We're quickly sliding into the winter months and conference season is definitely here.  West Coast Green kicks off tomorrow, and we'll have some choice coverage as a media sponsor for the event.  While you're waiting for that, though, make sure to check out some of our coverage from last month (links below).  Also, I want to kick out a shout to one of our new sponsors, Mr. Green Points.  Mr. Green Points has over 5,100 green product listings and can help you find reclaimed, renewable, low-emitting, recycled, and regional materials. Thanks to all our supporters! Read more »

Leave it to Jerry Yudelson to write what is probably the clearest articulation of the business case for green buildings you could ever read.  Jerry Yudelson is the author of several books that we've given away in the past, including Green Building A to Z, The Green Building Revolution, Choosing Green, and Green Building Trends: Europe, as well as about six others worth reading, too.  He was a board member of the USGBC and chaired Greenbuild for about five years; he now heads Yudelson Associates, a consulting firm that is dedicated to "growing the business of green building."  Most recently, Yudelson authored The Business Case for Green Buildings, and this is his conclusion:

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Scottsdale, Arizona is one of a growing number of American cities that have inserted LEED into their building code.  Scottsdale set the bar quite high with a LEED Gold requirement, but that wasn't going to limit these architects.  When father-and-son architects Lawrence and Lance Enyart of LEA Architects were chosen in 2005 to design the 14,350 square-foot firehouse, they decided to shoot for LEED Platinum.  Lance Enyart said, "Gold was the mandate, but for us it wasn't about points that we could achieve, it was about implementing strategies that were project appropriate."  

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Today, Blu Homes and Michelle Kaufmann announced that Blu Homes has purchased all the assets of mkDesigns, including the rights to several Michelle Kaufmann Designs (MKD) homes, such as the Glidehouse, Breezehouse, mkLotus, and mkSolaire.*  With the news, Michelle Kaufmann has joined the advisory board of Blu Homes and will consult the company in applying the MKD designs to Blu Homes’ fold out modular technology.  Michelle will also start her new practice, Michelle Kaufmann Studio, where she will focus on custom, net-zero energy homes, sustainable communities, and eco resorts.

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Update 10/29/09: The Fortino Modern Green Prefab Debuts!

Salem, Oregon based Ideabox has been creating some buzz lately with their new home design, the Fortino, which will be revealed at the Seattle Home Show 2, October 22-25, 2009, at Qwest Field.  After a little coaxing, Ideabox was kind enough to let us see these renderings and a floor plan in anticipation of the big event.  Fortino will include 1,250 square-feet of loft-like living shared between two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen, dining room, and living room. 

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• Going green pays off.
• Turning an old building green.
• Taking the LEED in new geographies.
• Taking green homes to a whole new level.
• Sustainability: it's not about lightbulbs.
• Using coal residue to make a greener brick.
• Retrofits can cut energy use, save money.
• Making the old house do.

Congratulations to RJTAG and Ecopacker in our Confessions of a Radical Industrialist giveaway.  Congratulations also to RHurley, Happywren, and Davidclaflin in our Green School Primer giveaway.  Make sure to follow @jetsongreen on Twitter for more news, links, and commentary.