Many people like siding for their home. They like that panel look wood and vinyl siding offer. Unfortunately, the practicality of siding is wavering. For example, vinyl siding has toxic emitting voc's and like wood siding it warps, and shrinks, it is affected by the elements. Vinyl can melt in high heat, and with wood siding termites and rot can destroy it. These sidings are also not so easy or attractive to paint. The sustainable choice is a durable siding with low energy manufacturing. One of which is the eco-friendly siding's available that even list credits with LEED, James Hardie siding. It is featured on the 'Robert Redford Building for the Natural Resources Defense Council, which is ranked among the highest LEED rated buildings in America.' www.jameshardie.com A very impressive attribute to the product is the durability, it does not have to be replaced often and claims durability and a warranty for fifty years. It's made of cement and wood fibers, sand and water. Manufacturing is low energy, and the components are from recycled sources. The plank siding can be faced to look like stucco or cedar. Another interesting product they offer is a weather barrier, that is a wrap put on the building before siding. This acts as a weather barrier which is air resistant to improve energy efficiency. It's a strong wrap that tears less than other types of Housewrap, or paper/felt wrap. This reduces water damage and mold. The durability of a product that lasts leaves a lighter footprint on the the environment. Competing with Hardie is a product called microposite siding which came out a little more recently in 2008. This product is being tested in New Hampshire and other New England towns. The claim is that it outlasts cement fiber, making it more withstanding to the elements for a longer period of time. It is lighter, water resistant, natural looking, and has a better workability than fiber cement that requires no special tools and no harmful dust when cut. It's note to 'Green' building is that microposite 'uses a low-energy manufacturing process with natural materials and distribution efficiency' according to Reuters.com article on Mircroposite from September 29, 2008. The competition has begun, and it looks promising for the world of sustainable siding.
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You might want to re-think hardie
I live in one of the nation's few environmental developments and have hardie siding on my home. Although we have 6 inches of insulation plus special foam and foil insulation under the siding, our home is very cold in the midwest winters. You have to scrub it to keep green fungus growth off. Bugs love to crawl between the pieces and nest. On windy nights, our children have a hard time sleeping because of the siding rattling in the wind. I will never have a house with hardie siding again. It cracks with age and requires painting at least every 7 years if you have a light color and much more frequently if you have a darker color. The simple brick house that we lived in before was much better for the environment. I would stay away from hardie. It is one example of how certification do not tell the whole story.
Living the life,
eco siding
Being that I'm from the northeast, Massachusetts to be exact, I know all to well what impact our weather can do to the exterior's of our homes. I'd be interested in learning more about this eco siding in the up coming months.
I have heard that siding can
I have heard that siding can warp, rot and peel but Feldco has ensured that theirs will not. All you have to do is use a hose to wash it off to look new. They use a sophisticated nail hem for installing vinyl siding that is designed to keep panels flat even during extreme weather. Feldco even tested it out and the siding withheld 150mph winds.
I hope this gives some insight that you don't have steer away from wood siding! It looks so nice!
ecoclad
check out ecoclad... new siding product made from recycled paper and bamboo... should give hardie a run for its money.
Ecoclad
Ecoclad is a great product and will fill the need for a lot of applications. The cost is much more than Hardi and a complete different install.
hardiplank
the stuff is brittle, hard to work with, and the 50 year guarantee does not cover the color, which is an applied paint with a much shorter warranty. But you have to dig to find that out.