green building

The destination for most materials after a new floor is installed, a new deck constructed or a new bathroom is completed, is often the landfill — in 2009 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that 160 million tons of construction and building material ends up in landfills each year — but now in 31 cities across the nation, DiggersList.com is giving these perfectly usable materials a second life.

DiggersLists is a nationwide online home improvement classified listing that connects cost-conscious homeowners with discounted new and used home improvement necessities, and allows them to post their own excess material for sale.

DiggersList Founder Matt Knox saw a pattern of waste in the building and home improvement industry — where easily re-usable items were dumped solely because there was no easy and efficient way to re-sell them. The disposal of functional building material not only clogs landfills, but re-starts a cycle of manufacturing and natural resource consumption to supply another contractor with new building material.

In DiggersList, Knox created a site that breaks that pattern by tapping homeowners and contractors into an online marketplace that makes re-using home improvement material an efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-saving decision.

“As DiggersList promotes the re-use of more and more home improvement materials we create this whole cycle where less has to be produced, less has to be trucked and less has to be packaged,” said Knox.

Of the estimated 160 million tons of construction and building material that end up in landfills across the nation each year, 44 percent is created by home renovation projects, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

DiggersList’s popularity has grown as waste disposal rates climb, and homeowners realize that they can make money off of their surplus home improvement materials. Many of the items featured on DiggersList — sinks, countertops, entire bathroom sets, tile —are the same material you would see strolling through the aisles of Home Depot or Lowe’s — except at DiggersList the price is usually about half of what you would expect to pay at a home improvement emporium.

“A lot of people think this is only lumber, nails and concrete, but it’s fit-and-finish products as well,” said Knox.

DiggersList other service, a listing of contractors with detailed descriptions and photos of the work they have completed, also has an environmental bent. Contractors that take things apart for recycling, rather than build, are becoming a popular listing on the site, said Knox.

“We are seeing more and more deconstruction contractors and salvage stores flock to the site,” said Knox.

The popularity of DiggersList with homeowners and contractors translates into an exceptional inventory of building materials and services on the site. And with each listing that gives a sink, light fixture, or stack of tile a second life, DiggersList is carving out an environmentally friendly and cost-saving niche in the $272 billion home improvement industry.

Trucks and SUVs, coal burning power plants, and manufacturing industry pollutants are not the only CO 2 / carbon footprint contributors. Residential, commercial, and industrial buildings are also contributing a great deal to overall carbon footprint. Poorly insulated buildings consume vast amounts of energy, natural resources, and contribute to greenhouse gases affect. One of the ways to combat environmental degradation associated with poorly constructed buildings, is to use green building technology in retrofitting of existing buildings and constructing new buildings using green building practices.

Green building practices encourage environmental responsibility through the use of sustainable building materials in residential and commercial retrofit and new construction projects. The roof structure of the building is not an exception when it comes to in green building design. In fact, roof constructed according to green building practices can earn LEED green building credits with the U.S. green building council.

As an example, consider Whole Foods Market place, one of the U.S. top organic food retailers has embraced green building technology by building a state of the art store made of aluminum and green building materials. The roof design incorporates vegetated roofing technology by using easy to integrate green roofing containers containing local vegetation. Green roofing design provides energy savings, insulation, and combats urban heat island affect.

In order for a roofing system to qualify for green building credits it must meet solar reflectivity index of a minimum of 78 percents for flat roof systems and 29 percents for sloped roofs. Solar reflectivity index is assigned by cool-roof rating council. SRI incorporates solar reflectivity and thermal emissivity.

Metal roofs provide a wide variety of sustainable roofing options including standing-seam metal roofs made with long lasting and environmentally friendly metals such as aluminum, zinc, steel and copper. Contemporary metal roofs contain up to 50% post consumer content and are fully recyclable. Kynar coated metal roofing panels feature solar reflective paint finishes that help keep the roof cooler in warm seasons.

The use of metal in a residential, commercial and industrial roofing aides in reducing building's carbon footprint, and provides long lasting and reliable roofing solution that is also U.S green building council accredited.

In a typical residential re-roofing situation, a cool-roof rated galvanized or galvalume steel metal roofing system can offer longevity, durability, energy savings, and earn green building credits for existing buildings and new construction. Modern steel shingle metal roofing systems are available in wide variety of cool-roof rated metal roofing colors that literally reflect solar radiant heat, reduce air conditioning load and provide energy savings.

