Environmentally friendly construction leaves a so-called "green gap."
The Wall Street Journal (11/18, Krieger) reports, "As environmentally friendly construction takes off, a question looms: Who's going to do all the work? Demand is booming for environmentally friendly construction. But it's booming so fast that there aren't enough skilled professionals to do the work." Kristen Bacorn, a green-building consultant in New York, commented, "Green is such a new and developing field that professionals don't necessarily know it, and they're craving education." For many builders, "the stakes are potentially huge. Rising consumer interest and a raft of new government regulations are driving green building forward, even as the larger real-estate industry craters." Experts say that "builders who aren't familiar with eco-friendly construction methods may be at a big disadvantage in this new market."

Environmentally friendly construction leaves a so-called "green gap."
The Wall Street Journal (11/18, Krieger) reports, "As environmentally friendly construction takes off, a question looms: Who's going to do all the work? Demand is booming for environmentally friendly construction. But it's booming so fast that there aren't enough skilled professionals to do the work." Kristen Bacorn, a green-building consultant in New York, commented, "Green is such a new and developing field that professionals don't necessarily know it, and they're craving education." For many builders, "the stakes are potentially huge. Rising consumer interest and a raft of new government regulations are driving green building forward, even as the larger real-estate industry craters." Experts say that "builders who aren't familiar with eco-friendly construction methods may be at a big disadvantage in this new market."

Environmentally friendly construction leaves a so-called "green gap."
The Wall Street Journal (11/18, Krieger) reports, "As environmentally friendly construction takes off, a question looms: Who's going to do all the work? Demand is booming for environmentally friendly construction. But it's booming so fast that there aren't enough skilled professionals to do the work." Kristen Bacorn, a green-building consultant in New York, commented, "Green is such a new and developing field that professionals don't necessarily know it, and they're craving education." For many builders, "the stakes are potentially huge. Rising consumer interest and a raft of new government regulations are driving green building forward, even as the larger real-estate industry craters." Experts say that "builders who aren't familiar with eco-friendly construction methods may be at a big disadvantage in this new market."

Industrial chic seen as new home design trend.
The Salt Lake Tribune /AP (11/18, Cook) reports, "When high-tech entrepreneur Matthew Hill designed his condo in Lansing, Mich., he wanted decor to reflect his personality and 'pretty wild lifestyle.' ... Hill opted for a coffee table devised from a section of a C-119 cargo plane." The Tribune continues, "Call it industrial chic. Furniture and accessories this year are flaunting their rivets, welds and obvious mechanical origins. Rooms already dressed in midcentury furniture seem the most receptive to these elements, which require the balancing effect of more masculine silhouettes, heftier textures." The trend "is advancing throughout the home furnishings marketplace. A wave of commercial-grade trash bins, bread boxes, toasters and other kitchen accouterments has come ashore, at pricepoints high and low."

1. Check your heating system including filters, pilot lights and burners. Have the system serviced by a qualified professional. Cleaning and servicing now can save you money later. Learn steps to boost your furnace's efficiency and how to replace your furnace filter.
2. Clean and vacuum dust from vents, baseboard heaters and cold-air returns. Dust build-up in ducts is a major cause of indoor pollutants and can increase incidences of cold-weather illnesses. Consider hiring a pro to clean hard-to-reach ductwork.
3. Paint interior rooms while it's still warm enough to leave windows open. Ditto for shampooing or replacing carpets. Give a fresh start to your interiors just in time for fall and winter parties and family gatherings. Learn painting steps to success -- how to choose the right paint, how to solve paint problems and more.
4. Caulk exterior joints around windows and doors. Caulking helps keep your house weather-tight and lowers heating and cooling bills. It can also help keep insects and other "critters" out of your house. When you caulk before painting, it eliminates edges where the paint may start to peel.
5. Protect your home from uninvited critters. As urban limits expand, more and more homeowners have to contend with wildlife in their yards and houses. Installing grates, securing trash containers, even humane traps may help.
6. Start to put away tools and equipment left outdoors during the summer such as play equipment, lawn mowers, barbeques, gardening tools and hoses. It may be time to winterize your pool, too.
7. It's time to think about the condition of your roof. Be proactive and prevent emergency -- and expensive --repairs. Find out about common trouble spots and how to locate a leak from inside.
8. Next to checking your roof, insulating your home is one of the most important tasks to accomplish before the onslaught of winter. Insulation goes beyond simple weatherstripping and caulking (see #4) and may be a job for professionals. The money and energy you'll save will make the job worth it. Learn more about insulation...
9. You insulate and weatherstrip and think that you have your home all sealed up for winter. But there are some inconspicuous spots through which heat can escape. Learn how to seal these gaps too.
10. Inspect and clean your storm windows to get them ready for installation. Storm windows can help you save energy during the cold months and are significantly less expensive than putting in new double- or triple-glazed windows.
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