The Greenest Building…

…is the one that’s already built, according to the Trust for Architectural Easements (TAE), one of the largest preservation easement holding organizations in the nation. The organization protects over 800 historical buildings in the U.S. The “greenest building” concept was first described in these terms by Carl Elefante.

But what does this concept mean? Aren’t new green buildings the way of the future?

According to TAE, “The Pew Center on Global Climate Change estimates that 43 percent of carbon emissions in the United States are attributable to energy used in residential, commercial and industrial buildings, making the building sector the largest source of greenhouse gases in America. This figure does not even include the energy required to build new structures or to demolish established structures.”

As much as new green buildings are the boon to our continued interest in sustainable development, there is a great deal of misunderstanding in what is lost when older buildings are demolished in the name of progress. The main loss is what is known as “embodied energy,” the concept encompassing “the sum of all of the efforts in the building of the structure itself: the harvesting of organic resources plus the manufacturing development (making those materials into building materials), transportation and the building itself,” according to Lindsey Wallace, donor relations assistant for the TAE. “With new construction, you have to make all that, and it creates a lot of waste.”

The crucial element in the loss of embodied energy is that it cannot be regained. Granted, building salvage businesses are alive and well, but on the whole, a great deal of energy, carbon emissions, materials, time and labor are gone when a building is taken down.

According to Richard Moe, president for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, “Demolishing a 50,000 square foot building creates 4,000 tons of waste, enough to fill 26 box cars – a train one-quarter mile long.” Additionally, “Constructing a new 50,000 square foot building releases as much carbon as driving a car 2.8 million miles.”

TAE also reports, “The Brookings Institution estimates that, at current rates, one third of the existing building stock in the United States will be demolished in the next 25 years. The refuse from construction, primarily from demolition, represents approximately 25 percent of the waste added to our landfills each year.”
New Vs. Old




“We’re not completely forgetting that new construction is ‘green,’ but it should be pointed out that some studies show that the rehab of a historic structure achieves the same energy efficiency,” said Heather Massler, director of operations and stewardship for TAE. When it comes to the environmental benefits of rehabilitating and retrofitting older structures, you may be surprised at your energy savings.

According to Moe, “It takes approximately 65 years for a green, energy-efficient building to recover the energy lost in demolition of an existing building even if 40 percent of the building materials from the demolition are recycled.”

A classic example of a reused, rehabilitated building is when an old factory (for example) is converted into loft apartments. Rather than tearing down the older structure and replacing it with a new high rise, the integrity of the structure itself remains (many people, in fact, enjoy the scuffed, burned or nicked floors and walls of buildings like these for their “character”) and the resources used to complete it in the first place are intact.

Massler also pointed out that if you’re looking to update your existing home, reaching for older materials is also a savings in energy. “Your choices are about consumption. Can I live with what I have, or does this really need to be replaced? Why rip out old floors to replace them with new bamboo? Old buildings usually have really durable materials, and there’s a whole salvage world out there.”
One With Nature

Another important consideration for older buildings is their use of the site on which they were constructed, or as Wallace put it, “taking advantage of how people have built for thousands of years.”

“Historic buildings already use the natural resources as much as possible [...] Several studies have shown that with proper repair and upkeep, they can be just as energy efficient,” said Massler.

Historic buildings typically have high ceilings, transoms and large windows for light and ventilation. Site selection and placement on the site, as well as porches and the use of landscaping, contribute to the efficient use of energy, according to TAE.

“People used to think about the site more, because modern conveniences weren’t already in place,” said Massler.

Along these lines, TAE reports that, “Data from the U.S. Energy Information Agency indicates that structures built prior to 1920 are more energy-efficient than those built through the year 2000, when the concept of sustainability began to take hold.”

Additionally, the General Services Administration estimates that the utility costs for historic buildings in its inventory are 27 percent less than for modern structures.
Economic Centers
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) found that utility costs for historic buildings were 27% lower than for more modern buildings. - Preservationnj.wordpress.com

Who knew older buildings used less average energy than their modern counterparts? Photo: Preservationnation.org

“As economist Donovan Rypkema has pointed out, preserving a building is equal to preserving land,” said Wallace. “When preserving buildings in an urban center, you’re discouraging sprawl. The focus on building rehab is about reinvesting in urban centers.”

“When we think of sustainable development, with preservation and rehabilitation, it also speaks to culture and economic sustainability which isn’t talked about as much, but is still as important,” said Massler. “If you are rehab-ing any building in a city, the labor costs are a lot more than the actual materials, helping provide jobs. For example, Rypkema said that if you spend more money on the labor, you’re spending more money for the economy, because the laborer will spend the money again.”

