Amerigreen's "House-Greenovation"...Defined.
1. What are the benefits of “green” building or remodeling?
Reducing the environmental impact of construction: According to U.S. Government data, most construction projects result in intense environmental impacts, including energy consumption, the use of chemically treated and toxic substances and the extraction, processing and transportation of materials. By choosing to build or remodel in a more environmentally responsible way, we can mitigate some of the negative impact of construction and enjoy lower utility bills and a healthier living environment for the lifetime of your home.
Improving indoor air quality: On average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, yet the air in new or remodeled homes can be ten times more polluted than outdoor air, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A common source of indoor air pollution is the off gassing of chemicals found in kitchen cabinets, shelving, paints and floor finishes. The building products industry is responding to these indoor pollution problems by developing safer products, including no-VOC paints, cleaners and adhesives. These products are now commonly available from most major suppliers at costs comparable to conventional products.
Conserving resources: Conventional building construction and operation consumes large quantities of wood, water, metals, fossil fuels and other natural resources. In fact, according to U.S. Government data, buildings account for 40% of non-industrial solid waste, 65% of electricity consumption and 12% of potable water consumption. Building an average 2,000-sq. ft. house produces about 7,000 pounds of waste. Much of this waste is avoidable. There are many well-established home-building or remodeling practices that help protect natural resources. For example, advanced framing techniques substantially reduce lumber requirements without compromising structural integrity and using engineered lumber and wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council can help protect old-growth forests. Additionally, using recycled-content products helps put waste to good use.
2. What are some examples of green building techniques observed by Amerigreen Property Solutions?
Ways to improve energy efficiency:
•Passive solar heating, overhangs on south windows and deciduous trees on west- and south-facing exteriors
•Upgraded insulation, Structural Integrated Panels, advanced air infiltration reduction practices (air sealing) and Low-E double-pane windows
•Compact fluorescent lighting; low energy-using major appliances
•High-efficiency furnace or zoned, hydronic radiant heat; tankless water heater
•Whole house fan; solar attic fan
•Solar water heating, photovoltaic system (solar panels) or wind turbines for on-grid electricity generation
Ways to improve indoor air quality:
•Low or no-VOC paint, wood finishes and adhesives; no added formaldehyde
•Mechanical ventilation system, heat recovery ventilation unit, sealed-combustion furnace and water heater
•Range hood and bath fans vent to outside, bath fans automatically controlled with a timer or humidistat
•No wood-burning fireplace (or retrofitted wood-burning fireplace with EPA certified wood stoves/inserts)
Ways to improve resource conservation:
•Reuse/re-purpose/recycling of C&D (construction & demolition) waste
•High-volume recycled fly ash in concrete (min. 25%)
•Reclaimed lumber, flooring, millwork and other reused or salvaged materials
•FSC-certified wood, engineered lumber and advanced framing techniques
•Recycled-content decking, ceramic tiles, glass tiles or counters, carpet, etc.
•Rapidly renewable flooring: cork, linoleum, bamboo, natural fiber carpet
Ways to improve water conservation:
•Ultra-low flush or dual-flush toilets, fixtures with below standard flow rates (showers<2.5gpm, faucets<2.2gpm)
•Grey water system, rainwater harvesting system, low-water landscaping, native landscaping, high-efficiency irrigation, smart irrigation control or no irrigation
•Storm water management
For more information:
The Energy and Environmental Building Association (EEBA) provides building professional resources on a variety of topics dealing with new home construction or retrofitting an existing home.
Visit the U.S. Green Building Council website.
3. Does “green” building or remodeling cost more?
Contrary to popular belief, building or remodeling an energy-efficient, durable, high-performance home doesn’t have to be expensive. Because green building seeks to minimize waste while maximizing efficiency, builders and remodelers who use a “whole-house” green building approach often find that the added cost of some high-performance systems can be offset by downsizing in other areas. In general, building a “green” home costs close to or less than 8% more than the cost of a home built with traditional construction approaches. This investment will pay for itself many times over in lower operating costs for the life of
the building.
