Showing posts with label green design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green design. Show all posts
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Going Green With Commercial Real Estate

Investing in a facility that adheres to green building standards and performance efficiency is a smart and responsible decision. When considering the value energy efficient and environmentally friendly buildings can bring to the commercial real estate market, it seems as if going green is the wisest of investments. The practice of "going green" has been gaining popularity within the last decade.

It is more important than ever to ensure we are doing all we can to lessen mankind's harmful impact on the environment, and the government is offering tax incentives to those who take on environmental challenges with green building practices. Our society as a whole has changed the way it sees building, living and working. That's why living and building "green" is more attractive than ever to both residential and commercial real estate investors. Green building design consultants can help a facility reach its efficiency goals. Green design can alleviate and reduce exposure to toxic materials, as well as ensure the conservation of non-renewable materials and energy.

When it comes to green facility construction, a green design consultant will make sure the building process minimizes the ecological impact of building as well as oversee the construction to guarantee the protection of local water, soil, air, plants and wildlife. When designing a green facility, it is important to take into account the lifestyles of those who will be using the building. Make sure the facility offers support of transportation alternatives, such as walking, mass transit, biking and alternative fuels. Incorporating design features that will make it easier for commuters who use non-traditional transportation is a responsible and modern necessity.

Of course, you'll want to utilize non-renewable energy and recycled, environmentally friendly materials in your building. Many wonderful decorations and practical applications can be made out of the abundance of recycled plastic and rubber. Plastic and rubber are extremely durable, but not very environmentally friendly. It is a wise choice to use the recycled plastic and rubber, however, because otherwise it would end up sitting in a landfill for thousands of years. And, by using recycled materials, it eliminates the need to create new, un-degradable plastic.

You may think that going green and increasing building performance efficiency would cost a lot of money. While this has been the case in the past, it is becoming more and more cost effective. In fact, green design and building often costs the same as traditional building methods. And with all the money that can be saved through efficiency and recycling, green building can actually cost far less than traditional methods over the long run. Corporations and businesses are far more likely to invest in a green building if they know it will increase their bottom line.

If you consider the long-term maintenance and energy costs, using green and energy efficient products and designs will significantly increase profitability. As green building continues to gain popularity, tax incentives will increase. It's easy see how green design and construction will pay for itself as times goes on.

Mr. Oliver is a marketing agent of Servidyne. The commercial and industrial building experts can help you manage your building's energy-efficiency while lowering operating costs. From consultations to energy audits and even to installation of a CMMS system that will keep tabs on your building maintenance and energy output for years to come. For more information on their Green Building Consultant please visit their website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Budda_Oliver
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Green Communities

Green housing communities and residential buildings will continue to grow by large multiples over the next several years in the United States. McGraw-Hill Companies predict that the market share of green new construction be as large as 20% of all home starts and worth up to $70 billion by 2012. This sustainable housing market is selling strong despite the economic downturn since consumers recognize that the energy efficiency gains can amount to serious monthly savings. The danger is that "green" is a term used widely and is largely unregulated when developers promote their communities. Consumers are finding it more difficult to navigate the "green" housing market, oftentimes finding homes that claim to be green really aren't. This is called "greenwashing", a trend we will certainly see grow in the coming years. Fortunately, there have been several organizations which have created standards which measure all communities against the same benchmark. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has emerged as the most widely accepted. LEED assigns a rating to a home or neighborhood of Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. The rating is based on a set of six widely reaching principals designed to assess the environmental friendliness of the community. www.GreenHousingDevelopments.com has created a national website which displays information about many of the nation's leading green developments in a non biased and easy to understand way. Interested consumers can confidently research different green communities and compare the ones which they like best for their green features. Features which are displayed for each community include Price, home type, heating and cooling systems, windows and plumbing used, access to transportation and much more. Through the website, interested consumers can request a brochure, floor plans, or MLS listings from green agents in each geographical area.

