I was surprised to learn during the New England Ice storm and homeowners had no electrical power to run the water pump for the toilet. Is the proper way of flushing a full used bowl with limited bought half gallon plastic jugs from grocery stores, a) refill the reserve tank to the proper 2 or 3 gallon level or b) pour a gallon of the water into a large 5 gallon bucket and forcefully dump it into the bowl. Many people don't realize that b) works great and saves time and money.

Suggestion: Make sure the solar tubes are installed correctly with good tight seals, otherwise condensation will form in the tubes and collect on the ceiling lenses (depending on where you live...i.e. cold climate areas).

Hi Marilyn, Im really intrested in this vegetative roof . Ive never heard of this . I'm going to research this more. I was wondering when the sweeps will start for this wonderful Green Home? Thank You for the Up dates.

I love the location of the new green home. I can't wait to see more of it. I love that you are going green with everything.

Thank You

blondsails, The Green Home Contest starts April 17, 2009 through June 5, 2009. So mark your calendar and Good Luck!

How about tinting the windows???? 24/7 solar and UV protection. More cost effective and bigger advantages than solar glass.

PROTECT - REDUCE - SAVE

This is such a Beautiful Place for the New Green Home. Just Gorgeous!! Everything is close by,including Disneyworld.
I can hardly wait to see the House when it is complete.
Thanx,Char

OMG, I am so happy to hear you are installing a vegetative roof over the garage!!!! I am an avid gardener and an old tree-hugging hippie and I would love to spend some time in my garden with a view of the skyline! The sunrises and sunsets would be lovely. I also see you have an area for sunbathing, I wouldn't use it for that, but I would enjoy star-gazing from there! You could even sleep outside on the deck and feel safe above it all!
I wouldn't worry about the grandkids at all.
I will keep on wishing upon a star and hope that good karma will come my way and I will have a home of my own and a green one at that!
Good Luck everyone!

WOW....This home looks so awesome! I can't wait to see more photos as they start finishing it. I would like to see a raised garden on one of these houses. I can't imagine what they would come up with b/c everything they do is so great!

This will be another awesome home! Keep up the great work!

I echo the prior commentor and add that I am currently exploring all the currently el-cheapo
ways to go with my own home. It is my dream to
someday be completely energy independent with all
the power we need plus surplus to sell to the grid for a little monthly check. I am hoping to first off find a way to use truly affordable solar panels to heat all the household and pool water, I doubt I have enough room to actually use them to produce electricity hence my next area of concern, wind turbine in combo with the solar. I am open to most ideas as I am retired and wish to not only live economically but sensibly and teach my children and grandchildren
the sense and need for us all to go Green and wean ourselves off fossil fuel.
Thank you, and keep up the great work on behalf of future generations.

Hi everyone. What exactly is a vegetative roof? How does it create energy? In the meantime, I'll do some investigating on my own. Also, what is a clerestory? This home is very intriguing!!!!!

Everything you have done to make this a GREEN HOME is wonderful. Maybe all the contractors today will take the hint and follow suit. I just LOVE this come already.

Wow, I was just looking at all they have accomplished already on the new green home. This is going to be another Beauty. The place is fabulous.The theme parks are close by. It is going to be amazing for some lucky winner, maybe me. Have a great day,Char

The house is green I like it. More green home to make and people will buy it.

I love the location and the design of the Green Home. I have health issues ,and this would be wonderful for my health . The childern and grandchildren would love coming to visit us,if we were to be so blessed to be the lucky ones.I'ts just what the doctor order and more. The crew are doing a great job.

Happy to hear you are using solar tubes. Are they using them in more areas than the closets?

In general am very excited about green building and the plans for this one are wonderful. Really like the open plan.

Looking forward to tracking the construction and putting my name in for this lovely home.

Nancy S Walker

I was wondering why they didn't put in a door from the master bedroom to the screened in porch? I realize that they are thinking that the bed will be along that wall but I would have loved to have seen some type of access to the back porch from the master bedroom (even if it was from the bathroom).

Love that they are putting in a "vegetative roof" on the garage! Where's the garage going to be located in regards to the house layout? Also love that there will be solar tubes!! They are so great, no lights needed during the daytime - gotta love that!

sea and sky and green. Greenheaven!!! Love the picture of the turtle and happy to know people brake for wildlife there. I was raised near the sea and now live somewhere else where wildlife can be pizza anytime and winters bring inversions that choke everyone...Most people I know love the sights and smell of the sea. Thank you HGTV for bringing hope to many. And good luck to everybody!!!

How do you access the sun deck? I didn't see a garage in the floor plan.

I am so excited that they are building a green home in FL!!! I am from there, and want to move back..maybe winning a green house will get me there sooner. ;)I live in Hawaii now, and you would be shocked at how many people here do not harness the resources that we have here into their homes to make them green. Especially the extreme wealthy here that can afford to do it..it's shocking!
For now we can hope that with more education, governments funding/tax subsidies, and the "popularity" of being green, that more people will venture to do so.
And can I say that having a vegetative roof is AWESOME!!!!!!!!

Oh my goodness, I've wanted a living roof for many years now and to hear that the HGTV Green Home will have one is so exciting!! I, too, hope I would be blessed with such a home. I've been living in a 240 sq. ft. converted storage shed. It is 12X20 and have lived here for 11 years,now.
My kitchen is a stove with a 5ft. counter on the porch and we have an od timey outdoor bathroom. No indoor plumbing but do have a sink on the porch, as well. Storage space is really driving me nuts. But, am warm and dry so am blessed.

When I win the 2008 Home, is there anyway I can trade it for the St.Lucie 2009 Home? WOW, Dream is the right word and I wonder what I will have to pay in taxes for this beauty:-) Absolutely awesome.....I hope whoever wins these homes, will do something for others and keep the giving going...

This is so cool! A roof that sprouts plants! I've seen pictures of some, but almost found it hard to believe. I just hope that one day all this will be priced so that the average working Joe can be green.

Is there a way to get to the clerestory or is it just for the light? Is there a deck on the roof of the master bedroom or is it on the ground floor? It would be great if it was on the roof, but how would you get to it. I turned the floor plans inside out and upside down hoping I would find a way to the clerestory or roof. lol
How would you get to the vegetative roof over the garage?
This house would be great for me and my dad!

Are the clerestory windows operable for passive air circulation?

The whole family saw the green home program last night, this includes one nine and twelve year old boys. We all want this green home just like millions of others. I am handicapped and so glad the floor plan is one level. The location is perfect, weather year round prefect, and the community is perfect for raising a family. Everyone that worked on this project should pat themselves on their backs, great job everyone!