“Custom,” as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “a usage or practice common to many or to a particular place [...]]]>

The Malmquist Construction Team brings joy to the dream of a custom Montana home….
and there has never been a better time than now to begin.
By aletha schaus

“Custom,” as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “a usage or practice common to many or to a particular place or class or habitual with an individual.” The term “custom-built house” means “built to individual specifications.”

People create custom homes, and so it follows that people can recreate them too. Building trends come and building trends go. Custom does not have to mean expensive or large. It certainly does not have to mean exhaustive

in process or budget, either. Custom-built can mean simply built to individual specifications. If we like affordable and enjoyable, well then, that can be what custom means to us. Certainly, we all have a dream of home that is tethered more to our hearts than to a dollar sign. Enjoyable can be part of our dream.

Malmquist Construction wants you to remember your dream. Get right inside of it in the present moment, believe, and make it happen. It’s your dream and you can enjoy it! Especially with the devoted support of a skillful team, the process can be enjoyable in many dimensions. And it is generally far more fun to get busy with both hands building a dream than to stand around wringing one’s hands in doubt.

So how to put aside doubt and jump in? What usually helps with this? Trust. Trust does seem to make many things possible. Malmquist Construction’s years of experience and long- standing relationships with firms, subcontractors, and customers speak for themselves. Casey Malmquist and company focus on team, not trophy.

Transparent communication and shared knowledge facilitate any creative relationship. It also seems that the more one knows about something, the more relaxed one is. When we are relaxed, we tend to have more fun. To this end, Malmquist Construction approaches each custom home building project with wide-open communication about the project’s budget and progress, and includes the customer as part of the team from the start. With engaged and trusting homeowners who participate collaboratively in creating their dream, everyone learns and has fun together.

Choices at each step of the home-building process create a balance between the customer’s lifestyle, skills, and preferences with the expertise and creative process of the building team. Inspired and empowered by the homeowner’s vision, discussions begin with design and site planning. At every step that follows, the customer can make choices about the nature of their participation in the project. Some find that their skills in design or planning are best suited to the early stages, while others find that their experience lends itself to participation in the construction, interior finishing or landscape stages. Homeowners enjoy being able to trust the Malmquist team to adeptly handle any aspect of a custom home project from start to finish, as well as to participate actively at varying levels along the way.

Casey Malmquist and company focus on team, not trophy.

The integrity of the Malmquist team shows in the pride in workmanship on the job site and it imbues every unique home. A fine finished product comes about through commitment and attention to detail, along with creative adaptability. Change happens, and when it does, solid communication and trust allow the team to stay flexible and fluid. The Malmquist team enjoys the process of learning with each new project, and prides itself on working with those who bring can-do attitudes to the table. It is a testament to their professional dedication that projects often seem to come together effortlessly. Through forward vision, committed and applied expertise, creative teamwork, and well- tuned orchestration, a definitively custom home comes to be from the origins of a dream.

Who knows, in the end you may find that building a dream home was not only about the trophy accomplishment after all. You might find great value and satisfaction in the incredible ecology of complex moving parts—resources, materials, people, and ideas—and the friends and community made along the way. Perhaps you are one of the folks out there ready to create a new custom home. A dedicated team is ready to help you make that happen at Malmquist Construction in Whitefish. There has never been a better time than now to begin.

For more information call 406.862.7846 or visit them online at www.malmquist.com

[bannergarden id="8"] [bannergarden id="7"] [bannergarden id="9"] ]]> http://westernhomejournal.com/2012/02/its-your-dream-enjoy-it-malmquist-construction/feed/ 0 http://westernhomejournal.com/2012/02/buying-locally-benefits-shoppers-and-the-community/ http://westernhomejournal.com/2012/02/buying-locally-benefits-shoppers-and-the-community/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:30:50 +0000 admin http://westernhomejournal.com/?p=3233 Hank Adams, owner of Buckeye Hardwood & Lumber Co., explains how everyone benefits from buying locally and why it’s especially important now.

