Natural Balance Home

02/14/2021

Snow is fairly rare on San Juan Island, but this weekend nearly a foot fell. The snow creates a beautiful white undulation across our green and metal roofs. Gorgeous!

06/07/2020

Happy World Green Roof Day. We are still loving ours! It's especially beautiful when the sedums are in bloom!

06/02/2019

The first phase up my mural is up on the wall. It depicts a number of species in the Salish Sea that are overfished or otherwise stressed. Hopefully, the boaters and kayakers passing by will see this as a reminder of how fragile our waters are.

05/21/2015

Many people have said that they missed the Extreme Vacation Homes segment on the Travel Channel. It was the first time we had been filmed. Eight hours of filming yielded a roughly six minute segment! It gives me a whole new appreciation for film editors. Enjoy!

03/04/2014

The Natural Balance House will be featured in a segment of "Extreme Vacation Homes" on the Travel Channel in the US. It will be aired Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 4:00 pm Eastern (and, I think, Pacific) time. Check your local listings for air times. For our non-US friends, visit the Travel Channel website (http://www.travelchannel.com) after Sunday and you should be able to stream the program.

Check out travel videos, shows, and guides on top travel destinations on Travel Channel. Get all tips, show updates, and trip ideas here.

02/04/2013

I think more of this type of thinking is going to have to happen in the future. Not only does it allow barrier islands and coastal watersheds to do their jobs unimpeded by developed hardscape, but also it avoids the payout (often multiple times) to rebuild houses that should have never been built in the first place.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s proposal to spend as much as $400 million to buy homes wrecked by Hurricane Sandy would be among the most ambitious purchase programs ever undertaken.

01/29/2013

I am pleased to say that the five states we have lived in since the mid-1970s are all reflected on this list. Good for them -- and for us!

The per-capita list is based on 2010 U.S. Census data and includes commercial and institutional buildings certified under LEED.

09/24/2012

We have just been certified Emerald to the 2008 National Green Building Standard. We believe we are the first home in Washington state to be certified to that level!

02/07/2012

LED lighting is rapidly approaching the tipping point in the market. Price, quality, and lifespan are all improving. It's a good time to start retrofitting your existing lighting!

Cree's latest LED light source slices the cost, but it's betting that features such as better controls and long life give LEDs an edge over other technologies. Read this blog post by Martin LaMonica on Cutting Edge.

01/19/2012

Here is a small peek into the not-too-distant future. While still expensive and primarily for office applications, the price will come down quickly. What is cool about this is the ability to adjust the light intensity based on need, hence saving money when you don't need as much. And, as always..... there's an app for that!

LED light panel from Japan's NetLED could be the superstar of all light fixtures. Read this blog post by Christopher MacManus on Crave.

11/03/2011

The Natural Balance House has been LEED™ certified to the Platinum level!

06/05/2011

The last two open houses for the NBH. They were a huge success. Some statistics: more than 250 visitors from as far away as California, average visit over 1 hour (lots of questions!), raised over $800 in donations for the Whale Museum, provided lots of information through 8 presentations as well as information displays and placards, and were made to feel incredibly welcome by our new island neighbors.