By Rob Fanjoy
Green building and remodeling was a big topic at the 2007 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas, as industry professionals gathered to hear expert presenters provide tips, techniques and strategies to keep green's momentum steamrolling forward.
One of those presenters was David Johnston, president of What's Working (www.whatsworking.com), a green building consulting and training firm in Boulder, Colo. His discussion, "Green Kitchens and Bathrooms," was based on his book, Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time, which was co-written by Kim Master, a LEED accredited professional.
"We had a little over 800 attendees at the presentation, and they were all very intrigued right from the start," says Johnston. "In the last two or three years, there has been an explosion of interest in green building across the entire industry."
Johnston's discussion began by addressing the very large effects that residential construction and housing has on the environment. He pointed out that residential buildings account for 25 percent of the nation's water use and 48 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Three billion tons of raw materials are used each year to manufacture foundations, walls, pipes and panels. He says more people are becoming aware of how important it is to conserve the natural resources, reduce pressure on our nation's landfill, and save homeowners money.
"The movement is really being driven by the consumer, as more and more of them are realizing it's the right thing to do," says Johnston.
Johnston presented many statistics to illustrate just how important it is to construct homes that are not only easier on the environment but healthier for occupants as well. Some statistics he cited include the following:
- Construction of an average 2,085 sq. ft. home uses 1.5 acres of forest, and 95 percent of our old-growth forests already have been depleted, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
- People spend 90 percent of their time indoors, and 30 percent of our nation's buildings have poor indoor air quality, says U.S. EPA.
- Of all the chemicals the EPA monitors, only two are more prevalent outdoors than in.
"Forty percent of children born today will develop allergies which are caused or impacted by the houses they live in or the schools they attend," says Johnston. "So obviously there has been a problem with the air quality due to the types of things we build into buildings or bring into them."
With the surge is green building's popularity, Johnston says that there are now more alternatives and techniques available than ever before. Among those he highly recommends:
- Heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) to improve ventilation while saving energy
- Low-VOC adhesives, caulks and paints, and water-based low-VOC sealers
- Natural stone or ceramic tile, concrete or linoleum for flooring
- Exterior grade plywood sealed with a no-VOC sealer for use as structural subfloors.
"It can be tough to find ready-made cabinetry that is considered green, as there aren't many manufacturers at the moment," says Johnston. "So I recommend sealing cabinets or building them from solid wood if expense allows. But other items that have been tough to find in the past, such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified sustainable wood, is much easier to find nowadays. In fact, supply of FSC wood now outweighs the demand."
Johnston stressed in his presentation that incorporating green construction techniques — even when remodeling one room at a time (a kitchen or bath, for example) — can have a dramatic effect on the owner's overall comfort, health and budget. Open walls provide a prefect opportunity to check for leaks or signs of mold problems; add insulation; seal any air leakage; or update old systems with newer, energy-efficient components.
"It's really the low-hanging fruit of remodeling. These things don't take any more time and add little or no expense," says Johnston. "Occupants will notice a dramatic difference in energy efficiency and comfort, even one room at a time. It's really an investment on their part — not an expense. More people are realizing that today."
Rob Fanjoy is a freelance writer who is currently updating his own home with green products.
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