Don't be Afraid to Ask... Or Answer!

Members and Friends - 

Every October, we tend to have little fun around here thinking of all things spooky.  Thanks for everyone who responded to our call for scary stories last Halloween season! You can of course still read and learn about how one family is working to address radon challenges, or how a $20 timer stopped the energy waste generated by a commercial kitchen fan employees regularly forgot to turn off.  We’ve also got a real ghost story (or do we?), and Green Builder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. was kind enough to share stories about scary garages, peeling paint, and…  giant air filter gaps (which I agree are really scary). Of course, we always welcome your scary  - and non-scary  - building stories as well.  You share, and we’ll promote! 

Spooky fun aside, your words teach and inspire others.  Real world examples - both challenges and wins - from your projects show people what to do and not do, and they can therefore save others a lot of time and hassle, and lessons hard learned.  It doesn’t matter if you are an industry or segment expert, or if you just learned one cool thing.  I want to encourage you to take the time to share.  And if it seems daunting on how or what to write or record, hit reply and we’ll help.  

As hard as it is to share and make time, when you’ve got something to teach, it can seem scary to ask when you have a question.  I really want everyone to feel encouraged to speak, because if you have a question, chances are someone else does too.  Maybe you want to understand what a product is, or how it works, or how to approach a project, or really any aspect of green building. The cool things is, if you have questions, well we likely know people who can help!  We’ve met a few amazing people over the years as we work to connect individuals and organizations and share information within the green building community.  

So, please don’t be afraid to ask.  I am working to ask more of my questions out loud as well (Let’s keep talking about mini split compressor locations and snow!). The good news is that I have found that if I ask, people are often willing to help.  Also, it’s great to share questions because sometimes an answer might be complex or take time, or the challenge isn’t even really resolved.  Then we can work on the solutions together, as a small group or a whole industry.  

We’re open to questions and conversation about every green building topic, and healthy debate is always welcome.  What do you want to know about?  Here are some example topics: 

• Are you looking to learn more about Indoor Air Quality? We’ve got a starting list of articles and information we will keep researching and expanding!  What are you most concerned about in terms of your health or air quality?
• What do you want to know about Electrification? This topic will only get more exciting - and critical.
• Are you looking for more information about certifying your retrofit or new building? Do you have questions about the state of residential green building?
• Are there connections and correlations you might not have been expecting? Here’s what some other Members have found:
  • Can a heat pump water heater extend the life of your EV?  - This was fun to learn about!
  • Humidity and hardwoods - Did you know that wood furnishings have a humidity range fairly close to the optimal range for human comfort?
  • Do you want to know more about appliances and allergy concerns?
• Is there a new product or product type you want to know more about?  We enjoyed sharing information about rheia’s 3” HVAC ducts, and it was fun to talk with Siemens about the Ford 150’s exciting EV back up battery developments! 
• Do you want to know how a specific technology works, like an ERV for example? Or, do you want to know more about how you can use technologies like energy modeling to explain decisions or enable client decision making?

It’s ok if what you want to know is not on this list!  That’s part of the point - Let us know! 

Some of our favorite moments are when someone mentions an idea or question in passing and this turns into a discussion or article, or even one of Matt Hoots Green Building Myth Busting videos! Do you have a myth you want addressed - let’s discuss! 

I warmly encourage you to join Rate It Green (free!) and to post your questions, and answers. Here's a video on how to get started. You can also send a written question and we'll work to get an answer for you.  Or, if you want to send a video, we can get you a written or recorded answer.  We’ll share these ideas with everyone we can, and together we’ll help reach a time when all buildings can be  healthier and more sustainable.   None of us should be afraid to ask, as we can make so much more progress working through the answers together.  

Click to see our full October news; we look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Thank you, 

Allison Friedman
Founder, Rate It Green

Twitter: @rateitgreen
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