For homeowners whose roof is covered with a flat roof, installing PVC based cool flat roof membrane similar to IB roofs in performance will provide significant energy savings, reliability, and long lasting roofing solution. Yes, PVC and green combination may seem counter intuitive, but PVC roofs can last three times longer than EPDM roofs and can be recycled when the roof has served its purpose. Certain PVC roofing systems are designed to withstand standing / ponds of water, which means that they can be used for vegetated green roofing systems.

After years of discussing unhealthy buildings and lecturing on the dangers of sick building syndrome I found myself growing tired of the way I present the data. I reached out to a local theatre company to develop a mock trailer that would present the information for me. They ran with it and turned out quite a nice piece of work in my opinion.

Our background is in historic preservation. Fifteen years ago we re-invented and made commercially available products that hadn't been seen for century. With these products we found ourselves providing goods and services to many of the top preservation projects in the country. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Public Library, five state capitals, the White House, and Presidential homes across the country have been our clients. And in the field of historic preservation we found that in many ways traditional construction (mass walls, flexible mortars, permeable materials to allow the dissipation of moisture) could solve many of the problems we currently face in conventional construction.

So we went to the drawing board and started incorporating lime (which made many of this historic properties possible) in as many conventional applications as we could. First, we developed a mortar, then stuccoes. Our limewashes and coatings were already held in high regard as they are VOC free and do not dust like many other products. Then we developed a cement free masonry unit that would allow quick and easy construction of mass (or thick) walls and a permeable insulating grout that helped add to the thermal mass of the structure. All of this was to combat what we thought was one of the greatly overlooked problems in conventional design. Poor air quality.

But air quality, as important as it is, can sometimes get lost in delivery. I wanted to develop some way of communicating poor indoor air quality issues so that folks not only got it, but remembered. About a month ago, it hit me: a mock-movie trailer for a thriller movie. I am on the board of directors of a small theatre company that brings in actors from all over the country to our rural area to produce a summer theatre festival. After chatting with our Artistic Director, he told me he had some guys that would definitely be able to rise to the challenge. So with no budget whatsoever, these extremely talented guys at Endstation Theatre Company produced the following video which I hope will not only be of service to us at Virginia Lime Works, but to the sustainable community as a whole.

Watch the Syndrome here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp4jyZToq1k we hope you enjoy it.

LED LIGHTING vs. INDUCTION LIGHTING
Mercury Use in ADG ECO Induction Lamps Does NOT Pose a Threat to the Environment

Written By: Travis Abeyta © 2010
ADG ECO Lighting Products ~ Environmental Scientist & Energy Efficiency Liaison

Introduction

When comparing LED lighting systems to ADG ECO Induction Lighting systems, mercury use is not a sufficient indicator of either technology’s true environmental impact. In reality, lifespan and energy usage, both of which equate to materials consumed, carbon emissions, energy costs, and total cost of ownership, are the best gauges of sustainability. This paper is a review of both technologies. Let’s first explore mercury usage in current lighting technologies.

Mercury Explained

Nearly every kind of modern lighting source depends on the use of mercury inside the lamp for operation. When assessing the true environmental impact of mercury use in lighting, we must take into consideration:

1. The type of mercury (liquid or solid-state) which is present in the lamps
2. The amount of mercury present in a particular type of lamp
3. The lifespan of the lamp which determines the amount of mercury used during operation

Liquid-State Mercury

Liquid-state mercury, which is the most common form of mercury used in HID and fluorescent lighting, represents the greatest environmental hazard. If these types of lights are broken, the liquid mercury can find its way into cracks in concrete, asphalt, or spaces in other floor coverings. This can cause local contamination. Liquid-state mercury is used in such lights as metal halides, mercury vapors, compact fluorescents, and T12, T8, and T5 fluorescents. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that the liquid form of mercury from just one metal halide, T5, T8, or T12 fluorescent can pollute up to 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels.

Solid-State Mercury

A tiny solid-state mercury amalgam is used in ADG ECO Induction Lights. In this form the mercury is compounded with other metals, similar to the amalgam once widely used in dental fillings. It will not release toxic mercury vapor when exposed to room temperature and poses no threat of contamination. To further ensure safety, the amalgam is contained in an internal protective glass arm that keeps it encapsulated in case of accidental lamp breakage. This makes the recovery and recycling of the mercury amalgam an extremely simple, cost effective, and safe process.

