Green Building and Remodeling Tips
Consider making your home more comfortable and efficient
Sep 13, 2008
“Green,” “eco-friendly,” and “sustainable” are ever-present buzzwords these days. “Be green” advertisements urge. “Think about the environment.” Simple steps are recycling, driving less, carrying canvas bags to use in lieu of plastic ones. Larger steps include trading the SUV for a hybrid or buying a new furnace, water heater or windows. Possibly the largest steps to take involve remodeling or renovating one’s home or buying a green-built home.
Here are tips to consider when renovating, remodeling or buying a home with the intent of decreasing your carbon footprint.
The cornerstones to green building (and remodeling) are energy efficiency, water efficiency and the use of products that have less impact on the environment.
- Siding, windows and insulation should be chosen for their ability to conserve energy loss. Choose materials that will keep the cold air out in the winter and insulate from within. Heaters work harder, and use more energy, when the warm air escapes through windows and exterior walls.
- Low-flow toilets and on-demand hot water systems ensure less water goes down the drain
- Materials that are manufactured locally ensure fewer transportation emissions.
- Recycled items save space in landfills. Some materials replenish more rapidly in nature.
- Upgrading mechanical and electrical systems increases comfort levels for homeowners while providing resource and money savings.
Items that typically “pay for themselves” over time include heating and cooling systems, hot water heaters, lights and appliances, insulation, siding, roofing, windows and doors. Many labels will compare the savings of the efficient item versus a standard item. To conserve energy and lower bills, use appliances certified by Energy Star.
Research and consider renewable and sustainable products and resources. Look for products that have recyclable and renewable material content, produce fewer toxic emissions, are locally manufactured, are made using sustainable manufacturing practices, and are durable, long lasting, adaptable, reusable and biodegradable. This helps keep waste out of landfills as does repairing, donating and recycling usable items. Source one-of-a-kind items from a local salvage business and give them a second life.
Energy-efficient homes save thousands of pounds of pollution each year no matter their size, age or price when compared to a non-energy-efficient home of comparable size. New homes can be designed more efficiently and older homes can benefit from renovations.
Waste less water. Install low-flow toilets and efficient washing machines. Make sure sprinklers are fitted with rain sensors. Repair any leaky faucets – many water departments around the country are emphasizing the waste from a drip – over the course of a year one drip turns into barrels of water down the drain.
Explore the best systems for each home and each lifestyle.