About the Author:
This article is written by Luke Blahnik for Green Housing Developments. Get information about USA green homes for sale from Green Housing Developments.
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Sustainable Interior Design

Green interiors: Where to by sustainable decorative materials,
finishes, surfaces and flooring

Decorating homes with the environment and health in mind can be done without any loss of style Although we understand the health benefits of eating natural or organic food, perversely we have been slow to recognize that how we decorate our homes can also affect our wellbeing. Modern paints, for example, are typically made from vinyl resins and petrochemicals. These not only ‘out-gas’ volatile organic compounds (VOCs) but being non-porous prevent walls from breathing turning rooms into plastic boxes. Non-toxic, breathable finishes – using linseed oil, natural pigments and minerals, and even milk, say – rival and often surpass their modern counterparts for longevity, colour depth and finishes. To partner these, there are masses of stylish options for natural or eco floorings, like linoleum or coir and seagrass matting, and surfaces and wall coverings using recycled glass or old Wellington boots, would you believe it?

Surfaces Dapple Glass www.dappleglass.com
Shimmering accent tiles created from glass cullet to resemble crushed jewels.

DURAT www.durat.com
A tactile, solid-surface material available in an extensive range of speckled colours. Designed for worktops and tabletops it can also be cast into basins, shower trays and baths. Made with 50% recycled plastic it is itself 100% recyclable.

Eight Inch www.eightinch.co.uk
Jazzy, hardwearing composite material made from 85% recycled glass chips and solvent-free resins. Available in numerous color combinations and aggregate sizes it can be cast into practically any shape or used as a seamless flooring screed.

Energywise Recycled Glass www.energywiserecycledglass.co.uk
Recycled glass tiles available plain or patterned in clear, blue, green or amber.

Smile Plastics www.smile-plastics.co.uk
Fun sheet materials suitable for flooring, worktops and cladding and the like, ingeniously recycled from Wellington boots, squeezy bottles, yoghurt pots, bank notes, reject toothbrushes and crisp packets.

Smith & Wareham www.smithandwareham.co.uk
Recycled glass mosaic tiles in 16 colours.

Flooring

Concept Carpets www.concept-carpet.co.uk
Luxurious tufted carpets made in Britain with Jacob wool. Free from bleaching agents, chemical dyes and insect and stain repellents, the Jacob’s Velvet comes in three natural colors – cream, pewter and dark brown – as well as five attractive marled versions.

Dalsouple www.dalsouple.com
DalNaturel is a ‘new generation’ natural rubber floor covering featuring over 90% natural ingredients (most ‘rubber’ flooring is actually made from SBR, a petrochemical by-product).

Forbo-Nairn www.forbo-flooring.co.uk
Retro-style Marmoleum flooring is made from linseed oil, chalk, wood flour, and pine resin. Available in a wide selection of plain and marbled colours, it comes as both a 200cm wide sheet and as a tile (333 by 333mm square).

Kersaint Cobb www.kersaintcobb.co.uk
Natural coir, jute, seagrass and sisal floor coverings backed with natural latex.

Panda Flooring www.pandaflooring.co.uk
‘Hardwood’ flooring made from bamboo, the most environmentally friendly plant resource on account of its growth rate.

Siesta Cork Tile www.siestacorktiles.co.uk
Insulating, noise-absorbing, flexible cork floor and wall tiles made from harvestable tree bark in numerous colours, thicknesses and finishes.

The Waveney Rush Industry www.waveneyrush.co.uk
Sweet-smelling carpets and matting handmade from natural, renewable rush fibre.

Paints and Finishes Auro www.auroorganic.co.uk
Gloss and eggshell for woodwork and various wall paints as well as a huge range of wood stains, waxes, oils, decorating adhesives, fillers and even paint stripping paste, all free from petrochemicals.

Francesca’s Paints www.francescaspaint.com
Traditional lime wash (interior and exterior), ‘chalky’ emulsion, flat oil, eggshell, gloss, masonry and water-based, breathable ‘eco emulsion’ paints, all tinted with natural pigments and mixed by hand in 146 shades.

Georgina Barrow Natural Paints www.naturalpaints.org.uk
Matt, water-based emulsion and interior and exterior eggshell paints in 30 muted colours

Precious Earth www.preciousearth.co.uk
Environmentally friendly, low-impact finishes and flooring outlet in Ludlow offering a specialist design consultancy.

