Scott Adams, the creator of the cartoon “Dilbert,” recently had a piece in the Wall Street Journal on what it’s like to design a green home and get it built in California. Short version: hijinks ensue, but not necessarily comfort or savings.
I was struck by the following observation by Adams because it is one of the most basic principles of Fortune-Creating Architecture, aka Stapathya Ved (boldfacing mine):
Few things make a home less liveable, and more of an energy hog, than improper orientation to the sun. I’ve lived in two homes with that issue, and it causes a variety of problems. For example, all of my dreams involved trying to extinguish fires using nothing but my ingenuity and a full bladder.
Amen. (Fortune-creating buildings face east or north.)
There IS one company in the U.S. that has been busily putting together ALL the pieces required to create homes and commercial buildings that are both green AND fortune-creating — not surprisingly, it is called Fortune-Creating Buildings (click to see photos of their work). I am one of just a few hundred people in the world trained as one of their Vastu Coordinators and in the coming months I’ll have more to say. But I thought I’d mention the company now, since Adams is quite rightly pointing out that there are many obstacles to building a green home, so it’s worthwhile knowing about a company that has so much experience and worked out so many of the kinks — and which has designs for homes ranging from modest and affordable to custom palaces.
By the way, I’ve been in fortune-creating buildings and they really do have a very special quality of serenity, beauty and comfort that feels most nourishing.
Good article — and I think the most trenchant observation by Adams was that the greenest home is the one you don’t build. Get one already built.
I have become terribly jaded about green homes since they are such a vast luxury to nearly anyone on Earth. The largest exposure to them is the lovely couple in “Rich Asshole” magazine who put sustainably harvested dining room furniture in their third summer home for a mere $312,000. 🙁 The whole attitude is that you can consume your way to a greener lifestyle, which is pure bunk from the word go.
I’ve also gotten jaded from watching people who claim to weep copiously over sea turtles, who suddenly go, “Yeah, but I’m doing a LOT for the Earth! I deserve this!” when the topic comes up of THEM cutting back. What they’re doing a lot of never comes up — unless it’s buying six pairs of biodegradable hemp sandals, none of which they need.
And this is only the liberal side of the fence. On the conservative side, we have people saying that climate change is a communist hoax. *sigh* We’re ALL asleep at the switch on this one.
Janis,
Yes, Adams really has a lot of great advice. Also, I definitely feel your pain re “Rich Asshole” magazine. That was why I wrote this post — Fortune-Creating Buildings has designs that are both green AND fortune-creating from modestly-priced one-bedroom condos and 900 sq. ft. single family homes to custom palaces. I have updated the post with a photo of one of the smaller homes that ordinary mortals could afford.
Cynthia
I’m curious about the price of the little tiny small home in the US portfolio. It’s NW118, called “The Birch.” Looks cute …
Janis,
I’ll find out and e-mail you.
Cynthia
BTW, are these things okay for earthquake codes? I’d imagine the dominant market for them in the states is in CA, so I hope so.
Janis,
I’ll ask and get back to you.
Cynthia
Well, I didn’t know I was green and fortune creating when I placed my home facing east, in front of two large oak trees that block at least most of the hot Texas sun during the summer, I thought we were just building a retirement home too small for any of the kids to come stay more than a short visit.
Oh well, the important thing is we have a roof over our heads. We may not have saved a small fortune in retirement funds, and after the ’06 Congressional Democrat majority and the Obama Admin, the lack of anything in the stock market is more than made up by the house and lot being paid for, free and clear. I’ll settle for that as fortune creating.
Does it come with cats that bring you money by happy means?
richard mcenroe,
I will let Mark Twain answer that, from Pudd’nhead Wilson: “A home without a cat — and a well-fed, well-petted and properly revered cat — may be a perfect home, perhaps, but how can it prove title?”
Cynthia