AMES, Iowa – If you can’t save your flood-damaged home, perhaps you can build a better, “greener” one. That’s the topic for the third of four Iowa State University Extension online conferences on flood cleanup and rebuilding issues Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

This session will cover issues homeowners should consider if they will be rebuilding their homes, said Mary Yearns, an ISU Extension housing specialist. Speakers will discuss building codes, green building practices, energy efficiency, universal design and other issues.
“This may be a good time to consider building a home that’s better than what the building code requires,” Yearns said.

Iowans can participate in the conference in either of two ways, Yearns said. They can contact their local ISU Extension county office to view the conference. Some offices in flood-affected areas will be participating remotely in the live conference.

Or, Iowans can log in to the conference from their home computers at http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/rebuilding/. People choosing this option should check the test site, www.extension.iastate.edu/testconnect/, sometime before the conference to make sure their computers are compatible with the Web conferencing software. You will need a computer that is no more than three years old, a good broadband Internet connection (wireless can work, but is not recommended), and speakers to hear the presentation.

The final online conference will be Wednesday Oct. 8, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The session will cover issues that neighborhoods and communities face as they consider whether to rebuild in the area that flooded or to move entire neighborhoods or communities to new locations. Speakers will discuss moving homes as well as entire neighborhoods out of the flood plain, building affordable housing, moving existing homes from the flood plain to a new location and reducing the impact of future flooding.

All four Web conferences will be archived on the ISU Extension Web site, www.extension.iastate.edu.