4. What about reusing or recycling construction waste?
Reducing, reusing and recycling C&D debris can cut overall project expenses by:
• Avoiding disposal and purchasing costs
• Generating revenue from the sale of materials
• Creating opportunities for tax breaks through material donations
• Conserving landfill space
• Avoiding the environmental effects of manufacturing new building products
• Helping improve markets for recyclables
Amerigreen Property Solutions utilizes access to responsible waste management approachs through contacts with such agencies as:
- The Construction Industry Compliance Assistance (CICA) Center, which offers a “C&D Materials State Resource Locator” where contractors can find state and municipal recycling programs.
- The Construction Materials Recycling Association’s (CMRA), which is a 501(c)(3) organization that promotes the recycling of construction and demolition materials.
- The Building Materials Reuse Association, which facilitates building deconstruction and the reuse/recycling of recovered building materials.
- The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI), an industry association that promotes and sustains the recycling of all steel products, can help find locations for recycling steel.
- Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), which is a joint industry-government effort to increase the amount of recycling and reuse of post-consumer carpet and reduce the amount of waste carpet going to landfills.
5. What do I need to know about environmentally responsible paint?
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paints, stains and other architectural coatings produce about 9% of the volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from consumer and commercial products, making them the second-largest source of VOC emissions after automobiles.
VOCs are the fumes that you smell while you paint or when you walk into a recently painted room. The use of VOCs in paints and coatings is
often intended to achieve smoother application or quicker drying. But VOCs are toxic and are a major factor in the overall indoor air quality of a home.
In conventional paints, the EPA requires a VOC content of less than 380 g/L of VOCs. In low-VOC paints, VOC concentrations are further limited.
Green Seal, a nonprofit organization, sets comprehensive environmental requirements for low-VOC, low-toxin paints. To be certified by Green Seal, flat
paints cannot contain more than 50 g/L of VOCs, and non-flat paints cannot contain more than 100 g/L of VOCs.
“Natural” paints are another option. Made mostly of renewable or abundant naturally occurring materials such as citrus oil, lime, clay, linseed oil, casein and chalk, these paints can create a vibrant, nicely textured, “old world” or “wash” look (particularly lime plaster paints) or a look similar to traditional even-toned paints. Because natural paints do not contain petroleum products, they emit few if any of the VOCs the EPA regulates for smog, though they may contain significant amounts of other VOCs from ingredients like citrus-based solvents. Overall, natural paints are healthier and more environmentally sound than latex or oil paints.
For these reasons, House-Greenovations by Amerigreen Property Solutions utilize selected paints and coatings that have low or no VOC.
6. What do I need to know about environmentally responsible cabinets?
Typically, the glues that bind a conventional cabinet together release urea-formaldehyde, as does the particleboard (or fiberboard) that makes up the cabinet box. Formaldehyde may cause chemical sensitivity in some individuals simply by being exposed to it. Use of only hard or soft woods, metal or formaldehyde-free materials in new cabinets will alleviate any potential indoor air quality problems. The finishing used on cabinets is another potential source of poor indoor air quality.
When refinishing current cabinets is a viable option during a remodel, Amerigreen Property Solutions refinishes using low- and no-VOC materials.
7. What do I need to know about environmentally responsible carpets?
Most petrochemical-based carpets can include as many as 120 chemicals and be a primary source of indoor air quality problems. Fortunately, today there are wonderful, environmentally responsible alternatives for which Amerigreen Property Solutions adopts.
Recycled carpet is a great example of the success of recycling. When you choose recycled carpeting, you get less indoor air pollution and reduce your contribution to the landfill—all at the same price as conventional carpeting. One example of such recycled carpeting used by Amerigreen Property Solutions is Green Smart Carpeting by Bliss Flooring. This carpet is made with fiber produced from consumer water and soda bottles, and contains silver-release, an anti-bacterial carpet treatment that safely and naturally inhibits the growth of odor and stain causing bacteria, mold and mildew, and lasts the lifetime of the carpet. Silver, zinc, and copper have been found to contain strong antimicrobial properties.
