We’re different from most Green-Build organizations in several ways:

• We serve a rural area with no central town or city.
• We promote both Green Building and building with Universal Design principals with equal enthusiasm.
• We’re strong advocates for land use planning which helps to preserve the farms and large wilderness areas that are our heritage.

Simply put, SASBC’s goal is built environments that share a set of universal features which lower their environmental impact…making them easy to live in, visit, and maintain…now, and for generations to come.

Have other questions ? Please email us at info@sasbc.org.

1. What is the Southern Appalachian Sustainable Building Council?
2. Where did SASBC come from?
3. How is SASBC different from an “environmental” or “conservation” organization?
4. How do buildings affect natural resources?
5. How about an overview of SASBC’s Mission and purpose?
6. What’s Universal design? And why is it so important to SASBC? How do you define it?
7. I’m not sold on building Green. Doesn’t it cost a lot more?
8. Can I get a tax break for building green or “greening” my existing residence or building?

Southern Appalachian: The southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Our current service area includes the following counties: In East Tennessee: Bradley, McMinn and Polk; In Western North Carolina: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain; In North Georgia: Fannin, Gilmer, Rabun, Towns and Union. What these counties generally share are climate, topography, economy, agricultural heritage, and distance from the sustainability programs of metropolitan areas.
Sustainable Building: Developing and building in a way that lasts longer, causes less environmental damage, and creates spaces that are accessible and visitable by people of all ages and abilities. Sustainability involves more than “high-performance” or “green” building. By definition structures that are built “sustainably” have increased value to their communities and to the owner’s pocketbook.
Council: A group of folks who lead.
Back to Top

The Southern Appalachian Sustainable Building Council started as an idea to incorporate conservation based land use planning into a built environment that would demonstrate renewable energy concepts such as solar power. This idea began to develop and expand after a resource conservation meeting of rural development, farm and conservation agency staff in November 2007. These folks were “Green” long before “Green” was cool!
In March 2008, as more interested individuals and partners became involved, regular organizational gatherings turned into educational offerings. The goal was to raise awareness of energy efficiency and renewable energy alternatives as well as universal design among consumers and the building trades. In October 2008, the SASBC was granted nonprofit status.

Since January 2009, the organization has moved forward rapidly. As a membership organization of individuals, businesses, and professionals in the mountain region of the Tri-State, SASBC’s future growth and achievements depend on the work of our members and partners to positively impact our environment and thus our local economy.
Back to Top

While there may be some overlap of interests and goals, SASBC is concerned with Built Environments. Most often that’s a residence or commercial structure. But, once you start changing the surface of the earth, you are creating a Built Environment.

An example: An “environmental” group might lobby strongly to prevent removing a mountaintop to build a shopping center. Or against building a parking lot in a flood plain next to a river. They could request SASBC’s support for their effort by asking us to suggest alternatives that are more environmentally and economically sustainable. With luck, the outcome is a win for all involved.

But, if the County or Municipality were to approve the original location, SASBC would continue to work with them and the developer to provide ways to minimize impact on the original site.
Back to Top

Buildings and development have significant environmental impacts on our natural resources, including:

• According to surveys conducted in 2002, 107.3 million acres of the 1.983 billion acres of total land area in the U.S. is developed, which represents an increase of 24 percent in developed land over the past 10 years.
• In terms of energy, buildings accounted for 39.4 percent of total U.S. energy consumption and 67.9 percent of total U.S. electricity consumption in 2002.
• Building occupants use 12.2 percent of the total water consumed in the U.S. per day.
• Buildings, and the transportation infrastructure that serves them, replace natural surfaces with impermeable materials, creating runoff that washes pollutants and sediments into our rivers and lakes.

Back to Top

Builders, developers , and designers are scrambling to accommodate a huge new market: boomers and older retirees who want to stay in their homes or “age in place.” These folks realize that making modifications to their homes now, or buying a new home designed and built to Universal Design specs can make good economic sense when compared to the cost of assisted living.
Universal Design basics include wider doorways, entrances, and hallways; curbless shower stalls; low, or no, thresholds; accessible appliances; and lever door handles. These and other features make a home comfortable and visitable for people of all ages and physical abilities.
Back to Top

You’re right. Wouldn’t surprise us to see GM introduce a Hybrid Hummer as part of their restructuring. That’s called “greenwashing.”
In the world of new construction the general reference for “Green” is a building that is constructed to meet a set of standards (energy efficient, healthy indoor air, etc.) and then “certified” as compliant to them. In our region the most common standards are EarthCraft, NC HealthyBuilt Homes, Energy Star, National Green Building Standards and LEED. A green-built home, or “certified” business or office building, offers: better health; greater comfort; lower utility bills; less maintenance; lasting value!
Back to Top