Ray Munn www.raymunn.com
Stockists of the Beckers range of eco-friendly paints, varnishes and finishes from Sweden, which offers a computerized colour-matching service.

Contemporary furniture for the home. Storage, shelving and home office furniture, offering contemporary style and sustainability www.ottofurniture.com. Further information on eco furniture, eco designers and eco-retailers is available on this site.

About the Author: Contemporary furniture for the home. Storage, shelving and home office furniture, offering contemporary style and sustainability http://www.ottofurniture.com. Further information on eco furniture, eco designers and eco-retailers is available on this site.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=224584&ca=Home+Management
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Watch the 2009 LEED green building market and impact report webinar video.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Tips For Green Living In The Home

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Green Living Tips

Do you care about the environment and your health, but want to be stylish with your home décor at the same time? Luckily, there are plenty of green living options that can be implemented in your home in order to create a great look while remaining eco-friendly.

Making Sustainable Choices

Making sustainable choices are an important component of green living. Making sustainable choices means purchasing products that don’t cause a negative impact on the environment and that will not make it more difficult for future generations to continue to sustain themselves. Making sustainable choices during the design process is referred to as 'green design' or 'sustainable design'. Some great sustainable choices to consider when decorating include:

  • Natural stone counter tops
  • Cabinets and other products made from woods such as bamboo, eucalyptus, or recycled wood
  • Carpet made from natural fibers, such as wool and cotton, or made from recycled materials
  • Green-friendly paint and home wallpaper, which is being offered by a growing number of manufacturers
  • Antiques – after all, they are being recycled!

You don’t have to create a bland and boring home décor in order to enjoy green living. In fact, there are numerous options out there that will allow you to make your home look great while still protecting the planet.

Appliances for Green Living

When it comes to green living, a great place to start is in your kitchen. Remodeling can add a great deal of value to your home, can make it more functional and attractive, and can help you make your home more eco-friendly.

When buying for your kitchen, look for modern appliances to help bring your home up-to-date. By purchasing those appliances with the Energy Star rating, you can potentially cut the amount of energy you use to power those appliances in half. Adding faucet aerators to your kitchen and bathroom faucets will also help reduce the amount of water you use while still providing you with a high pressure stream of water.

Obtaining Green Products

Fortunately, green living is rapidly growing in popularity. In response, many manufacturers are offering lines of eco friendly products that can be used for decorating purposes. In addition, a growing number of online and offline stores that are dedicated solely to green living are becoming a more common occurrence.

One great resource for green living products is www.greenhome.com. This site carries only eco-friendly products, including furniture, bedding, and home furnishings. Home furnishings offered at www.greenhome.com include candles, picture frames, tableware, home accessories, clocks, lamps, rugs and carpet. Another great online resource for green living products is www.livingreen.com. Here, you can find wall coverings, furniture, flooring, and more. Go to www.vivaterrra.com for fabulous green gifts for the home and garden.

Although it may take a little more time and effort to find and purchase eco products for your home, the effort will be worth it. Not only will you be doing your part to help conserve and protect the environment, green living is better for your health and can save you money in the long run.

About the Author:
San Francisco Interior Designer - Mint Home Décor.
San Francisco Interior Decorator - Mint Home Décor.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Tips for Green Living in the Home
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"Green Building" is a broad term used to describe the design and construction of sustainable and environmentally conscious buildings.

The driving force behind this is to lower our negative impact on the environment and, at the same time, make the buildings we live and work in safer and healthier for us.

According to the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) statistics,`buildings are responsible for all of the following:

  • 39% of US carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions


  • 70% of US electricity consumption


  • 15 trillion gallons of water consumption




Even though there is still some controversy over the effect of greenhouse gases on the environment, the last two statistics are very important for those of us living in urban areas experiencing continuous growth, especially the American Southwest. With our population expansion, aging water and electrical infrastructure, and shrinking landfills, designing and constructing green and sustainable buildings makes practical sense from a utilitarian perspective.