“The preservation community has been advocating for federal tax credits for rehab-ing for exactly this issue, especially for retrofits – using resources already there, specialized labor that pays better, they put people back to work,” said Wallace.
LEEDing on

The National Trust for Historic Preservation and a number of other organizations, are working with the U.S. Green Building Council (the council responsible for the LEED program) to incorporate more preservation aspects in LEED certification. In fact, the new 2009 LEED Green Building Rating Systems will reflect the sustainable benefits of historic preservation.

But what can you do in the meantime? Even if you don’t have a big preservation project in the works, little steps in your own home still make a big difference. According to Wallace, “small efforts like weather stripping, really do add to your energy savings.” Massler also added that, “Most people want to be green or want to help out in whatever way they can. Just thinking about it and being aware is the first step.”

The Hottest Trend in Eco Housing

Old shipping containers may not be the first resource that comes to mind when thinking of sustainable living options, but as an up-and-coming green manufacturing company has already proven, they just might be a viable option for those seeking to live in an eco-friendly environment.

Upcycle Living, a Phoenix-based construction firm, provides affordable ecological housing for residential communities around the world. In November 2009, a demonstration project at the Green Street Festival showed off what could be accomplished with four remodeled shipping containers.


“We have many ways that we can treat the exterior, and most of them involve putting an exterior skin on the container and concealing the steel from any direct radiation from the sun and also concealing it from view," says co-founder Jason Anderson. Photo: Upcycleliving.com

The display contained two floors, two bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, with stylish bamboo cabinets, dual-flush toilets, ENERGY STAR appliances and low-flow showerheads to boot.

“The inspiration for Upcycle Living came from our desire to create a quality housing project that was sustainable yet affordable, durable and mobile in nature,” says Ashton Wolfswinkel, co-founder of Upcycle Living.

As to why shipping containers are his company’s choice of material, he explains, “Shipping containers are very abundant, especially in our country where we import so much more than we export.”

“We thought they would be a great platform for us to start from since they are extremely durable and are designed to be shipped with heavy loads and to withstand the rigors of ocean travel,” he adds. “And because the shipping containers are so plentiful, we are able to get them at a reasonable price, thus allowing us to shift costs, to improve quality and make our homes more sustainable.”

The company’s innovative designs have already attracted a handful of clients throughout Arizona, with one couple now residing in the very first home that Upcycle Living constructed. In addition to these private projects, the firm is currently working on a larger-scale development, which entails providing affordable housing units for a Native American tribe.

Though Upcycle Living is a for-profit organization, Wolfswinkel hopes that once the company becomes a bigger presence in the world of sustainable living, it will be able to pursue nonprofit projects, such as donating housing units to low-income families.

With high hopes and big dreams for the future, Upcycle Living continually looks to better the quality and sustainability of its products by implementing smart and innovative designs. Photo: Upcycleliving.com

But even in an economy that is less than ideal, Upcycle Living is working hard to expand into a successful business.

“The only way we will be able to do this is to offer a superior product at a competitive price point,” Wolfswinkel explains. “We want to stay flexible enough to fulfill our customers’ wants and needs, yet still fit within their budget.”

“We hope to engage our customers in a way that makes sustainable living accessible to anyone who has the desire to live more consciously and become more aware of how we live and the impacts that we have on our environment,” co-founder Jason Anderson adds.

In light of the disaster in Haiti, Upcycle Living has already reached out to a number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on what the company can do to help.

“Shipping containers are a very versatile platform which we can convert into almost any type of structure that is needed,” Wolfswinkel says. “From medical operating rooms to basic shelter, we would like to offer our services to design and build structures that would help in the rebuilding of Haiti.”

South-Facing is Best—But What If My Home Is Already Built?

Maximizing energy efficiency starts with large south-facing windows, which help to naturally heat your home in the winter and keep it cool in the summer. Also known as passive solar design, this is a key element in new homes that are working towards zero carbon emissions. Natural sunlight controls temperatures and also reduces your building’s lighting requirements and can therefore cut back on your electricity bill.

But what if you have an existing non-south-facing home and you want similar effects?

While retrofitting existing buildings to utilize passive solar design tends to be difficult, there are some easy ways to capitalize on small changes.

