Build and Rebuild » Green Materials

White Roofs?

Megan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:59:14 +0000

You may have heard something about "white roofs" in the news but you may not know how they can help our planet, or a maintenance budget. I’ll try to clear things up a bit.

First, A few definitions, for the purpose of this article only.

a. White roof: A roof that is white in color and has a high rate of reflection of the sun’s energy.

b. Green roof: Any type of roof that will help our planet. Most white roofs are considered to be "green"

c. Planted roof: A roof that actually has plants growing on it.

d. Black roof: Old style roofs consisting of asphalt, rubber, or a combination of the two.

Most all of the commercial buildings in the world use black roofs. Because they are black, they soak up the sun’s energy like a sponge.

That’s bad for several reasons. Commercial roofs and pavement are the major factors in the "heat island effect" in major cities. Black roofs are typically almost twice the ambient air temperature on a hot day. Much of that heat is transferred into the building and places a tremendous load on the air conditioners, which use enormous amounts of electricity to keep the building comfortable. Black roofs have been around for decades because there were no alternatives.

White roofs. You might think you could just paint a black roof white and be done with it. Unfortunately, roofs expand and contract constantly. White paint will crack and leak almost immediately. We use acrylic elastomeric materials for our roofing systems. These materials will expand and contract up to 300%. They also reflect up to 85% of the sun’s energy, including UV. This virtually eliminates the heat island effect of that building, and will typically save up to 50% of the energy needed to cool the building. The energy savings with this type of roof are why energy czar Chu is traveling all over the world promoting white roofs. The total amount of energy savings potential is incredible, especially on a world wide basis. Upfront cost is comparable to a black roof, but a white roof will typically pay for itself in 4-7 years with energy savings alone.

Planted roofs are becoming more popular every day for several reasons. Many metropolitan areas in the US are having huge problems with excessive rain run off. A planted roof helps because it will soak up a great deal of moisture before it becomes saturated. In some cities, they are even growing vegetables on the roof. The major problems with a planted roof are cost and weight. A roof can only hold so much weight before it will collapse. Black roofs are quite heavy already so the ideal solution is to have a lightweight membrane underneath the plants to seal the roof. Flat roofs have always been hard to seal, having plants on top may preserve the covered portion of the roof, but there are almost always walking spaces for servicing equipment on the roof. Having to remove all the plants to service the actual roof surface would be very expensive, so we recommend a modern elastomeric membrane underneath so there will be no maintenance for many, many years. Planted roofs are beautiful, the plants produce oxygen, they reduce the heat island effect, and they save even more energy than a white roof, and they help tremendously with run off water. But, they must be done right in order not to leak.

White roofs, green roofs, and planted roofs may qualify for various tax credit programs which will help make them more attractive to building owners.

We can convert virtually any roof to a green roof. From the smallest Mom and Pop store, to the largest buildings on the planet, anywhere in the US.

If you own a building, or know some one who does, have them contact us to see what we can do. We only have one planet, let’s make sure our kids and grand-kids have a place to live.

Web site: White Roof Pros

Email: kwright@white-roof-pros.com

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at White Roofs?.

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Vegetation Blankets for Green Roofing and More

Megan — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:37:57 +0000

Vegetation blankets can be used to create green roofs, but they aren’t limited to just that.

A vegetation blanket consists of a layer of fiber covered in a substrate on which plant life can live; with various plant species growing on it.

These blankets can be used to cover roofs, roundabouts, sound barrier walls, and embankments – to name a few. They can literally be rolled up for transport and then unrolled on top of the surface you wish to cover.

Due to their flexibility, they are also versatile and can lie over a curved roof, a sloping surface, or just about any otherwise awkward area. They are light-weight, insulating, and low-maintenance.

What’s more, they are quite eco-friendly. A green roof can be used to absorb and evaporate water runoff that would otherwise be wasted – or even worse, that would flood sewer systems and pollute rivers (as is the case in Portland, Oregon, for example).

