Environment
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How Will Our (Local) Climate Change Over The Next 20 (plus) Years? |
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 Give it 20 years, and Harrisonburg and Rockingham County might be the "coolest" place to be living in these parts. The map above is showing projected temperatures about 20 years from now, but you can look even further into the future on Climate Impact Lab's interactive map here. | |
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2019 Harrisonburg Solar Census |
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 Do you have solar panels on your roof? (or elsewhere) Go fill out this form so that you can be included in the Harrisonburg Solar Census. The Harrisonburg Solar Census Project (HSCP) aims to tell the story of Harrisonburg's Solar energy generation. From family residential arrays to commercial scale installations, solar is growing: providing clean energy across our friendly city. This project aims to capture every single solar array in the city and tell the story in KWs, pictures, individual and business motivations, and more. Click around the map and see all the ways Harrisonburg is making energy right here in our own neighborhoods. The goal of this project is to county EVERY solar array in Harrisonburg -- and as the map shows, it also includes areas outside of the City. Again, if you're not on the map -- here's the form to fill out to take part in the 2019 Harrisonburg Solar Census. | |
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Make your voice heard in the updated Comprehensive Plan for the City of Harrisonburg |
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 The City of Harrisonburg is in the midst of updating the Comprehensive Plan for the City. As per the City.... The Comprehensive Plan presents a vision of Harrisonburg's future. It identifies steps to move toward that vision by providing information about current conditions, long-term goals and objectives, and recommended implementation strategies. As described in the Code of Virginia, the Comprehensive Plan is general in nature. Harrisonburg's Plan addresses a wide range of issues including but not limited to: land use, housing, education, transportation, recreation, the preservation of historic and natural resources, and economic development. The plan serves as a long-term guide for the community, and it helps City leaders with setting policies and decision-making. So, basically, what do you want the City of Harrisonburg to be in 10 or 20 years? Discussions taking place and decisions being made right now will affect that future, and you have the opportunity to be a part of the conversation! Better yet -- there are several Public Workshops coming up that will allow you to chime in on topics near and dear to your heart.... Education; Arts, Culture, and Historic Resources; and Community Engagement & CollaborationSo, mark your calendars, and get involved in the discussions and decisions to help shape the future our our great City! Also of note.... Lots of Q&A's about the Comprehensive Plan update can be found here. General information about the Comprehensive Plan update can be found here. | |
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Solar Barn Raising at Gift and Thrift |
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 Gift & Thrift is in the process of adding 300 solar panels to the top of Gift & Thrift and neighboring buildings -- and the video above shows the process of installing the first 160 solar panels, which took place a few weeks ago. Gift & Thrift is now looking for further community support to raise the funds to purchase the remaining solar panels. Once completed, this will be the largest solar array in Harrisonburg AND the 107 kilowatt system will provide 46% of Gift & Thrift's electrical needs, thus allowing them to donate $14,000 more each year to the international relief and development work of MCC. So, action items....
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Harrisonburg Residents, Throw Away (or recycle?) Your Recycling Bins |
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 As of this morning, Harrisonburg residents can now just toss their recycling (cans, bottles, etc.) right into their trash can. Yes, you heard that right, you no longer need to separate out your recyclable items from your trash. Read more about this new Single Stream Collection Program on the Funkhouser Real Estate Group blog. | |
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We are clueless on how to save energy (just ask NPR), but this Saturday you can learn how! |
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 As reported by NPR, Columbia University recently conducted a study where they asked people about the most effective ways were to save energy --- and as a general public, we're well off the mark! From NPR.... CHIOTAKIS: So what the study found is when it comes to energy savings, we're all idiots? HILL: Yeah, pretty much. Basically researchers asked people what one thing they could do that would be the most effective thing to save energy and people said turning off the lights. CHIOTAKIS: Well that makes sense, what's wrong with that? HILL: Well, turning off the lights and other curtailment activities, as researchers like to call them, may not save as much energy as we think. A better choice might be making efficiency improvements, like installing energy-efficient light bulbs or driving non-gas guzzlers. CHIOTAKIS: So what are the things, Adriene, we do that we think save more energy than they actually save? HILL: Well, so there's turning off the lights. There's driving slower on the highway -- maybe stepping it down to 55, people think that saves more energy than it actually does. Unplugging your phone charger -- again, these things do save energy, but not as much as people guess. CHIOTAKIS: And what do we under-rate? What saves more than most people think they save? HILL: Driving cars that get better mileage, using room air conditioners instead of central air, and running more efficient appliances. BUT WAIT! THERE'S GOOD NEWS . . . This Saturday (September 25) from 9am to 4pm you can learn all about saving energy, and living sustainably at Harrisonburg's First Annual Green Expo. Don't waste the next few months doing web searches and making phone calls to try to learn about improvements you could make to your home, or technologies or products you could use in a new home. This Saturday you can spend an hour or two going from booth to booth speaking directly to the experts! Take a look at the long list of companies that will be present! Plus, you can learn a lot about these four notable speakers!
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What Is HardiePlank Siding, And Is It Being Used In Harrisonburg? |
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 The exterior of your home could be built with so many different materials, for example: stucco, stone, wood, brick, aluminum, concrete, steel and fiber cement. That last one, fiber cement, is a vague and mysterious siding choice also referred to as HardiePlank siding, which has been around since the 1980's. So, what exactly is HardiePlank siding?? First, HardiePlank siding is a fiber cement, made out of sand, water, cellulose wood fibers and cement. Its source materials and design provide it with a number of unique qualities that often interest homeowners....
HardiePlank comes in all sorts of colors and styles, and you'll start to see it on some newly built homes in this area, for example on the Paired Homes at The Glen at Cross Keys, on this EarthCraft home on Cottage Circle, on most of the homes at Preston Lake, and on Urban Exchange. | |
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Healthy, Comfortable, Cost-Effective EarthCraft Homes |
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 Have you heard of an EarthCraft home? EarthCraft Virginia provides a new construction certification process that serves as a blueprint for healthy, comfortable homes that reduces utility bills and protects the environment. More specifically, EarthCraft promotes diligent airsealing and energy efficiency. Airsealing of the building envelope and its mechanical systems, while still allowing for fresh air intake, provides a tighter building envelope at little additional cost. There is less communication of air and sound between units and better indoor air quality through the use of managed fresh-air intakes. Thus, projects are more energy efficient, less costly to occupy, and more durable overall. EarthCraft homes also make use of EnergyStar appliances. Here are several new subdivisions where you will find EarthCraft homes in and around Harrisonburg... Here are several homes currently being built to EarthCraft standards...
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Buy Fresh, Buy Local! |
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 For those interested in buying fresh, locally grown or produced food, make sure to check out the new Buy Fresh Buy Local Food Directory, posted by Thanh over over at hburgnews.com. You might also be interested in checking out the Shenandoah Valley's Buy Fresh Buy Local website at http://www.buylocalshenvalley.org. | |
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Scott Rogers
Funkhouser Real
Estate Group
540-578-0102
scott@funkhousergroup.com
Licensed in the
Commonwealth of Virginia
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