Why should a consumer purchase from a local business? Hank Adams of Buckeye Hardwood & Lumber Company in Arlee, Montana is more than a little [...]]]>

Hank Adams, owner of Buckeye Hardwood & Lumber Co., explains how everyone benefits from buying locally and why it’s especially important now.

Why should a consumer purchase from a local business? Hank Adams of Buckeye Hardwood & Lumber Company in Arlee, Montana is more than a little familiar with this question. “We hear it all the time: I can get flooring or molding at a box store or discount center for less money, so why should I buy from you?” conveys Adams, owner of Buckeye Hardwoods, a Montana owned and operated business. He says the answer is simple. “Our response is straightforward. We’re local, and our money stays in the local economy. We are here to assist you through your entire process of selection and installation, and we remain here after your project is complete. We know where your product comes from and that it has been cared for properly from the forest to your home. Lastly, like many small local businesses, we believe first and foremost in purchasing and producing quality products, as well as providing excellent service while offering competitive pricing.”

With the struggling economy and much tighter budgets, it is easy to justify purchasing a lower priced item from a box store, discount center or online store. However, there are more reasons to keep your purchase local. “There are so many reasons to choose a local business, like Buckeye Hardwoods, over a business where you are just another number. At our business you are a person, not a number,” explains Adams.

Dollars Spent Locally are Spent Again Locally

Experts say that from the perspective of the local economy, buying locally is win-win and a great way to boost a lagging economy. Economic research has suggested that money spent in a local economy generally stays in that local economy at least twice as long as money spent at nationalized chains and discount centers. Hank Adams is a firm believer that this is true. “When a consumer makes a purchase through Buckeye Hardwoods, several things happen that boost the local economy. First, our business pays taxes to support the community infrastructure that we all rely upon. Our business employs fifteen people that live in our community, pay taxes and make local purchases. Most of our employees deposit their paychecks into locally owned banks, eat at locally owned restaurants and shop at local businesses,” says Adams. “We also work directly with local contractors who also pay local taxes and employ local residents so the dollars reverberate with them, as well. It is easy to see that the money stays in the western Montana region longer than if it goes to an online store or an out-of-state discount center.”

Knowledge and Expertise Included in Purchase Price

Another advantage to a locally owned business is that owners and employees have an expertise and a passion for their products that is not found in large box stores. Small businesses will assist and educate a consumer and help the consumer gravitate towards the product that fits best. “Our goal is not to get you into the most expensive product or the least expensive product. Our goal at Buckeye is to find out what your needs are, what your budget is and get you into the right product. Take flooring, for example. We go through a series of questions with a customer, including where the flooring is going, the style of the house, the heating source, and then we can lead customers to the options that will best suit their needs,” explains Adams. “Our end goal is to have customers that are happy after our product is installed and in use, not just when they walk out of our door.”

Responsible Purchasing Decisions

Locally owned businesses are directly responsible to customers for purchasing the products they carry. Decisions on what and where to purchase are made on a local level instead of the national level. This can be especially important for the new “green” consumer, as local business owners can be pickier about where products come from and how they are manufactured and processed. As an example, Hank Adams is extremely selective about where Buckeye Hardwoods purchases products. “We know our suppliers. I have personally been to most of our vendors’ facilities and our vendors have been to our facilities. If there is a problem, I can go directly to the owner and get it resolved. The same is true for you as a consumer. If you bu

“We also know where our products are coming from. American hardwoods are what we consider the original green product and we’re proud of the fact that we know it was harvested responsibly. We know the people cutting the trees and milling the lumber and we have seen their facilities. We know they aren’t using child labor or unknown glues and chemicals in their processing. We also make sure the wood is properly dried and stored from start to finish. In short, we know the product,” Adams emphasizes. One example y from us and for some reason there is a problem, you can come directly to me and we’ll get it worked out,” he explains at Buckeye Hardwoods is Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring. It has been in the lumber business for three generations and it was one of the first few hundred companies to become FSC certified. Another supplier, Sheoga Hardwood Flooring and Paneling, is Amish-owned and thus uses less electricity and energy during their cutting and manufacturing process than most contemporary facilities.

