building

I could not help but recall our own prefab house kit construction when I read in the paper that a local landfill wants to quadruple the amount of construction debris it receives.

Here's an idea: Instead of increasing landfills to accept more waste, how about if we get the construction industry to WASTE LESS?

"The landfill can currently accept a maximum of 900 tons of waste per day. The proposed modifications would allow up to 3,500 tons of waste per day and increase the capacity by about 25 percent to 2.6 million cubic yards."

The majority of  the landfill's intake is construction and demolition waste. WHAT? What ever happened to
1. creating less (how about zero?) waste, and
2. re-purposing and reusing materials instead of just demolishing?

I called the modern prefab house architect David Day to have him weigh in.

"In new construction, you can recycle leftover drywall, concrete, etcetera; there are a lot ways to recycle materials instead of putting it into a landfill. Better yet, don't buy and cut unnecessary materials.

There are standard material sizes. If you work within those dimensions, there is no need to cut or waste material. If there IS waste, often it can be reused on the same site or repurposed for something else. There's a whole section in LEED standards about reduction of construction waste.

Copeland's husband mentioned to me the door landings on their prefab house kit were built from the small pile of leftover wood that they reused for the prefab modern house! Even that pile of wood could have fit into the trunk of their car if they wanted to repurpose it elsewhere.

Do we need to tear down buildings to begin with? How often can we rehab and reuse buildings? Think of Habitat for Humanity's Restore Richmond or Caravati's - often there is someone looking for that exact material you want to throw away!

From a builders standpoint, it's a money-saving, good business decision."

It's not just construction waste.
In the U.K. (I can only imagine what it is in the States) more than £12 billion in food waste goes in the garbage every year.  I think everyone needs to rethink waste.

Shop Green ‘Til You Drop! Is sustainable retail development an oxymoron? Not according to the many retailers and retail developers profiled in Jerry Yudelson’s latest green building book, Sustainable Retail Development: New Success Strategies (Springer, October 2009), written for the 70,000-member International Council of Shopping Centers. For the past two years, Yudelson has been ICSC’s Research Scholar for Retail Real Estate Sustainability. In the book, he profiles retail sustainability efforts worldwide and presents a solid business case for greening retail operations and shows how leading companies are advancing sustainable retail businesses.

Sustainable Retail Development maintains that green retail buildings and retail development that will grow significantly in importance over the next half-decade, a trend being seen throughout the developed world.

This book is a practical and comprehensive guide to greening retail real estate, featuring green building and marketing strategies, corporate sustainability programs and features a 10-point “action program” for greening any retail real estate portfolio.

While it’s aimed at professionals in design, construction and operations of shopping centers and retail stores, it provides a good read for anyone interested in how sustainability thinking and green building design are changing this huge commercial sector. With projects and concepts featured in full color, the book features more than 30 green retail developments from North America, Europe, South America, Asia and Australia, as well as interviews with 25 leading industry experts.

You can order the softcover version of the book from the ICSC or from Amazon.com.

Testimonials:
Mary Lou Fiala, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, Regency Centers:
“Sustainable Retail Development does an excellent job of discussing the opportunities available to retail developers for adopting high-performance building design. Addressing and understanding the split incentives between retail developers and their tenants is the first step to finding solutions that reward both sides.”

Martin Townsend, Director, Building Research Establishment, U.K.
“An authoritative book which is not only a pleasure to read from cover to cover, increasing the knowledge of the reader with the turn of every page, but also a book that can easily be used for quick reference. A must for all wanting to know about the current state of sustainability in the retail sector.”

