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Rebuilding Longboat Key


 I estimate that Longboat is 99% built out, but only 15% rebuilt out.

Over the next two decades I believe there will be a new home building transformation on Longboat, where existing older homes are replaced with new, larger and more expensive houses and condominiums.

This will also mean that existing occupied homes are facing prolonged periods of construction next door or across the street. In the village we are seeing two replacement houses being constructed on either side of occupied homes.

For those who have already experienced year long struggles with noise, dust and congested streets, you know that you wished things could have gone differently. Unfortunately the town codes only control hours of construction and do not address high noise levels, having to repeatedly deal with consruction dust and constant movement of construction vehicles. And importantly, the large amount of pollution created by small gas engine construction site generators and compressors.

Introducing Green Building practices on Longboat can usher in an entirely new way of reducing the large carbon footprint of our houses and condominiums. I believe in Florida it is counties and municipalities that will have to lead the way.

California has been serious about building energy efficiency standards for forty years. 

Global warming is excellorating. 

If something is not done, the result will be highly undesirable for everyone. 

If we do nothing, how can we expect others to do differently?

I will have several entries addressing various aspects of designing and building systainable low negative impact housing, as Longboat is rebuilt over the next decade or two.

If every new structure is designed to minimize energy consumption, the present 24% parsonal housing carbon footprint can be reduced 50%-60%. There are no direct paybacks for the added expense of building eco-friendly hoses and condominiums. I have low expectations that Florida will introduce effective tax incentives to encouraage energy efficient building and remodeling. Houses will cost more to build. On the other hand, not doing so will require much more costly midigation and disaster recovery. 

I believe two things need to be addressed by town government. One is minimizing the negative neighborhood impacts caused by home construction. The other challange is to lead the commnity to build highly energy efficient structures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.



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