Emphasis on Quality

Knowing the source of materials has other major benefits. Identifying quality is a priority and local merchants are more likely to stand behind the quality of their products. “Quality is critical. Choosing quality hardwoods for flooring or molding can be complicated, as an example of Northern Appalachian hardwoods versus Southern Appalachian hardwoods demonstrates. Hardwood trees grown in the south grow faster because of the longer growing season and therefore, do not have as tight of a grain as hardwoods trees grown in the northerly climates. The same species can vary greatly in density and color, so you have to be selective about what region you purchase from,” Adams explains. “We like to make sure our customers know quality is the foundation our products. Likely when they compare our pricing to box stores, they are really comparing apples to oranges—we do not offer the same products.”

There’s a movement across the nation that agrees with Hank Adams that buying local products from local sources is just good, sustainable business. “When I make a purchase, I really try to go to a local business. I like knowing that I am a person, not a number and that the owner of a business is going to stand behind his or her product. The same goes for our customers,” says Adams. “It just makes sense.”

For more information call 406.726.2008 or visit www.buckeyehardwoods.com

As smoke and flames billowed out of third floor windows of the old Victorian house, neighbors frantically hauled art, antiques, and whatever else they could carry out [...]]]>

Aided by Carin Cross Design, A family rebuilds upon the ashes of their destroyed lakeside home. By Nancy Reece Jones

As smoke and flames billowed out of third floor windows of the old Victorian house, neighbors frantically hauled art, antiques, and whatever else they could carry out onto the surrounding lawn. Hours later after the fire trucks had gone, the skeletal remains of the huge structure looked starkly silhouetted against the mountains.

Although the fire didn’t consume the lower floors, the added insult of smoke and water damage rendered the house all but a total loss. The owners, who had been away at the time, had tough decisions to make in a timely fashion. The huge but stately lakeside house had been their dream home for 30 years, and seeing it in ruins was devastating.

After weeks of weighing alternatives, they decided to build a similar house with a smaller footprint that would better suit their empty-nest lifestyle and environmental consciousness. Yet, they wanted to retain the elegant feel of their former home and incorporate the artwork from their travels that had been salvaged by the neighbors, as well as original architectural elements that were able to be restored. “I was excited to be included early in the space-planning phase as the interior designer,” said Carin Cross, ASID, of Cross Design. “That’s the ideal time for me to ensure that a new plan will both flow well and meet clients’ expectations.”

With input from the architect, contractor, and Cross, the clients decided on several changes, including the elimination of an unnecessary third floor. Eliminating it improved the flow and livability of the house without compromising its graciousness. They also moved the master bedroom downstairs and added a cozy sitting room adjacent to it that opened onto the garden.

“We all spent hours poring over the recovered architectural items, including the original woodwork, paneling, mantels, railings, and lead windows to decide how best to integrate them into the new design,” said Cross.

Once she developed a paint palette that reflected the clients’ preference for pastels, they worked together to seamlessly blend the old and the new in the selections of interior surfaces, furniture, fabrics, and window coverings.

All the architectural and design elements complemented one another in the end, creating a beautiful home that was reminiscent of the original, yet contemporary and accommodating of the clients’ needs in the coming years.

Carin Cross is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers. For more information, call Carin Cross Design at 406-862-6277 or visit online at www.carincross.com.

Carin Cross Design | 750 W. 2nd St. Suite G PO Box 4968 | Whitefish MT 59937 (Map)

Phone: 406 862 6277 | Email: crossdesign@centurytel.net | Website: http://www.carincross.com

Fourth generation Montanan and Glacier National Park native, Jamie L. Brewster McLeod, is honored to bring the talents of her boutique architecture firm to [...]]]>

Brewster McLeod Architects Offers Exceptional Design and Customer Service to the Big Sky State.

Five Successful Years of Business by Julie Bielenberg.