8. What do I need to know about environmentally responsible flooring?
No flooring product has zero impact on our planet, but some materials are better than others.
Amerigreen Property Solutions chooses the most environmentally sound and healthy floors available, when existing flooring cannot be restored and replacement flooring is required.
If using wood, whenever possible, we will use either reclaimed wood from recycled demolition, or use new wood products that have received FSC Certification (Forest Stewardship Council).
Another option is an exposed concrete floor. Concrete can be poured with integrated pigments or it can be painted, if color is desired.
We also use low-emitting resilient flooring (e.g., linoleum, rubber, cork) products.
9. Are there programs that label or certify green homes?
There are several national green and energy efficient building labels you can have confidence that Amerigreen Property Solutions takes into consideration
during the process of its House-Greenovations:
ENERGY STAR®
certification requires that certain specific standards set by the EPA are met. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes build to the 2004
International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy savings features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.
Like ENERGY STAR®, LEED for Homes is a rating system that promotes the design and construction of high performance green homes. Homes that utilize LEED
practices use less energy, water and natural resources, create less waste and are more durable and comfortable for occupants.
The Bottom Line:
Some areas have local programs that rate and “certify” new homes as green. Some jurisdictions, have incorporated stringent green building standards into their required building codes. Amerigreen Property Solutions understands that the whole premise of certification is to attempt to set a standard. Yet, certification in this realm can be confusing and even at times competing. Further, Green certification does little to assure home "attainability". We believe the Simple and Smart approach is to influence our home projects with the most relevant and scalable best-practices to assure minimum Green objectives are accomplished. But our primary passion is to do all we can to make these Green homes available and affordable by combining existing distressed housing, private money funds, and families seeking paths to home ownership, into a solution that focuses on the new realm of home sustainability...THE AMERICAN FAMILY! We've coined the process "House-Greenovation". You'll call it amazing.
Reducing the environmental impact of construction: According to U.S. Government data, most construction projects result in intense environmental impacts, including energy consumption, the use of chemically treated and toxic substances and the extraction, processing and transportation of materials. By choosing to build or remodel in a more environmentally responsible way, we can mitigate some of the negative impact of construction and enjoy lower utility bills and a healthier living environment for the lifetime of your home.
Improving indoor air quality: On average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, yet the air in new or remodeled homes can be ten times more polluted than outdoor air, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A common source of indoor air pollution is the off gassing of chemicals found in kitchen cabinets, shelving, paints and floor finishes. The building products industry is responding to these indoor pollution problems by developing safer products, including no-VOC paints, cleaners and adhesives. These products are now commonly available from most major suppliers at costs comparable to conventional products.
Conserving resources: Conventional building construction and operation consumes large quantities of wood, water, metals, fossil fuels and other natural resources. In fact, according to U.S. Government data, buildings account for 40% of non-industrial solid waste, 65% of electricity consumption and 12% of potable water consumption. Building an average 2,000-sq. ft. house produces about 7,000 pounds of waste. Much of this waste is avoidable. There are many well-established home-building or remodeling practices that help protect natural resources. For example, advanced framing techniques substantially reduce lumber requirements without compromising structural integrity and using engineered lumber and wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council can help protect old-growth forests. Additionally, using recycled-content products helps put waste to good use.
