Discovery Planet Green Features an Austin Home Owner's Five-Star Green Home in East Austin

Greenovate TV series episode shows how easy it is to build a green home on a limited budget

Austin, Texas - August 11, 2008 - Austin makes national headlines yet again as the nation's leader in green building. Beginning August 22 and replaying throughout the fall, the Greenovate TV series will air an episode about an east Austin home that's one of the most energy-efficient homes in America today.

The home Cynthia Brown built in a traditional east Austin neighborhood near MLK and Airport won the coveted five-star award from the Austin Energy Green Building Program. On the show, Austin Mayor Will Wynn personally congratulates builder Wayne Jeansonne of Solluna Builders and hands Cynthia the plaque she now proudly displays at her front door.

In the beginning, Cynthia was just a woman with an idea - she wanted the most energy-efficient home she could afford. "One of the misconceptions a lot of people have about building green is that it's going to cost a lot of money," she said. What Cynthia had to work with was an infill lot in a 1960's neighborhood. Plus a limited build budget based on her modest, middle-class salary. Cynthia works as a health educator and runs a crafts business out of her home.

How did she get from point A to Discovery Planet Green? Cynthia started at the Austin Energy Green Building Program's Green by Design workshop, where she learned green building basics. She shopped around and found Solluna Builders, whose founder Wayne Jeansonne has been a long-time, passionate advocate for green building. "He answered what seemed like endless questions related to the green building process," Cynthia said. "When I was examining my potential building budget, he offered options and worked with me to help me afford a very energy efficient home."

Cynthia's 1480-square-foot home looks like other homes in the neighborhood - the same size, the same style -- because it was designed to fit in. But it's very different in the way it's built. Metal roof, soy-based sprayed foam insulation, low-E double-paned windows, 2-foot eaves, right-sized air conditioning, tankless on-demand water heaters, recycled materials, no-VOC paints, locally mined limestone, and bamboo floors -- these are just some of the features Cynthia chose that will make her utility bills a fraction of her neighbors' and increase the value of her home.

"Green building is not about doing just one thing, it's the way you put everything together," said builder Wayne Jeansonne. "By starting with the design and budget, and working closely with Cynthia, we were able to make the right choices."

Camera crews from the Discovery Channel filmed construction from the ground up. The show takes you through the complete construction process and highlights green features in the design, materials, techniques, and workmanship. It features John Umphress from the Austin Energy Green Building Program, plus Mayor Wynn who presented Cynthia with her plaque.

"I can be an example for other people who are thinking about building green but aren't sure how to get started," said Cynthia. "They can come and talk to me about that."

For more information, contact Mary Simon at (512) 804-2050.

B-roll and print-quality photos are available upon request.