Bora-care, the Solution for Durability

A primary concern in building a LEED (USGBC’s Green Building Program) home, is creating one that is durable. Wood, while being a renewable material, is subject to decay by mold and wood-eating insects.
After much research on solutions for eco-friendly ways to prevent decay in this manner, we came across Bora-Care. “Bora-Care”, Nisus Corporation's amazing Green Solution for termites, is a non-toxic wood treatment that protects wood with a borate mineral salt (which has a low mammalian toxicity, but is still deadly to insect pests). Borate is a natural occuring mineral that is found in many fruits and vegetables that are commonly consumed.
This treatment is an amazing preventative solution, as it lasts for decades. It's perfect for new construction because it can be easily applied when the rough frame is exposed. It is recommended by LEED that the bottom 3 feet of wood around the entire structure be sprayed. To ensure the extreme durability of our sustainable home, we're spraying the entire structure bottom to top, to add an extra layer of protection from pests and fungus and to insure that the home will not need to be fumigated at any point in its life. To achieve this level of protection without sending streams of poison into the air and water is Bora-Care's guarantee.
The most effective Green pest management solution is a preventative one, and Go Green highly recommends considering Bora-Care spray for all new construction.

Taking advantage of the earth's most abundant source of energy-- The Sun!

Not only is the Go Green Home rooftop a great place for viewing the cityscape, from the beach to downtown, but now this roof is home to 30 solar panels which will provide the house with 5.6 kW of energy. This system will eliminate at least 100 tons of carbon dioxide over its 30+ year lifetime.

While the sun's abundant energy is actively utilized by the photovoltaic panels, there are also
measures of passive solar use throughout the house. Adjacent to the panels is a large skylight which will allow light to infiltrate the house throughout the day, cutting down on the need for artificial lighting. There are also several large windows facing south that welcome in the daylight all year long.



The PV panels were installed by SolarCity over a period of three days (see right). If you have been considering using solar, now is the best time to buy! The recent bailout opened the door for much larger federal rebates for PhotoVoltaic Systems; there is now a 30% tax break on the total cost (the rebate used to be capped at $2,000).

Plants have been utilizing solar energy now for millions of years, it's about time more of us start making use of this unlimited resource.

Innovative Plumbing Solutions for our Southern Californian Home

The plumbing lines have been run for the Go Green Home!

As well as a line from the city, the Go Green Home incorporates a grey water system. Reusing water from sinks, showers, and washers the system uses "grey" water to irrigate the landscaping. It is a great way to make the most of our resources, especially during droughts.


Another way the home innovates sustainability and green design is though rainwater collection. Rainwater which is collected or “harvested” can be put to use both indoors and outdoors. The rainwater catchment system prevents leaves and “first capture” to be diverted, while following rain gets filtered to insure the highest water quality, and goes on to tanks to be stored for later use. Gauges allow you to easily monitor the tank levels. Making the most of our natural resources, this system also lessens the quantity and velocity of runoff from storms, which is a concern in Urban areas.


Tankless water heaters will be installed, providing the entire home with hot water when it is needed. Unlike conventional water heaters which waste energy having to reheat stored water, tankless water heaters heat the water directly, can control temperature without fluctuations, and comparatively last over three times longer. Tankless heaters are available in either electric or natural gas. They save space; more importantly the save energy. Tankless systems use up to 50% less energy to run. It also allows the option of installing multiple heaters for separate appliances, or whole house systems for larger projects. A safer alternative to conventional tank heaters, they do not have exposed pilots, making them family friendly.

Advantages of Design-Build

Want to save time and money on your construction project?

With the design-build delivery system, the owner contracts with one entity that performs both the design and construction, vs. the more common design-bid-build process. The cooperation between designer and builder from the onset can lead to lower costs due to a more economical and constructible design.

Lower Cost: Input of builder during design phase can help determine the most cost effective design (value engineering).Know the budget and the structural approach from the beginning. In the planning phase, there is an opportunity for saving money; after that point, money can only be spent.
Speed: Time is saved using the design-build process due to the avoidance of the bid and award process
Communication: Clients and everyone involved has more information as there is communication between designer, builder, and clients throughout the process.
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