Workshop

If you watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, you may have caught the interview he did with Steven Chu. If you missed it, CLICK HERE

Steven Chu is the Energy Secretary. As the Secretary of Energy he knows a lot about the environment. One of the simple solutions Chu has talked about is the white roof. No, it's not a political colloquilism, it's literally a white roof. Yes, it's common sense, another ' environmental solution' that celebrates common sense.

Changing your roof color to white will reduce cooling costs by as much as 20 percent. That's big savings in warmer climates. It's also less time putting out harmful emissions from running your air conditioner. Chu suggests that not only change your roof to white but the pavements as well. 'It will have a profound effect in the climate conditions, (similar to) if you took all the one billion cars off the road for eleven years.' The color white on such large wide surfaces reflecting such huge amounts of heat back into space packs a great environmental punch.

Another great part about the suggestion is that there are no gimicky white roofs that are a better shade of white or what not. You can just paint your roof white if you wanted to.  The popular choice has been a white plastic, and  the white panel.

Check out lots of other great stuff on the topic in our Framing and Roofing Workshop! 

Birds are sometimes given a bad rap, with all that talk about them being dinosaurs, and then there's the Alfred Hitchcock movie, and if you live in a city with pigeons, which have been compared to rodents, and all that poop!

But the fact is that attracting birds and providing them with means for a healthy habitat is a very useful thing. There are some great reasons to attract birds and provide them with healthy habitat, including 'helping bring nature back into balance', increasing the bird population, and insect pest control', says www.a-home-for-wild-birds.com.

Bird populations have decreased significantly in recent years. The most obvious reason is the pervasiveness of concrete in our modern world. By providing feed, we can help birds thrive! You can put out bird feeders, or just get a big bag of feed and dish out a scoop onto your yard every now and then. As more birds come to your yard to feed, they will be returning frequently, eating the insects as well as the feed. Eventually you will experience decreased need for chemicals to maintain the healthy vegetation and appearance of your yard.

Black oil sunflower seed is the feed to choose when trying to attract birds. You can buy feed at any feed store, or even places like Home Depot, or on-line. Just don't feed them chocolate, it does to a bird what it does to a dog, from a substance contained in chocolate called 'theo-bromine' which is toxic to these animals (see more on this at www.birds.cornell.edu .) For a good list of specific feeds that attract specific species of birds go to www.gardensalive.com. The website www.shawcreekbirdsupply.com has a list of ways to discourage certain species from coming to your yard, (i.e. the pigeon).

Birds rely on habitat, and with nature being 'paved over' for progress, the influx of invasive plant species, pollution, and industrialized farming, basic needs like feeding, rest and breeding are being threatened. The Audubon Society, www.audubon.org, provides a 'watch list' for all the species of birds that are currently under the threat of extinction. They also note that it is 'only citizen action that can fuel the changes that will improve the outlook' for watch-listed birds. All in all, feeding birds is something to feel good about. It helps the environment, beautifies your backyard, controls insects and keeps the cycle of nature in balance.

To the novice homeowner, a site is all about plants or buildings but for those that are eco-aware, it is all about soil.

Similar to the concept of a business’s location being the back-bone to its success, adequate soil analysis - the pH content and nutrients both available and lacking in a site’s soil - is the site’s make or break factor.

Initially, a simplistic soil test is adequate. This type of test provides information related to pH content. Measurement occurs on a scale of 1 to 14: one (1) representing the maximum acid content and 14, the maximum alkaline. More advanced testing, available through land grant Universities such as Virginia Tech, is critical for a thorough understanding of soil and its breakdown of content and natural nutrients.

Become aware of a phrase used by organic gardeners, ‘feed the soil, not the plant’. In other words, improve soil content through the amendment of humus: compost, leaf mold, peat, organic matter and aged manure.

Help move your area's landscape from eco-weak to eco-chic. Feed your site’s soil, not plants by annually adding 1/2 to 3 inches of amendments, composted humus/mulch, insuring your area’s soil stability.