Fourth generation Montanan and Glacier National Park native, Jamie L. Brewster McLeod, is honored to bring the talents of her boutique architecture firm to the Big Sky State. Brewster McLeod is deeply connected to the Flathead Valley and the surrounding areas. Her great-grandfather was the first ranger under Major Logan in 1910, when the majestic Glacier National Park was established. He also gave the famous cowboy artist, Charlie M. Russell, his first job in the state as a Nighthawk on the Circle C Ranch in the Little Rockies of eastern Montana.

Brewster McLeod is thrilled by her return to Montana offering premiere architecture design and services. Her recent area project is a family compound implementing energy efficient design within a luxury custom home. Growing up in a national park and admiring the iconic architecture in harmony with the surroundings set the precedent for Brewster McLeod’s sensitivity towards design and construction. She states, “I always aspired to be an architect for the Park Service, building natural projects and renovating historic lodges. The extension of my firm into Montana is one step closer to achieving my greatest ambition.”

This year Brewster McLeod Architects celebrated five years of growing success in the Colorado markets of Aspen and Telluride. This was an opportune time to expand the talents of the firm into Brewster McLeod’s home territory of Montana. She is now offering architectural services in the Flathead Valley and Bozeman area where she received her Masters of Architecture. The extension of the firm will continue to revolve around two critical aspects, outstanding design and customer service.

Brewster McLeod understands the importance of one-on-one attention and the individual and unique interests of her clients. “We use Brewster McLeod Architects because they are creative and inspired a design that reflected the way that we wanted to live in our home. We have built several homes. Jamie Brewster McLeod is a great listener and is the most talented residential architect that we have ever worked with,” notes the Faktorows, a Colorado client.

When you are a client of Brewster McLeod Architects, you interact directly with Jamie to discuss your hopes and aspirations throughout the entire project—you are able to speak directly with the artist behind your masterpiece. Personalizing designs and inspiring clients to achieve their dream home is the driving force of her firm. An open communication channel has proved time and again that the best design results from collaboration between the architect and client.

The mountain firm specializes in larger luxury custom homes. Many of these projects include materials, tools and techniques that reduce carbon footprints and facilitate energy efficient homes. Every unique project allows Brewster McLeod Architects to create a unified interior and exterior combination that provides framework to capture personal dialogue. No two people are alike, and thus no two designs are alike either.

Through passion, talent, experience, and commitment, Brewster McLeod Architects is able to provide the perfect design experience and outcome, allowing each client to tell their story that will come to fruition with the firm’s talents. “Having gone start to finish on a project in Telluride, I have found Jamie’s attention to certain details critical to her success,” explains S. Scott Brown, a client of Brewster McLeod Architects. Brown goes on to say, “Her single client focus during the design phase of a project in conjunction with listening, speed and flexibility during construction was invaluable. Most of all it is her gift of combining space, form, texture and the environment into beautiful, unique homes.”

Allowing individuals to express their specific tastes provides Brewster McLeod Architects the necessary tools to envision their ideal lifestyle design. Exceptional architecture and customer satisfaction is always at the forefront of every project, resulting in uniquely timeless and functional designs. It is the mastery of these skills that has provided growth and success for Brewster McLeod Architects.

Brewster McLeod Architects
970.544.0130
117 S Monarch St Aspen, CO

Full Article

The owner of Buckeye Hardwood & Lumber Company explains how everyone benefits from buying locally.

Why should a consumer purchase from a local business? Hank Adams of Buckeye Hardwood & Lumber Company in Arlee, Montana is more than a [...]]]>

Buying Locally Benefits Shoppers and the Community

The owner of Buckeye Hardwood & Lumber Company explains how everyone benefits from buying locally.

Why should a consumer purchase from a local business? Hank Adams of Buckeye Hardwood & Lumber Company in Arlee, Montana is more than a little familiar with this question. “We hear it all the time: I can get flooring or molding at a box store or discount center for less money, so why should I buy from you?” conveys Adams, owner of Buckeye Hardwoods, a Montana owned and operated business. He says the answer is simple. “Our response is straightforward. We’re local, and our money stays in the local economy. We are here to assist you through your entire process of selection and installation, and we remain here after your project is complete. We know where your product comes from and that it has been cared for properly from the forest to your home. Lastly, like many small local businesses, we believe first and foremost in purchasing and producing quality products, as well as providing excellent service while offering competitive pricing.” With the struggling economy and much tighter budgets, it is easy to justify purchasing a lower priced item from a box store, discount center or online store. However, there are more reasons to keep your purchase local. “There are so many reasons to choose a local business, like Buckeye Hardwoods, over a business where you are just another number. At our business you are a person, not a number,” explains Adams.

