Last month I wrote about building a certified LEED Green home. Below are just a few of the “green” building components that we implemented:

Oak flooring from dead oak trees – we found, thanks to our architect, Kurt Gettman, beautiful 5” wide plank oak flooring from trees that had already expired, as opposed to using flooring from live oaks. They also cost significantly less than other eco friendly flooring I researched from other sources.

Cement Floors – Since we poured a cement slab on the lower level of our home, we simply stained and polished the floor. Not having to buy another flooring source saves on costs and additional flooring waste.

Fly Ash – Fly ash is the non-combustible by-product of burning coal. It is also becoming a major component of concrete. Using fly ash conserves natural resources previously used to produce concrete and also helps to eliminate landfill disposal of ash products from coal burning plants.

Cement Siding by JamesHardie – This was one component I was really worried about. I was so concerned that our home would be covered in this terrible, fake looking siding. But I have to say, I really like it. It is also fire resistant and lasts at least twice as long as traditional wood siding. Using cement siding helps the environment in two ways; It lasts longer than wood siding and it significantly reduces the use of precious natural wood sources. This particular siding comes in many forms (shingles, clap board, board & batten and on & on).

Double paned glass – Simply installing double paned windows and doors can cut your utility costs significantly.

Solar Energy – This is our next phase. We plan to add solar panels to our roof in the next couple of months, which will practically eliminate our energy bills during the spring through fall months. We will have some minimal costs during the winter. While the quote to add solar is close to $22,000, with the state and federal rebates the costs will come to approximately $15,000.

Tankless Water Heater – manufacturers claim that tankless water heaters can reduce your energy consumption for hot water by almost 50%.

There are many ways to implement green components to your remodel or if you are building a new home. Above are just a few practices. Certainly feel free to contact me should you have any questions about going green.

Posted by:Adrienne Murphy