Alternative/Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy Access is a widely recognized source for renewable energy news and information on the Internet. (www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/home)

The Source for Renewable Energy is a comprehensive online buyer's guide and business directory to more than 9,000 renewable energy businesses and organizations worldwide. (http://energy.sourceguides.com/index.shtml)

Build It Solar is the Renewable Energy site for Do-It-Yourselfers. (www.builditsolar.com)

Passive Solar Home Design Checklist (www.greenenergyohio.org/page.cfm?pageID=447)

Low Impact Hydropower Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to reducing impacts of hydropower generation through the certification of environmentally responsible hydropower (www.lowimpacthydro.org)

ASU Small Wind Initiative is Appalachian State University's local wind-energy information and demonstration center, including an anemometer loan program and hands-on workshops. (www.wind.appstate.edu)

American Wind Energy Association has advocated the development of wind energy as a reliable, environmentally superior energy alternative in the United States and around the world since 1974. (www.awea.org/)


Energy-Efficient Appliances

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy provides information about the long-term energy costs of appliances, tax incentives and directories of manufacturers. (www.aceee.org/consumerguide/mostenef.htm)

Energy Star Appliances includes lists of all Energy Star certified appliances and products. (www.energystar.gov)


Lighting

Department of Energy: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is an informational site on different types of energy-efficient lighting. (www.eere.energy.gov/EE/buildings_lighting.html)

Windows

Efficient Windows Collaboration is a database of efficiency initiatives, including tax incentives, building-code changes and legislative initiatives. It provides unbiased information on the benefits of energy-efficient windows, descriptions of how they work and recommendations for their selection and use. (www.efficientwindows.org)


Green Building Materials

AIA Sustainable Design Resource Guide is a guide to help architects identify and specify green materials. (www.aiasdrg.org/sdrg.aspx)

Habitat for Humanity Home Store sells donated building materials to the general public and offers deconstruction services. Donate anything from building materials, to appliances, to tools, to flooring. (www.ashevillehabitat.org/home_store)

Ecology Action’s Green Building Material Guide is a comprehensive list of green-building related materials and systems. (www.ecoact.org/Programs/Green_Building/green_Materials/)

GreenSpec is BuildingGreen's product information service. It contains detailed listings for more than 1,800 environmentally preferable building products with descriptions, manufacturer information and links to additional resources. (www.greenspec.com)

The Green Building Resource Guide is a database of more than 600 green-building materials and products selected specifically for their usefulness to the design and building professions, rather than merely their green-material content. (www.greenguide.com)

Greener Building is a site with personal expertise on products by the sustainable building community. It is a site dedicated to personal contributions about products and technologies, as well as your personal wisdom about building in your area. (www.greenerbuilding.org)

Glossary of Green Building Terms is a glossary that helps you to articulate sustainable and green-building concepts commonly used in residential construction. (www.greenbuildingcookbook.info/Glossary.html)


Remodeling/Renovation

REGREEN offers the USGBC and ASID sustainable renovation practices guidelines. (www.regreenprogram.org)

Earthcraft Renovation provides Southface Energy Institute's green remodeling checklist and rating system. (www.earthcrafthouse.com/About/renovation.htm)

Build It Green has a comprehensive green remodeling checklist. (www.builditgreen.org/greenpointsremodel.xls)


Indoor Air Quality

U.S. EPA gives information relating to mold, air quality, asthma, and tips for handling mold in your home. (www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html)

U.S. EPA provides this site as a guide about indoor air quality. (www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/insidest.html)

Mold1.net is a mold resource Web site giving more mold links. (http://ga.mold1.net/)

California Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Program conducts and promotes the coordination of research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, surveys and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention and control of indoor pollution. (www.cal-iaq.org/)

The American Indoor Air Quality Council promotes awareness, education and certification in the field of indoor air quality. (www.indoor-air-quality.org)


Smart Growth

Smart Growth Network was formed by the U.S. EPA and several nonprofit and government organizations in 1996 to seek out new ways to grow that boost the economy, protect the environment, and enhance community vitality. (www.smartgrowth.org/default.asp)