2. What are some examples of green building techniques observed by Amerigreen Property Solutions?
Ways to improve energy efficiency:
•Passive solar heating, overhangs on south windows and deciduous trees on west- and south-facing exteriors
•Upgraded insulation, Structural Integrated Panels, advanced air infiltration reduction practices (air sealing) and Low-E double-pane windows
•Compact fluorescent lighting; low energy-using major appliances
•High-efficiency furnace or zoned, hydronic radiant heat; tankless water heater
•Whole house fan; solar attic fan
•Solar water heating, photovoltaic system (solar panels) or wind turbines for on-grid electricity generation
Ways to improve indoor air quality:
•Low or no-VOC paint, wood finishes and adhesives; no added formaldehyde
•Mechanical ventilation system, heat recovery ventilation unit, sealed-combustion furnace and water heater
•Range hood and bath fans vent to outside, bath fans automatically controlled with a timer or humidistat
•No wood-burning fireplace (or retrofitted wood-burning fireplace with EPA certified wood stoves/inserts)
Ways to improve resource conservation:
•Reuse/re-purpose/recycling of C&D (construction & demolition) waste
•High-volume recycled fly ash in concrete (min. 25%)
•Reclaimed lumber, flooring, millwork and other reused or salvaged materials
•FSC-certified wood, engineered lumber and advanced framing techniques
•Recycled-content decking, ceramic tiles, glass tiles or counters, carpet, etc.
•Rapidly renewable flooring: cork, linoleum, bamboo, natural fiber carpet
Ways to improve water conservation:
•Ultra-low flush or dual-flush toilets, fixtures with below standard flow rates (showers<2.5gpm, faucets<2.2gpm)
•Grey water system, rainwater harvesting system, low-water landscaping, native landscaping, high-efficiency irrigation, smart irrigation control or no irrigation
•Storm water management
For more information:
The Energy and Environmental Building Association (EEBA) provides building professional resources on a variety of topics dealing with new home construction or retrofitting an existing home.
Visit the U.S. Green Building Council website.
3. Does “green” building or remodeling cost more?
Contrary to popular belief, building or remodeling an energy-efficient, durable, high-performance home doesn’t have to be expensive. Because green building seeks to minimize waste while maximizing efficiency, builders and remodelers who use a “whole-house” green building approach often find that the added cost of some high-performance systems can be offset by downsizing in other areas. In general, building a “green” home costs close to or less than 8% more than the cost of a home built with traditional construction approaches. This investment will pay for itself many times over in lower operating costs for the life of
the building.
4. What about reusing or recycling construction waste?
Reducing, reusing and recycling C&D debris can cut overall project expenses by:
• Avoiding disposal and purchasing costs
• Generating revenue from the sale of materials
• Creating opportunities for tax breaks through material donations
• Conserving landfill space
• Avoiding the environmental effects of manufacturing new building products
• Helping improve markets for recyclables
Amerigreen Property Solutions utilizes access to responsible waste management approachs through contacts with such agencies as:
- The Construction Industry Compliance Assistance (CICA) Center, which offers a “C&D Materials State Resource Locator” where contractors can find state and municipal recycling programs.
- The Construction Materials Recycling Association’s (CMRA), which is a 501(c)(3) organization that promotes the recycling of construction and demolition materials.
- The Building Materials Reuse Association, which facilitates building deconstruction and the reuse/recycling of recovered building materials.
- The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI), an industry association that promotes and sustains the recycling of all steel products, can help find locations for recycling steel.
- Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), which is a joint industry-government effort to increase the amount of recycling and reuse of post-consumer carpet and reduce the amount of waste carpet going to landfills.
5. What do I need to know about environmentally responsible paint?
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paints, stains and other architectural coatings produce about 9% of the volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from consumer and commercial products, making them the second-largest source of VOC emissions after automobiles.
VOCs are the fumes that you smell while you paint or when you walk into a recently painted room. The use of VOCs in paints and coatings is
often intended to achieve smoother application or quicker drying. But VOCs are toxic and are a major factor in the overall indoor air quality of a home.
In conventional paints, the EPA requires a VOC content of less than 380 g/L of VOCs. In low-VOC paints, VOC concentrations are further limited.
Green Seal, a nonprofit organization, sets comprehensive environmental requirements for low-VOC, low-toxin paints. To be certified by Green Seal, flat
paints cannot contain more than 50 g/L of VOCs, and non-flat paints cannot contain more than 100 g/L of VOCs.