What are you doing to improve the soil health of your area? As we move into the planting season, post suggestions. Share what is works-well for you!

Healthier Spray Foam Insulation: The Green Cocoon installer spraying foam insulation to enhance a building's energy efficiency. The Green Cocoon uses a spray foam that substitutes some carbon-producing ingredients with soy-based ones.

New mixtures for spray foam insulation successfully uses healthier ingredients in a construction staple that is already widely accepted as fairly green. Spray foam insulation has been applied in many types of building projects. Chosen primarily for its excellent insulating and sound-dampening qualities, spray foam is a big player in achieving LEED Points by reducing the demands for heating and cooling thus reducing energy consumption. The benefits of this product outweigh the negative points associated with spray foam, most notably the oil that is mixed with a foaming catalyst to produce it. Traditionally, spray foam is made with petrol-based oil, which, of course, is a large contributor of carbon. It is seemingly a necessary evil: not a 100% green option, but the best option available.

Heightening the competition in the green product arena foam producers are using “a soybean based polyol that can replace the conventional petroleum-based polyols [and] help the polyurethane industry become less dependent on imported mineral Crude oil” (http://www.biobasedtechnologies.com/). See my “simple duck” references below for definitions! The percentage of soybean-based substitution currently varies by manufacturer but could be upwards of twenty percent when combined with renewable and recycled materials.

This smart substitution method should act as a model for other companies that produce materials consumed by the construction industry. Investing in research and working towards higher standards of sustainability can only pay off in the end as more building projects demand the healthiest, most eco-friendly products from businesses that strive to uphold responsible practices.

“Simple Duck” terminology (as promised, which I needed in order to write about this):

What is a polyol?

A polyol is a sugar alcohol. Polyol molecules can be chained together using certain chemical procedures to produce polyesters. Soybean-based polyols have been used as a petrol-substitute to manufacture parts of farm vehicles like John Deere tractors. (Deere & Co.)

What does the polyurethane industry produce?

Varnish, skateboard/rollerblade wheels, furniture and car seat foam. Maybe these will be the next products to get a boost of green-esteem from the diverse soybean.

This post was submitted by ThinkDwell. Visit Our Blog.

In the June 22nd editors posting we offered the lowdown on health issues with wallpaper. Wallpaper is a popular choice for cozy-ing -up the place when it comes to home decorating. Keeping in mind that wallpaper may not have completed the transition to 100% eco-friendly, there are some things to look for that are an improvement. These typically include water based inks and bamboo. But who would have thought of nanotechnology?

Ecodomo, offers wallpaper made out of recycled materials, they call their product 'ecore'. Ecore relies on nanotechnology for its low energy process. The product is said to compete with vinyl and doesn't release any VOC's. The wallpaper is resistant to stains and tearing, doesn't burn, and is completely recyclable.

Since no trees are cut down when harvesting cork, and bamboo, these remain environmentally friendly choices. There are some interesting 3D modern wallpaper designs made from bamboo at QuantumWarpWallpaper.com.

Ai wall in Japan takes it to another level with their Igusa Straw wallpaper. Check out aiwallinfo. Igusa straw from Ai Wall sells itself as an anti-mold, anti-fungal, and claims to have a 'spiritual healing effect'. They will even send you swatches. ###

Ive had taken the liberty to privy you to some of the informal pics of what was labeled by the General Contractor, to become one of the most photographed façades in NYC. Some of the pics were taken by one of our NYC maintenance technicians Tom Walsh at Parker Plants (http://www.parkerplants.com) and others either by myself or our award winning installer Steven Dubner Landscaping. (http://www.stevendubnerlandscaping.com/) The real credit goes to Tony Caggiano and Melissa Daniels from Plant Connections (www.myplantconnection.com) who took the concept of the architect (James Harb NYC) and brought it to life with a variety of the heartiest plants available to create a potpourri of texture, color and shapes. The plants were grown in their green house on Long Island to a mature state and then delivered and installed. The installation took 3 days with 8 workers. The hardest part is coordinating the trucking and the actual lifting of the panels to the 3 story elevation. Because it is NYC a full scaffold bridge was required and the easiest way to get the fully grown panels to the top was with a scissors lift. The key is trying not to handle the panels more then once. Once in place then it makes it easy for our NYC irrigation specialist Tony Dilluvio and his staff from Aqua Turf (www.aqua-turf.com) to install and retain the maintenance on the watering system.

