Green building is a response to building practices that are needlessly wasteful and negatively impact the environment and occupant health.
What building green means to us: We provide our clients with energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and healthy homes that will last for generations. We utilize high performance building practices that maximize the use of the materials and reduce the homes heating and cooling needs. This begins with quality – quality craftsmanship and quality materials. We feel if the home is enjoyed it will be taken care of, and in turn it will take care of the occupants
We start by choosing the right materials for the application. This helps reduce the environmental impact of our projects. Products like:
- No-V.O.C. paints, stains, and glues.
- Local sourced lumber for framing or finished millwork.
- Recycled old wood products such as timber either used as is, or re-milled into items like flooring or custom woodwork.
- Site sawn lumber (if possible).
- Engineered wood products.
- Insulated foundations and slabs.
- Triple glazed windows.
- Dense pack cellulose and certain foams for wall and roof insulation.
These are examples of green building materials and products that are commonly found in our buildings. When choosing materials we consider the impacts of where these materials come from, how they are used, and where they go when they live out their usefulness. This process is referred to as the “life cycle” of a product and this manner of assessment that we employ when picking our products.
We work with Architects, designers, and subcontractors to choose the best systems for our projects. Systems like:
- High efficiency heating and cooling systems.
- Solar Thermal (hot water) and/or Photovoltaic (Electricity) systems.
- Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) and Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV)
for fresh outside air.
These systems can reduce the home’s energy needs and can also help achieve net zero status for the building. Using building modeling, we can pinpoint weak spots in the building envelope before construction starts. This process also helps us properly size the systems being installed to maximize their efficiency. This also helps reduce the cost of running the systems over time. Once construction is underway, we can have the building tested for leaks via a blower door test. This gives us a second chance to improve the building efficiency if something is missed in process.
Building Green doesn’t mean building more expensive. As greener building practices become more commonplace, the construction costs of these houses are going down. The cost of fuel and electricity is constantly going up, it’s never been a better time to build for more efficiency and save money on energy costs down the road.
We like working closely WITH the architect, designer, and clients to ensure that the building(s) work with the site, melding into the natural landscape. Keeping open communication between all the parties helps ensure that the project will move efficiently and that all parties are heard and remain happy during the building process.