Induction Lighting Mercury Consumption

Additionally, ADG ECO Induction Lamps use the least amount of mercury of any mercury-based lamp technology, when considered based on both initial quantity and amount used over the lamp’s life. Remember that induction lamps use solid-state mercury, while the other lamps use the volatile liquid form. The figure below compares the amount of mercury used per 20,000 hours of operation in induction lamps and other lighting technologies. As you can see, induction lamps use the least amount of mercury at only 1.3 micrograms.

Bulb Lifespan

At an unprecedented 100,000 maintenance-free hours, ADG ECO Induction Lights have the longest lifespan of any available commercial/industrial lighting source. Induction outlives the 50,000-hour LED by 40-50%.

Conversion Efficiency or Energy Utilization

One major difference between LED and Induction Lighting technologies lies in their conversion efficiencies. Conversion efficiency, or lumens per watt, is a measurement of the amount of light a lamp produces for a given amount of energy. Most presently available LED Lighting fixtures have conversion efficiencies in the range 65 to 90 Lumens/Watt but are still quite expensive. In contrast, ADG ECO Induction fixtures have conversion efficiencies between 80 and 90 Lumens/Watt and are extremely cost effective.

Lumen Maintenance Curves

Lumen maintenance or lumen depreciation information is published as lumen maintenance curves. They can be used to gauge a lighting system’s lumen output and when lights need to be replaced. The graph below displays lumen maintenance curves for various commercial lighting types. It shows that ADG ECO Induction Lamps only experience a gradual decline in lumen depreciation, which provides for more consistent and predictable illumination over a longer period of time. In contrast, the initial high lumen output of LED lights drops significantly after 20,000 hours and completely plummets at end of life. This greatly reduces the time period to replace aging lights and meet minimum lighting requirements.

Use of Chemicals & Resources

Although LED lights may not use mercury, the manufacturing process of their semiconductors uses highly toxic chemicals such as lead and arsenic. As with any semiconductor device, an LED fixture has to be fabricated before it can be tested to determine if it meets specifications. Due to different variables in the manufacturing process, LED fixtures have a high rejection rate, which results in a fair amount of materials that cannot be recycled and adds to the overall cost of manufacturing. This can cause local contamination of the manufacturing or disposal site. LEDs are also constructed using significant amounts of petroleum-based plastics for circuit boards. Furthermore, LED’s only 50,000-hour lifespan usually requires that two complete LED fixtures be manufactured for every one induction light fixture. The use of LED lights adds to both project costs and the consumption of additional resources, materials, and energy. In contrast, only the ballasts and lamps in ADG ECO Induction Light fixtures need to be removed and replaced rather than forcing the manufacturing of an entirely new fixture.

Maintainability

LED lights have a maintainability issue in that the explosion of unregulated LED manufacturers, both name brand and independents, has unfortunately led to no product standardization for the industry. Currently, LED buyers are left questioning whether the manufacturer will offer matching spare parts when systems begin to fail or will entire systems need to be replaced? Furthermore, the consistency of LED products can vary from batch to batch.
Power Fluctuations & Heat Induced Failure

LEDs are a current driven technology where brightness is proportional to the current applied. If too much current is sent to the device, the sensitive junction on the wire bond will be destroyed and the LED will fail. Furthermore, if an LED’s integrated chip fails before the diode or if it is not constructed with a decent high temperature IC or heat dissipation device, the LED can fail after only 10,000 hours. Worst of all, manufacturers of high output “white” LEDs are hiding a dark secret - crank up the current or experience a power spike and their efficiencies plummet. This is known as droop and it is threatening the future of the LED industry. Droop can be avoided on properties or areas with power fluctuations and surges by purchasing and installing additional soft start circuits. In contrast, ADG ECO Induction Lights are a voltage driven technology where there is no significant effect, visual or measurable, on performance due to power fluctuations. Furthermore, they are constructed with high frequency generators that have built-in pre-conditioners that will maintain a well-stabilized and regulated internal power supply even in voltage fluctuations of +/- 20 volts.

End-of-Life Replacement Costs

When most LED lights reach end-of-life, generally the entire fixture has to be replaced due to the custom heat sinks required for thermal management of the array of LED elements. Contact with the LED’s fixture is necessary for heat dissipation. In contrast, ADG ECO Induction lamps are manufactured with mature glass molding and coating technology and are mounted with screws that attach the inductors to the fixture. This allows them to be easily removed from the interior of the fixture and replaced if damaged or at end-of-life. Instead of purchasing an entire new fixture, you will only need to install a replacement bulb and ballast.

