Green Building Products Will Get Your Buyers Attention - Success In The New Marketplace

The use of green building products even for remodeling have gained the attention of many in the past several years, what have been a challenge for most homeowners is knowing where to find eco-friendly building products. There are many companies that are promoting quote green and energy efficient Products, but do they really live up to their claims? Substantiating these claims would make it easy to know where to look.

Lumber is necessary building material in most projects and if used in the right way can produce a tremendous amount of energy and environmental savings.

Sustainable Lumber Products

· Dimensional Lumber
· Wood Flooring
· Plywood
· Paneling
· Cabinetry

Green building materials as mentioned above can be produced using diverse materials from different parts of the planet. The question is,How can the average homeowner tell whether these materials they're selecting are prepared properly? Firstly,there must be a FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certificate to give the homeowner the confidence that they're purchasing a legitimate environmentally friendly product. FSC is a non-profit organization and operates independently, their certification process offers the forestry professionals a higher level of social awareness and responsibility for the environment. This certification is important to the homeowners; because it identifies that the wood that was used has been harvested in accordance with the standards that have been set by the forestry management.

Green Interior Products

Because of some products such as flooring, countertops and cabinetry which are used from raw material can also be considered ecologically friendly, though they may not have a certificate labeled on them. This also includes an array of other interior finishing. Consider bamboo and cork, they're rated at the top when it comes to green building flooring products due to their renewable nature. Notwithstanding, these raw materials are grown in certain countries in the world which means the transportation fees would me astronomical. Also the glue that is use to put these products together will emit VOCs. So, a homeowner needs to consider carefully when selecting those interior finishing.

Recycled and Recyclable

The products that are getting a lot of attention today are the recyclables; the marketplace is full of them. They are namely carpets and wall-coverings. Shaw and Mohawk which are two large carpet manufacturers in the U.S have come up with a solution to recover used carpets for recycling by removing the backing from them. The Vinyl wall-covering companies have also got into the field of recycling by creating products of such nature. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams are two paint companies that have given serious considerations to their product by developing products that give little fumes and toxins. Green building products are available it all depends on where you are in the world, for it differs in the region or country you belong, homeowners have many options.

Thinking of implementing energy efficient or renewable energy measures into your home? Trying to find the resources you need to make the right decision? With multiple years of experience in Architecture, Design and Real Estate, Let me help guide you to your cost saving, energy saving and healthier home, today. Click Here to find the highest ROI strategies you can implement to get the maximum savings you and our planet deserve!

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Going Green - Construction, Which the Environment Loves!

Sustainable building, green building, green construction or simply "going green" is a concept about eco-friendly construction. It involves the application of practices and technologies that are environmental friendly, right from the construction, to occupancy, maintenance, renovation and finally demolition. This concept first started rising in the '70s when concerns regarding harmful impacts of construction industry on environment, and its resources, started growing.

Although no international agreement is available regarding carbon reduction and eco-friendly construction, there are organizations present that are working for the sustainability of natural resources, toxic reduction, recycling, waste reduction and application of energy efficient practices etc, such as EPA in the US. The EPA requires the construction industry to design and build buildings with eco-friendly materials and methods. This is not the only reason why construction industry has started following green trends. Many environmental-concerned companies and individuals have started emphasizing on green building, when doing a new construction or renovation project in their homes, commercial properties or work places. This is a very good sign because it educates and encourages the construction industry to work towards developing new sustainable building techniques. The need of going green gets more imminent as a recent study shows that the Ozone layer had depleted by 40%, which is alarming.

The basic principles of sustainable building in new construction projects and retrofitted properties include:

· Efficient use of land, water, energy and other resources.
· Improving the health of everyone living in a building.
· Providing clean environment to increase employees' performance.
· Reducing pollution and other waste emission in the environment.
· Educating public about the need and merits of green building.
· Using local materials and manpower so as to avoid transportation cost of these brought from other towns and areas.

Not only it is important to derive methods for going green, it is equally important to use the present resources in an intelligent and efficient way.

