Green Building: Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and Air Quality

The home pictured here was built for $95 per square foot.

I have been a builder since the early 1980's and have watched the an industry evolve over nearly three decades.  And then as chairman of the Grand Traverse County Resource Recovery council in the 1990's, I was fortunate enough to view my industry from another vantagepoint.  At that time over 60% of the commercial solid waste generated in the county was construction oriented. I was already on the warpath to reduce landfill use, but when I found that my profession was the leading way in creating waste, I had to act.  In 1998 the first local Green Building action took place from my council and involved marketing studies and education.  I came to Green Building from a waste reduction position, but quickly learned that was just the tip of the iceberg.

The program that had its infancy at the county level is now administered by the local Home Builders Association, and is modeled after many other successful programs across the country.  A common thread of all programs is the breaking down of the concept into three distinct areas: resource efficiency, energy efficiency, and air quality issues.  Also, the best programs follow the very important rule "know your audience". 

We are builders, carpenter graduates, we began life as grunts, talking our way onto job sites just so we could BUILD SOMETHING.  We love what we do, but as a group we generally tend to be basic humans, wanting life to be simple and straight forward, much like our trusty hammers.  Simplicity is the key to integrating Green Building into your project, whether you are building yourself or working with a contractor.  KISS, need I say more?  Unless you are some spiritual tech-head with an open budget and no deadlines to meet, keeping it simple will indeed keep everyone happy.

Do your homework prior to construction and build green principals into the plan.

Resource Efficiency

Let's begin with resource efficiency.  This subject covers a wide range of material and design effort, but also has KISS at its root.  From a design standpoint a house designed and built on a 2-foot grid module will make best use of the standardization of available building products.  A 28' by 36' house will generate less waste than one that is 28'4" by 35' 9".  Unless there are some weird space requirements of the site or specific appliances to be accommodated, try and create a plan that employs standard measurements. 

As far as the shell design of your project I am also a firm believer in "less is more".  A home of clean, simple lines generally will also be more resource efficient and potentially energy efficient than a chopped up box with 4 bay windows and 6 doghouse dormers.  I also recommend keeping your budget in mind at all times during design.  Keeping things simple will generally save money that can be put toward more efficient material and higher quality mechanical systems where you earn significant green points.

Resource efficiency can also mean simple things like asking your carpenters to devise cut plans that show as many parts as possible.  This allows a carpenter to approach a load of lumber and plan to cut his 9" cripple studs out of the waste pieces of the 81" lap studs that came from the 8' 2x4s.  The remaining 6" waste piece makes a great offer to the neighbor's wood stove, especially if the carpenter cooperates and tosses it in one pile for easy pick-up. 

Resource efficiency can be promoted to all subcontractors by simply adding the words "sub-contractor responsible for own waste removal from site" upon acceptance of their proposal.  Its amazing to watch mechanical guys put more thought into their actions when they know there isn't a giant dumpster to toss anything and everything into at the end of the day.  And the nice project managers do provide some large boxes for cardboard to be broken down and made ready for the drop-off station.  Don't forget to ask all suppliers if there is recycled content in their products.   Even if there isn't, it helps to cement the idea into their thick heads that the market is looking for it whenever possible. Just by asking, we can all help promote markets for recycled material whether we are able to use them or not.  

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is best thought of in two groups: materials and mechanical systems.  What your shell is constructed of, the efficiency of the doors and windows that plug the holes, and the effort toward stopping air infiltration are my biggest concerns toward building my energy star homes.  I create a super-insulated shell with structural insulated panels and high efficient windows.  The panels virtually eliminate air infiltration, have very high ‘R' values and allow me to downsize the heating system.  There are many different routes toward creating an efficient envelope, but they do not come cheaply and are not foolproof to construct.  But generosity with this budget item will offer you the greatest concentration of green reward.

Mechanical systems as a whole are too complicated and complex to discuss here other than a few important pointers.  Quality sub-contractors in these areas are essential.  Ask for recommendations and references and ask them to give you ‘green' options for high efficiency appliances like furnaces and water heaters.  Pass on the guy who automatically says it will blow your budget to get better materials.  It will cost more, but the intelligent contractor will take the time to explain the pay-back period when the extra cost is overcome with higher efficiency and lower fuel bills. And always, always ask for Energy-Star appliances.  Whether forced air, hot water, geo-thermal, you have to weigh several factors in choosing and sizing a heating appliance for your project.  All manufacturers offer detailed operating and emission details, don't be shy to as your subcontractor to explain them to you.

The 'new house smell' can easily be removed by taking a few precationary steps.

Air Quality 

Indoor air quality is the trickiest element to deal with.  You can generally smell the difference, but not always.  Radon is odorless, but the test for it is relatively cheap and easy.  But if you have ever been on the parade of homes and walked into a house that had that ‘new house smell', that's bad.  And if you have someone in your family that has allergies or other respiratory concerns, this area requires more research than any other. 

My efforts in this area are definitely low tech, but effective.  One of the easiest things is to just keep your job-site clean with a serious brooming once a week.  You would be amazed the amount of dust created and often left undetected until the furnace fan runs for the first time.  I also vacuum the floors no less than three times during construction for dust control.  A shop- vac and a good broom will take you a long way toward a healthy environment.

Almost all products off-gas to some extent over varying periods of time.  Generally the more processed the material is the more it has to release upon reaching its final state.  Carpeting and fiberboard materials are two notorious culprits, but generally cannot be totally eliminated from a house.  Leaving a low-pressure air purifier on every night can help pull nastiness from the air.  I employ a time-honored tradition that gives reliable results with no investment.  If it's not raining or snowing and there is no heat on I walk into a home every morning and open every dang window I can.  Two to three minutes in the morning and at the end of the day lets Mother Nature flush your home with exchanges of fresh air all day long.  Its may sound like a no-brainer, but you would be amazed how infrequently this is done by builders everywhere.  KISS, need I say more?

VOC's should become part of your vocabulary.  Volatile Organic Compounds are the harmful parts of paints, stains, glues, and finishes.  There is a section on every label that will state the amount for the product in question.  Try and stay below a figure of 200 whenever possible, and the lower the better.  Oil-base paints are out, latex is in.

A Fine Eaxmple

The home pictured in this article was built for $95 per sq. ft.  It was completed in 96 days, has a 5-star ranking, and will cost more to run the lights than to heat.  It is part of a development where I tested my beliefs and practices against the market and received extremely positive response.  

Green building does not have to consume you.  Identify those areas you want to accentuate and make a plan.  Green building does not have to cost any more than traditional approaches as long as it is part of the planning and design process from the start.  As a matter of fact, green building can pay you back in dollars and cents in a relatively short period of time, it can pay you back in the satisfaction of doing the job right.  Your satisfaction may well be the motivation for others to follow your lead.

Tom Karas: Building Partnerships with Nature.

I firmly believe building a house should not be taken lightly.  You are changing the face of the earth and creating an object that will draw resources for years.  Be respectful of your actions, do a little homework, and above all else be true to your beliefs of a more sustainable way of life.