Des Plaines, Ill./October 5, 2006/—It's hip to be green. And remodeling a home green is easier than you think. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) just launched its new Green Remodeling educational program, offering remodeling contractors across the country a unique opportunity to incorporate cost-saving and earth-sustaining green concepts into their clients' homes.
What is green remodeling? NARI's approach to teaching green remodeling is an all-encompassing and emphasizes making a home healthy, comfortable, and efficient. Consideration is given to indoor air quality, energy conservation, resource conservation, reduced material waste, and the use of products that are better for the environment (and for people).
Why go green? It's easier on the earth, it lowers costs, and it provides a healthier home in which to live. According to the Sustainable Building Industry Council (SBIC), housing alone consumes 20% of America's energy. Homeowners who choose to remodel green can lower their energy consumption by 30-50%. It's widely agreed that forests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen, and that building supplies use 25% of its forests. Remodeling green by incorporating recycled materials or sustainable species will help homeowners to tread more lightly on Earth's natural resources.
Green remodeling is becoming more popular as homeowners consider health issues, skyrocketing energy costs and Earth's natural resources. More than 15 million Americans are estimated to have asthma, and more than 28 million Americans suffer from hay fever and other allergies, all of which are aggravated by poor indoor air quality.
NARI President Everett Collier, CR, states, "Remodeling green offers every homeowner the opportunity to reduce home energy demands, lessen home maintenance costs, and increase comfort. Remodelers are increasingly exploring green remodeling principles for their overall value for their clients and for the sake of the environment."
The new green program at NARI helps remodelers do just that. "If a remodeling contractor seeks to develop knowledge and skill in the area of green remodeling," says Chris Donatelli, CR, CKBR, and chair of the Green Education Sub-Committee, "the NARI green program will help realize those goals. This program thoroughly educates the contractor who desires to focus on environmentally friendly remodels."
Facets of Green Remodeling
Energy conservation. The average home today uses systems for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and most homes are not built as efficiently as they could be, resulting in high energy consumption. The U.S. Department of Energy believes if current buildings were green-improved, they would use $20 billion less in energy per year. Green remodeling puts a strong emphasis on making homes as efficient as possible with modifications such as energy-efficient appliances and thermostats that can be programmed at different temperatures for different times of the day.
Indoor air quality. There are many sources that contribute to the air quality inside a home. They include pollutants brought in from the outside, toxic chemicals existing inside the home, and the activities of the occupants that create pollutants. Major contributors are tobacco smoke; smoke from the burning of wood, coal, kerosene or other such substances; toxic fumes from sealants or chemicals from cleaning products; lead paint; asbestos from insulation; damp carpets or fabrics; and certain pressed-wood furniture products that release chemicals into the air. Green remodeling seeks to remedy these problems with things such as better ventilation systems and using wood, paint, and sealants that are nontoxic.
Reduced material waste and resource conservation. When remodeling a home, there is often a large amount of construction waste: 136 million tons of waste annually, or about 20% of the waste in landfills, according to the EPA. Because 85 to 90 percent of those materials can be recycled, green remodeling focuses on reducing this waste during remodeling and reusing materials whenever possible. Some of the methods are using local materials, building with engineered lumber, and using recycling companies to remove waste are all ways this can be achieved during remodeling.
Environmentally safe products. Many products and practices used in the remodel of a home have negative effects on the environment. From chemicals and materials that pollute the air to the disturbing of the surrounding landscape, a myriad of actions taken can cause harm. With green, care is given to minimizing or eliminating products that could cause harm to the environment or the occupants during remodeling or after.
The benefits of green remodeling include:
- Reduces operating costs in the home by increasing efficiency
- Conserves natural resources
- Increases the value of the home
- Improves indoor air quality and in turn, overall health
- Reduces waste
- Reduces emissions costs
- Increases productivity of occupants
- Improves quality of life
Implementing Green
Green remodeling can be done in small ways and doesn't necessarily have to encompass the entire home. It's easy to pick and choose elements that fit each particular homeowner:
- Non-toxic paints and sealants
- Programmable thermostats
- Energy efficient appliances
- Natural flooring
- Local building materials
- Natural fiber rugs and fabrics
- Recycled material roof shingles and tiles
- Energy efficient lighting
- Insulated hot water pipes
- Tankless water heaters
- Quality insulation
- Native plants for landscaping
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