Furthermore, a roof which is covered in live vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide and emits oxygen, thus helping to restore balance on a carbon-heavy planet that currently needs all the vegetation and plant life we can put on it.

For more information on vegetation blankets, where to get them, related services, and other details, please see this product description of Sedum Vegetation Blankets.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Vegetation Blankets for Green Roofing and More.

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Straw Bale Construction

Megan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:26:49 +0000

From the Ground up, by a Single Mom

This is a great video from a single mom who built her own straw bale home for $50,000 while working still full time and living on the land. She gives some excellent advice here for anyone who is considering building their own straw bale home, from labor, to coding, to construction.

She also has a great website, HouseOfStraw.com, which I definitely recommend to anyone who is considering straw bale construction for their home, or sustainable green building in general. You will find great information, from someone who has been through it all.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Straw Bale Construction.

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Recycled Composite Decking

admin — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:39:14 +0000

Splinter Free Living

Wooden decks and railings are hard to maintain, not to mention being splinter territory. What’s more, they’re not usually environmentally sustainable due to their use of premium forest products. For this reason alone Recycled composite decking is by far the best and coolest alternative to wood. This stuff looks like wood but feels like heaven. Manufactured from old plastic bottles makes it durable and resilient.

Many manufacturers use a dense mixture of reclaimed plastic and wood fibers. One of the big companies in the industry, Trex, estimates that it prevents over 300,000 tons of plastic each year from ending up in the landfill. Billions of plastic bags from grocery stores are transformed into decking material instead of littering our streets and parks. Some companies, like Trex, take sustainability to the next level by operating their facilities with renewable energy and fueling their trucking fleets with biodiesel. Recycled Composite Decking is made of all sorts scrap wood and plastic, from sawdust to polyethylene (styrofoam) to milk cartons. In addition to decking, municipalities and businesses have discovered the benefits of using recycled composite material for park benches and picnic tables. Composites have certainly made their mark on college campuses across the country, as schools are embarking on reducing their environmental footprints.

This material has a long life span, and won’t warp, rot, or crack. The days of restaining, refinishing, and seasounal repairs are gone. If you want a deck that is resistent to the elements yet promotes the integrity of the planet, then recycled composite is probably right for you.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Recycled Composite Decking.

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Hemp Building Materials?

admin — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:12:25 +0000

Hemp is the all-purpose material long-championed by Thomas Jefferson and 1960s American counterculture alike. Food, textiles, paper, and fuel—there is a growing trend to cultivate this miracle crop and turn it into more eco-friendly versions of common products. Why is it so sustainable? Hemp can be grown rapidly and easily, like bamboo, without any herbicides or intensive labor. It regenerates, it regrows.

So how on earth can we utilize the plant for home construction? A handful of companies are now specializing in building walls, floors, and other structural components of houses out of chopped up hemp (it looks like mulch) combined with lime. Like the soybean insulation, the mixture of hemp and lime is sprayed on to a plywood base. It is easy and incredibly durable. A thick earthen wall made of hemp is also great for heat insulation.

Europe is ahead of the hemp game, with a growing industry in this type of eco-building, especially in Ireland and the UK. There is reason to believe that the U.S. will be catching on very soon. Perhaps some U.S. representatives will be attending the 1st International Hemp Building Symposium in September, taking place in Kenmare, Ireland.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Hemp Building Materials?.

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Recycled Styrofoam Molding

admin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:02:43 +0000

Pearly white molding neatly lining the ceiling and floors—a classic interior decorating touch that we all know and love. Most homeowners choose different types of wood, painted white, for their molding in their new homes—and why wouldn’t they? That has been the only option . . . until now, that is. We now have a new product that looks identical to wood, but has recycles wasted materials—Introducing recycled styrofoam molding.

Post-consumer cups and packaging materials are now being transformed into elegant pieces of molding. The process involves melting down the slew of white fluffy stuff into a near-liquid that settles in molds as long, solid pieces. According to some estimates, polystyrene (the technical name for Styrofoam) waste products make up nearly a quarter of the trash in landfills. Now all of the styrofoam that comes with a new computer that aren’t traditionally recycled can actually be broken down into smaller parts and recast as totally new products.