The wall was installed at 85% maturity and it is expected to grow to 100% by the fall of 2008. The irrigation system is calibrated to the gallon alleviating wasted water. We know exactly how much water it will take to saturate our walls. The irrigation is complete with a rain and moisture sensor preventing operation if it’s not needed. The 1000 sf Green Living™ Wall is one of a series of projects that was being installed for the Equinox line of fitness centers and yoga facilities. The wall will provide what I coined as “Marketing Genius” in my last article as “The Green Wall Editor” for (www.greenroofs.com). I have yet to meet anyone who does not look our green wall projects and say something like “Cool, Neat….is that real?”……The great thing our walls provide to our clients is attention…….We also launched a rental site within our retail site (www.shop.agreenroof.com) that caters to persons and corporations that need or want something other then everyday signage……the pic attached was a “Freestanding” Green Living™ Wall we rented to Pangea Oragnics and Lexus to be used as a backdrop for the guest speaker. Created with wheat grass prtruding through a custom logo (we manufacture that too) with a variety of darker green foliage surround. Wheat Grass for Pangea We also created a custom centerpiece for the Go Green Gala NYC that contained herbs and wheat grass for a truly green event. In fact it has been so popular we are now offering it to wedding planners and party events.

DO you drink wheat grass? I dont not at 8.00 per shot but what if you can grow your own? Oh and did I mention the benefits of a green wall……cosmetics first function later (Outer Beauty, Inner Function www.greenroofs.com) as part of the Green Committee overseen by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, we have $50,000 available for research on green walls! This only helps make the data official, through in house testing we know that the Green Living™ Wall can reduce heating and air conditioning use, contribute to the urban heat island effect, absorb some storm water run off…..yada yada yada…….sound like an advertisement for a green roof, which we have too…..fact is green walls are very cool and functional…..I can be reached for comment at george@agreenroof.com hope all is well I look forward to your comments….

Also check out the launch of our retail site (www.shop.agreenroof.com) to purchase a few do it yourself panels and our do it yourself green roof!

Still considering green alternatives to drywall... So I decided to harass the fantastic eco furniture designer and green materials distributor, Anthony Brozna, to see what he thought. Now many of you may have seen Anthony's beautiful furniture in Dwell, HGTV, Town & Country, and more. But Anthony also has a green materials business, EcoSupply Center, which promotes green, energy efficient, sustainable building materials. He immediately launched into DragonBoard. According to him, DragonBoard

"May even eventually replace drywall. I think it could even be the answer to Portland Cement / lime based cements. It's made out of magnesium oxide & chloride, and is cold pressed. It has a 4 hour fire rating, submersible in water, you can paint on it, clay it-- one side is smooth, the other rough, so it works well for either application. It's also anti-macrobial. And they make tons of products- subfloor, exterior OR interior..."

The DragonBoard web site had even more great information:

Meet DRAGONBOARD the only UL-Approved construction panel that is:

• Fire-Proof (UL 055 and ASTM-Tested and A-Rated)
• Waterproof (Freeze/Thaw-Tested for 36 months)
• Mold/Fungus/Bug Free (Non-nutrient to mold, fungus, insects ASTM G-21)
• Impact-Resistant (ASTM D-5628)
• NYC Approved (MEA # 359-02-M)
• Silica/Asbestos Free
• Florida Hurricane Tested
• STC-Rated 53-54
• Ready for all 2007 ICC criteria
• Ideal for Flooring (3/4" = 21/2" poured concrete!)
• Guaranteed to Offer Substantial Cost Savings*

