Sustainable Design Blog

Green build, Building Materials, Construction

More Green Building Materials You Probably Don't Know About

Green construction materials for your new home or office

What are some green building materials that many builders are unaware of?

We could probably spend this and several more blogs discussing what green materials actually are, but I will let you decide that, and get on with some of the materials we have been using over the past 15 years in our sustainable design work.

This comes after receiving a lot of great direct feedback from posting this article by Peter Hortsman on the same subject (Must-Have Construction Material Made from Recyclables by Carlson Studio Architecture).

Building materials are constantly being improved or replaced with better materials, and because the modern sustainable building industry in the United States has been around for a couple of decades now, we have great materials that are already proven, and I'm going to share some of those that are a little less commonly known but very good for our planet.


How we got here:

What we have seen, beginning with the launch of the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED V2.0 green building rating system, is that manufactures are addressing this market sector in so many ways, both for the homeowner and the professional.

For example, back in 2002 when we tried to specify products that recycled content, or low VOC’s, the manufacturer’s themselves did not have that information available to their sales force. More than a decade later, however, this has changed. Now this information is published in all the product specs, and you can even buy sustainable building materials at your local Lowes or Home Depot store.

But educate yourself before you shop, because there is still a lot of green washing out there, and just because a label leads you to believe it's good for the planet, that doesn't mean it actually is!

 

1. Your Walls

First, let’s look at how we build a wall.  Historically, our 2 options have typically been wood-framed (sometimes called stick framed), or concrete block (CMU). Today, however, we have so many more choices that provide a higher performing, proven building envelope, such as:

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF):

ICFs are over-sized, Styrofoam blocks that get filled with reinforcing steel (rebar) and concrete to create a very strong, tightly sealed, and well-insulated wall system. They will arrive as individual “Lego” style blocks and are assembled on-site.  They may also be used for foundation walls if there is a basement. Some examples of ICF systems include:

We used Fox Block on our design for the 2009 HGTV Green Home project in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs):

SIPs are a panelized wall system, filled with rigid foam with a skin on both sides of either wood, such as oriented strand board (OSB, is an engineered wood particle board formed by adding adhesives and then compressing layers of wood strands) or an aluminum skin. This wall is also very strong, tightly sealed, and well-insulated.

It is typically manufactured off-site and is delivered as panels already sized and shaped to create the design. (like a 3D puzzle with all the pieces numbered) Our favorite:

We used Murus SIPS on our Birch Haven Residence green building design in Michigan.

 

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC):

AACs come in both panels and blocks:


Straw Bale construction (just like it sounds)

 

Wood Chip Cement:

  • forms like Faswall (http://faswall.com), which is a bit like an ICF, but the forms are made of wood chips.

We used AAC panels and blocks on our LEED Gold certified office project, Twin Lakes Park.

 

Say "no" to particle board:

Particle Board is one of the nastiest things you can put into your office or home. It is full of VOCs, and Urea Formaldehyde. Particle Board can off-gas these chemicals into your home or office for a year after they are installed! There are better options now:


2. Your Flooring

Flooring is another amazing topic, because there are so many great options available to us, and this is where great strides can be made in your quest for green.

  • Bamboo is a rapidly renewable, hardwood flooring system.  (You can also make cabinets from bamboo plywood).
  • Cork is a wonderful flooring system that is easy on your feet, and soft on the acoustics in the space as well. Cork flooring is available in both commercial and residential grades.
  • Carpet tile is a great choice for many reasons. It can be made from recycled materials such as plastic soda bottles. It can be reclaimed at the end of its life and recycled into new carpet, and if an area gets damaged, only the damaged tiles need to be replaced.  We use it almost anytime we specify carpet.

 

3. Everywhere else

So many green materials and so little time…  Here are some more materials you may not know about.

It is not hard to find good green materials. Rely on those good third party, independent agencies to help you along and point you in the right direction. Put your money where your month is and support the companies that make healthy and sustainable products. If your favorite brands are not doing the right thing, ask them to.

There is no need to take a chance on an unproven product these days, unless you enjoy being an early adopter.  And, of course, when it is time to design your new home or office, work with an architect that has decades of experience evaluating and using the best green materials in your area.  


CONCLUSION:

Green building materials can be many things. Depending on your personal definition, that could mean they are local or regional, they have recycled content, they are easily recycled at end for life, they are non-toxic and low chemical, they conserve water or energy, and I'm sure you can continue adding to that list.