The best part about a wood-alternative like styrofoam? The light weight molding requires no fancy equipment like hammers and nails or saws and sandpaper. All you need is some caulk, and the molding should stay adhered to your ceiling or wall for upwards of 30 years. What’s more, the product is typically less expensive than wood. Don’t you love it when the small changes you make to green your home are good for the environment, and your wallet.

For more information about the recycling process, check out PlanetGreen’s interview video with Todd Sutton.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Recycled Styrofoam Molding.

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Choosing the Perfect Green Countertop

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:05:29 +0000

A green kitchen begins with the most eco-friendly countertop. You want something that is as durable or beautiful as Corian or granite, but measures up to the highest standards for your family’s health and the environment. Luckily, many products you thought were not “green” may actually surprise you, as more countertop companies are now making their entire manufacturing operations sustainable.

However, out of the slew of options out there, there are a few that are not so eco-friendly. Granite, marble, quartz, engineered stone, and laminates are usually not the most sustainable. The use of raw materials is the biggest factor here. Granite, for example, requires lots of energy and disruption of land to be mined. Engineered stone, comprised of quartz, shares this negative impact on the environment, and additionally uses some harsh pigments in its production. Most of your traditional options use sealants with VOCs and other environmental contaminants. Another issue with granite is the risk of radon radiation into your home.

So what options are out there for the health and eco-conscious? The coolest alternatives are surfaces made from recycled materials, most notably glass. Companies like IceStone and Vetrazzo have paved the way for extremely durable, beautiful countertops made from at least 75% recycled glass with a concrete composite. IceStone is particularly committed to green design; it has been awarded the coveted MBDC Cradle to Cradle award for the thoroughness of its sustainable practices.

In addition to glass, other recycled products can be transformed into your kitchen surface. One company, called Paperstone, uses compressed recycled paper and petroleum-free resins made from cashew nuts! You wouldn’t think paper would act as a very resilient countertop, but this product is actually incredibly durable and has received great ratings.

What about wood and concrete? Concrete is a bit less expensive, very heat resistant and can be morphed into any shape you desire. It is also considered to be “green” by many sources, as recycled aggregate is often used. Its also much easier to chose your own sealer: low VOC-emitting sealants are easy to find. Wood surfaces are generally durable and easy to clean; they are also available with forest products certified by FSC, making them just as green as the recycled glass.

The key to finding an eco-friendly surface is to be prepared for the maze of impressive sounding eco-labels. To be competitive, all top-of-the-line countertop companies are saying they’re “green” in some way. This is particularly true with the granite, quartz and marble countertop manufacturers, who may have made some green steps in their operations, but at the end of the day, mining is still incredibly environmentally unfriendly. Make sure you do the research on all of the eco certifications before you are greenwashed into thinking a product is completely sustainable.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Choosing the Perfect Green Countertop.

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Recycling #2 . . . And I’m Not Talking Plastic

admin — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:11:14 +0000

Okay, toilet talk probably isn’t your favorite topic. When you think about the fact that the average American wastes 7,665 gallons of water each year just flushing the toilet—suddenly toilet talk raises to the level of appropriate and relevant conversation.

I remember seeing compost toilets out in the middle of a national park. It made sense there and I was willing to do my part by tossing in a handful of compost material after I finished my visit to the outhouse. But there are several versions of these no-water, environmentally-friendly toilets available for purchase and home installation.

What is a composting toilet?

A toilet which use little or no water and treats toilet wastes on-site for reuse as valuable compost.

How do they work?

Composting toilets use “oxygen loving-bacteria present in human waste to do the work.” They do not require water hook-ups and they let nature’s decomposition process reduce waste by about 90 percent. With the proper installation and equipment, there is no odor, nor do you have to use bugs or worms to aid the process.