Perhaps surprisingly, good green buildings often cost only a few percentage points more…and sometimes no more to build than conventional designs. There are many ways to make a structure more sustainable or “green”. Most fall into these broad categories:
Design: Orienting a building to take advantage of passive solar energy makes living spaces more enjoyable and can substantially lower heating bills. Keeping the size of a structure as small as possible saves materials, energy and money. The money saved can be spent on further “green” features.
Materials: Things to consider: How is it produced? Where is it produced? How long will it last? Do you find it beautiful? What is the long-term cost of ownership? Making informed choices is key. Decide what is most important to you.
Construction Quality: The old saying, “I’m too poor to own a cheap house,” is more true than you might think. Look beyond the price tag to your future costs. That’s thinking sustainably.
Back to Top

There are some federal tax credits for specific energy efficiency projects in buildings. More and more states are beginning to introduce and pass legislation establishing green building tax benefits.
Back to Top

The Vision of the Southern Appalachian Sustainable Building Council is to promote the conservation of natural resources and advance human well being for generations to come.

Our Mission is to promote socially and environmentally responsible land use, design and construction through education, networking, advocacy and research.

SASBC is a 501-C (3) organization comprised of businesses, individuals, schools, government agencies and partnering organizations to meet the environmental and economic challenges facing our tri-state service area. Our purpose is to work together to accelerate the adoption of sustainable (including universal design) practices to have a positive impact on our environment and on economic development. The Council intends to accomplish its mission and purpose through leadership, education and coalition building.

Our current service area includes: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain Counties and the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians in western North Carolina; Fannin, Gilmer, Rabun, Towns and Union counties in north Georgia; and Bradley, McMinn and Polk counties of east Tennessee.

The Council is promoting an integrated design approach to sustainable building. We see our primary task as being a resource for comprehensive, practical information on topics related to creating sustainable built environments. Constituencies that we will endeavor to service shall be community members, business owners, builders, developers, non-governmental organizations (NGO), governments, educators, students and citizens who are affected by our focus. Simply put, SASBC’s goal is built environments that share a set of universal features that lower their impact on the environment and that make them easy to live in, easy to visit, and easy to maintain…now, and for generations to come.

Therefore, the SASBC works with other institutions and organizations to provide education, advocacy, networking, guidance, and access to verification and certification programs in both residential and commercial buildings. These include: “Easy Living” Homes, Universal Design (Visitability); Energy Star; NC HealthyBuilt Homes; EarthCraft Homes; U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED); NAHB’s National Green Building Standards and other standards that address the needs of clients and the unique climate and challenges faced by those building in this region.

Studies and statistics indicate that:

• Our homes, offices, schools, and other buildings consume 40% of the primary energy and 70% of the electricity in the U.S. annually. As a result our buildings produce 39% of U.S. CO2. And account for 12% of our potable water use.
• The construction of buildings and their related infrastructure consume approximately 60% of all raw materials used in the U.S. economy.
• Our country’s continued reliance on foreign and non-renewable energy sources endangers our security and economy.
• The individuals in the “aging bubble” (both current residents, and those relocating to the region) will put a substantial strain on local resources that can be well-managed by providing environments that allow these individuals to “age-in-place” and continue to be productive and engaged members of their communities.

The federal government has responded to these challenges by putting into place Executive Orders, mandates and legislation. The High-Performance Buildings Caucus of the U.S. Congress has been formed to “heighten awareness and inform policymakers about the major impact buildings have on our health, safety and welfare and the opportunities to design, construct and operate high-performance buildings that reflect our concern for these impacts.”

The market based response to these challenges must include developing novel building technologies, facilitating and enhancing U.S. economic competitiveness, increasing energy efficiency in the built-environment, and assuring that construction has an ever decreasing impact on non-renewable resources. Innovative strategies for incorporating accessibility features are an integral part of this response.

Many state and local governments are responding to these challenges by adopting the “Energy Star Challenge” or “The 2030 Challenge,” and more recently by implementing green building strategies, including energy efficiency, as a cornerstone of state and local energy plans to revitalize our economy. Funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) offers a tremendous opportunity for state and local governments to jump-start green building efforts, create green jobs, and save energy and money.

Therefore SASBC’s mission and purpose is to work together to accelerate the adoption of these green or sustainable building practices to have a positive impact on our environment and on economic development. Developing the Southern Appalachian Sustainable Building Council as a vibrant and respected resource will take time and effort. We believe that preserving the beauty of our mountain region while enhancing its economic viability are goals worthy of that time and effort.

Our success will depend in large part on how well we collaborate. By bringing together individuals, businesses, trade and professional organizations, academic institutions/schools, local leaders, nonprofits and government agencies, we can ensure that our area is a leader in sustainability. By working together we can increase energy efficiency, create “green” jobs, and grow our economy.
Back to Top