ne would have to be living on a deserted island to be unaware of the green building movement. Undoubtedly the largest single trend in building, it will continue to grow as more of us are becoming aware of the impact we have on our environment.

While much attention has been placed upon building green, less discussion takes place regarding green remodeling techniques. The whole concept of remodeling for your home is, in a sense, a recycling of your old home. The process, from start to finish, provides a lot of opportunities for social responsibility, or being a little “greener.” We don’t buy cars every day, nor do we make big decisions about remodeling. When we do decide to remodel a kitchen, add a room or change a bathroom, guess what? Our decisions have broader implications for the environment.

In the design phase, always ask about energy efficiency and renewable or man-made materials. These are new technologies that provide substitutes for fossil fuels and lumber. Energy efficiency includes insulation, appliances, lighting, doors and windows, heating and air conditioning, hot water heaters, etc. There

is a double appeal here with many investments more than paying for themselves. You are not only reducing consumption of fossil fuels, you will be saving money on monthly utility bills as well.

Renewable and man-made materials are available in virtually every category of building materials. Framing materials can be made from engineered lumber, which helps optimize lumber usage. Renewable materials include cork and bamboo flooring, bamboo cabinetry and countertops, fiber-cement siding and much more. All you have to do is ask about it, and some enterprising contractor that wants your business will be sympathetic to your concerns.

Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of green remodeling is what to do with the materials generated during demolition. It is estimated that new home building generates between three and five pounds of waste per square foot of home. Remodeling can generate between 70 and 115 pounds of waste per square foot. What happens to all that debris? For the most part it ends up in a landfill, but it doesn’t have to. Between 85 percent and 90 percent of remodeling waste can be

recycled. Maximizing the recycling of materials may add cost to a project, but those costs can be recovered in many cases. As the practice becomes more wide-spread, the cost may become completely offset by revenue from recycling. Recyclable materials include copper wiring, concrete and other masonry materials including bricks, metal products, lumber, cabinetry, plumbing and lighting fixtures and more.

The do-it-yourselfer can be a part of the green movement as well, not only by utilizing the aforementioned products, but by donating much of the removed materials to Habitat for Humanity to resell in their re-sale store. They will even come pick it up.

If these concepts are important to you, ask the contractors you are interviewing about their experience in green remodeling techniques. However, as this is a fast-growing and relatively new field, it may be just as important to find a contractor willing to explore new methods and choose the one who will think outside the box. l

Rob D. Hellyer, CGR, GMB, CAPS

Premier Remodeling & Construction