A composting toilet can be used just like a regular toilet. The biggest difference is that you toss in a scoop of compost mix after each use—instead of flushing. You do have to empty the compost tray occasionally, but you are emptying environment-enhancing composted soil. There are many different designs of composting toilets, but all carry out this basic process of aerobic decomposition.

There is a free on-line book entitled The Humanure Handbook. It probably is in the category of “too much information,” but if you’re serious about the specific workings of composting toilets—this may be the book for you. Another excellent resource is the “Composting Toilets Systems Book” that gives you info and options for not only composting toilets, but for installation of greywater systems as well.

What do they cost?

Many individuals make their own very inexpensive versions. There are several companies that make compost toilets that won’t leave you yearning for the “olden days” of flush toilets. They are good looking and highly functional. They started at about $1500 and go up to about $3000, but that is a drop in the bucket compared to installing a septic system or a city-wide sewer system. When you start calculating water savings (each American spends about $30 a year just on toilet water) and the positive environmental impact (no waste, just a usable end product), composting toilets become a very attractive option.

Are they approved by health authorities and do they meet building codes?

Check with your municipality. If you have access to a city sewer system, you’ll need to ask a lot of questions. Some municipalities allow them—those who are well-informed and have experience with composting toilets. In areas where there is no sewer system available and water is limited, there is usually no problem. Some building codes require, at a minimum, that the septic system be installed and then you can install your composting toilet —a ridiculous waste of money, I know. There are many individuals and organizations working to change these outdated, environmentally unsound building codes and requirements. Perhaps you can be the first in your area to help educate and get the changes made.

The final word

If you only trust government recommendations, then you’ll want to visit the EPA’s “Water Efficiency Technology Fact Sheet: Composting Toilets.” It’ll give you some history as well as the pros and cons of owning a composting toilet.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Recycling #2 . . . And I’m Not Talking Plastic.

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Build and Rebuild—Then Resalvage

admin — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:47:43 +0000

It’s easy to finish construction of even the most environmentally sound building, and even easier to demolish one, without regard to the waste products of construction. Astonishingly, building waste accounts for nearly HALF of all trash in landfills across the United States. This can be quite easily avoided—and should be.

Salvaging and recycling materials from old construction projects is one of the most important steps in the green building movement. To reduce landfill accumulation AND the need for raw materials…now that is green. Fortunately, there has been an increase in material salvage services to sell and to take second hand building parts. Habitat for Humanity is always looking for used home improvement goods. Another option is to check out your local freecycle.com to buy and sell reclaimed materials!

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Build and Rebuild—Then Resalvage.

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Increase Energy Efficiency with Radiant Heat

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:25:44 +0000

Trying to figure out how to heat your house without wasting energy? Try installing direct heat beneath the floorboards or in the wall panels. Known as radiant heat due to its transmission of thermal energy from one object to another (i.e. heat flows from the floor directly to objects and people), this type of system is more efficient than traditional baseboard heating since much less heat energy is lost in the piping system. The other environmental advantage of radiant heat is that it is often electrical or hydraulic, meaning that it is possible to use solar and wind generation to supply the energy. No fuel burning necessary.

This method of heating usually involves pipes or coils in rows directly beneath the floor. Of the three basic types of radiant heating systems (air, electric, and hydraulic), the hydraulic seems to be the most economically justifiable. They are usually cheapest to install. Moreover, water is thousands of times more efficient as a conductor than air is. Make sure not to use copper piping, though. PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) tubing is a much better alternative due to its high insulating qualities. Install a solar hot water heating system on your roof to power your radiant heating, and you can reduce your energy usage even more.

Installing a radiant heating system can help qualify you for LEED credits for your new home or remodeling. The Radiant Panel Association has been working with the US Green Building Council and National Association of Home Builders to promote the connection between energy efficiency, economics and the environment. Besides increased efficiency, radiant heating systems also may reduce the materials needed for traditional ducts. The Association also notes that people with severe allergies have a more comfortable lifestyle with radiant heating since there is no air coming out of ducts into your living spaces.

Efficiency is awesome. Especially when it involves renewable energy.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Increase Energy Efficiency with Radiant Heat.