"The Three Little Pigs" thinking about Green Building

"Three Little Pigs" thinking about Green Building

The "Three Little Pigs" have taught countless generations about the concept of green building.    When we re-tell this story to our children we are also planting lessons on long term investing, sustainable consumer choices, conservation of natural resources and healthy living. The theories of straw bale, stick frame and adobe construction are introduced to each generations this way.

 

The piggy that built his house out of straw chose the quick, cheap and easy way to put up his home, which may not have cost him an arm and a leg but ultimately did cost him his arm and his leg.    If only he sought council from his more business savvy brother who built out of brick, he could have greatly improved his quality of his life.  For, the Piggy who built with brick measured his long-term return on investment.  He spent more in upfront costs for quality materials in order to assure energy efficient and maintenance free structure for the future.  He also was keen to the trends in real estate sales, sensing that green built homes would be more marketable for resale. The moral to the story is: build a durable house with renewable materials, build it well, invest in quality products, and live a healthy life.

 

The catch is, sometimes you have to spend more on your initial investment for materials in order to insure savings in future operational costs. Unfortunately, there is a "consistent disconnect" in peoples' minds between the higher up-front costs of building green and the ensuing savings in operating costs. Overcoming this is fundamental to understanding the value of green building.  Building with Green Materials generally costs 1-5% more up front for buildings complying with LEED certified standards. So, why choose the green sustainable building product and spend a bit more now?  Because you will be richer for it in the long run with a healthy home, healthy family, and healthy wallet for the duration of each subsequent year you live in that house.

Improving insulation is one of the first places homeowners can start greening.  Creating a tight building envelope by retaining the heat in winter and cool air in summer will save you considerable money over time.  In choosing insulation make sure to select formaldehyde free to assure healthy indoor air quality.  Consider the cotton insulation that is made from post-industrial waste from blue jeans.  Roll in this bat insulation yourself (no gloves or full boy protective suit needed.) This soft blue jean material is soaked in borax, which is pest and fire retardant. Also, Tax Credits are now available for those who buy the indicated type of insulation.

Doors and Windows are the next place to spend and save.  Fix those unwelcome frigid drafts in your house that refreeze you after stepping out of a warm shower.  Once again, you can reduce your energy bill by 15% when using Energy Star qualified materials for windows with a U-Factor of .35 or less. Clawson Windows make energy efficient windows as well, they are made with sustainable harvested woods from Montana to match floors or trim. Tax rebates of up to 30% are available for Energy Star windows that have a U factor of .30 or less. 

If it is time to replace your roof there are many green choices that you should know about.  Firstly, you should be mostly thinking about color! Light colored shingles will prevent increased heat transfer in the attic.  A lighter shade roof could save your between 20- 40% in summer energy costs. EcoStar roofing tiles are made from 95% recycled plasticfrom the automotive industry and are molded to look exactly like shake or slate tiles.  This roof comes with an unheard of 50-year warranty, as the recycled rubber tiles are practically invincible to wind, ice, and snow.  Some roofs also qualify for a discount of up to 35% on your homeowners insurance.

It is clear that the repeated annual savings and the payback returns are what are most enticing about choosing green building materials.  We all may want to help save the environment, but if we can do it by saving our money, then the decision is just a lot easier.  Green building is no longer just an added expense for environmental die hards.  Now it makes practical economic sense to be choosing materials that are durable, sustainable, maintenance free, non-toxic that will continue to make a return on your initial investment.  And of course, you can live happily every after like the Piggy who built green.