greenovations: an intro to green and healthy home remodeling
DESCRIPTION
Educational seminar: Remodeling Towards a Green and Healthy Home, What is building you dream green home has to wait a while? In the meantime, there are plenty of things you can do to green up what youre already got. Green and sustainable renovations, whether large or small, can help save you energy and resources. Plus, taking some simple steps towards creating a healthy home can go a long way in reducing your body burden of toxic, synthetic chemicals found in many building materials and conventional cleaning supplies. An understanding of our personal home environmental can help us make informed decisions about environmentally friendly building materials and best practices in construction. An awareness of our human ecology can reduce our body burden of environmental toxins, while also reducing our impact on the earths natural resources. This presentation and Q & A will cover the nuts and bolts of green renovations, from both a builders perspective, and also that of a healthy home consultant. Whether youre a ahomeowner or a renter, the green strategies that will be offered in this clinic will help you synthesize the wealth of information surrounding green residential renovations. The presenters are Laura Catanzaro from Holistic Design and Space Planning and Dan Glickman from Sustainable Construction Services, Inc.TRANSCRIPT
Greenovations
An intro to green andhealthy home remodeling
September 2008 Green Round Table
Renovating Holistically
ren·o·vate: “…to restore to good condition”
ho·lis·tic : “…more than just the sum of parts”
re·source·ful : “…able to deal skillfully and promptly withnew situations and difficulties”
human ecology: “…the relations, interactions andinterdependence between people and their environment
September 2008 Green Round Table
Green and Sustainable
Respect for the earth and its natural processes--respect for our own healthand that of the planet
Bio-mimicry…learning from the earth and how it functions as an eco-system
Sustaining our viability by re-shaping how we live--Reduce, Reuse,Repurpose, Recycle, Rethink
Simplicity vs. Scarcity : what is “enough” and how it can “enrich” our lives
Bargain Green: Some common-sense tips for resourceful, green home fixes
September 2008 Green Round Table
Housing Data
Boston area’s olderhousing stock
September 2008 Green Round Table
Energy Data
Reduce!
September 2008 Green Round Table
What is a Green Renovation?
Energy efficient
Built with low or non toxic materials
Takes full advantage of the given and natural resources
Supportive of dwellers’ physical and mental health
Long lasting
Should have a minimized environmental footprint
September 2008 Green Round Table
Energy Efficiency
Defining energy priorities when remodeling:
1. Start with an energy audit
2. Energy Conservation
3. Energy Use and distribution
4. Energy Production (clean and renewable)
September 2008 Green Round Table
Energy Conservation
“Renovate it tight, ventilate it right” • Stop air leaks
• Improve insulation atwalls, windows, allperimeters andpenetrations
• Clean and insulateducts
• Test with diagnostics
(EPA)
September 2008 Green Round Table
“Enclosure”(section from Building Science Corporationwww.buildingscience.com)
Air-sealing, weather-stripping, insulation, vapormanagement, “breathability”
Heat, air, moisture transfer, dew point,temperature, wind and water
Consider advanced framing
Don’t reside exterior or reface interior withoutair-sealing and insulating
Poly-iso
September 2008 Green Round Table
Energy use and distribution
1. Energy star Appliances and bulbs
2. Control systems
3. System upgrades/replacements
“Kill-a-watt”
Smart surge protector
“Phantom” loads
H-Axis washer
September 2008 Green Round Table
Energy Production
Renewables: Solar – Passive and active Wind – micro turbines Biomass - Wood, pellets, masonry
fireplace, point source heating Geothermal MTC rebates
Conventional setup: System efficiency Through the wall gas heater
(point source) Plan for possible future setup of
renewables
September 2008 Green Round Table
Material Selection
Total embodied energy of building materials by CO2 emissions
Massachusetts WoodlandsCooperative
Use recycled and recyclable materials
Use FSC certified lumber
Prefer locally stored--possiblyregionally supplied building materials
Understand the embodied carboncontent of a product
Choose durable and low maintenanceproducts
Examine the product treatments andproduction processes
September 2008 Green Round Table
Toxicity and Finishes
Use no or low VOC materials. Deal with lead-based paints.
Avoid synthetic carpets with adhesives andbacking.
Use Vinyl, PVC, Polyurethane andFormaldehyde alternatives.
Design for proper ventilation.
September 2008 Green Round Table
IAQ
Separate garage from home.
Minimize off gassing materials.
Vent moisture from bathrooms andbasements to avoid spores.
Use sealed combustion mechanicals.
Allow for makeup air.
Block off grilles and louvers to ductworkduring construction.
Consider Air Filtration Systems
September 2008 Green Round Table
Reuse and Repurpose
Simplicity will enrich you.
(Boston Building Materials Co-op)
September 2008 Green Round Table
Outdoor/Indoor
Overhangs and track off mats
Maximize use of natural light
September 2008 Green Round Table
Sustaining the site, optimizingthe construction process, andlandscaping sensitively
Protect trees and sensitive areas ofyour site from compaction caused byvehicles and machinery.
Reduce wood waste by cutting in onecentralized place.
Manage construction waste by settingup waste separation on site.
Landscape with native species thatrequire little irrigation or fertilizer.
Plant trees on the west side to helpreduce summer overheating.
Consider a meadow rather than a lawn
Use permeable materials on the lot toretain water run-off.
September 2008 Green Round Table
Layout, Space Planning and “Relationships”
Small is both greener and cheaper. Context: look at the whole picture--assess your
existing space to make the most functional use of thespaces you already have.
Consider natural light in your renovations. Design spaces, storage and furnishings according to
how you really use your rooms, and include convenientplaces for recycling.
Sarah SusankaNot So Big House
September 2008 Green Round Table
Water
Find and fix all plumbingleaks
Use faucet aerators, waterefficient shower heads, andconsider dual flush toilets
Consider an on demand hotwater heater orrecirculation pumps
Avoid Copper and PVCpiping
Insulate bathtubs onexterior walls
September 2008 Green Round Table
Electricity and Health
Adhere to wiring protocolsstrictly to code to insurethat all circuits are properlygrounded
Use AFCIs and GFCIs
Move clock radios awayfrom your head! Put somedistance between you andhigh voltage outlets (220v)including circuit breakerboxes.
Dimmer switches emithigher EMFs than regularswitches.
(Demand switchfor bedrooms)
September 2008 Green Round Table
Cleaning, Maintenance and Health
September 2008 Green Round Table
Renovating your mind…
Planning and building for your lifestyle could have the greatest impact on your“greenness”.
Consider “mundane” innovations over ecological “bells and whistles”.
Hire a contractor who is experienced with green construction—go with his/herstrengths and biases—and “push the envelope” together.
Green isn’t just a collection of strategies to be randomly applied. Use principlesand processes, not just products, practically and imaginatively.
Choose opportunities appropriate to your situation.
Evaporative coolingwith fans vs. using ACFrom Bruce Harley’sInsulate and Weatherize
Q/A
www.SustainableConstructionBoston.com
508-653-7282
www.holisticdesign.net
617-553-0612
Resources and Links: GRT