year, more than 750,000 interested people have clicked to the website, even though the partners have not conducted any marketing.
For more information, click to www.dwellbox.com or www.dwellbox.com/dwellblog.
Cool Stilt House
Find a spot in the high country and be the first to have this Ger stilt camper/house for an awesome Appstate Football get away. I guess a kid never really grows up. Editor
Industrial Style Bathroom, by Balance
It is a waterfall faucet that will fit on top of a concrete or solid stone basin to underline its solidity. Hand-made of solid stainless steel, this latest version of Steel-55 is enhanced with a better water flow control and is refined with a more ergonomic lever design. Balance
- the new Steel-55 bathroom faucets by Balance
- simple muscular design.
- Very geometrical monolith like design with techie feel
- reliability through solid construction
Area Real Estate Numbers Improving
The High Country Association of Realtors released statistics on Tuesday, August 11, for residential homes sold through the end of July. When compared with earlier months this year, the numbers indicate a gradual improvement in residential sales in the area, as well as in the median sold price of residential properties.
But the recovery has still not caught up to last year’s numbers. In July, the number of residential units sold was down 25.2 percent from the same time last year and the median sold price for residential property was down 6.8 percent.
