Steve Truesdale has three children and spends a lot of time wondering about what kind of world they’ll inherit.
“What is going to be our legacy?” Truesdale asked on a recent morning while visiting a green-building exhibition running at the Aurora History Museum.
Called “Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and Design,” the traveling exhibit from the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., opened in Aurora on March 17. The museum has dedicated three galleries, about 2,500 square feet, to the show, which runs through May 3.
In the first two days, the exhibit drew about 130 people, said Jennifer A. Kuehner, education curator for the museum — not bad, as the museum typically draws about 500 people a month.
“The timing is right” for the exhibit, said MaryJane Valade, curator of exhibits at the museum. “It fits in so well here, with all of the green activities going on in Colorado and the Denver area.”
The exhibit may be an eye-opener for consumers who think going green takes a lot of green, as in money. In fact, many green solutions cost little upfront and have quick paybacks.
“I think for consumers, they can discover there are really simple, inexpensive things they can do, like caulking and changing to more energy-efficient light bulbs,” Valade said.
Indeed, the museum staff is handing out free compact fluorescent light bulbs, better known as CFLs, to visitors through an Aurora city program in which Wal-Mart donates the bulbs.
If someone is building a home — or planning a dream home — the exhibit is ideal for generating ideas, ranging from solar photovoltaic panels to harness the sun’s energy to generate electricity or heat water, to geothermal systems that provide heating and cooling, Valade said.
Her favorite section is dedicated to handsome residential architecture in various settings, including deserts, mountains, cities and suburbs.
“Unfortunately, there aren’t any homes from Colorado” in that gallery, Valade said.
Truesdale, the lone visitor on a Thursday morning, said that portion of the exhibit dispels the notion that green buildings are ugly.
And if builders would educate their subcontractors on how to tweak construction practices to accommodate green features displayed in these homes, the price of sustainability would drop dramatically, said Truesdale, who works for Parker Winnelson Co. in Centennial.
“I am worried that now gas is no longer $4 a gallon, that we will not remain committed to building green,” he said. “No one liked paying a lot at the pump, or paying high utility bills, but hopefully that scared people into realizing we do have finite world resources. I think high prices were a needed wake-up call. We really have to ask ourselves what kind of world we want to leave to our children.”
Paint these lectures green, inexpensive
As part of “Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and Design,” the Aurora History Museum has added a green lecture series. All lectures start at 2 p.m. and cost $2 for Aurora residents and $3 for nonresidents. For information, call 303-326-8650.
APRIL 11
“How to Lower Your Energy Bill and Be More Comfortable” Dennis Brachfield, owner and founder of About Savings Heat Co. Sponsored by Xcel Energy.
APRIL 19
“Has the Greenest House Been Built? Historic Preservation and Sustainability” Christopher Kozoil, associate professor at the University of Colorado Denver College of Architecture and Planning
APRIL 26
“Green Interior Design: Eco-friendly Finishes” Annete K. Stelmack, sustainability consultant, Inspirit LLC, and Laurie Hessemer, New Era Paint
MAY 3
“The Renewables: Wind, Solar and Geothermal” Namaste Solar, PK Geothermal and Xcel Energy
Green House: New Directions in Sustaiable Architecture and Deisgn
Where: Aurora History Museum, 15051 E. Alameda Parkway
Cost: Admission is free
When: Exhibit runs through May 3
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends; closed Mondays