Product Warranty

ADG ECO Lighting Products offers a comprehensive 10-year warranty on product and replacement labor for our lighting technologies compared to LED’s 5-year warranty. To illustrate this point take a look at the table below. Ten years out, the components or fixtures will have been replaced in 113 of the 226 LED lighting systems. Furthermore, 10 years at 12 hours per day of burn time equals 43,800 total hours, which is close to the 50,000-hour lifespan of LED lights. Therefore, approximately 12 years out, all 226 LED fixtures will have been replaced. In contrast, ten years out the property will have replaced zero induction fixtures, components, or lamps and look forward to 12 more years of superior illumination and operational cost savings.

10 Year Warranty & Replacement Cost Analysis
Number of Lights 226 Assumptions
* Annual Failure Rate of 10% for LEDs after 5 Year Warranty Period
* LED Fixtures have Replaceable Components
ADG ECO Warranty 10 Years
LED Warranty 5 Years
Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Totals
ADG ECO $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
LED $5,650 $5,650 $5,650 $5,650 $5,650 $28,250

Manufacturer Accessibility

ADG ECO Lighting Products manufactures their induction lighting fixtures in America, specifically in Chatsworth, California. Not only does this reduce carbon emissions associated with shipping and outsourcing, but it also can contribute additional LEED points to your project and supports the local economy. As a fixture manufacturer, ADG ECO Lighting Products has the distinct advantage of being able to review, design, and present multiple fixture variations rather than simply promoting lighting technologies and products. Solution-based manufacturing allows direct contact between ADG ECO’s factory and designers and property ownership and management.

System ‘Recyclability’

The recycling process for induction lights requires far less energy and raw materials than other lighting technologies, such as LED lighting. With induction lights, the glass arm containing the small mercury amalgam is safely detached and the metal inductors are removed, leaving a glass envelope free of metal or throughput wires. All of these parts are then easily and cheaply recycled. To further simplify this process, ADG ECO Lighting Products offers recycling services for both your old and new lighting systems at a minimal cost.

Investment Opportunities for Other Sustainable Technologies

The greater energy savings, higher efficiency, longer lifespan, lower initial cost, and shorter payback period of ADG ECO Induction Lighting over LED lighting will significantly reduce operating costs. This allows for the cost-effective integration of additional sustainable technologies, such as photovoltaic systems and wind turbines.

Total Cost of Ownership

When considering the replacement of conventional lighting fixtures, one of the best indicators of sustainability and energy efficiency is the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). TCO takes into account the cost of initial purchase, the cost of energy to operate the fixture, and the maintenance/replacement costs associated with failure rates and expired product warranty. As shown in the following table, ADG ECO Induction Lighting prevails in every category, proving that it has a lower total cost of ownership and environmental impact. Furthermore, induction lighting will give commercial/industrial properties the tools necessary to lessen the economic impact of the conservative estimation that energy costs are increasing at a rate of 4% per year.

10 Year Total Cost of Ownership Comparison: LED vs. Induction Lighting Fixtures
Product Details 150W LED 150W Induction Notes
Lifespan (Hours) 50,000 100,000
Analysis Period (Years) 10 43,800 Hrs of Operation (12 hrs/day)
Fixture Efficiency (Lumens/Watt) 80 90 From Manufacturer’s Spec Sheets
Initial Fixture Output (Lumens) 12,000 13,500 **See Lumen Depreciation Curve
CRI 64-84 85-90
Per Fixture Power Consumption (W) 168 155 Includes Ballast/Power Supply
Per Fixture Power Consumption (kWh) 0.168 0.155
Total Number of Lights Retrofitted 226
Total Power Used Over 10 Years (kWh) 1,662,998 1,534,314
Total Cost of Power Over 10 Years $199,560 $184,118 **Does not factor in 4% per year escalation in energy costs ** Initial electricity rate of $.12/kWh
Carbon Emissions over 10 Years (Lbs) 1,579,848 1,457,598 Based on 0.95 Lbs/kWh
Cost of Initial Purchase $203,400 $146,900 Tax, Freight & Tax Rebates NOT Included
Maintenance Costs Over 10 Years $28,250 $0 **See Warranty Analysis & Replacement Costs
Product Warranty (Years) 5 10 LED Warranty Exceeded by Analysis Period
Total Cost of Ownership Over 10 Years $431,210 $331,018 TCO Difference of $100,192

