What is green home construction and remodeling?
Green home construction and remodeling is about building durable structures with sustainable and eco friendly materials that create a healthy indoor environment and saves on energy.
Why go green?
There are many reasons why it is important to go green today:
Financial: Receive tax credits, reduce your utility bills, and lower your maintenance costs
Health: Create a non toxic living space and eliminate mold growth
Environmental: Reduce your carbon footprint and effects on global warming
Does green cost more?
There are two different things to consider when talking about cost: building practices and cost of the material itself.
The best building practices are considered green building practices. Therefore, when compared to lower standard practices it appears that it costs more. However, it actually costs less considering repair expenses due to not doing it right in the first place.
Cost of green materials depends on the type of green material that you are buying. The same principle applies to traditional products. It all depends on the quality, aesthetics, and energy efficiency of the product itself.
Are there standards on green homes?
There are many standards on green homes, including the International Green Construction Code. Although many of the standards commonly share the same criteria for measuring what is a green home, the green definition is not set in stone. One common criterion, that all standards require green homes to have, is the Energy Star certification.
The widely accepted green home certificate is LEED for homes (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). There are many different certification programs available on both local and national levels.
Unfortunately, most of these certifications, if not all, are designed for new home construction. Although there are standards to follow and guides for green remodeling, there are no certifications made for that purpose yet.
Who is truly a green remodeling contractor or a green home builder?
Some professional organizations have started to certify builders and remodelers for being green building professionals; this is done through specific educational courses and exams. However, these certifications do not encapsulate all green builders and remodelers; some builders and remodelers have been involved in green building and remodeling before these certification came in place. As a home owner what you need to look for in a green home remodeler or builder is their knowledge of the field and their desire to implement it.
Qualities that a builder or a remodeler should possess to make your project green are:
Knowledge of Building Science
Recycling of waste materials
Use of environmentally friendly products
Energy efficiency understanding
Salvaging and reusing demolished materials
Use of Energy Star products
How is Home Perfection Contracting green?
Home Perfection Contracting implements green building practices in all projects, uses high quality building materials, salvages and reuses construction materials when possible, and favors environmentally responsible products.
We are:
Certified Green Building professionals
Members of The U.S. Green Building Council
Partners in the Energy Star program
Certified building science thermographs. We use highly advanced technology to inspect the building envelope and make sure the house is airtight and well-insulated.
We offer a free phone consultation and General Estimate at no charge.
(Did we mention it was free?)
Click here for a sample General Estimate.