Building Green

[Whitlock]

Building Green
It would be interesting to hear what you use in at your place to help save money and the environment.

This website has some great ideas

http://nbnetwork.org/nb

[MikeT]

I am still in the building process, and by no means will be building be able to be LEEDS certified.  And it will never be a "Net Zero" building.  I will divide my responses into two categories: construction and operations.

Construction- I have basically been a relentless scrounger of used materials.  I still peruse Craigslist and get free wood.  When I bought wood, I went to our Rebuilding Center and bought their reclaimed stuff.  And if I did go to buy new wood, I tried (often unsuccessfully) to purchase green certified wood.  I have tried to go overboard on insulation.

Operations-  Much of this is to be seen because I am not done yet, but I was careful with the placement of my windows, and it seems that I enjoy good light even on overcast or rainy days.  My wood stove is heated with wood that is salvaged from local arborists who prune trees.  I have a small refrigerator and am hopeful to use an unheated pantry to keep things cool.  I am using electric baseboard heaters with individual controls so I can control individual spaces.  And if technology gets to the right point, I will be able to incorporate alternate power sources.

I am interested to learn what others are experiencing.

mt

[poppy]

W., interesting question.  There was a thread a while back on green building I think and it created some disagreement on what "green" means, etc.

I would like to see this thread take on the type of answers that Mike just gave.  In other woods create our own definition.

Here is my approach and much of it is motivated by costs, but not all.

Construction:  I'm like Mike, salvage as much material as possible.  So far when buying new lumber, it has been "after-market" material that I have picked up from individuals.

Plenty of insulation, minimal glazing on east and north walls, plenty of windows on south wall.

If I were truely green serious, I would have found a source for fly ash to make my own concrete, instead of buying Quickcrete.  And I would have figured out how to reinforce the concrete without buying new rebar. 

I've not really developed a goal percentage, but the cabin will probably end up being over 90% of non-new manufactured materials.  That doesn't count the new milled wood that will be purchased from a local lumber mill.

Operation:  Heat will be from a wood stove mostly, using my own wood.  It's not exactly green heat because of the smoke, but at least the fuel is renewable.

Will be off-grid for water, on grid for primary electric.  There may be solar panels and or wind turbines in the future. Will be using composting and grey water system.

Overall, cost is my main motivator.  That's why the cabin won't be totally off the grid starting out.