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Meet the Owners  

Green Owners

The Holder – Raines family did not set out to build a “Green” house. Rather, the idea evolved from first wanting to incorporate a few energy efficient technologies to looking for greener options for nearly every aspect of the home. Soon the question wasn’t “Why?” but “Why not?”

Trish Holder

Trish’s Dirty Little Not-So-Green Secret(s):
“I drive a Honda Pilot. I feel guilty about it, but I have to haul my kids, their friends, their soccer gear and my tennis gear. We needed a big car. I hate to admit it, but I really love that car.

“I also have a bad habit of leaving my computer on all night. I work all the time and by 11PM I usually have about 20 files open and hate taking time to shut them all down (my computer is slow!) before I go to bed.”

Trish is a writer and marketing consultant for the HVAC (Heating Ventilating & Air Conditioning) industry. She is also at the helm of the Greenspiration project. Although Trish has written extensively about high performance commercial and institutional facilities, including the LEED Platinum Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, NC, she once considered herself “fairly ignorant” when it came to residential HVAC or construction.

“Before all of this, I could tell you how to control multiple modulating boilers, but I couldn’t really tell you how the heat pump in my own home worked,” said Trish.

All that’s changing fast as Trish immerses herself in the details of the home where she and her husband plan to raise their children.

“Women make 80% of homebuilding decisions. But if a woman really wants to be sure she’s making the best decisions for her family and her home, it’s going to take some effort. It’s going to mean asking questions like, ‘What is the SEER rating on that heat pump? What is the payback if I upgrade?’ It also means challenging your builder to do things differently than he or she is use to. It can be daunting, but a good builder will partner with you and it can actually be fun.”

Trish has recently become involved in the local chapter of the USGBC and her “Greenspiration Home” project has prompted invitations for her to speak at various green building functions, including a conference at the Vermont School of Law.

“There’s a lot going on in the green building industry now—a lot of decisions are being made that will ultimately impact the homes we live in. Unfortunately, most homeowners are completely unaware, unless they just happen to find a builder who is involved in green building.”

 

 

 

 

Trish hopes that her Greenspiration Home project will encourage more homeowners (especially women) to get involved in the details of their home.

“I know homeowners are concerned with things like water and energy consumption. Women are especially concerned about the environmental impact of their lifestyle,” says Trish. “We have to learn to be more proactive about the systems and materials we put into our homes. You don’t buy a car without thinking about the gas mileage. Why would you buy or build a home without considering its efficiency?”

Mark Raines

Mark’s Dirty Little Not-So-Green Secret(s):
“I live in Greensboro but drive to work in Winston-Salem (40 minutes away) in Nissan Frontier truck. It’s a great vehicle, and every man needs a truck, but it uses too much gas and I want something that costs less to drive.”


Mark is an IT Manager for Hanesbrands, Inc., where he has worked since before he and Trish were married in 1991. Mark works HARD and maintains long hours, but remains very much invested in Greenspiration. He is excited about his home being an example to others.

Even though Mark works long hours, he is typically the household cook, and very much involved with the kids and their respective soccer careers. (Not surprisingly, a large open kitchen and a big flat backyard were high priorities for him.) He is assistant coach for his son’s team, and maintains the complex practice, game, and tournament schedule that keeps this family running all week long.

“If he can’t get them to practice, I rely on him to tell me when and where to go,” says Trish. “I forget. Mark remembers. And he often pre-empts my forgetfulness by reminding me of what I’m about to forget.”

This makes Mark the ideal counterbalance to Trish’s “Big Picture” perspective on Greenspiration. He is the steady, thoughtful force that reminds Trish that they have to be careful not to “green beyond their means.”

“Green or not green, this home is like any other in that it is an investment,” says Mark. “We plan on being in this home for at least 15 years, so that gives us more latitude to invest in some high end features that will ultimately pay us back.”

Mark is the number cruncher of the family – the one that does the taxes, maintains the books for Trish’s consulting business, and pays most of the household bills. He is not directly involved in the daily activity surrounding Greenspiration, but enjoys getting updates in the evening from Trish.

“I wish I had more time to be involved, but its fun hearing who she met with that day, and what she learned. There’s always something to talk about when you’re building a house.”

According to Trish, Mark’s most valued role in this process is helping her “keep it real.”

“Building a house can be a very stressful, very emotional experience,” says Trish. “Every now and then when I get overwhelmed by it all, I count on Mark just to say ‘Everything is going to be okay.’”

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