Smart Growth America is a coalition of national, state and local organizations working to improve the ways we plan and build the towns, cities and metro areas we call home. (www.smartgrowthamerica.com)

The National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education is a nonpartisan center for research and leadership training on Smart Growth and related land-use issues nationally and internationally. (www.smartgrowth.umd.edu)


Sustainable Site Planning

The Smart Communities Network offers great resources, tools, links to articles, publications and community success stories on a variety of topics from community energy, to green development, to sustainable business. (www.smartcommunities.ncat.org)


Water Conservation

Earth 911’s Water Conservation Tips is a complete list of ways to save water in the home by room and also provides additional resources. (http://earth911.org/water/water-conservation/)

Texas A&M Rainwater Harvesting Guide to rainwater harvesting, management and reuse. (http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu)

American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association helps to disseminate information about utilizing rainwater for outdoor and indoor uses, and is a resource for finding installers and workshops on rainwater collection. (www.arcsa.org)


Financial Incentives

Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy offers information on state and federal tax incentives for solar electric and other renewables, alternative-fuel vehicles and energy conservation. (www.dsireusa.org)

Tax Incentive Assistance Project is designed to give the latest information on federal income-tax incentives for energy efficiency with buildings and vehicles. (www.energytaxincentives.org)


Green Building Groups

The U.S Green Building Council is the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. USGBC administers the LEED certification programs. (www.usgbc.org)

North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association is a nonprofit association that works to create a sustainable energy future in the state through the promotion of renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency. (www.ncsustainableenergy.org)

North Carolina Solar Center serves as a clearinghouse for solar and other renewable energy programs, information, research, technical assistance and training for the residents of the state and beyond. (www.ncsc.ncsu.edu)

Energy and Environmental Building Association was formed to provide education and resources to transform the residential design, development and construction industries to profitably deliver energy efficiency and environmentally responsible buildings and communities. (www.eeba.org)

PATH: Public Private Partnership for Advancing Housing Technology is dedicated to accelerating the development and use of technologies that radically improve the quality, durability, energy efficiency, environmental performance and affordability of America's housing. (www.pathnet.org)


Local Resources

Sustainable WNC is a Web portal for businesses, nonprofits, citizens and local governments working to promote the principles and practices of sustainability in Western North Carolina. (www.sustainablewnc.org)

Sustainable Asheville promotes sustainability in our community through education and networking. SA provides opportunities to share insights and creative solutions for living interdependently within our local and global ecosystems. (www.sustainableasheville.org)

Southern Energy and Environment Expo is an annual event designed to showcase renewable energy and sustainable economics in context of responsible environmental stewardship. (www.seeexpo.com)

True Nature Country Fair features vendors of local, organic and sustainable products, as well as resources from throughout the Southeast, workshops on all facets of sustainable living, a children’s program and live music, all in a pristine mountain setting. (www.organicgrowersschool.org/content/1515)


Publications

Enviromental Building News is a monthly newsletter published since 1992 featuring comprehensive, practical information on a range of topics related to sustainable design in the built environment. (www.buildinggreen.com/articles/index.cfm)

Back Home Magazine is the magazine that delivers useful do-it-yourself information on sustainable, self-reliant living. (www.backhomemagazine.com)

New Life Journal is the Southeast’s source for practical information about natural healing, green building and sustainable living. (www.newlifejournal.com)

Home Power Magazine offers comprehensive coverage of solar, wind and microhydro electricity, home energy efficiency, solar hot-water systems, space heating and cooling, green building materials and home design, efficient transportation and more. (www.homepower.com)

Enviromental Design and Construction Magazine is a bimonthly magazine reporting on the innovative products, strategies and technologies that are driving the green building industry's success. (www.edcmag.com)

World Changing is an online source for news on sustainable efforts. (http://worldchanging.com)

For a complete and updated list of green building resources, visit the resources list at www.wncgbc.org.