Building “Green” means different things to different people. For some it’s all about indoor air quality and making sure your home is not emitting fumes that are potentially hazardous to your family’s health. For others it’s about reusing what you have, renovating and making your new-old home tighter and more energy efficient. Finally there are some who fall into the “embodied energy” category.
At Zelaya Construction Group we believe that all of these considerations should be taken into account when setting out to build or renovate in the most environmental friendly fashion. As standard practice we use eco-friendly paint products, reuse materials when possible, and try to keep as much material as we can out of landfills by donating to Habitat for Humanity.
The average single family house takes 300 mega watt hours of embodied energy to build it. If you’re not familiar with the term, “embodied energy” refers to the amount of energy it takes to make something and therefore, that energy is considered “stored” in the finished product. The “green goal” is to make your embodied energy number as low as possible when building a new home or renovating an existing property.
When removing an existing structure or part of the home, we deconstruct, not demolish. This way we can reuse some of the materials and therefore gain some energy back. We also donate materials that we are done with, but others could use, to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. This way we keep the materials out of landfills.
A Rainwater Catchment tank can be installed to harvest rainwater. Rainwater harvesting is a way of saving the rainwater which would normally flow off a roof and down the drain, and using it as piped water to flush toilets and for the garden watering, yard washdown, vehicle and car washing, instead of potable (treated) drinking water.
A foundation made of concrete is best for building a passive solar home. And by using FlyAsh Concrete, you can reduce your embodied energy by 25%.
The Framing lumber and composite materials used in building should be FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certified lumber. The FSC sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way.
Aluminum windows double the embodied energy needs of the home and therefore a bad choice. Vinyl and PVC windows are better to use. Wood and Wood clad framed windows are a great choice. However the very best window is fiberglass. Fiberglass frames are as maintenance free as vinyl frames. But fiberglass is considerably stronger, making these frames considerably more durable. Fiberglass can also be shaped and sculpted easier than vinyl. From a window energy efficiency standpoint, fiberglass frames are superior to wood, composite, vinyl and most hybrid frames.
There are several good alternatives to fiberglass insulation if you want a “green” product to insulate your home. Insulation made from recycled denim is treated with a fire retardant. It’s not made of used fabric but scraps from the manufacturing process. it’s a good use of otherwise wasted material. Wool insulation provides an option that is natural and renewable. Cellulose insulation is probably your best bet. It’s made from 80% recycled newspaper, and the chemicals that hold it together do not use formaldehyde. Cellulose insulation is more affordable than wool insulation, too.
EcoRock sheet rock uses just 25% of the embodies energy of standard sheetrock. EcoRock is a ground-breaking new interior wall covering made from a mixture of fly ash, slag, kiln dust and fillers. It is composed of 85 percent industrial by-products, is fully recyclable, and to top it all off, it is not susceptible to mold or termites like traditional drywall.
When you are ready to explore these and other options for your “green” building project, give us a call at 703-672-0252. You might be surprised that the biggest impact on protecting the environment come from options you didn’t even think about.