* When possible, retrofit your home with skylights to allow natural light to penetrate.
* Replace your existing windows with double-paned glass. This prevents heat loss during the winter and keeps out the heat during the summer.
* To keep your home cool during summer months, install awnings or low-emissivity blinds over windows.
* Plant deciduous trees on the southern and western sides of your home. They’ll shield the sun in the summer, and with the loss of leaves in the fall and winter will still allow light to access your windows.
* Really take advantage of the sun: install a solar hot water system to heat your hydraulic radiant floor!

White Roofs!!

White Roofs?


You may have heard something about "white roofs" in the news but you may not know how they can help our planet, or a maintenance budget. I’ll try to clear things up a bit.

First, A few definitions, for the purpose of this article only.

a. White roof: A roof that is white in color and has a high rate of reflection of the sun’s energy.

b. Green roof: Any type of roof that will help our planet. Most white roofs are considered to be "green"

c. Planted roof: A roof that actually has plants growing on it.

d. Black roof: Old style roofs consisting of asphalt, rubber, or a combination of the two.

wrp metal roofMost all of the commercial buildings in the world use black roofs. Because they are black, they soak up the sun’s energy like a sponge.

That’s bad for several reasons. Commercial roofs and pavement are the major factors in the "heat island effect" in major cities. Black roofs are typically almost twice the ambient air temperature on a hot day. Much of that heat is transferred into the building and places a tremendous load on the air conditioners, which use enormous amounts of electricity to keep the building comfortable. Black roofs have been around for decades because there were no alternatives.

White roofs. You might think you could just paint a black roof white and be done with it. Unfortunately, roofs expand and contract constantly. White paint will crack and leak almost immediately. We use acrylic elastomeric materials for our roofing systems. These materials will expand and contract up to 300%. They also reflect up to 85% of the sun’s energy, including UV. This virtually eliminates the heat island effect of that building, and will typically save up to 50% of the energy needed to cool the building. The energy savings with this type of roof are why energy czar Chu is traveling all over the world promoting white roofs. The total amount of energy savings potential is incredible, especially on a world wide basis. Upfront cost is comparable to a black roof, but a white roof will typically pay for itself in 4-7 years with energy savings alone.

Planted roofs are becoming more popular every day for several reasons. Many metropolitan areas in the US are having huge problems with excessive rain run off. A planted roof helps because it will soak up a great deal of moisture before it becomes saturated. In some cities, they are even growing vegetables on the roof. The major problems with a planted roof are cost and weight. A roof can only hold so much weight before it will collapse. Black roofs are quite heavy already so the ideal solution is to have a lightweight membrane underneath the plants to seal the roof. Flat roofs have always been hard to seal, having plants on top may preserve the covered portion of the roof, but there are almost always walking spaces for servicing equipment on the roof. Having to remove all the plants to service the actual roof surface would be very expensive, so we recommend a modern elastomeric membrane underneath so there will be no maintenance for many, many years. Planted roofs are beautiful, the plants produce oxygen, they reduce the heat island effect, and they save even more energy than a white roof, and they help tremendously with run off water. But, they must be done right in order not to leak.

White roofs, green roofs, and planted roofs may qualify for various tax credit programs which will help make them more attractive to building owners.

We can convert virtually any roof to a green roof. From the smallest Mom and Pop store, to the largest buildings on the planet, anywhere in the US.

If you own a building, or know some one who does, have them contact us to see what we can do. We only have one planet, let’s make sure our kids and grand-kids have a place to live.

Recycled Composite Decking

Splinter Free Living

Wooden decks and railings are hard to maintain, not to mention being splinter territory. What’s more, they’re not usually environmentally sustainable due to their use of premium forest products. For this reason alone Recycled composite decking is by far the best and coolest alternative to wood. This stuff looks like wood but feels like heaven. Manufactured from old plastic bottles makes it durable and resilient.

Dead Plastic Bottles Many manufacturers use a dense mixture of reclaimed plastic and wood fibers. One of the big companies in the industry, Trex, estimates that it prevents over 300,000 tons of plastic each year from ending up in the landfill. Billions of plastic bags from grocery stores are transformed into decking material instead of littering our streets and parks. Some companies, like Trex, take sustainability to the next level by operating their facilities with renewable energy and fueling their trucking fleets with biodiesel. Recycled Composite Decking is made of all sorts scrap wood and plastic, from sawdust to polyethylene (styrofoam) to milk cartons. In addition to decking, municipalities and businesses have discovered the benefits of using recycled composite material for park benches and picnic tables. Composites have certainly made their mark on college campuses across the country, as schools are embarking on reducing their environmental footprints.