Our Commitment to the Environment DRAGONBOARD US is concerned about the environment. DRAGONBOARD is manufactured from mineral components and water. DRAGONBOARD contains:

• No organic solvents
• No oils
• No toxic ingredients
• No heavy metal salts
• No asbestos

DRAGONBOARD sawdust may be safely buried in a landfill without contamination or environmental damage to land, streams or bodies of water. No energy is consumed in manufacturing DRAGONBOARD. The entire patented process is conducted at room temperature and scraps or drop-offs are reground and used in the production of DRAGONBOARD.

EcoSupply is an east coast retailer of DragonBoard, so if you are interested in purchasing it, please feel free to contact them directly.

This is natural clay plaster over compressed earth block, I left a small amount of block showing. This brown coat is a mixture of 1 part straw, 1 part clay, 2 parts sand... ad water makes it's own sauce. It is easily applied with a mud trowel and then smoothed with a wood float, however it is very labor intensive, but a lot of fun. You can cover it with a natural clay plaster color coat, clay paint or leave it raw.

We applied this plaster mixture over raw compressed adobe / earth block, as well as drywall that we primed with a BBS plater primer. we then used the air hose to blow sand on the freshly primed surface and allowed it to dry. This Natural Clay Plaster over Adobe / Earth Blockcreates great grab for the fresh plaster coat and increased production. Solstice Develoment Group www.SolsticeDev.com

The need to conserve energy must start with each of us as individuals. The market can only function efficiently if we exercise our perogative within the system and demand building materials, technologies and systems that promote green building objectives and conserve energy.

Only 52% of windows used in new construction have windows that maximize energy conservation beacuse builders and consumers are unaware of the technologies that are available or fear that they are too costly. Some are, but glass technology has come a long way over the last 30 years and the cost of making energy efficient windows has come way down as the technologies have gained ground. There are also now rating systems and standardized tests developed by independent private associations and governmental agencies to guide the Architect, Builder and Consumer in selecting the window that will perform the best for the given locale you are building in.

Chief among these are the Energy Star Qualified products registry and the National Fenestration Rating Council. Energy Star ratings are supported and maintained by The U.S. Department of Energy. The NFRC registry is maintained by an non-profit industry organization that mandates testing protocols standards and designates independent labs to certify the performance of the windows of the participating manufacturers and Consumers and Building professionals can visit the sites to learn the specific attributes of a glazing system are most desirable for their location (what Zone they a are living in) so they can select a window that has been designed and engineered to best attain the desired levels of performance for their zone.

Each Energy Star Zone has specific minimum U-Values and Solar Heat Gain Co-efficients (SHGC) that they must meet in order to be listed as "Energy Star Qualified". There are also suggestions for specific optimum perfromance criteria there so that an individual can select windows that exceed the minimums and select the best combination of attributes for the windows in their home.

In general, those living in the Southern zones need to be more focused on SHGC measures because in these zones, cooling loads use the bulk of energy to regulate the homes temperature inside. In the Northern zones, U-Value is more important because heating uses more energy for keeping the home comfortable. If you live in Miami, it is more critical that you reduce the amount of heat gain coming through the glass and if you live in Detroit, it is more important to reduce the amount of heat loss through the glass. Fine tuning the glazing is important and can lead to reductions in heating or cooling costs of up to 30%.

Now most builders will choose the least expensive window they can to hold the price of the house down. It is up to the end consumer and local building codes to begin to consider life-cycle cost instead of initial cost in designating window performance levels. New technologies that make windows optimally efficient can be had for and average cost as low as $ 15.00 per window (source: Cardinal Industries, Inc.). The payback for a cost like this is less than a few years and has become very easy to consider given the rise in energy costs over the last few years.

So learn for yourself. Go to Energy Star Zones or Efficient Window Collaborative to learn what is the best combination of attributes and find a window that is best for your home.