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Benefits Of Green Building
“Green Building.” You’ve probably heard the term, and perhaps
even considered the use of certain green materials or green building concepts
for your new home or remodel. But what exactly is green building and how can
it benefit you and the world around you?
Green building encompasses many different areas of construction, and as such
there is no single definition that sums it all up. Basically, the concept of
green building is any structure, whether it’s residential, commercial
or industrial, that is designed, constructed, renovated or operated in such
a manner
as to minimize its impact on the environment, protect the health of its occupants
and utilize resources efficiently.
That’s a tall order at first glance, but green building concepts are
easier to achieve than you might think. Thanks to a growing consciousness among
consumers
and manufacturers of how building techniques and materials impact all of us,
the cost of many of these products has come down as well, making green building
not only smart, but cost effective as well.
If you have built or remodeled recently, there’s a good chance you
may have already incorporated one important green building concept in your
home:
the use of engineered building materials. Plywood, oriented strand board, glu-laminated
beams, I-joists and many other similar products make use of smaller, fast-growing
trees harvested from tree farms like any other crop. The result is stable,
uniform and structurally solid building materials that minimize the impact
on existing
old-growth and even second-growth forests.
Another area where this concept is seen with increasing frequency is in decking.
Once solely made from solid-sawn lumber, more and more decking is now being
made from recycled wood scrap, plastic and other material. Even insulation
is seeing
an increase in the use of recycled materials in the manufacturing process.
It has long been acknowledged that the air inside a building can be worse,
sometimes considerably worse, than the air outside. This is due in part to
gasses, primarily
formaldehyde, that are emitted from certain building materials after they are
installed in the building. Certain floor coverings, particle board, insulation
and other materials that utilize formaldehyde in their makeup can all contribute
to this problem, and green building practices make extensive use of products
that do not contain formaldehyde.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are another problem. Paints, finishes for
floors and other components, some types of adhesives and other materials commonly
found
in building construction may cause VOCs that can be harmful to building occupants,
and here again, the green building concept aims to utilize materials that are
manufactured without VOCs.
When considering the construction of a new home, there are several green
building things you can do.
Orient the building with a good southern exposure. This allows for passive
solar heating in the winter that reduces your heating bills and the impact
your home
has on the utiity infrastructure. It also can greatly improve natural lighting,
which in turn also reduces your energy usage.
Select a builder and a designer who are knowledgeable about green building
design and construction techniques. Pasive orientation, selection of materials
for the
home’s exterior shell and even the interior design and layout cn all contribute
greatly to the home’s efficiency.
Know what materials are being used in the house. Through discussions with
your builder, designer and material suppliers, inform yourself on what your
options
are for everything from structural lumber to the paint on the walls, and
make choices that are good for both you and the environment.
When building a room addition or doing substantial remodeling to an existing
building, utilize the same concepts of orientation and smart material choices.
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