Everyday items that you may not think of as green often have a green option that is readily available. Things like paints, caulks, adhesives, glues, stains, and sealants all have low VOC (Volatile Organic compounds), low toxic, low chemical options.  Many are off the shelf.  Some you may need to order.  

Whatever you do, do everything you can to keep VOCs out of your home and office.

Interested in learning more about how to incorporate green into the build of your next home or commercial building? Set up a free consultation with Carlson Studio Architecture today!

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Your Project Team, Construction

How do I select a good general contractor?

Hiring a general contractor can be a stressful endeavor - here are three ways to ease the pain.

“What is a good process for selecting a general contractor?” - It's something we hear a lot

It's also one of the most important questions you can and should be asking about your upcoming build, because not every contractor is the same. They can make your project if they share your vision and goals, or break it if they are rowing in a different direction or don't have the right kind of experience.

So, I thought I would help you out by sharing four important steps to the GC selection process. Keep in mind as you read these how important building the right foundation is to any kind of successful build.

 

1: When to hire

Timing is really important when it comes to hiring your contractor, because you want them involved early in the design process, as soon as you know you have a viable project. They should actually be your second stop after hiring your design team.

Why hire so early? Well, it's important to have the contractor on board to accomplish the integrated design process. It's also important to get the entire project team together early so everyone can work together to achieve optimum results.  

Many smart heads are better than one, after all, and there is a big advantage to the project when the people who are going to build it participate in the design process and understand why the design is the way it is and why the decision to have it that way was reached.

 

2: Go for experience 1st, not low bid

Select your contractor based on their experience, not by low bid. Remember, it is early in the process and the project design is not fully developed. You don’t want to hire a GC based on a lower price quoted up front before they understand the details of the project. That's just askin' for trouble.

 

3: Ask for help & get to the fees

Ask your design team and others you trust for names of good contractors.  Interview about 3-4 GCs that seem like a good fit for your project.  (If you invite too many contractors they will become less interested.

It is important that each gets a fair chance to compete for the work. A 1:3 or 1:4 chance is more appealing than a 1:10 chance if you were to invite that many contractors for interviews).

Talk to them about their related experience, how they structure and charge for the pre-construction services phase, how they do cost estimating early in the process, how they approach a project like yours, who will be working on the project from their company, what their insurance coverage is, and what they anticipate for overhead costs (referred to as general conditions).

Make sure you also ask what their fee % will be.  (Their fee is usually a % of the total construction contract or it could be structured as a cost plus arrangement). They can estimate their fee based on a rough estimate of the total cost of construction, and the complexity of the project.

 

4: Get a pre-construction agreement

Once you pick your General contractor, you'll need to enter into a pre-construction agreement with them.  They will charge you a fee for this service.  If things work out the contractor will often credit back some or all of the fee when you sign the agreement to have them do the actual construction.  

If for some reason the project does not go ahead, the contractor is paid for the work they performed and the process is equitable to everyone.   Should you decide to proceed with the project, but not with the General Contractor that did the pre-construction services, again the contractor is paid for the work they performed and the process is equitable to everyone.  This is why you sign a pre-construction agreement early in the process, but not the contract for the full and complete construction.

Hiring your General Contractor to do Pre-construction Services during the design process makes those who will actually build the project part of the project development team as well.  They will typically provide cost estimating, and assist the owner and design team in understanding cost implications of various design decisions.  They can develop the construction schedule in conjunction with the estimating.   They can even bring in key subs, such HVAC contractors to evaluate system options and approaches.

WHY YOUR WALLET WILL THANK YOU: 

Many initially think this approach leads to a lack of competition in the bidding process, and ultimately to higher costs. Using this approach, however, you are still able to get competitive bids. Your general contractor will bid out all the sub-contracts to multiple sub-contractors for each trade needed on the job.

Often, the GC will share all the sub-contractor bids with you and you may decide together who to use.  Remember, you are really trying to get the most value for the price of the work.  You are not looking for the cheapest price if the services performed are substandard in quality or unreliable. 


CONCLUSION:

So, hire your contractor early in the project development, base your decision on quality and experience over low-bid, get input from your design team, use the pre-construction services agreement scope, and utilize your contractor’s knowledge and expertise in building projects like yours.

These early decisions make a huge difference in the end, both in the success of the project and your ability to control costs throughout the build process.


 

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