“Jerry Yudelson has done a first-class job in collecting constructive initiatives, examples and ideas from all over—not only from the USA—to assist retailers and retail property owners everywhere in pursuing a more sustainable business model.”
—Milton Cockburn, Executive Director, Shopping Centre Council of Australia

“In good economic times, or in bad, green buildings and operations are here to stay. Jerry Yudelson provides a glimpse of some of the best industry practices worldwide, strategies to implement an effective green business plan and an invaluable road map for sustainable retail real estate.”
—Arco Rehorst, Technical Director, Multi Asset Management, Gouda, The Netherlands

“[To think, feel and act sustainably, companies need to be able to draw on best industry practices and] Sustainable Retail Development provides an excellent source for such practices in retail real estate. With examples from Austria to America and from Australia to Portugal, it gives a practical view of sustainability and what green shopping centers and retail stores can contribute to the corporate bottom line.”
—Prof. Dr. Filipa Fernandes, Spar European Shopping Centers, Salzburg, Austria

“Jerry Yudelson provides powerful insight into both why and how retail shopping centers should design and build green.”
—Romily Madew, Chief Executive, Green Building Council of Australia, Sydney

“Sustainable Retail Development is a very impressive work. Undoubtedly, it will be an invaluable resource for architects and other professionals involved in the design, construction and renovation of shopping centers and retail stores."
—Lauren Yarmuth, Principal, YRG Sustainability, Denver/New York

"Sustainable Retail Development" is a great snapshot of the transformation that the professional and consumer market will begin to witness in the retail industry. Jerry Yudelson provides a solid overview of what retailers should know to position themselves for the green transformation.”
—Justin Doak, Founder, Ecoxera retail consultancy, Austin, Texas

Well to make a long question "short". I have been working on getting financing for my Eco Friendly cafe for the past 2 years. Every bank I approach has denied my loan request because I am a start up business. I have proven through my exhaustive research, in my business plan that just such a business would thrive in Bloomington Indiana. I have a proposed location that is being built and the developer is going for LEED certification (the location of the building is in the downtown Bloomington area next to Indiana University).

What I need to find out is if there are any places out there that I can acquire a business loan based on the "green" aspect of my cafe. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated in this. The location that I am interested in will be finished by summer of 2010. So I have a little time, but I really want to get this going ASAP!!

Sincerely,

Chip Hartleroad

Celtic Quest Cafe

www.myspace.com/celticquestcafe

stcafe

Mountain View Home Builders is now building certified EnergyStar homes in Northeast Georgia.

Mountain View Home Builders, of Gainesville, Georgia, recently qualified as a green home builder under the Department Of Energy’s Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star program. Energy Star homes use up to 50% less energy to maintain than conventional homes. To date, they have built four homes that qualify for the EnergyStar label and plan to make all their future homes EnergyStar qualified. The company is also certified under several other green building programs including Jackson EMC “Right Choice”, Georgia Power EnergyStar, and the U.S. Dept. of Energy “Builders Challenge Program”. Mountain View Home Builders is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. During 2009, the company plans to be certified under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. The LEED green building rating system provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction. Also during 2009, the company plans to become a certified builder under the EarthCraft House program of the Atlanta Home Builders Association. The EarthCraft House program is recognized nationally as the leading residential green building program.

For more information on how Mountain View Home Builders is pioneering green building in the Northeast Georgia area, visit their website at... http://www.mvhomebuilders.com

Phone: 770-654-3435 E-mail at mvhomebuilders@bellsouth.net.

Also visit these other websites to learn more about the Green Building Programs mentioned above. EnergyStar- http://www.energystar.gov

EarthCraft House- http://www.earthcrafthouse.com

U.S. Green Building Council- http://www.usgbc.org

LEED Program- http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222

Right Choice- http://www.jacksonemc.com/Why-Buy-Right-Choice.137.0.html

Georgia Power Energy Star- http://www.georgiapower.com/energystar

Builders Challenge- http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/challenge/homebuyers.html

Clients are often worried about staying within their budget when creating a custom house plan that is green, and the kitchen and baths can often be the biggest budget busters. Finding cabinets and counter tops that are affordable and sustainable is sometimes a challenge, but there is one idea that is often overlooked. Reusing kitchens and baths from homes that are being remodeled or knocked down to build a bigger home, and units that are overstocked or someone just changed their mind before installing, can save money and cut down on landfill.

Craigslist - Craigslist is the mecca of getting rid of and finding household goods. The benefit of Craigslist is that you can really negotiate with sellers as they are eager to clear out their homes and garages. You will have to continually monitor the site in order to find what you are looking for, but after furnishing an entire second home I can tell you the deals are amazing.

