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by Bonnie Riverdahl
Time was when a greenhouse was a place where indoor gardeners lovingly raised plants. Today, the term has added meaning. The green house/green building concept is being embraced by a growing number of builders, architects, rehabbers, remodelers, homeowners and buyers, building and remodeling industry suppliers and others committed to creating buildings that are friendlier to planet Earth.
In brief, green building is the practice of crafting healthier, more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition—an approach that considers the building’s complete life cycle, an approach studies show can yield great environmental, economic, health, and social benefits.
According to Steve Loos, senior staff vice president for Association Services, Home Builders of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri, the HBA’s green home program (which requires two inspections for energy efficiency and third-party verification by Laclede Gas) is making inroads. Loos commented, “In 2007, nine green houses were built locally under our program. To date this year, 12 have already been completed and another 20 are in the works.” A number of the area’s commercial projects planned or underway are also green LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, as are a host of remodeling efforts.
Green building is another step in an overall movement to go green, from using paper bags or cloth totes rather than plastic grocery bags to replacing store-bought, chemical-laden cleaners with old-fashioned white vinegar, baking soda, club soda, and soap and water; recycling; choosing tap water in glass over commercial bottled water; trading aerosols for pump sprays; and more.
While green building has gained recent traction, the concept has a decades-long history. Before the twentieth century, architects and builders understood the entire building—from design through construction and lifetime operation—and incorporated passive design and simple systems for heating, cooling and lighting. In the 1930s, advances in building technologies—air conditioning, fluorescent lighting, reflective glass, and structural steel—led to an expansion in “hermetically sealed” glass and steel buildings and skyscrapers with massive HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) systems, advances that were actually steps backward in architecture and design. Building creators ignored climate issues and their impact on buildings and occupants. Building generalists were replaced by specialists, resulting in lost communication and lack of whole-system, life-cycle building practices.
In the 1970s, along with dramatic changes in music and social mores, came increasing alarm about the vulnerability of the planet. Inspired by such works as Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, environmentalists, ecologists, architects and builders took a critical look at current building practices. Their concern and the energy crisis led to more than two dozen major initiatives and organizations devoted to more responsible building and design practices, beginning in the early 1970s and continuing today.
Among these were the AIA (American Institute of Architects) 1973 energy task force; creation of the Department of Energy and the Solar Energy Research Institute in 1977; the 1987 UN World Commission on the Environment and Development that first defined sustainable development; AIA’s Environmental Resources Guide in 1992; the greening of the White House and Founding of the United States Green Building Council in 1993; 1997s International Green Building Challenge; the 1999 President’s Council on Sustainable Development, recommending 140 actions to improve the nation’s environment; and in 2000 and beyond, increasing demand by municipalities, corporations and individuals for green building standards. That’s an overview of the what and when of green building. Now to the why and how.
Statistics show that in the United States, buildings account for 39 to 49 percent of total energy use; 68 to 70 percent of total electricity consumption; 38 percent of total carbon dioxide emissions; and 12 to 25 percent of total water consumption. For example, older toilets use 3.7 to seven gallons of water per flush, dishwashers eight to 14 gallons per cycle, top-loading dishwashers up to 45 gallons per load, and dripping faucets 15 to 21 gallons per day. Showers account for 18 percent of a home’s overall indoor water use and 37 percent of hot water use; a high-performance showerhead uses one to 1.5 gallons per minute, up to 60 percent less than a traditional showerhead.
Green building helps home and building owners reduce their energy and water usage while at the same time lessening their overall impact on the earth. Parts of the green building concept may be applied to even simple home remodeling jobs. But to become LEED’s certified or qualify for bronze, silver or gold Green Building Initiative (GBI) status, builders must meet specific criteria. The St. Louis and Eastern Missouri HBA’s GBI has a seven-part program, including lot design and development, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, operation/maintenance/homeowner education, and global impact. To be officially “green,” builders must earn required points in each area.
Eco-friendly builders frequently use special materials, including rapidly renewable plants like bamboo, lumber from forests certified as sustainably managed, recycled stone and metal, dimension stone, and other products considered non-toxic, reusable, renewable or recyclable. Insulation may be made from low-volatile organic compound-emitting materials, and wood could also be reclaimed or from architectural salvage.
To provide optimum energy efficiency, green builders typically choose higher rated R-value insulation or structural insulating systems, high-efficiency furnaces and air conditioners, whole house or ceiling fans, solar panels and more. Water-efficient sinks, faucets, showerheads, dishwashers, washers and low-flow toilets help conserve water.
These are just some of the dozens of items listed in the HBA Green Building Initiative. And despite the misconception that “green” building is much more expensive, it generally adds only five percent to conventional construction costs which could mean significant cost savings on utilities and maintenance over time.
Among the major local green commercial projects are a new, multi-purpose university center at Washington University; the new Wildwood Campus of St. Louis Community College (consisting of one 75,000 square foot building); and the new 206,000 square foot Doisy Research Center at St. Louis University; all are aspiring to LEED’s certification.
Home Builders Association GBI houses are sprinkled across the metro area, from The Courts in Chesterfield to Boulevard Heights and Gustine Townhomes in the city, Kirkwood’s Vision Community, Enclave Bellerive in Creve Coeur and more. For details on these and upcoming green house tours, visit the website www.stlhba.com.
Whether it’s simply rejecting plastic grocery bags, using CFL lightbulbs, choosing ENERGY STAR-labeled appliances, incorporating eco-sound practices in remodels or rehabs, or building a GBI-certified house, it really is easy being “green!”
Sources: Home Builders’ Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri; greenbuilding.com; Environmental Protection Agency; Wikipedia; St. Louis Business Journal.
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