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many distinct advantages of ADG ECO Induction Lighting systems over LED lighting systems. It has been shown that mercury use is not a sufficient indicator of induction lighting’s true environmental impact. This report proves that ADG ECO Induction Lighting systems outperform LEDs in: conversion efficiency, lifespan, lumen depreciation, use of chemicals and resources, maintainability, power fluctuations and heat induced failure, end-of-life replacement costs, product warranty, manufacturer accessibility, system ‘recyclability’, investment opportunities for other sustainable technologies, total cost of ownership, ROI, and payback period. All things considered, ADG ECO Induction Lighting systems are undoubtedly the most economic and ecologic lighting choice available for commercial and industrial properties.

Works Consulted

1. Affordable Energy Efficient Solutions. (2009). Induction Lighting Better Than LEDs.
2. Goodman, P., and P. Lumileds. (2009). Avoiding Current Spikes with LEDs.
3. Lighting Design Lab. (2010). Disadvantages of LED Lighting.
4. Roberts, L. Michael. (2010). Magnetic Induction Lights vs. LED Lights. Indulux Technologies Inc.
5. Roberts, L. Michael. (2010). Environmental Aspects of Magnetic Induction Lamps. Indulux Technologies Inc.

This is the FIRST of two energy audits.

Energy Audit #1, today's energy audit of the prefab modern house, is as we're at the "This is the modern house kit + cladding + the homeowner sealing around the windows stage", the second will be once we're "done, finished, kaput, as in done, done, done, done, don't ever want to think about anything construction related for at least another week DONE."

Our mission is to create tight, energy efficient, gorgeous passive solar house kits.  I admire rated, certified, even more stringent approaches, like Passive House standards, maybe we'll do this in the future, but we achieve what we want in an energy efficient home while incorporating great modern design on an average, reasonable budget.

Some highly energy efficient homes incorporate two door chambers to prevent temperature loss.
I picture the way I live, and it is just too chaotic and messy to make such an entrance successful.  Can you imagine a couple struggling with the stroller, dogs still on the leash, juggling a bag of groceries and a baby on one hip, getting the key in the door lock then screaming to the spouse...
"Quick honey, seal the chamber, we're losing LEED points!"
Obviously if you live in a severe climate, it makes sense. But we're in Normal Rest-o'-Tha-World here.

We're a muddy, raggedy bunch here... why do ya think we're bandits?
You can increase the thickness of the house kit panels, choose even more efficient doors and windows (our casa ti prefab green home is spec'd for Jeld-Wen and our, SIPs house kit with two stories, The R1 Residential, is spec'd for Marvin Integrity), seal it up even tighter... but my focus is on affordable energy efficiency in our prefab green homes, so we chose great solutions that fit within a moderate budget.

The average quote for the casa ti windows is currently about $9,000-$10,500. If you would like to spend more on windows to make 'em nano-crazy-efficient, go for it, we can adjust the shop drawings. But expect the added cost.

We hired energy rater Guy DuBois, of No Energy Loss, to come out and inspect the modern prefab house kit. 
These are the notes I jotted down during his cell phone call to me en route from the land. Mr. DuBois will guest blog later this week with more real data, but here are his initial verbal impressions of the still-under-construction, still-not-completely-sealed house kit:

"Well, we certainly smoked up your house quite a bit, there was nowhere for it to go!"

(Copeland's note: Ummmm, I assume he means it was some kind of smoke air test thingy? I hope he didn't mean he smoked in mah house?!?)

Ok, on to Mr. DuBois:

"Those windows - they are worth the money, they were very well sealed."

Copeland's note: Handsome Husband also sealed around the frames... OK FINE I will just stop commenting and just TYPE what he said!

"Your husband did a good job of sealing around the windows... there are two areas he also could look at if he wanted to seal further- along the south eave and that back door threshold.

It is surprisingly tight. I don't know why I say surprising, but I guess I didn't expect it to be so tight, even though I should have."

[Copeland's note: Um, yeah, thanks Mr. DuBois... ; ) OK, OK I'll stop commenting!]

"I'll go back at completion and run more tests.  This was a good time to go out there because if there were problems you could address them before everything was closed up.