Green Demolitions - I had the honor to meet the founder of Green Demolitions at the Green East Expo in NYC this past month and I love what this company is doing. Run as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, you can donate your kitchen when you are remodeling or tearing down, and you can also find some fabulous full kitchens at incredible prices to build or remodel your kitchen. They have also expanded now to include bathrooms and appliances.

Antique Stores and Auctions - While you won't often find entire sets of cabinets, you can find some amazing furniture pieces that can be converted to islands or plumbed to be used in your bath. Many auction houses will also be able to let you know of homes that may be on the market to see if upgrades will be made and what they will do with the old materials.

Reusing cabinets in your kitchen or bath can save money and it's incredibly easy to do. Since cabinets generally come in standard sizes they can be rearranged to numerous configurations to fit your needs in your new custom home design. Take the time to look around so you can help the environment while impacting your budget in a positive way.

This post has been submitted by 5 Elements Design, a residential architecture firm that creates small house plans that are eco friendly for families.

Subfloor Types and Basic Installation Considerations

There are many different types of subfloors over which wood flooring can be installed. There are certain basic attributes that are critical for successful wood flooring installations done over all types of subfloors. The subfloors must be dry and will remain dry year round. The moisture content of wood subfloors must not exceed 12%, wood flooring moisture content must be within 3% of wood subfloor moisture content and concrete must not exceed 3 lbs. per a calcium chloride test, or 2 lbs. when installing over radiant heat. The subfloor material must be structurally sound. It also needs to be clean, thoroughly swept and free of all debris. For glue down installations, the subfloor must be free of wax, grease, paint, sealers, old adhesives, etc., which can be removed by sanding. Additionally the subfloor must be level or flat to 3/16” per 10-foot radius.
Wood Subfloors

Nail down installations are most common over wood subfloors, but glue down and floating installations are also possible. Wood subfloors must be well secured, by using a nail or screw every 6” along the joist to avoid squeaking. If the subfloor is not level, sand down high spots and fill low spots with a polymer-modified cementitious leveling compound such as Chemrex Self Leveling Underlayment from BASF. CDX plywood must be at least 5/8” thick for joist spacing up to 16” on center and a minimum of 3/4” thick for joist spacing greater than 16” on center (19.2” maximum). OSB should be at least 3/4” thick. Underlayment grade particleboard can only be used with the glue down method. If using an existing wood floor it must be smooth, level, well adhered and unfinished (if gluing down new flooring).
Concrete Subfloors

Concrete must be fully cured, at least 60 days old, and should have a minimum of 6-mil poly-film between the concrete and the ground. If it is necessary, grind high spots down and level low spots with a polymer-modified cementitious leveling compound or Ardex K-15 Leveling Compound. If gluing down onto concrete which is on or below grade, it is recommended to install sheet vinyl first and then glue the wood flooring on top of the vinyl, as this provides an effective permanent moisture barrier. An alternative to sheet vinyl is to use a concrete sealer approved by the manufacturer of the adhesive that you have chosen. If using EcoTimber HealthyBond Adhesive, the approved concrete sealer is Taylor Nu-Flor 500, which EcoTimber distributes. A concrete slab on/below grade that measures dry today may become moist tomorrow due to rising groundwater. Installing a moisture barrier may be viewed as an insurance policy against concrete becoming wet in the future, which can lead to subsequent floor failure.
Other Subfloors

Gypcrete can be used in floating installations only. Gypcrete, otherwise known as lightweight concrete, is not strong enough to hold together when a wood floor that is glued to it expands and contracts. If the flooring planks buckle and lift, they may pull pieces of gypcrete up with them.

Resilient tile and vinyl tile subfloors can be used with glue down or floating installations. Vinyl must be new and non-urethane coated. Ceramic tile, resilient tile and sheet vinyl must be well bonded to the subfloor, in good condition, clean and level. Do not try to sand existing vinyl floors, as they may contain asbestos, which are harmful to your health.
Installing Over Radiant Heat Subfloors

When installing over radiant heat subfloors it is good to know the facts. Most flooring is not warranted for installation over electric radiant heat systems, as these can heat up too quickly and damage the wood. However, many eco-friendly flooring products can be installed over radiant heat and arewarranted for such use by their manufacturers. It is important to check with the manufacturer because not all products are warranted for such use, and typically only hydronic (hot water) systems are approved. For many warranties, the system must be able to control the surface temperature of the subfloor so that it never exceeds 82°F. Also, it is essential that the subfloor be maintained at within 15°F of its normal operating temperature at all times.

