Marketing Home Products

Are home improvement projects ever easy? Rarely. Lowe’s new online initiative promises to simplify those difficult trips to the hardware store. An online tool that allows users to create and maintain a home profile, MyLowe’s stores much more than basic information. From room dimensions, product assignments and wish lists to recent purchases such as interior-paint formulas and flooring, MyLowe’s promises easy access to home improvement.

Beyond basic purchase history, the site also keeps track of warranty information, opting for electronic versions of manuals and paperwork instead of paper versions, which often get lost in boxes and filing cabinets. Features still to come include tools for room renovations, online sharing and subscription purchases of routinely needed accessories such as water and air filters… eliminating questions like, “When did we last change this?” Lowe’s also plans to make a mobile application so users can access their information straight from their phones while shopping.

Will MyLowe’s live up to its claim to revolutionize, customize and simplify home improvement? It’s hard to tell, but combined with great deals and products that have done well in the market place (such as Valspar), paired with a promise to constantly improve the system, Lowe’s appears to be on the right track.

When it comes to green building, it’s not all about new construction. The topic of green construction is popping up in unexpected places, including greening a historic school – a challenge that many wouldn’t attempt. The truth is that making updates to buildings made of brick and brownstone have far more impact on our total footprint than new construction. And these updates won’t compromise the historic character and integrity of older buildings. What is there to lose?

Scot Horst of the U.S. Green Building Council pointed out that energy saved by improving the performance of our existing building stock by just one percent would equal the savings that would be achieved if all new buildings constructed in the U.S. during a given year were “netzero.” Others agree, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation. They believe that energy efficiency in older buildings can be improved by far more than one percent by tightening exterior envelopes, restoring original passive design features and adding modern improvements. By adding these improvements, they believe that older structures can meet or exceed the highest standards for energy performance and sustainable design. Surprisingly, they say they can do it at a reasonable cost.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation plans to demonstrate how to make improvements to older buildings through work on a property recently donated in Denver. The Emerson School is a two-story masonry structure built in 1885. Like many historic buildings, it needs a lot of help. Spending $2.1 million in hard building costs like installing a geothermal HVAC system, repairing original wood windows, and replacing inefficient light fixtures, they plan to convert the Emerson School to a center for historic preservation groups and other nonprofits. They also plan to open up the interior to restore passive ventilation and natural lighting schemes lost over time.

As a result of these planned improvements, energy models suggest that energy consumption at the Emerson School should be more than 40 percent below the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline. Ultimately, the National Trust for Historic Preservation would like to reduce energy use even more and have agreed to target the “netzero” resource consumption model at the Emerson School by 2030.

The good news is that many can learn and model their own work after this project. The Emerson School is similar to thousands of other historic schools and institutional buildings found across the United States: timber-frame construction, thick masonry walls, large windows and high ceilings.

To learn more about the National Trust for Historic Preservation and how it will reach its goals for the Emerson School, click here.

Our tour of homes of the future doesn’t stop quite yet… let’s have a recap of what we’ve seen so far.

• Our first futuristic home is eco-friendly and is displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. If you recall, this home is incredibly green and sustainable, not to mention pretty cool!
• Our second futuristic home is not meant to sail you across the deep sea although it may look that way!  This home, created by the Earthship World Headquarters, is built with recycled and natural materials.
• Our third futuristic home is the SmartHome Cleveland which can be seen at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History.  It is energy efficient, and only 15 exist in the U.S.
• Our fourth futuristic home brings a whole new meaning to home security!  This home can actually close up into a block of concrete and keep away any potential harm.

Now that we’ve taken a look back at all of our previous homes of the future, what’s next?  CNBC gives us a peak at some futuristic homes that may boggle your mind.  The Komb House, built by Karim Rashid, was designed to be more environmentally friendly while using the latest technologies. This funky futuristic home includes energy efficient appliances, solar panels that heat water, and LED lighting.  It can also be taken apart because it’s made from metal, wood, and glass materials.  Don’t worry, this home can be reassembled at any time!

Looking even further into the future, we have the AirDrop house created by Andrew Maynard Architects.  With all of the natural disasters that have occurred throughout the world, the idea of the AirDrop house is truly enlightening.  This home provides shelter in areas being affected by flooding.  The home is dropped into the flooded area where it then begins to soak up water.  As it’s soaking up the water, it actually grows into a full functioning home.  This may all seem unrealistic, but keep your eyes peeled… you never know what the future may bring!