As you know, it's so tight you really must have mechanical ventilation, which you will be installing (HRV), which is critical in these energy efficient homes. Most homes, most traditionally-built homes, leak willy-nilly so you don't ever have to worry about air quality, but in energy efficient homes like these they're so air-tight that air-exchange is imperative.

I saw very little air leakage... there is some thermal bridging you can address if you want but you certainly won't have a problem heating and maintaining good energy efficiency, that's for sure. How does it compare to a "normal" house? Superior!"

To continue to seal even further, concentrate on the areas where there is lumber vs. SIP (structural insulated panels)- the doorway header, add insulation around wooden framing, and if you're in really severe climates, you could add an exterior seal.

Mr. DuBois makes a good point:

"But you have to consider the climate- maybe if you're in Alaska or really south Florida you would want to consider that, but... we're in Virginia, how much gain will you really get by doing all that?!? You already know that with your off grid systems, comfort will never be an issue.

I will be punching in everything I did today and coming back with some data next week... you're not trying to get this house certified, so this is just more FYI info, but it will be cool to compare today with when you're done at the end of the project."

He also said that the amount of leakage currently (we're still not done sealing) in the prefab SIPs passive solar home is equivalent to about 6 x 6 inches, smaller than a basketball. Handsome Husband is chasing that number, with sealant in hand.

Later, Handsome Husband arrived home, and I had all these pictures and video to look at... and share with you now.

HOUSE KIT ENERGY AUDIT VIDEOS:
Mr. DuBois sets up...

SIPs House Kit Energy Audit #1 of 2

They start do to the smoke test and pressurize the modern house kit. SUDDENLY, a clerestory window pops wide open!  It had looked closed, but hadn't been closed totally, which certainly that had also contributed to our loss of temperature this winter at night!  It is securely locked now... : )

Smoke And Open Windows In The Affordable Prefab SIPs House

So, they pressurize again...

Energy-Audit-#1 of 2 In The Affordable Prefab Green Home

And then....they freakin' fill mah house up with SMOKE!
Note the comment about the south edge- later they discovered that when the door was installed they didn't put any sealant under that south door.  You as a home owner can seal that more if you live in a severe climate area. I knew the windows worked really well for our budget, but am pleased with how impressed he is! : )

Energy Audit 1 of 2: Smoke And Windows

Here Handsome Husband decides he's going to track down that durned elusive number.

Energy Audit 1 of 2: Husband Wants Passive Perfect

Then they go tramp around outside looking for leaks.
If there were gaps, you'd see the smoke drifting out.

Energy Audit #1 of 2 of the Prefab Net Zero Energy Green House

NOTE:The next week Handsome Husband discovered they hadn't sealed pipes inside for the audit + we haven't added the foam *around* the foundation, contributing to temperature drop / leakage. Stay tuned for Energy Audit #2!
Check out what it looks like when they crack the door (and how hard it was to open because of the pressurization - because the house kit was so tight!).

Energy-Audit-Of-Green-House-Kit

...And then they start calculating...
Which Mr. DuBois will go into more in his guest post soon.

Energy-Audit-01-16-2010-36 from Copeland Casati on Vimeo.

And thaz it, the latest from our passive solar green home!

Here is Handsome Husband's summary:

"This wraps up the initial test of the house kit. We now know what simple steps we have left to optimize the envelope of the SIPs house, and we look forward to the final testing after construction is (finally) completed. The general goal and idea of the casa ti has passed Mr. DuBois's testing with flying colors, as we already suspected in the prefab house kit's performance over the last few weekends where the design and structure were able to give us relative comfort in a hostile climate.

The great thing about the delays in this project is that we're able to thoroughly test the house kit without further improvements, this allows us to confirm the performance a passive solar house kit built with SIPs."

It's that time of year again, when you collect the photos from the year and send 'em off to the far-flung great-aunts and uncles.

Looking over these months, I enjoyed seeing again our net zero prefab green home take shape. There's still much to do; but even before the interior is completed, the prefab SIPs house can be beautiful with its use of light, open spaces, and special touches.

Here are some pictures of the interior as it has evolved this year...(with a few exterior pics thrown in...)

We will be dragging out a *lot* more (most of it reused, recycled) furniture this month...

It's amazing how you really can make a home out of little recycled elements, and a lot of love and creativity.
It is now also clear that my accessory and design elements incorporate... dogs.

In the meantime... Enjoy!

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.