Radiant heat systems keep the wood flooring very dry, so if the system is turned completely off (for example, during hot summer months), the flooring will absorb moisture. When the system is turned back on again it will dry the wood very quickly, which is the most common cause of damage. After the system has been off or not functioning, the floor should be brought back up to normal operating temperature very slowly, over the course of several days.
Eco Friendly Flooring Finishes: Factory Applied & Site Applied

Floor finishes can be applied prior to installation by the manufacturer of the flooring or on site by the floor installer. Each process has advantages and disadvantages:

The following are several advantages to having a factory finish. The factory finish is applied in a controlled environment with no air-borne dust or other impurities. Sub coats containing special additives like aluminum oxide can be added which will greatly increase the wear-resistance of the finish. Extra coats can be easily added by rollers, 9 coats of finish is not uncommon for a factory finish, while 2 to 3 coats is typical for a site applied finish. The finish tends to be much more durable than the best available site applied finishes (about twice as durable is a good rule of thumb). Shorter installation times and labor means a much lower overall installed cost. Factories apply finishes for much less than contractors. Improved indoor air quality - factory finishes are cured by ultraviolet rays in the factory and are completely inert by the time they are put in the box. There is no off gassing of solvents, VOCs, or other harmful chemicals.

There are also disadvantages of a UV-Cured factory finish. The seams between the planks are not sealed, potentially allowing spilled liquids to leak down and damage the wood. Also, the seams may require top coating to seal seams in areas where frequent spills are expected (restaurants, bathrooms, etc.). The end-user cannot change the wood’s color with stains without sanding off the factory finish.

The advantages of a site applied finish consist of creating a smooth, sealed surface over the entire floor. It allows the installer to customize colors with stains, bleaches and dyes. It also allows the installer to select gloss level and permits the use of spot-repairable oil finishes.

There are also disadvantages of a site applied finish. The wood must be sanded prior to coating, resulting in dust, longer installation times and substantially higher labor costs. The end user must wait for finish to dry completely, meaning they are forced out of their home for longer periods of time. Site applied finishes contain solvents and other drying agents that off-gas harmful chemicals into the air for days, weeks or even months after installation (depending on the type of finish). Even “natural” plant-based oil finishes off-gas harmful chemicals. Some “natural” oils have higher VOC contents than urethane finishes. Contractors often make errors that result in finish bubbles, applicator marks, sanding marks, dust in the finish, and poor adhesion. Expensive and highly inconvenient mistakes are common. The long-term durability is much lower than with factory applied finishes.

More modern design, passive solar house kit updates... We headed out to the land today... It was cold, but beautiful.

You could see the sun on the foundation, demonstrating it's passive solar house energy efficiency even before it was weather tight. It was amazing to walk around there, realizing that is 1,200 square feet of efficient, happy living. There is nothing we need. And we can have all our friends over. For all our stages of life. The one thing you need to note in these pictures/video is that some of the interior braces will be removed, there is storage/systems space in there but they did that to quickly allow for the roof panels they will add tomorrow.

For some reason my 360 pics won't show on Building Green, so if you would like to see them you can go here: See 360pics on my blog here.

Care & Maintenance of Eco Friendly Wood Floors

Proper care and maintenance is essential for the performance of any wood floor. Wood flooring should be one of the last items in the construction process to be installed. Once the flooring is installed it should be protected to avoid any damage that could be caused by tradespeople. If using glue down or floating installation methods, do not allow foot traffic or heavy furniture on floor for 24 hours after installation is complete.

In order to prevent scratches it is wise to adhere to the following steps. There is no such thing as a “scratch proof” wood floor, but following these basic procedures will reduce the likelihood and frequency of scratches.

