BUILDING ON THE HEALTHY SIDE

Didja know…cement is the critical ingredient that makes sand and gravel bind together and become hardened concrete. Manufacturing cement is energy intensive and hard on the environment. Research reveals; when a ton of cement is made, up to a ton of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. A solution is to be able to reduce the amount of cement mixed into concrete without affecting its structural integrity. Try fly ash, an industrial waste created at coal burning power plants. Fly ash is said to strengthen the concrete because it changes its chemical properties. Another option, opt in recycled glass cullets for gravel ->  made in part from the glass bottles.

Such are the choices when you’re green building. Green building encompasses several different areas of construction, but the concept of green building is “Any structure, that is designed, constructed, renovated or operated in such a manner as to minimize its impact on the environment, protect the health of its occupants and utilize resources efficiently,” notes property columnist Paul Bianchina.

"Green Building Products," a guide for residential building products states that a product may be considered green if:

1) It's made with recycled, salvaged or agricultural wastes (most commonly crop straws);

2) It conserves natural resources because it's especially durable or it's made with a rapidly renewing material such as bamboo that can be harvested every ten years;

3) It enhances indoor air quality because it has low or no emission of toxic chemicals into the air or because it helps block the introduction of indoor contaminants such as mold;

4) Its manufacture does not produce toxic emissions;

5) It saves energy or water;

6) It reduces the environmental impact of the construction itself. For example, porous driveway paving products absorb a substantial amount of the rain that hits them and this reduces the amount that runs off into a local and often overwhelmed storm water collection system.

There are two particular parts to green building – materials and occupant health.

ENGINEERED BUILDING MATERIALS

Plywood, oriented strand board, glu-laminated beams, I-joists and many other similar products make use of smaller, fast-growing trees harvested from tree farms like any other crop. The result is stable, uniform and structurally solid building materials that minimize the impact on existing old-growth and even second-growth forests.

For further information about the Building Green go to www.BuildingGreen.com.

OCCUPANT HEALTH

The World Health Organization has confirmed formaldehyde as a human carcinogen. This toxic eye and nose irritant and can cause respiratory problems. Ironically, certain floor coverings, particle board, insulation and other materials that utilize formaldehyde in their makeup can the air inside a building can be worse than the air outside. Green building practices make extensive use of products that do not contain formaldehyde.

Paints, finishes for floors and other components, some types of adhesives and other materials commonly found in building construction may cause volatile organic compounds that can be harmful to building occupants. Green building concept aims to utilize materials that are manufactured without VOCs.

Additionally, furniture, wall coverings and drapery emit VOCs. Furniture can be made with as many as 30 different materials including glues, resins, foam padding and upholstery fabric, and many of them emit toxins.

One place to find information about low-emitting products is the website of the Greenguard Environmental Institute Greenguard tests for 65 chemical compounds, find out more at www.greenguard.org.

BASIC EFFIENCY

In the Northern Hemisphere it is most efficient to orient the building with southern exposure. This allows for passive solar heating and improved natural lighting, which conserves energy usage.

 Colorado Court, located on the corner of Colorado and 5th Streets, is  a 100% "green" affordable housing project.  The building features  44 "single room occupancy" units, each with its own kitchen and bath. The small units feel spacious because of the high ceilings, and efficient use of natural light.

"The original schematics for the building were east/west. That is the worst way to orient a building for solar conditions. We changed the orientation to north/south, so it would be more efficient," observed Scarpa.

A combined effort of the City of Santa Monica, The Community Corporation of Santa Monica, and local architects Pugh Scarpa Kodama, Colorado Court utilized energy efficiency on everything from solar heating to ecologically appropriate building processes.

Additionally, Actor/director and conservationist Robert Redford and the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Southern California office at 1314 Second Street in downtown Santa Monica is constructed to the highest green building standards. The property is being  considered by the U.S. Green Building Council for a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Version 2 Platinum green building rating – the highest possible level of sustainable design – and may become the first structure in the United States to receive this status.