In fact, USGBC data shows that green buildings use 36% less energy, require fewer raw materials, and divert less waste to our landfills. Furthermore, the "increased" cost of green building is only one or two percent more expensive than a conventional building. This minute difference exemplifies the tangible and long-term benefits of sustainable design, primarily due to the fact that green buildings conserve water and electricity. Thus, while they are more expensive to build, green structures will save money by conserving more energy over time.

Another push towards the green build movement is by local governments. More and more municipalities are adopting the USGBC LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) guidelines for new and renovated buildings. In 2006, at the USGBC Greenbuild expo, the Mayor of Denver challenged other major cities to see who can have the most LEED® certified green buildings. They are accomplishing this by offering tax breaks to private corporations and mandating sustainable construction for city-financed projects.

This has led to a dramatic increase in the number of sustainable projects built by LEED® Certified general contractors. However, this growth has not come without challenges. Currently, the following issues are restricting the number of green projects being built:

  • Increased demand for green products has lead to long lead times


  • New and unspecified materials are labeled “green” products which are not necessarily certified


  • Building officials are struggling with a steep learning curve on how to evaluate these new products and sustainable building techniques




Despite these difficulties, the USGBC, sustainability advocates, and green building construction management firms are meeting to overcome these challenges.

The LEED® process is constantly under review and continues to adopt the latest codes and products. This includes Standard 189, a new minimum standard for green building. The USGBC is currently developing LEED® 3.0 and working with national code writers to include new products and techniques.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has even rolled out a new initiative called "Sustainability 2030," which at its roots, is looking to design all buildings by the year 2030 as carbon neutral. The USGBC has even initiated the Green Advantage Builders Certification for contractors to certify their knowledge in green building techniques.

So what does green building mean at the end of the day? It's simple yet profound: Do the right thing for you, the environment, and the next generation. While most companies are concerned with their bottom line, they ought to embrace the idea that energy and water conservation, green building, and the use of "green materials" in construction stands to increase their savings over time while positioning them as a leader in environmental stewardship.

According to the USGBC, we spend 90% of our time indoors. Due to this fact, scientists have identified an increase in allergies, asthma, absenteeism from school, and even work. There have been numerous studies done on post occupancy productivity levels, which have increased within "green" built facilities. Not only does green adaptation result in less sick days taken, but also shows an increase in productivity, job satisfaction, and in the case of schools, better grades.

So, as we positively affect the environment around us with sustainable green construction, we eventually create better health for ourselves.

About the Author:

Matthew Hancock is a LEED® accredited professional, a Green Advantage Certified Builder and a member of the Dallas chapter of the USGBC. He is a project manager for the Dallas office of Adolfson and Peterson Construction and a proponent of the sustainable and green building movements.

Adolfson & Peterson Construction is a 61-year-old company with offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; Phoenix, Arizona; and Dallas, Texas (AIA Dallas Chapter 2007 Contractor of the Year). Adolfson & Peterson is currently ranked 72 on the Engineering News-Record Top 400 General Contractors list. Services provided are construction management, design/build, general contracting, LEED® construction capability, Green Advantage® certified personnel, facilities maintenance, Building Information Modeling, and long-term care to various public and private clients.

Interested in learning more about the green building trend? A couple of good resources are the USGBC and the Adolfson & Peterson library of resources on green construction management.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Trends in Green Building and Sustainable Construction

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With great enthusiasm you have now decided to build your green home. What are steps required to commence your green home construction? Well, for starters there are some basic questions, which need to be asked when planning green home construction. These basic questions are where do you want to build your dream 'green' home? What are the green resources locally available to you? What are the green designs suitable for your dream house? Who else is interested? Is there a suitable architect available? Can my authorities help me? The solutions to these concerns will clarify the way forward for building your green home.

The designs required for construction of green homes will depend largely on the geographical location you choose. If it were in the mountains, a different type of approach would be required, say to a house in the plains or the deserts or by the seaside.

The green resources available locally will come next in your checklist for your green home construction. Your choice would have to be sensible, even though plentiful organic resources are available. For example, choosing to cut down those trees which are plentiful instead of the rare long living variety which are much more difficult to replace. Using products made from material recycled from city's landfill is an option and could be your contribution to national resource conservation.

