In the summer of 2007, while planning to build a new home for myself, I was invited to attend a meeting to explore the formation of a Green building committee for the Greater Columbia Home Builders Association.  The builder heading up the meeting had discovered some new way of building, vastly more energy efficient, considerably more environmentally friendly, and generally a more superior product compared with standard building technology.  Well, I had been complaining about my power bills, and I was going to build a house this year, better check it out.  

Wow, what I learned that day, although not completely understood, was certainly eye opening.  Houses really could be built more efficiently, built to be more comfortable, and to consume considerably less energy, and in a way to help preserve the environment.  And most eye opening, it wasn't going to take a huge pile of money to be able to accomplish this task.  Even I might be able to afford it.