Water Efficiency:

Two-third of the Earth consists of water, not all of it readily usable. It takes a lot of work and energy to make water usable which means there's a shortage of water and therefore, we need to use it efficiently. A popular way of maintaining the quality of water and reducing its usage is to use dual plumbing system, which recycles the water with every flush of the toilet. Low-flow showerheads and low-flush toilets can also increase water efficiency during the life cycle of a building.

Energy Efficiency:

There are a lot of ways to use energy efficiently. Few simple methods are to use light paint colors on the exterior and interior of the building. The exterior light colors will reflect sunrays and as a result the interior of the building will remain cool reducing the need of air conditioners and such. Interior light colors will also help reflect the natural light, which will reduce the cost and need of electric lighting. Modern insulation systems can also be installed in walls and floors to use the energy efficiently. Building can be designed with passive solar building ways that uses windows and walls to help shade the property in summers and provide natural light in the winters. Other ways to use energy efficiently are solar power, hydropower and wind power etc.

Material Efficiency:

Using material that are recyclable and re-usable is an important part of sustainable building. It involves using natural materials such as straw bale, clay and bamboo for the construction or renovation of the building.

Waste Reduction:

Compost bins are a great way to reduce waste emission by the occupants or work force in a building. Waste reduction can also be achieved by recycling the waste into fertilizers. Use of water instead of paper towels can also reduce waste going in the landfills. Some highly sophisticated waste reduction techniques can also be applied, but they may be a little costly.

We only have planet Earth to live on. We don't have any other place to go. We need to keep earth and our environment safe and healthy, and Earth's natural resources sufficient for our generations to come. We've already harmed the Earth enough. Now is the time to go green.

Ali Bhutta of AB Contractors NY, a leading General Contractors firm in New York City, New York is an expert on all related market trends and can help you with every step of your construction project.

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Ground Source Heat Pumps And Your Homes

If you own a house or are in the market for one, then you should definitely consider ground source heat pumps. To make your house truly green, it is certainly one of your best options. Here is some crucial information about them.

What is a ground source heat pump?

This uses this source of energy to heat and cool a particular region. It accesses the geothermal energy from the ground. To implement this system, the pump is positioned within 10 feet of the surface of the Earth. The temperature range of the area is constantly between 50°-61° Fahrenheit, (or 10°-16° Celsius). As a result, the pump is able to heat your house throughout the wintertime, and cool it throughout the summertime.

How is a ground source heat pump constructed?

The process is quite basic. First, polyethylene or copper piping is positioned underneath the ground. The next step is to use a refrigerant to fill the piping. The heat pump moves the fluid throughout the piping. As that happens the ground warms or cools it, causing the temperature in your house to stabilize throughout the process of direct exchange.

What are its main types?

The two main varieties are water-to-water transfer, and water-to-air transfer. Water-to-water systems are like standard boilers, and involve the heating of water pipes that exist in a building. Meanwhile, water-to-air pumps function like standard air-conditioners. They function by using the ground source heat pump's heating and cooling parts, to change the air's temperature via ventilation.

What is its environmental impact?

That is a crucial question if you are a current or future homeowner. One of the most noteworthy benefits is that it is a fantastic method for going green. For instance, because no chemicals or fuel is needed for the heating or cooling process--the impact on the environment is almost zilch. In fact, research shows that an "average" home can save 5,500 tons of carbon emissions, by choosing ground source heat pump systems.

How expensive is this?

The answer is somewhat complicated. In fact, the initial cost of the actual ground source heat pump is somewhat pricey. However, the operational costs are much lower compared to different HVAC systems. Basically, the cost of the system's power will determine the amount of savings that you can enjoy by using it. Those costs differ throughout the world. That said the operating costs are generally low enough that they can quickly compensate for the high initial costs of the system.

Are there ways to reduce the start-up costs?

In fact, many governments throughout the world offer subsidies for homeowners who install such systems within a particular timeframe.

Can this become a DIY project?

Typically, it will not be, due to the amount of skills, and the types of tools needed to install them. So it is advisable to be on the safe side and have a trained professional handle the installation.

These questions show why a ground source heat pump is certainly worth considering for your home.

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