* Felt padding should be permanently affixed to the legs of all furniture before it is moved into the space.
* Do not allow people to wear spiked heels on the floor, these will severely damage even the hardest wood floors and finishes.
* Pet claws should be properly trimmed at all times.
* Work boots and shoes that may have pebbles lodged in the soles should be removed prior to entering.
* It is important to remove grit. Care should be taken to prevent dirt, sand and grit from accumulating on the surface of your floor. They will act like sandpaper and abrade the finish. Walk off mats should be placed inside and out at all exterior exits, and the floor should be swept or vacuumed frequently. All mats or rugs should be cleaned and/or replaced on a regular basis. They should also be moved occasionally to allow natural color changes caused by light to occur evenly in all areas.
* Be sure to always use proper cleaning products. To clean a factory urethane finish, vinegar mixed with water (applied with a slightly damp mop, never a wet mop) is effective at removing scuffs, dried spills, and dust film. Floor waxes, oil soaps and petroleum-based cleaners should not be used under any circumstances.
* Take precautions to avoid standing moisture. Water and wood floors do not mix. Never wet mop a wood floor, and always clean up spills and standing water as soon as possible. With water or any other cleaning agent, be sure to thoroughly ring out the applicator or mop prior to applying it to the floor. A damp mop is fine as long as the moisture is limited to an amount that will evaporate almost immediately. Moisture that is allowed to seep into the seams between the planks may cause damage to your flooring. Do not allow soiled mats or rugs to stay on the floor as they can trap moisture on the surface.

Common Pitfalls of Wooden Flooring

Many wood flooring complaints and claims are a result of conditions that are beyond the control of the manufacturer or seller of the product. It is important to be aware of and to educate customers as to some of the most common pitfalls to avoid. It is critical to make sure that you do not have wet concrete slabs at time of installation. Inadequately cured concrete slabs will continue to release moisture after flooring is installed, which can cause movement and other problems for wood flooring. On- and below-grade concrete slabs can become wet if groundwater rises. Adequate curing times and proper moisture barriers are essential.

Improper heating and ventilation can cause damage. Most wood flooring is manufactured to perform best within relative humidity (RH) ranges of 35% to 65%. It is important to run heating and humidity control systems in advance of installing wood flooring so that job site conditions at the time of installation are similar to those that will prevail when the space is occupied. Conditions that are too dry can cause as many problems as conditions that are too wet! Dry climates can present environmental conditions that are very hard on wood flooring. This is not an issue with just eco friendly flooring, it is an issue with any wood flooring from any source. Wood floors are products of nature, and as such are subject to natural forces.

If you expect your wood flooring installation to experience humidity levels lower than 35%, the guidelines below may help prevent problems. Keep in mind that it’s not only desert and mountain areas that experience dry conditions – in cold climates, humidity levels indoors during the heating season can be extremely low. A high rise building in New York City might be as dry as a home in Arizona during the coldest months of the year.

* Use Humidifiers: The best way to avoid problems caused by excessive drying is to regulate the moisture in the space with humidifiers, which should be functioning throughout the life of the floor. (Don’t turn them off if you are away from home). Most flooring manufacturers require that humidity be maintained within certain levels (usually 35% to 65%) in order for the warranty to stay valid.
* Avoid Sudden Humidity Change: Just as it is important to protect your floor from extreme dryness, it is equally important to protect it from moisture. If the wood takes on moisture and is then subjected to its normal dry conditions, the rapid drying may damage the floor. Painting, plastering, or anything else that artificially adds moisture to the space should only be done if dehumidifiers are in place to remove that moisture from the air before the flooring has a chance to absorb it.
* Install Engineered Flooring Right Out of the Box (Except Exotics): If engineered flooring is allowed to dry too quickly it can cause stresses within the planks, which may result in cracking, cupping and other problems. For best results, leave the flooring in its packaging on site. If acclimation is recommended (as with some engineered exotics when installed in dry conditions), only open the ends of the boxes. During installation, only open as much as needed to work from. Once the flooring is laid, the factory finish will help seal the floor so that the moisture escapes more slowly, preventing damage.
* No Wet Mopping: When you wet mop your floor in a dry climate, the dry wood will absorb moisture (causing expansion) and then shed it very quickly (causing shrinking) once you’ve finished mopping. This rapid change in dimension of the planks causes cupping and other damage. To clean the floor, use a lightly damp applicator that does not allow moisture to sink into the seams.