Splintered wood

This material has a long life span, and won’t warp, rot, or crack. The days of restaining, refinishing, and seasounal repairs are gone. If you want a deck that is resistent to the elements yet promotes the integrity of the planet, then recycled composite is probably right for you.

Straw Bale Construction

From the Ground up, by a Single Mom

This is a great video from a single mom who built her own straw bale home for $50,000 while working still full time and living on the land. She gives some excellent advice here for anyone who is considering building their own straw bale home, from labor, to coding, to construction.

She also has a great website, HouseOfStraw.com, which I definitely recommend to anyone who is considering straw bale construction for their home, or sustainable green building in general. You will find great information, from someone who has been through it all.

Green Construction with Wind and Solar Energy

“Green Building” can mean more than just building environmentally-friendly or energy-efficient structures – clean energy and green techniques can also be used during the construction process itself. This videos show how 150 construction workers in Binghamton, New York are on the job without a single conventional generator in use. Instead, their entire project is powered by wind and solar energy systems. Needless to say, the final products of their work will be energy efficient as well.

Hemp Building Materials...

Hemp is the all-purpose material long-championed by Thomas Jefferson and 1960s American counterculture alike. Food, textiles, paper, and fuel—there is a growing trend to cultivate this miracle crop and turn it into more eco-friendly versions of common products. Why is it so sustainable? Hemp can be grown rapidly and easily, like bamboo, without any herbicides or intensive labor. It regenerates, it regrows.



So how on earth can we utilize the plant for home construction? A handful of companies are now specializing in building walls, floors, and other structural components of houses out of chopped up hemp (it looks like mulch) combined with lime. Like the soybean insulation, the mixture of hemp and lime is sprayed on to a plywood base. It is easy and incredibly durable. A thick earthen wall made of hemp is also great for heat insulation.

Europe is ahead of the hemp game, with a growing industry in this type of eco-building, especially in Ireland and the UK. There is reason to believe that the U.S. will be catching on very soon. Perhaps some U.S. representatives will be attending the 1st International Hemp Building Symposium in September, taking place in Kenmare, Ireland.

The Net Zero Energy Home

How does a $0 electric bill sound? Read on to find out about homes that earn their keep.

A net zero energy home produces its own electric power and is efficient enough that it actually produces more than it consumes, resulting in no overall electric cost. These models of efficiency are not just limited to new construction. Older buildings can often be upgraded to peak efficiency. With the addition of renewables, they become net zero energy buildings.

In the middle of winter, even the most efficient home will consume more energy than it can produce from a rooftop solar system. This is where the grid intertie comes into play. The net zero energy home pulls from the grid at times of low energy production and pours energy back into the grid during times of high production.

Many of the net zero energy homes touted in the media top $1 million dollars, leading the rest of us to believe that we’ll just need to slog along with our polluting energy sources. Not so. Ideal Homes of Norman, Oklahoma, constructed a zero energy home featuring geothermal energy and photovoltaics for under $200,000. Net zero energy is far more about smart efficiency and balance than it is about the price tag.

A net zero energy home doesn’t have to have all the sexiest, trendiest green products available. In fact, it can be quite simple. The first step in turning an ordinary home into a Net Zero Energy home is tightening up–mainly through insulation and high quality windows and doors. Then the focus is turned on energy efficiency within the home, namely appliances and lighting. The third step is the addition of renewables, like solar electric and hot water systems.

You can take your first step toward net zero efficiency today by doing something as simple as insulating your hot water tank and making sure all your lightbulbs are compact fluorescent. A new energy-efficient refrigerator is far cheaper than a photovoltaic system but will have a significant and immediate impact on your electric consumption. Incremental steps over time will yield an impressive cumulative effect.

What if you’re designing a new home? Keep in mind the benefits of passive solar orientation and thermal mass. Thermal mass like a concrete slab or masonry stove will keep your interior temperature stable, while southern exposure allows you to make the most of the sun’s heat and light. Design your own or find plans at http://www.zero-energyplans.com.

