Green Expo presenters look into the future

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM--"If you're building a house that you don't plan to live in very long, then just build to meet the state's minimum energy code, but if you're going to be there a long time, then you should exceed the energy code."

That was the advice offered by Rich Huelskamp, energy information officer for the Minnesota Department of Commerce, in talking about energy efficient building construction at the 2nd annual Green Expo at Vogel Arena Saturday.

"Put that into your mortgage; buy renewable energy systems. Get those installed, and then you get the tax credits of a mortgage situation on the long-term," he told Expo attendees. "It will reduce your utility bills significantly."

In choosing construction materials, Huelskamp suggested choosing long-life products that will exceed in longevity the product's payback.

"Go with metal roof decks. Go with fiberboard siding, cementboard type siding. Go with concrete; go with in-floor heating systems. Go with high-performance windows, but think in terms of long life," Huelskamp said.

"Generally, (with) all of those energy composition products, you'll probably see about a five-year payback. Start looking at the renewable side, and you're going to be looking at a 10- to 15-year payback on those systems. You're generally looking at a 20- to 25-year life on those systems."

He also urged his audience to reuse and consider recycling potential of materials used in construction, using them to make their own architectural statement.

"From an art deco standpoint, consider post-and-beam construction. There are a lot of warehouses that are being torn down, and old 40-, 50-, 60-year-old post-and-beam Douglas fir is readily available to you. They're still usable," he said.

He also urged using an "open" design because it limits the amount of materials that are used during the construction.

"Can the product you're using later be recycled? Either reused somewhere else or recycled through normal process," he said.

"Buy local. Support your local hardware and lumber supply stores as much as possible. That money stays in the area and usually will get turned around at least three to five times within the community. so keep that in mind also."

Finally, he suggested trying energy-efficient heating, cooling systems like "passive solar water heating."

Other presentations looked at organic foods and "nourishing traditions," bicycling for health, children's environmental health and displayed the skills of Clancy, the mercury-sniffing dog.

The Expo which was funded by a donation from Kraft/Philip Morris Companies drew 51 exhibitors this year, said Denise Manderfeld of Kraft Foods.

That was up from "under 40" exhibitors for the event's first run last year, she said.

Among the new features were a farmers' market which set up right outside the arena, computer recycling bins and a food court.

Back again this year were examples of "hybrid" gasoline-electric cars, including the four-door Prius produced by Toyota billed as the world's first mass-produced gas/electric hybrid vehicle.