Some species and formats are more susceptible to damage from excessive drying than others. For example, White Tigerwood and Hickory will tend to perform better than Maple; and Vertical Grain Bamboo will tend to perform better than Horizontal Grain Bamboo. Generally, engineered bamboo or Cumaru (Brazilian Teak) is not recommended in dry climates unless humidity conditions are carefully controlled. Maple is somewhat unstable as well.

The products that are most likely to survive without problems in dry out-of-warranty environments are: hand scraped Hickory, White Tigerwood, and properly acclimated solid flooring such as bamboo, woven bamboo and solid exotics.
Wood Surface Scratching

This is one of the most common complaints that flooring dealers receive from customers who have had a floor installed and then return a few weeks later unhappy that their floor is scratched. Educating the customer before the floor is installed can often prevent these complaints. The key solutions to the common pitfalls are proper maintenance and managing customer expectations. Always make sure that your customer reads the manufacturer’s care and maintenance instructions before they occupy the space where the floor is installed. And remember, there is no such thing as a scratchproof wood floor!
Refinishing an Eco Friendly Wooden Floor: Screening & Top Coating

Screening and top coating is a method for renewing the finish on a wood floor without actually removing the old finish and sanding down the wood. It will repair most signs of wear and create a uniform, sealed surface on the floor. It is relatively quick and inexpensive and can be repeated indefinitely. With screening and top coating, even the thinnest wood veneer wear layer can last forever because people walk on the finish, not on the wood. Factory applied finishes can be top coated just like jobsite applied finishes. In areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, and spaces where food service occurs, top coating a newly installed factory finished wood floor can help prevent against moisture damage. In heavy food service areas such as restaurants, two to three top coats are recommended.

There are both mechanical and chemical systems for screening, i.e. roughing up the surface of the old finish so that new top coats can adhere to it. The mechanical method usually involves putting a Scotchbrite pad on a standard drum flooring sander and operating the sander in a normal fashion. Chemical systems are offered by Bona Prep (Bona Prep Recoating Adhesion System) and Basic Coatings (Basic Coatings “TyKote” Sandless Recoating System). The manufacturer’s instructions should be followed.

Thank you folks for bearing with me through my non-green building / modern design / house kit blog musings... (as much as people laughed at Vintage Hat Fridays!) the next few weeks will be focused on what you came here for to begin with:
The SIPs passive solar modern house kit construction!

Yesterday, we spent a beautiful day hanging out on... our foundation.
...Despite the whiny four year old.
As it was muddy, my first order of business when we return is washing all those dog prints off the concrete. Which will not be fun, as by then there will be walls and a roof overhead. Dag.

The Structural Insulated Panels arrive at 8:30 Monday morning.
Our contractor's crew is Amish, hence our documentation will be interesting as the Amish don't want to be in photographs. (Which we completely respect- I am actually *very* excited that our Amish neighbors are putting together our passive solar modern design house kit - and look forward to talking to them about what they thought of it!)

For those of you interested in the Amish, I thought I'd show you their super-cool tractor / forklift!

This is what they will be using to unload the SIPs when they arrive!
I learned from our contractor that November is Amish wedding month. Hopefully it will not disrupt our house kit construction schedule too much, but really, if it does, that's fine by me. I have loved learning about the Amish and their community through our interaction there; the more I read about their traditions and close community interaction, the more I appreciate them.

So... you will see a lot of things happening now on the outside, then it's on to the interior, with modern, environmentally friendly design. This includes reused materials, practical functionality, off grid net zero decisions in systems. More on that soon...
In the meantime, here's some pictures from a lovely day on the land!

Check this out I am so proud! Here are some of our commercials that we made for our local TV3. They are only 15 seconds each and only took a few hours to make. Let me know what you think.

They are short but informative. :)