Respect the Environment while you improve your home

A sustainable home renovation can range from upgrading windows and insulation to replacing the flooring with eco-friendly materials. The first tenet of green building is to conserve energy in every way you can: through the course of the renovation and in your daily living, the way your home uses and saves energy will determine just how sustainable your living space has become.

When renovating, you should use materials that have been recyc...

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Sustainable construction materials are becoming more widely developed and produced.  While this is great for the industry these new materials and products for sustainable renovations and new construction must be assessed by consumers and contractors on many different levels.  The problem with the advancing market is that companies start producing items that appeal to green consumers because they merely have to in order to stay in business.  But are these green building products and materials ...

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calibamboo.com

The capabilities of an $8 stick of lumber and where it could be used in sustainable construction.

Cali Bamboo has introduced a line of engineered dimensional lumber that is made from 100% compressed bamboo.  The marketing points for this new product are a “stronger more durable wood that is affordable and green.”  Stronger and more durable?   Maybe, but it hasn’t undergone any formal testing for code regulations and is only sold for fence posts.  Affordable?  Ther...

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An essential part of a sustainable renovation or retrofit is installing quality, energy-efficient windows.  It is no secret that windows are responsible for many leaks in a building envelope and often show up as a deficiency in home energy audits.  There are a few major attributes that an energy-efficient window will have in order to eliminate drafts and help maintain indoor temperatures.

The most recent innovation in efficient window technology is a triple glazed, vinyl or fiberglass fra...

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photo: totalgreenenergysolutions.com

Before beginning any sustainable renovation on your home, be sure to identify which aspects of your home contribute to the most energy deficiencies.  By completing a home energy audit a professional will assess what aspects of your home need to be corrected.  An energy assessment report can tell any homeowner where they should invest their money in a sustainable renovation in order to see the most economic return in energy bill savings.

Some may sugg...

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When choosing solid hardwood flooring it is important to understand the source of the wood and how it is processed into flooring.  The Forest Stewardship Council does most of the research for the consumers and certifies wood flooring products that come from sustainable sources.  Sometimes the more exotic species that are FSC certified are very expensive if they do exist.  An alternative to this expensive wood flooring is engineered hardwood flooring. 

Engineered hardwood flooring is made ...

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This website will cover many interesting aspects of sustainable construction practices as new products and technology are implemented into the construction industry.  Follow along as breaking news stories and products are analyzed and reviewed.  This blog was created by Architectural Engineering student John Noriega in order to interact with other professionals in the industry and discuss sustainable construction.  The blog is also made to appeal to America's homeowners as it will discuss the...
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