Building Materials Used in Sustainable, Green or Energy Efficient Homes (More To Come)
Bamboo Flooring & Countertops- May not be suitable for Flagstaff. Durable, versatile and water resistant.
Carpet
- Recycled carpet - Carpet made from recycled food and drink containers. Check to make sure they are low VOC and low off gassing.
- Wool carpet - Natural carpet
- Wool carpet with EnviroCel soy-based polyurethane backings from Woolshire with 20 styles of its eco-friendly natural wool carpets. woolshire.com
Cork Flooring - We have also heard this may not be suitable for Flagstaff. Cork flooring comes from tree barks and sealed with acrylic. Durable, thermal insulated and comfortable
EnergyStar Products - Check to see if your products are EnergyStar and what the rating is compared to its competitors products. By using EngeryStar products or having a certified EngeryStar home it will lower your bills and use less natural resources & fossil fuels.
Formaldehyde Free Adhesives - Adhesives are used throughout the home in different building materials. They do sell formaldehyde free adhesives.
Granite, Travertine & Concrete - Different types of stones have been used for ages. Very durable and great for countertops and flooring. Concrete is also a great alternative for floors and countertops. Concrete can be colored, painted or made with designs.
Insulated Concrete Forms" ICFs" - Interlocked metal, plastic or foam forms. Concrete is then pored into the forms. ICF's are durable, well insulated, and good for passive solar. More energy efficiency than a wood framed house.
Lubricants - Renewable Lubricants' BPL oil is a biodegradable, soy-based substitute for all-purpose penetrating lubes made with petroleum (like WD-40). renewablelube.com
Natural Linoleum - Made with cork, tree rosin, linseed and limestone. Long lasting, non-toxic and biodegradable.
Newspaper countertops - Huh? Recycled newspaper bound together by soy-based resins. Available in 20 styles. Environ Biocomposites, environbiocomposites.com
Paint - Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) or Home Depot's Fresh Aire thefreshairchoice.com or homedepot.com With NO VOC's are not only earth friendly but people friendly. VOC's are chemicals that vaporize and enter the atmosphere and pollute the indoor air. There is another new paint with zero VOC's called Mythic info at mythicpaint.com. Soy Paints, Sealers and Strippers - Green Planet Paints (greenplanetpaints.com) uses soy-based resin in its no-Voc paints. SoyGuard (soyguard.com) uses soybean oil as a solvent in its water repellent and wood sealer, while Franmar (franmar.com) uses the same eco-safe solvent in its Soy-Gel paint remover.
Photovoltaic Cell - A solar cell. Cells make up a solar panel. The technology is used to take light and turn it into energy to be used and stored.
Plywood - Most plywood has formaldehyde (a carcinogen) used in the adhesives. Columbia Forest Products has come up with a soy based version. columbiaforestproducts.com
Spray Insulation - This spray foam cost 3 times the amount as regular fiber glass insulation but will reduce you heating and cooling bills tremendously in turn use less natural resources & fossil fuels.
Structural Insulated Panels "SIPs" - SIP's consist of and interior and exterior sheathing(usually OSB) with a foam core. SIP's can be used as walls, ceilings or sub floors. Great insulation, wind and earthquake resistant. SIP's have the same structural properties as I-beam or I-column.
Wood Floors - Made from mother earth. Looks great and can be refinished.
Wool Carpeting - Non-toxic alternative, healthy and natural.
More To Come!
If you know of any great products and want to contribute to the list email: johnmullaney@hotmail.com (put green building in the subject line) and thank you! Make sure I respond because I get a lot of junk mail! |