The dictates of weather will also decide what sort of green design you would want to incorporate. For example, sloping traditional roofs with runnels would be appropriate in wet weather climate rather than flat topped log cabins, which are more suitable for the mountains. Straw bale and compressed earth blocks are more appropriate for 'green' home constructions in warmer regions.

Involving other people is a positive way to ensure the viability of green home construction. Remember, a community effort is always better than 'going at it alone'. Safety in terms of finances as well as conservation of resources. For instance, common swimming pool, common solar panel grid, common water harvesting projects and common recycling plants can easily be shared by a community wishing to build green homes. Novices cannot indulge in green home construction. Get yourself a good architect with proven track record who knows all the pros and cons of green home construction. It would be his ken to advise you on the best tax benefits from the government, the best designs to incorporate and the best resources to use for best use of your money. That should be your mantra for constructing a green home.

Renewable & Alternative Energy Resources: http://www.alternativeenergybase.com

Find more information regarding green home building, visit GreenHomeGuide.org.

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Green designs
or sustainable designs are often used in place of each other. They are complementary terms and usually cover all aspects of building green. Confusion however exists in the exact meaning of the term sustainable design. Sustainable design means a design which is more or less self sufficient like a self actuating biosphere.

The important aspects of sustainable design is that the design places the least load on the environment, is able to regenerate most of the resources required for its sustenance and helps improve our way of living. To translate that into practical measures, it involves designing buildings or townships in a holistic fashion utilizing the elements of nature such as sunlight and wind intelligently. These include the use of solar arrays and natural air to reduce consumption of electricity and polluting air conditioners which produce CFCs. A sustainable design looks at conserving water by harvesting rain water. Recycling of water used for bathing for the kitchen garden is yet another aspect. It looks at converting organic waste products into manure for use in the buildings kitchen garden.

A range of initiatives such as sharing a common swimming pool, common rainwater harvesting plant, solar panels all add up to the conservation aspects in a sustainable design. Car-pooling can also be considered as part of sustainable design as it helps conserve natural resources. Locally used material which can be replenished are encouraged in a sustainable design. So if repairs are required of the building, material need not be hauled over long distances but be utilized from around the environment. Converting all these ideas into practice requires government help. Thus there are sustainable design standards which have evolved. The most common sustainable design standard is the LEED standard adopted by USA and some other countries in the world. The scientists too have chipped in by providing life cycle calculations for sustainable designs in the field of architecture and building green infrastructure projects.

These life cycle calculations include life cycle energy analysis and use of modern technology to complement the sustainability of the designs. These include inventing better solar panels, better interface with indigenous building practices with modern equipment and optimum utilization of powerful computing available to arrive at simulations for a truly sustainable design. Sustainable designs strive to achieve the holism expressed in the Greek concept of Gaea or living earth, where everyone is in perfect harmony with the nature.

Renewable & Alternative Energy Resources: http://www.alternativeenergybase.com

For more on green design, goto aia.org.

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How would you react if your neighbor told you she was going to build wind turbines? Pretty impressed? The truth is that it is not difficult to build wind turbines and many homeowners are taking the challenge to build their own wind turbines as a cost-effective means to utilizing renewable energies. It isn’t exactly snap-your-fingers easy to build wind turbines either, but with the proper plans and a motivated builder you can be building wind turbines in no time.

It is definitely your best bet, before setting out to build wind turbines, to purchase an instruction manual or guide to follow. Remember that you get what you pay for when it comes to instructions. Make sure you find a manual that is easy to read with detailed instructions. There are also many online resources and forums to help guide you through your wind turbine building process.

To familiarize yourself with the basics, before you get started on your project to build wind turbines, there are four basic components to wind turbines. To build wind turbines you must be familiar with the towers, the batteries, the turbines and the tail and propeller assembly. The tools generally required to build wind turbines are simple as well, you will need wrenches, a saw and a drill. There may also be a need for additional tools depending on how of the wind turbine you will be building yourself.

