New York recently approved the use of PVC as drain pipes. PVC is considered very “not green”, mostly because it basically takes forever to decompose, so it sits around in landfills for hundreds of years. Or it gets burned and lets off all sorts of nasty chemicals. From a practical point it is also much …
This is more a technical point but something worth considering when using materials. For example the “problem” with recycled cellulose is that it is degraded. There is a green term for this but I forgot it. Basically you are taking a higher purpose material – newspaper that is used to transport knowledge – and degrading …
We needed some slate to repair an existing slate wall on the top of the green show house. One consideration was using a slate look alike that is made from recycled materials. But then I discovered there is a thriving community of people who salvage old slate from homes. They have merged into the “green” …
The process of building green is different than normal building. There are new considerations to include in the mix. Here is an example. Solar PV is a smart choice in NY I think. NY gets a lot of sun and although a Californian electrician might scoff at it, most NY professionals think it is a …
Solar Panels, An Example in Green Considerations Read More »
Green building is not mainstream. The systems and habits are not in place. Doing a green job is part construction part education part experimentation because once you start thinking off the grid there are very few reference points to guide you. I had a plumber walk out of my job today before even giving a …
Above: Facade with planter and recycled joists. Originally the top facade of the building had a lot of rotted wood. And there was a great view. So in the heat of the summer I tore down the wall and planned on adding a wall of glass. It would have been magnificent. But then as the …
Only in USA are dumpsters so full of wonderful stuff. And you can’t get fancier than a Corcoran dumpster. There is one in front of the Corcoran condos on President St in Carroll Gardens. I had the good luck to check them out today and found 1000 sq.ft. of once used wide plank wood flooring! …
Above Pic: “ugly” wood that I use for everything from studs to window frames. Way to Savings Money Recycling is a great way to reuse materials and save money. It is important to keep in mind the extra costs of recycling. If you get the materials for free, say from a salvage, that is a …
After some research we noticed that one of the most effective ways to reduce impact noise between floors was to put a recycled tyre product between the floor and sub floor. It creates a vibrating cushion that absorbs the impact, thus deadening the sound. The only problem is that this product is costly. And costly …
Green Building is like life: it is all about energy. How you control it, who has it, where it is flowing, and where it isn’t flowing. You control the energy and you have a great house (possibly a great life too). Insulation Part of Green Building So obviously insulation plays a huge part ini green …
Eco Friendly Insulation Has Arrived for Green Building! Read More »