Dollars Spent Locally are Spent Again Locally
Experts say that from the perspective of the local economy, buying locally is win-win and a great way to boost a lagging economy. Economic research has suggested that money spent in a local economy generally stays in that local economy at least twice as long as money spent at nationalized chains and discount centers. Hank Adams is a firm believer that this is true. “When a consumer makes a purchase through Buckeye Hardwoods, several things happen that boost the local economy. First, our business pays taxes to support the community infrastructure that we all rely upon. Our business employs fifteen people that live in our community, pay taxes and make local purchases. Most of our employees deposit their paychecks into locally owned banks, eat at locally owned restaurants and shop at local businesses,” says Adams. “We also work directly with local contractors who also pay local taxes and employ local residents so the dollars reverberate with them, as well. It is easy to see that the money stays in the western Montana region longer than if it goes to an online store or an out-of-state discount center.”

Knowledge and Expertise Included in Purchase Price
Another advantage to a locally owned business is that owners and employees have an expertise and a passion for their products that is not found in large box stores. Small businesses will assist and educate a consumer and help the consumer gravitate towards the product that fits best. “Our goal is not to get you into the most expensive product or the least expensive product. Our goal at Buckeye is to find out what your needs are, what your budget is and get you into the right product. Take flooring, for example. We go through a series of questions with a customer, including where the flooring is going, the style of the house, the heating source, and then we can lead customers to the options that will best suit their needs,” explains Adams. “Our end goal is to have customers that are happy after our product is installed and in use, not just when they walk out of our door.”

Responsible Purchasing Decisions
Locally owned businesses are directly responsible to customers for purchasing the products they carry. Decisions on what and where to purchase are made on a local level instead of the national level. This can be especially important for the new “green” consumer, as local business owners can be pickier about where products come from and how they are manufactured and processed. As an example, Hank Adams is extremely selective about where Buckeye Hardwoods purchases products. “We know our suppliers. I have personally been to most of our vendors’ facilities and our vendors have been to our facilities. If there is a problem, I can go directly to the owner and get it resolved. The same is true for you as a consumer. If you buy from us and for some reason there is a problem, you can come directly to me and we’ll get it worked out,” he explains “We also know where our products are coming from. American hardwoods are what we consider the original green product and we’re proud of the fact that we know it was harvested responsibly. We know the people cutting the trees and milling the lumber and we have seen their facilities. We know they aren’t using child labor or unknown glues and chemicals in their processing. We also make sure the wood is properly dried and stored from start to finish. In short, we know the product,” Adams emphasizes. One example at Buckeye Hardwoods is Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring. It has been in the lumber business for three generations and it was one of the first few hundred companies to become FSC certified. Another supplier, Sheoga Hardwood Flooring and Paneling, is Amish-owned and thus uses less electricity and energy during their cutting and manufacturing process than most facilities.

Emphasis on Quality
Knowing the source of materials has other major benefits. Identifying quality is a priority and local merchants are more likely to stand behind the quality of their products. “Quality is critical. Choosing quality hardwoods for flooring or molding can be complicated, as an example of Northern Appalachian hardwoods versus Southern Appalachian hardwoods demonstrates. Hardwood trees grown in the south grow faster because of the longer growing season and therefore, do not have as tight of a grain as hardwoods trees grown in the northerly climates. The same species can vary greatly in density and color, so you have to be selective about what region you purchase from,” Adams explains. “We like to make sure our customers know quality is the foundation our products. Likely when they compare our pricing to box stores, they are really comparing apples to oranges—we do not offer the same products.” There’s a movement across the nation that agrees with Hank Adams that buying local products from local sources is just good, sustainable business. “When I make a purchase, I really try to go to a local business. I like knowing that I am a person, not a number and that the owner of a business is going to stand behind his or her product. The same goes for our customers,” says Adams. “It just makes sense.”