One part that you will probably be ordering when you decide to build wind turbines is the motor. The motors on wind turbines do require regular maintenance and oiling for continued efficiency, but this is a small price to pay for the excellent energy these systems provide. In addition to the motor, you are definitely going to need a good-sized workspace. Depending on your target energy output, your propellers or blades could get up to 8 feet in diameter (4 ft blades).

It takes a little work to build wind turbines, but there is really nothing overly complicated about the process and generally the process can be fairly inexpensive once you are operational and your electric bills are dropping each month. Building wind turbines is also a fast growing occupation worldwide as technicians are tough to find. So learn how to build wind turbines for yourself and take advantage of the opportunities free electricity and know how can provide.
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Interior design is all about creating aesthetically pleasing spaces that are safe, practical and in harmony with the rest of the surroundings. In order to carry this out effectively we must source the best materials, furniture and fixtures and fittings for the job, and in doing so, we inevitably have an impact on the environment albeit inadvertently.

These days with so much emphasis being placed on global climate change, reducing consumption, and recycling, interior design can be a bit daunting if we want to limit our carbon footprint and still get the effect we want. However, armed with the right information, it needn't be a big challenge and we can still create beautiful rooms that are stylish, healthy and that are environmentally friendly too. So where do we begin?

First of all it's important to note that every single thing we buy has an impact on the environment somewhere along the line either, from the way they are extracted, manufactured and processed, or from the distances they have to travel to end up in our home. Take for example paint, wood, glass, metal, textiles and furniture, each of which can have a negative impact if we don't know what to look out for but with a little effort and forethought, we are able to find eco friendly alternatives.

Paint

Conventional paint contains solvents and lot of other harsh chemicals and toxins but it is possible to source paints that have a reduced effect on the environment and that don't contain solvents, which are not only a much healthier option as they won't release harmful gases into your home and the atmosphere, they can be just as effective.

Wood

If possible, try to buy wood that is grown in a local forest so it doesn't have to travel long distances to end up in your home. Also, choose woods that don't have a negative effect on the environment. Look out for the FSC symbol which stands for Forestry Stewardship Council, an international non-profit organization that will ensure that when you buy you will not be contributing to global forest destruction and threatening the livelihoods of people who depend on the forest or timber to survive.

Glass and Metal

Glass and metal are fairly easy to recycle and one of the advantages of both is that in most cases they can be recycled over and over again without losing any quality. Using recycled glass and metal helps reduce the amount of resources needed to produce these materials from scratch, also the process of recycling uses a lot less energy than what is required to make new glass and metal.

Textiles

Textile production can include processes like dying and bleaching which uses a lot of energy and will produce toxic gases which are then released into the environment not to mention the harmful pesticides that are often used whilst growing the raw materials. The main things to consider when choosing an eco friendly option is how renewable the product is, in other words, can it be replenished quickly, whether the product is dyed or if natural dyes are used, and whether a lot of chemicals are required to produce it. Some of the more eco friendly choices include organic cotton, wool and hemp although there are many others available too.

Furniture

How eco friendly your furniture is will depend on the material it is made from, how it is processed and what finishes have been used, so choose carefully. Consider buying second hand furniture or items made from recycled or reclaimed materials and doing them up as this helps to keep existing items in circulation and reduces the amount of perfectly useful items ending up in landfill.

When sourcing eco friendly materials for your interior design project, try to stick to the following guidelines:

- Buy from local producers and suppliers as much as possible as the less distance an item has to travel, the lower the impact on the environment

- Consider the type of materials you choose and whether they come from renewable and sustainable energy sources

- Avoid materials that contain chemical additives or that use a lot of energy during manufacturing processes

- When buying new items, try as much as possible to choose products that can be readily recycled after use or that can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner

- Consider low energy or energy saving devices and buy as much as you can from recycled or reclaimed materials

Finally, as a result of the massive amount of publicity given to global warming and the need for conservation of energy, many producers make claims about their products that are misleading or even false so check out the credentials of any suppliers claiming that their products are certified as natural, organic or eco friendly.

David McEvoy is an expert in interior design. If you are looking for a leather sofa to give the finishing touches to a newly decorated room then please come and visit our site.

Article Source: http://www.articlegarden.com