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Attention to energy saving building, either through new construction or by renovations while utilizing new brands of efficiency - saving products, has proven to be a winning effort in 2008!
As reported by Energy Star, with many of us aware of numerous green home building efforts, the past year has saved enough greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to twenty nine million cars (a $19 billion dollars saving on utility bills).
GB General Contractors is acutely aware of efforts worldwide to conserve and we are keeping up with any and all new green building products available when designing your plans and suggesting the use of energy saving products. Looking for materials and household products that have earned the Energy Star seal for strict energy efficiency assures us that we are offering you the best the industry has to offer.
By the way, Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.
Green BUILDING PRODUCTS
Insulation – Look for the R-value and the health-friendly factor.
The R-factor is the measure of the efficiency in resisting the heat transfer, in other words how much heat is let out or let into the home. A higher R-value means a better insulation. Please keep in mind factors such as the building material being used in construction, the climate of your area and your budget. Ask your builder or contractor for professional advice.
Insulated Vinyl Siding – Two new products.
Thermowall is contoured foam shaped to precisely fit behind numerous manufacturer’s siding presently on the market. It is installed over the exterior wall before siding is applied, thereby providing extra resistance against vinyl impacts and increasing the R-value significantly.
Craneboard and Techwall Plus are two brands of insulation that fuse a contoured polystyrene backing material to a vinyl exterior facing thereby creating a solid wall construction, again raising the R-value significantly.
Paint – Low in VOC.
Paint fumes, solvents and clean-up materials frequently contain such high volatile organic compounds (VOC) that wearing a mask is the only way any of us can tolerate the fumes.
Manufacturers are aware and many have been compliant in using alternative techniques to develop low or no-VOC paints and solvents that are nearly odor-free. Latex paints use water as a solvent making it an easy task to clean (rather than using high toxicity products) while some oil-based paints have also lowered their VOC levels by altering the formula. Look for the Green Seal on the product label. There are also VOC-Free paint manufacturers.
Wood Flooring – Recycled wood.
Simply amazing: such a great environmental preservation method and recycled wood is more resource efficient than making new wood flooring! Recycled wood finds its supply in salvaged boards or trees that have been remilled – often the wood is harder, denser (therefore more durable) and actually more attractive than new growth wood.
Green Roof Systems – Living and planted roofs.
Much improvement has been made in the USA towards residential applications thereby making green roofs available in nearly all climates and areas of the country. Manufacturers are abundant for materials, plants, soils and drainage. Green roof systems vary in intensive and extensive systems. Choose a contractor appropriately who will be well versed in matching a manufacturer with your area of the country.
Steel Framing – Cold-formed steel.
Steel mills are producing galvanized sheet steel which is roll-formed into shapes for framing: C-shaped stud and U-shaped track. Manufacturers add a zinc coating to prevent corrosion, the thickness usually ranges from 12 to 24 gauges, and the standards of cold-framed steel contains a minimum of 25% recycled steel. When choosing to build steel framed home, your contractor should contact the Int’l Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for readily available tables for insulation levels on your steel-framed home.
Wood Preservatives – Low Toxicity.
While Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) is the most widely used preservative for many outdoor residential aspects such as a wood patio, wood furniture, wood foundations to name a few, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been attempting to phase out CCA due to growing health concerns. The deadline was December 2003. New environment and health conscious preservatives are readily available today.
New preservative products such as: Borate Oxide (a non-toxic preservative and water soluble), Amine Copper (containing low toxicity ethanolamine instead of ammonia) and Copper Azole (this preservative contains copper and boron) have shown (to date) a similar durability as the conventional CCA did in the past.
Recycled Content Carpet -
As with recycled wood flooring, recycled carpet has proven as well to be more resilient and colorfast than new virgin fiber carpet. It is made of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and recovered fibers from the nearly five billion tons of discarded carpet (per year). At this writing, the only drawback is the color hue available is not as varied as conventional carpet.
For more information, contact:
GB General Contractors (281) 412.9988
sales@mygbbuilder.com
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