Buckeye Hardwood & Lumber | 93173 US Hwy 93 PO Box 620 | Arlee MT 59821 (Map)

Phone: 406 726 2008 | Email: chris@buckeyehardwoods.com | Website: http://www.buckeyehardwoods.com

Here’s a statement, and you identify whether this is cutting-edge green building theory or a pioneer sentiment promoted by our great-grandparents: We should approach construction, renovation, and the operation of our homes and buildings in a healthy, energy-efficient manner and conserve resources. Maybe both? While there is a lot of buzz [...]]]>

Here’s a statement, and you identify whether this is cutting-edge green building theory or a pioneer sentiment promoted by our great-grandparents: We should approach construction, renovation, and the operation of our homes and buildings in a healthy, energy-efficient manner and conserve resources. Maybe both? While there is a lot of buzz and a fair amount of confusion about what it means to build sustainably or green, the values behind it are straightforward. People build green homes because they are healthy, they use fewer resources, homes have a longer life because of quality build practices, and buildings save considerable energy.

A movement toward green building in Flathead Valley is gaining momentum, propelled by the hope of committed entrepreneurs trying to make change, the deeply rooted local values of respecting and conserving the land, and experienced professionals eager to embrace a new and different future for the built environment. Different from the past, this new movement is employing some exciting technology and new materials and financial incentives are propelling more favorable economics.

Forces at work
As people recognize how their personal decisions have broad ramifications on the Earth’s resources, a number of forces are coalescing behind the green building movement. The United States’ domestic oil supplies have peaked and are on the downside, forcing more reliance on foreign sources. With less abundance and world competition for the remaining quantities, prices are rising. At the same time, evidence is mounting to demonstrate that fossil fuel use is behind green house gases and planetary warming.

The environmental impacts of buildings can be staggering. These figures from the US Green Building Council indicate that in the US buildings account for:

• 70% of all electricity consumption
• 39% of all energy use
• 39% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
• 40% of raw materials use
• 30% of the waste output (136 million tons annually)
• 12% of drinkable water consumption

Green building is one answer for lowering this high level of consumption.

What is green?
Buildings can be green as a result of goals or intentions of the building programs, and there are independent certification programs that verify that the building and the process has met a set of standards for green building. The explicit certification standards vary by the agency making the certification and by the level for which the building is being certified (such as silver, gold, or platinum).

Green building goals benefit the health of the building’s occupants through better air quality and less toxic materials; they benefit the community by lowering infrastructure requirements; they enhance the value of the building, and lower operating and life-cycle costs; they result in lower water and power use; and they support a better environment by conserving natural resources and protecting ecosystems.

Local Leadership
In the Flathead Valley, support for green building came concurrently from a number of directions. One was the Green Building Guild, which got its start a few years ago when a group started meeting informally to talk about how they could build differently, better, and in accordance with their personal values. “We were seeing things built that just didn’t perform as well as they should, and we were talking about healthier, energy-efficient buildings with solar design,” recalled Dave Fischlowitz, member of the Guild and owner of Fischworks, a green design concept center and green material source.

About the same time, a statewide group started meeting and after discussions eventually embraced the relatively recent standards and green certification process of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines. As a result, Flathead Buildering Association, the local NAHB’s Chapter, has an active, 30-member Green Committee. Local builder Brad Reedstrom is a member, and his firm, Bigfork Builders, was part of the first group to be nationally certified by NAHB. Reedstrom says the real impetus for building green is coming from the consumers. “Our clients are concerned about cleaner and healthier homes as well as energy efficiency,” he said. “We’re confident we will see much more support for green in the future. However, what we realized during the training is that we were already doing a good job, especially with energy efficiency, and there’s not a big gap between what we have been doing and certification.”