Three Types of Roof Garden

Roof gardens are built for both their aesthetic and their functional values. A roof garden can provide temperature control, architectural enhancement, hydrological benefits, and of course food. It can also serve as a habitat for wildlife. There are a number of advantages when you plant a roof garden. It can cool the room below it, especially during a hot day. During winter, it provides insulation against the cold. In Germany, roof gardens are required to retain water from evaporating. It will prevent flash floods from occurring. There are three basic types of roof garden. They differ according to the maintenance they require, the type of plants the roof will support and the depth of the soil. The three types of roof gardens are:
Extensive Roof Garden

This is the easiest type of roof garden to maintain because it uses shallow soil. Extensive roof gardens are lightweight, and ideal for the roofs on garages, sheds, and other small extensions of the home. Although it’s easy to maintain this type of roof garden, it has the least aesthetic value, and the number of plants that can grow on it is quite limited. Examples of plants you can grow in an extensive roof garden are lichens and mosses. Lichens are symbiotic organisms that can colonize on surfaces such as glass, metal and plastic. Mosses are small green plants that do not require large quantities of nutrients for survival. They cling on stone and walls and, can live off of rainwater alone.
Semi-extensive Roof Garden

This type of roof garden has deeper soil, and can support a larger variety of plants. It can therefore be decorated more easily than the extensive roof garden. The soil is heavier in a semi-extensive roof garden, and requires a stronger structure in order to support it. One could plant sedums in this type of garden. These are succulents that can store water in their tissues. That means you won’t need to go out and water them every day – but during times of drought, they could die and turn patchy if not properly cared for. On a semi-extensive roof garden, you can also plant wildflowers that can grow without any maintenance. roof-garden
Intensive Roof Garden

This type of roof garden can support trees and elaborate arrangements. Intensive roof gardens require large, strong structures to support them. Most homes are not suitable for this type of roof garden, but they can be found on concrete buildings and on top of roof decks. There’s no limit to what you can plant in an intensive roof garden, so long as the structure of the building can support the weight.
Vegetation Blankets

Another interesting option for green roofing is the use of Vegetation Blankets. For more information, see Vegetation for Roof and Ground Covering. Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wengs/ / CC BY 2.0

Green Flooring Options

When it’s time to replace flooring, think outside the big box stores. Sustainable flooring is both durable and beautiful.

Cork



Cork is made from the peeled bark of Cork Oak trees, which can be sustainably harvested every nine years without harming the tree. It is naturally resistant to fire, insects, and microbes. Cork is available in snap-together floating floor systems or adhered tile. Showercork is made from ¼” slices of wine cork adhered to a paper backing. It’s designed to be grouted in place and then coated with urethane finish, so it’s especially appropriate for wet areas. Cork flooring is foot-friendly, sound-dampening, and durable.

Earthen Floors



Earthen flooring is earth mixed with fibers, compacted by hand and trowel, and then coated with a natural sealant like hemp or linseed oil. Very high traffic areas may require a flagstone inset. Earthen floors are durable, easily repaired, and kind to feet. Because they are made primarily with materials straight from the building site, their resource impact is near zero. Earthen floors are most often installed over a bed of gravel, but they can be even be layered on top of pre-existing flooring such as concrete or wood, as long as the structure can support the weight of the earth. Because of their high thermal mass, they are ideal for the passive solar home.

Linoleum


Contemporary MarmoleumNatural linoleum is a sustainable alternative to vinyl flooring and requires little maintenance apart from regular sweeping and mopping. A linoleum floor will last 30-40 years, compared to 10-20 years for vinyl flooring. At the end of its lifespan, it is fully biodegradable. Marmoleum, the most popular brand of linoleum, is made of linseed oil from flaxseeds, rosin from pine trees, wood and cork flours, limestone, metal-free pigments, and jute, in a waste-free process. Natural linoleum is available in a rainbow of colors in sheet, tile, or click-style flooring.

Local, Sustainably Harvested or Reclaimed Wood
LemRusticHemlockWant a wood floor? First check with local green builders, who may know locals harvesting their wood sustainably. A local builder may also know sources of reclaimed materials close to home. If you’re looking for a rustic look, try aged wood from barns. Reclaimed wood tells a story, whether it’s maple from a factory floor or flooring from an old bowling alley. Very often, the same dealers who sell reclaimed wood also sell sustainably harvested wood. Forest Stewardship Council certification gives you a starting point for learning about how wood is harvested, although there is the predictable controversy about whether or not their standards are stringent enough.

Woven Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo




Bamboo’s advantage over wood is its fast renewability. It is a grass ready for harvest within three to six years that regenerates without replanting and requires little chemical input. However, due to the recent popularity of bamboo,


corporations are clearing forests in China to plant it. Monocrops of bamboo decrease biodiversity and increase erosion in these clearcut areas. The more industrial bamboo farming becomes, the more chemicals are used to manage the crops. The lesson here is that not all bamboo is created equal. Look for companies like Teragren, who explicitly detail their commitment to sustainability.