Asheville, North Carolina, October, 2009 Real Estate News and Views from "GREEN-O-Lina"
30+ Eco-Friendly Urban and Mountain Communities in the Asheville Area
There are about as many shades of green in eco-friendly design, development and building as you see in
the early light on an Appalachian mountainside. (see photo) Levels of attraction, commitment, and motivation to embrace eco conepts and planning are unique to each of us.
Poll homebuyers and investors and you are sure to find certain green features have more appeal than others. For example , on the subject of green-built homes, indoor air quality(IAQ) may be one person's primary focus, while whole house ventilation or NO-VOC paint may be another's concern.
And many people looking to leave a land legacy will devote their attention to eco-savvy development that takes into account site planning, solar orientation and energy use.
But people do seem to share this in common:They are deeply attracted to the notion that their grand kids will be and/or are in a healthy, non-toxic environment.
With this in mind, I have compiled a list of 30+ urban and mountain eco-friendly developments in the Greater Asheville area. If you would like to know the "greenest' I will be posting a comparison chart you can use to determine for yourself...And/or check back to see the following list highlighted with links to my video series as I visit each of these communities.
30+ Eco-Friendly Urban* and Mountain Communities in the Asheville Area
Altura (Urban)
Balsam Mountain Preserve
Ciel (Urban)
Cliffs of High Carolina (Tiger Woods)
Cold Mountain
Cove at Celo Mountain
Crest Mountain Community (Urban)
CRESTON
Fitgerald Condominiums (Urban)
French Broad Crossing
GAIA (Urban)
Grand Highlands of Bearwallow Mountain
Grand Highlands of Waterford Lakes
GREENWOOD
HICKORY NUT FOREST ECO COMMUNITY
Homestead at Mills River
MOUNTAIN AIR
Mountain Meadows
NORTH KNOB
Pisgah Preserve at Lake James
PRESERVE AT LITTLE PINE
PRESERVE AT WOLF LAUREL
Ramble Biltmore Forest (Urban)
Red Wolf Run
Residences at 151 (Urban)
River Highlands at Madison Crossing
River Rock
Settings of Black Mountain (Urban)
Stillhouse Creek
THREE CREEKS PRESERVE at Lake Lure
Thoms Estate (Urban)
WALNUT CREEK PRESERVE Equestrian Community (seen in photo)
Whisper Mountain
•· I am defining "urban" as within a 10 minute drive of downtown Asheville
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__~o
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(*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..
On the GO 4 Sustainability: "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants! Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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Autumn is on the way with gifts of Carolina Blue skies, and all the colors that border it. 
(see photo taken at Hickory Nut Forest eco community)This is an excellent time of year to tour the Asheville area and to familiarize yourself with what we have to offer in terms of sustainable innovation.
WHEN you visit the numerous Asheville area eco-friendly developments,do consider hiking the trails, and taking a peek at community amenities. Remember too, that an eco-friendly development and/or an ecovillage may be in an urban or rural area. It is not defined by its location.
Eco-villages are defined by concept. For me, this is about sustainable innovation--
a "green plan" that encourages both social contact and individual space coupled with the understanding that, as a member of the community, you are entrusted with a shared sense of caring for all who live here.
Take for example the video of Hickory Nut Forest Eco Community.
Here you see one of the most noteworthy of the defining characteristics of such enterprises-- participation. You get the idea that Hickory Nut Forest aims to meet the needs of residents. The inviting central lodge with areas set aside for the kitchen and dining areas as well as teaching and/or retreat facilities, possibly a guest room(s), workshop and laundry room, will offer the opportunity for neighbors and visitors to get together.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__~o
-\_<,
(*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..
On the GO 4 Sustainability: "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants! Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, October, 2009
News and Views from "GREEN-O-Lina"
The Eco-Community & Conservation Land
THIS WEEK I had the good fortune to hike the sunny trails leading from an amazing eco-friendly community just minutes from downtown Asheville. This model for sustainable innovation, Hickory Nut Forest is one of the first ECO developments in the USA to combine wide-ranging land conservation with an eco-friendly community of green-built homes, to be powered by renewable energy -(wind power, hydropower , geothermal) - to create a "net-zero-energy community". Living in this conservation neighborhood means enjoying the forever-wild mountain forests, soaring cliffs and pristine, cascading streams, out your back door. You can walk for miles in the serenity of nature.
Hiking trails lead conveniently from the building sites into 800+ acres of nature preserve lands with waterfalls, streams, cliffs and mountaintop vistas. And, here a learning/teaching and community center is taking shape. Based on the model of the grist mill that once stood here, the building is being "built green" and features wood harvested with TLC from the site. (see video)
__~o
-\_<,
(*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL and ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Relocationand LAND Clients..
On the GO 4 Sustainability: "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants! Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
Hickory Nut Forest An Outstanding Asheville Area Eco Community
One of my favorite eco communities in the Asheville area (and please note, Asheville is the "hub' of green and sustainable development) is Hickory Nut Forest.Numerous eco-communities are popping up in and around Asheville, but Hickory Nut Forest is demonstrating how to go about creating an eco-friendly habitat. (see video).
THIS evolving "green" community and conservation neighborhood honors the Land and the forests that offer it building materials. (see video). It is surrounded on three sides by over 800 acres of conservation land , so you can hike out from this community on one of the well-tended trails leading to those 800 + acres and to the adjoining 250 acres. Hickory Nut Forest has set aside a special place for the community/retreat/teaching/learning center. Here is where the new community building is in the process of construction (see video)
From the standpoint of sustainability, here is an example of the "social dimension"--Peace, security, social justice --Human settlements and Human relationship to nature .Hickory Nut Forest is alive with possibility. EXAMPLE: I was so excited to be able to WATCH how the construction of the new community building happens! ( see video) If you are interested in the "social dimension" of green building, be sure to check this out.
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