A third force is local enthusiasm for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Saddlehorn, a development by Bigfork with a strong commitment toward sustainable development, is using the national LEED program as a standard. “Saddlehorn engaged the services of Kath Williams & Associates of Bozeman to ensure that the development and its homes are as green as possible,” said Clint Walker, Saddlehorn spokesperson. Williams has served as past president of the World Green Building Council and is a principal force behind implementing the LEED standards in Montana, nationally and abroad. Saddlehorn is trying for the difficult-to-reach Platinum level LEED certificate for its Welcome House, which according to Walker would be a first for Montana.

Certifications
There are three certification processes for green construction in practice in Flathead Valley. In addition to the new NAHB program that just earned statewide support, there is the federal Energy Star program (US EPA and Department of Energy) and the previously mentioned national LEED program through the US Green Building Council.

Homes can certainly be built according to green principles and not be inspected and certified. The advantage of a certification program is that an independent verifier signs off that the conditions for certification have been met. This is a condition for some financial incentives, which is not surprising where money is involved.

Financial Incentives
Incentives to build green are coming from a number of sources. Utilities recognize that conservation is the favored way of gaining supply for their increasing demand. Green homeowners save on water, heating, electricity and maintenance costs, and so qualify for better mortgage terms. State and federal policy-makers have put tax incentives in place, as well.

NorthWestern Energy has a handy online calculator for energy use to encourage reduction. Their benefits vary somewhat by service area, but generally include: $30 for a programmable thermostat; $120-310 for high-efficiency natural gas equipment rebates; $100 for a gas convection oven as a replacement; varying amounts for improving boiler and furnace equipment; efficient water measures (water tank insulation, low-flow shower heads, and faucet aerators) rebates or installation complimentary for participating in an energy audit; free weatherization starter kits; varying rebates for switching from electric to gas hot water heating; and a rebate for energy efficient new construction.

At Flathead Electric, customers can sign up to purchase renewable energy for $5 per month. It offers the following incentives: a $750 rebate on electrically-heated manufactured homes meeting standards; a $1,000 rebate for new construction or retrofit commercial lighting; $1,000 for air source heat pumps; a ground-source heat pump rebate; $60 for a high-efficiency electric hot water heater; and Energy Star appliance rebates ranging from $25-$70, and including clothes washers, refrigerators, dishwashers, and freezers.

There are positive mortgage programs for green. For VA Energy Efficient Mortgages, the VA (Department of Veteran Affairs) offers financial incentives for energy-saving home improvements for the loans it guarantees. With the Fannie Mae Energy Efficiency Mortgages, borrowers can get funds for energy-efficient improvements and add 5% to the home’s value if it is Energy Star® rated. The FHA Energy Efficient Mortgage allows homeowners to incorporate the costs of energy-efficient improvements into their new or refinanced FHA loan.

In the tax code, the federal government extended the Residential Energy Efficiency Federal Tax Credit through 2008 for a maximum credit of $500. The IRS also offers the Residential Solar and Fuel Cell Federal Tax Credit for solar and fuel cell systems, including up to $2,000 each for solar electric or solar hot water heating.

In Montana, the Department of Environmental Quality offers a guide to save energy. The State offers a 25% energy conservation tax credit, a residential Alternative Energy Systems credit up to $500, as well as substantial help to businesses pursuing alternative energy.

What to expect in the future
Right now, costs for sustainable building materials are going down. Experts in green materials like Dave Fischlowitz attribute it to more and better competition. In addition, with oil costs high, alternative products that are not petroleum based are reaching parity. Fischlowitz says exciting new products are being offered daily: things like solar collecting roofing and windowpanes, and the future should be only brighter. The New York Times Magazine (Oct. 5, 2008) identified world-changing green products now being developed with venture capital funds that will soon be marketed for wind generation and energy conversion and storage.

Ann Glimm, co-chair of Flathead Building Association Green Committee, is definitely optimistic. “Everyone is acknowledging our need to conserve. With the momentum green building is gaining and the way costs are going down, I think that when the dust settles in the next five years, it will be the standard.” ~ By Ann Zimmerman