Educating Yourself on Green Building
Don't believe the hype
From the newest HGTV programs to the mushrooming number of green-certified builders sprouting up across the country, 'going green' seems to be the hottest trend since fat-free snacks. But what may be a groundswell of media and marketing hype, may not always be true in practice. While there is much discussion about building more environmentally sustainable homes and remodeling existing homes to meet green standards, few homeowners and contractors really understand the process.
Green building or remodeling can be as basic as putting up formaldehyde-free insulation to installing a high-efficiency air conditioning unit. A new kitchen might use energy-efficient refrigerators and dishwashers and fluorescent compact lighting; a bathroom, water-efficient toilets. The exterior of the house might use bricks from the existing house or a metal roof, which helps with home cooling and offers cleaner rainwater runoff. Landscaping might rely on low-water planting techniques or take advantage of rainwater barrels that capture water from the roof to be used in landscaping irrigation.
For most home owners and builders, the cost of going green is a major deterrent, but through some self- education, the process will pay off in the long run. A green-certified designer I met at a home show once told me, 'There's a lot of green-washing going on out there, and consumers need to be aware of the wanna-be-greens and the real deal.' Similar to the popular demand of organic foods in mainstream grocery stores, understanding the labels and requirements for the special certifications will help you decipher between the 'real deal' and the fakes. Being green educated will prevent you from getting scammed out of paying more on something that will have little impact on your long term savings.
Green certification
LEED certification is a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to help promote green building practices and sustainable development across the country. It rates construction projects of all types by awarding points for green building practices in four separate areas: sustainable sites, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and innovation and design process. When the points are added up, a structure or project is assigned a LEED rating of Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum, with a LEED Platinum project being about as green as a construction project can get.
The one downside of working towards achieving high LEED ratings can be too much green, as in money. Homes that are LEED Certified generally cost more initially due to the types of materials used and the sometimes unconventional building and design needs of these projects. Consequently, always figure out a budget ahead of time with any building project where LEED certification is a goal. With any major remodel or new home, keeping a tight budget is of utmost importance. Where LEED certification is concerned, it's even more critical. But always keep in mind that while a LEED Certified home will cost more initially, it also will make up the cost difference in energy savings and tax credits over time.
The revolution will be televised
Regardless of your political or environmental views, it's hard to deny the fact that developing countries around the world will continue to grow, and their demand for natural resources will only increase with it. It is essential that we find new ways to conserve our energy and reduce our carbon footprint. As my friend RJ said to me during our tree-hugging conversation this weekend, 'We can't expect everyone to convert over to green technology overnight.…This is a shift towards a new paradigm, and it's going to take some getting use to, but it's a movement that isn't going to go away.'
To find out more about green builders, contractors, architects and interior designers check out these helpful Web sites:
USGBC LEED Certification
National Association of Home Builders Green Building Guidelines
Green Home Guide
Green Home Building Blog
Directory of Green Professionals
TreeHugger.com
TheDailyGreen.com
Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@HomeFinder.com.
Comments
I'm glad you brought up the "green" to "organic" comparison. I've been thinking lately that "green" seems to be the new "organic" (sparked by seeing a Windex commercial with a "Greenlist (tm)" logo on the bottle. When organic became the new marketing catch phrase with food a few years back, everyone started slapping it on their labels (or at least saying "natural"), but there wasn't a global certification process at that time, and the same seems to be true for these new "green" products. I'm sure that some of these companies are actually making an effort to lower VOCs, but there are still very few ways to compare one company's products to another until there is a certification process that's easy to understand. Also...though LEED is probably out of reach for the vast majority of home owners, most people can use common sense with basic home improvements... - Zero VOC paints - Planting native plants for your area that don't require as much upkeep - Backyard composting - Rehab instead of replace, and when you need to replace, try to repurpose raw materials (i.e. tear down a wood garage and use the wood to build a deck or use it for stair treads) - Try to use re-claimed (barn wood) or sustainable (bamboo) materials
Great suggestions RB!
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