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After fires, chance to go green
SAN DIEGO — Homeowners preparing to rebuild dwellings that were lost during the October 2007 wildfires got some guidance yesterday on how to go “green” with their next homes.
The EcoBuild San Diego exposition drew nearly 350 people, including several fire survivors who have yet to rebuild.
The nonprofit California Center for Sustainable Energy brought dozens of contractors, designers, remodelers and building material suppliers to its Kearny Mesa offices for the event. Forty-three exhibitors set up information booths in the parking lot.
Some fire survivors have not rebuilt “because of issues with insurance companies,” said Lauri Walker, a spokeswoman for the center. “They are negotiating their claims. A lot of them were underinsured, some by a couple of hundred thousand dollars.”
In San Diego, 356 homes were destroyed during the 2007 wildfires, city officials said. So far, 221 single-family permits to rebuild have been issued. Nearly 130 homes have been completed and are occupied.
In unincorporated areas served by the county, 1,046 homes were destroyed, officials said. There have been 192 homes rebuilt. More than 170 of the dwellings have open permits and are in the midst of rebuilding. Seventy-three are at the beginning of the rebuilding permit process.
The expo included a discussion of “the decision to rebuild green.” Because building green is more expensive, the decision isn't always easy, said Irene Stillings, executive director for the center. It generally pays off over time through lower utility bills.
Attendee Oswin Schreiber said his family had five minutes to vacate their....
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