9 Green Remodeling Principles

Nov 29, 2011 by DRESblog

1. Improve an existing house instead of building a new one.
Every time a new house is built, a small part of the natural environment disappears. “Greening” an existing house instead of building a new one helps to preserve meadows, forests, fields and other undeveloped areas.

2. Embrace “the house as a system.”
In the same way that holistic medicine considers all the internal and external factors that influence the health of the human body, green remodeling includes an incredibly broad range of details and conditions that comprise your home. Keep your green view as broad as possible, because every house has its own unique set of strengths, weaknesses and improvement opportunities. What you do in one area often has implications in another. Sealing air leaks to make your house “tighter” and more energy efficient will increase the need for good ventilation. Starting a vegetable garden may make water conservation measures more important. Upgrading attic insulation can make it possible to install a smaller furnace.

3. Look for recycled content.
Products made from recycled materials reduce the volume of material that goes into landfills. Recycled content also eliminates some of the environmental impact of mining, shipping and processing virgin materials. Pay attention to recycled content when choosing products like insulation, carpeting, drywall and countertops. For even greater green value, forego new cabinets, flooring and plumbing fixtures in favor of salvaged equivalents from a Habitat ReStore or other recycling center in your area.

4. If possible, buy locally made and American-made products.
It’s more sustainable to buy products that don’t have to travel far from their manufacturing source. Bamboo flooring made in China is not as green as wood flooring that comes from forests and factories here in the U.S. The same goes for all building products, from tile and skylights to paint and plumbing fixtures.

5. Always reduce before you produce.
A house that gets some of its energy from the sun or the wind is definitely on the cutting edge of green technology. But before producing energy from renewable resources, it’s essential to reduce a building’s energy consumption using tried-and-true methods like air sealing, extra insulation, lighting upgrades, duct sealing and HVAC system replacement. These improvements don’t have the attention-getting value of roof-mounted solar panels, but they can have just as much energy-saving impact. It’s also worth noting that air-sealing and extra insulation are “once-and-done” improvements that never wear out or require maintenance. They keep working whether or not the sun is shining or the wind is blowing.

6. Remember that green remodeling always has a local and regional flavor.
Some green remodeling goals are universal, like conserving water and improving energy efficiency. But others are dependent on local conditions. For example, saving energy on air conditioning is a priority in southern parts of the U.S., but not in northern states. Saving energy by hanging clothes out to dry in the sun will be more feasible in Albuquerque than it is in Seattle. By networking within your local green-building community, you’ll gain useful insights into the goals and resources for your green remodeling ventures.

7. Every green house needs an energy audit.
Today we have an amazing array of products to improve a home’s energy efficiency –from spray foam and blow-in cellulose insulation to condensing furnaces, radiant barriers, super-efficient appliances, tankless water heaters and more. But the only way for a homeowner to know which upgrades should be done first is to have an energy audit performed by a certified home energy analyst. A comprehensive energy audit provides you with a detailed, step-by-step game plan to improve not just home energy performance, but indoor air quality, property value and building durability.

8. Aim for durability and low maintenance.
Green value usually increases as requirements for maintenance and replacement decrease. Clapboard siding that has to be repainted every 8-10 years is not as green as cedar shingles that can be left to weather naturally. Cheap 20-year roof shingles are likely to end up in the landfill before top-quality 50-year roof shingles. It often costs more to buy durable, low-maintenance products, but we need to move beyond the “throw-away” economy that has prevailed for so long. Besides, durable, low-maintenance characteristics improve a home’s value, especially when it’s time to put the house on the market.

9. Make behavior modification part of the plan.
Installing a programmable thermostat will make it easier to save energy by automatically turning down the heat when the house is empty or family members are sleeping. But greener living sometimes demands a little extra work, which we all need to get better at doing. Bringing reusable bags to the grocery store will cut down on the environmental damage caused by disposable plastic bags. Sharing a ride to work not only reduces carbon emissions; it also strengthens the relationships that make communities strong. Paying a little more for produce at the farmer’s market helps to ensure that local agriculture doesn’t give way to new housing developments. Let’s make sure the green movement goes beyond our doorsteps.