“Natural” paints are another option. Made mostly of renewable or abundant naturally occurring materials such as citrus oil, lime, clay, linseed oil, casein and chalk, these paints can create a vibrant, nicely textured, “old world” or “wash” look (particularly lime plaster paints) or a look similar to traditional even-toned paints. Because natural paints do not contain petroleum products, they emit few if any of the VOCs the EPA regulates for smog, though they may contain significant amounts of other VOCs from ingredients like citrus-based solvents. Overall, natural paints are healthier and more environmentally sound than latex or oil paints.
For these reasons, House-Greenovations by Amerigreen Property Solutions utilize selected paints and coatings that have low or no VOC.
6. What do I need to know about environmentally responsible cabinets?
Typically, the glues that bind a conventional cabinet together release urea-formaldehyde, as does the particleboard (or fiberboard) that makes up the cabinet box. Formaldehyde may cause chemical sensitivity in some individuals simply by being exposed to it. Use of only hard or soft woods, metal or formaldehyde-free materials in new cabinets will alleviate any potential indoor air quality problems. The finishing used on cabinets is another potential source of poor indoor air quality.
When refinishing current cabinets is a viable option during a remodel, Amerigreen Property Solutions refinishes using low- and no-VOC materials.
7. What do I need to know about environmentally responsible carpets?
Most petrochemical-based carpets can include as many as 120 chemicals and be a primary source of indoor air quality problems. Fortunately, today there are wonderful, environmentally responsible alternatives for which Amerigreen Property Solutions adopts.
Recycled carpet is a great example of the success of recycling. When you choose recycled carpeting, you get less indoor air pollution and reduce your contribution to the landfill—all at the same price as conventional carpeting. One example of such recycled carpeting used by Amerigreen Property Solutions is Green Smart Carpeting by Bliss Flooring. This carpet is made with fiber produced from consumer water and soda bottles, and contains silver-release, an anti-bacterial carpet treatment that safely and naturally inhibits the growth of odor and stain causing bacteria, mold and mildew, and lasts the lifetime of the carpet. Silver, zinc, and copper have been found to contain strong antimicrobial properties.
8. What do I need to know about environmentally responsible flooring?
No flooring product has zero impact on our planet, but some materials are better than others.
Amerigreen Property Solutions chooses the most environmentally sound and healthy floors available, when existing flooring cannot be restored and replacement flooring is required.
If using wood, whenever possible, we will use either reclaimed wood from recycled demolition, or use new wood products that have received FSC Certification (Forest Stewardship Council).
Another option is an exposed concrete floor. Concrete can be poured with integrated pigments or it can be painted, if color is desired.
We also use low-emitting resilient flooring (e.g., linoleum, rubber, cork) products.
9. Are there programs that label or certify green homes?
There are several national green and energy efficient building labels you can have confidence that Amerigreen Property Solutions takes into consideration
during the process of its House-Greenovations:
ENERGY STAR®
certification requires that certain specific standards set by the EPA are met. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes build to the 2004
International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy savings features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.
Like ENERGY STAR®, LEED for Homes is a rating system that promotes the design and construction of high performance green homes. Homes that utilize LEED
practices use less energy, water and natural resources, create less waste and are more durable and comfortable for occupants.
The Bottom Line:
Some areas have local programs that rate and “certify” new homes as green. Some jurisdictions, have incorporated stringent green building standards into their required building codes. Amerigreen Property Solutions understands that the whole premise of certification is to attempt to set a standard. Yet, certification in this realm can be confusing and even at times competing. Further, Green certification does little to assure home "attainability". We believe the Simple and Smart approach is to influence our home projects with the most relevant and scalable best-practices to assure minimum Green objectives are accomplished. But our primary passion is to do all we can to make these Green homes available and affordable by combining existing distressed housing, private money funds, and families seeking paths to home ownership, into a solution that focuses on the new realm of home sustainability...THE AMERICAN FAMILY! We've coined the process "House-Greenovation". You'll call it amazing.
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