60-Second Sustainable Living Tips

The Built Community

In the early 1990s, the term, “Sustainability,” surfaced with increasing frequency. We initially thought environmentalists created the term to draw attention. After reading many sources – with hard statistics and documentable data – we realized they were talking about burning out planet Earth! How can you burn out a whole planet? It’s huge. Yet, the data said it’s so.

We decided there were too many people writing or giving speeches about sustainability, but not doing something about it. We enlisted resource specialists, put our assets on the line, and began a Net Zero sustainable housing development, the Garden Atriums. Some aspects — e.g. solar heating, cooling and electricity, improved water and air quality—worked exactly as they should; some not as well; some even better. It’s been a learning adventure! And we’re finding more to learn, almost daily.

The goal of this site is to share our experiences with you and to introduce you to additional resources – our Sustainability book, renovation booklets, and a blog site – to enhance your awareness and perhaps to stimulate you to take some action yourself.

-Trina C. Duncan &
Stuart W. Rose, Ph.D.

Sustainability is more than a passing fad; it's like preventive medicine. The time to act is now, before it's too late. Here are some resources to help you.
7 Garden Atrium Way, Poquoson, Virginia 23662 | Phone: (757) 868-5950 | Email: stu@gardenatriums.com