At Home Living: Employ 'green' techniques in building projects

A remodeling project or new home construction is the prime time to consider adding a bit of green to the process. Not the color, but using environmentally friendly materials and products in your home. This concept is a high priority for many homeowners, whether to save on energy costs, protect the environment, or both.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), sustainable construction became popular in the 1970s when high oil prices increased the demand for energy efficient products. Today, homes built or remodeled with green concepts seek both to save money on energy costs and to reduce the homes impact on the environment. The NAHB offers a certification process for builders and remodelers covering sustainable constructions practices. Mike Pressgrove of PDQ Construction was the first NAHB Certified Green Professional (CGP) in the Topeka. He said, Most people associate green building with big solar panels on houses and things like that. If they dont see that happening, then green building isnt happening. But theres a lot more to it.

Pressgrove pointed out the construction methods and materials going in to houses today are much more efficient than just 10 to 20 years ago. Many modern building concepts were initially created as the energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly, money-saving products of the past, which in time became the norm. Moisture barriers on houses. Better insulation. More efficient mechanical systems. Standards have changed so much, they are phasing out the old, less-efficient systems.

The goals for green building include:

Natural resource conservation by using water-saving fixtures and appliances, such as tankless water heaters, duel-flush toilets, and high-efficiency dishwashers and washing machines; planting drought-tolerant landscaping; installing rainwater-collection systems; and building with engineered wood or wood alternative products, sustainable lumber, and longer-lasting materials.

Better energy efficiency and savings by building tighter insulated homes, installing insulated windows, and using energy-friendly lighting fixtures and appliances, plus high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, such as geothermal. Energy efficiency also includes site design to position a house on a building lot in such a way to increase heating and cooling efficiency.

Improved indoor environmental quality. Many products used in the home emit gasses and chemicals into the air, such as paints that give off volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, which are toxic. Green building practices use low-VOC products (commonly paint and carpeting), formaldehyde-free finishes, and efficient HVAC systems to decrease the amount of chemicals in the inside air.

Green building is a concept that still has yet to catch on in Topeka. Ryan Passow of Passow Remodeling is another area Certified Green Professional. He said most people look into green building because they are interested in caring for the environment and saving natural resources. However, after some research, they often change their minds. Its the upfront expense that isnt popular, he said.

Many sustainable upgrades to a home require a larger outlay of money in the beginning, with the costs being offset over time in energy savings and durability. Pressgrove also acknowledged price can be a factor in people choosing green options over the conventional. He said, I dont know if they arent seeing the big picture and what it can save them in the long run.

Passow noted people often have different ideas as to what green building means. He said, What is it anyway? There are so many differences. People will want sustainable, fast-growing lumber, but it has to be trucked across the country to get here, where local lumber uses less energy in transportation.

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At Home Living: Employ 'green' techniques in building projects