Understanding LEED Certification

I am proud to work as an independent general contractor. I have enjoyed the opportunity of meeting many different clients in and around the Hamptons. In order to build my business, I understand that it is important to follow the codes and regulations that have been established.

Over the last few years, green standards have become very important in the world of commercial real estate. It is easy to get confused when professionals throw around a lot of technical terms and acronyms. However, the concepts are easy to understand when they are clearly explained.

You will hear a lot of talk about LEED certified buildings. The LEED rating system stands for  Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It was established by the U.S. Green Building Council in recent years to determine which buildings are following green standards. There are a lot of different components that go into LEED certification. A building needs to be energy efficient, have low carbon emissions and a low level of waste to earn LEED certification.

In the construction industry, we care a lot about LEED certification because it is important to the environment and to our customers. If you are building or buying a new commercial property, it is wise to consider the benefits of LEED certification. This type of certification will reduce your energy costs, and it will also make your property more appealing to buyers if you decide to sell.

Some people are intimidated by the thought of LEED certification, but the process is really not that difficult. There is a fee that comes with certification, but the costs can be recouped by the benefits. Green, Silver, Gold and Platinum are the different levels of LEED certification. Green is the most basic level, and many builders use it as their minimum standard. Some certification courses are available online, so it is easy to learn about LEED certification while you are still working hard in your business.

Over the last decade, the demand for green buildings has skyrocketed, and it is likely to continue to increase. As a building professional, I encourage my colleagues to explore all of the benefits of learning about LEED certification. It takes some time and money, but the benefits are much greater than the costs. In any business, you need to be able to adapt to changes, and green, LEED certified buildings will be the buildings of our future.

My Green Home

The ideal home is a green home, and houses today aren’t very “green” at all. From what I’ve seen through my work over the years, people don’t really care about anything but the price. I get questions like “Well, I’d love to buy a faucet with an automatic shut off, but it’s just too expensive. This is always the point where I let them know that the most important part of worth is not only price, but value. Furthermore, they should understand that the added initial cost will always be worth the value in the end. (Pretty clever, right?)

Nevertheless, here are a few different ways to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your home via construction:

Construction and Infrastructure:

Green architecture always starts with a foundation and skeleton. Although the standard wood and/or concrete home is considered a norm in the construction industry, there are a number of ways to build a home in an ecologically friendly manner. You can utilize recycled materials to build the structure of the home. A number of international projects have created sound foundations from beer bottles or car tires. Or, perhaps, you could build the home using old shipping containers. Their quite large and, once they’ve done their work, there’s no other purpose. Consider what sort of option fits best for you both stylistically and financially.

Appliances & Furnishing:

Of course, a home isn’t merely created by the empty walls erected by carpenters and construction specialists. A home is made by the inclusion of important items and furnishings. Personal items, appliances, all of these are significant considerations when making a green home.

One of the first things people should do is look to see if the appliances being installed by the construction company are energy efficient. Will it take three gallons of H20 just to flush the toilet? Will the fridge manage to suck warm air out and all hopes of using a reasonable supply of electricity? Ensure your appliances have the energy star seal of approval.

Then move on to your furnishings. Try to find chairs, tables, desks, and the like that are constructed out of recycled materials. There are a number of options out there to fit anyone’s personal style while remaining true to the idea of environmentalism.

Maintenance:

Houses will undergo a lot when you live in them. There will be maintenance work that’s needed to be done. Take, for instance, the ducting used for air conditioning. Air conditioning statistically takes up the largest percentage of raw power from the grid. If there’s a leak in the ducting (which, over time, is almost inevitable), is it possible to reach it to repair it? If you have a basement, will it be possible to ensure it remains water and air sealed?  Making sure that there’s enough access to the various nooks and crannies in your home is prudent even without any green considerations. It’s absolutely vital, however, with them in mind

Smart Conservation:

After you’ve made this green house a home, you’re going to have to pick up some savvy saving habits in order to keep being environmentally conscious. First, consider the amount of water being used on a daily basis. Fresh water is actually one of our more scarce resources. Most of it often comes from large aquifers that are being drained rapidly. With all of that in mind, is it prudent to take a thirty minute shower every day?

On a related note, energy conservation is also a fundamental consideration. Not only will it help save the environment, but it’ll save you a few dollars too! From the initial stages, you’ve already planned to save power. It’s clearly evident by the solar panels you installed as the house was being constructed. Managing power wisely will help continue to cut down on your power usage and your ultimate carbon footprint. If you’re not watching TV, is there a need for it to be on? The same goes with the laptop. If you’re checking Facebook from your phone, why also do it on your computer? Prudent thinking in the utilization of resources will allow you to make your home a green home for years to come.   

Hiatus

Working as an independent contractor takes a lot out of you, both mentally and physically. As such, it’s difficult for me to add, manage and maintain a lot of the online materials that I’ve published both here and in other locations. However, (even as a newly wed and father of one) I have managed to make the time for a diary, or as I like to call it, “the little green book.” 

During my time away from sharing personal thoughts and experiences with my readers, I’ve undergone a minor adjustment in the way I conduct business; most of my jobs now are green only. In other words, through my connections in NY, I’ve gotten a handful of opportunities on construction work with many different types of commercial real estate. This could include anything from new developments, to apartment buildings and hotels. Most of it has to deal directly with the rental or “temporary housing” market. And it’s not strictly NYC based either; I’ve had plenty of opportunity to travel (even abroad) and lend my craftsmanship expertise as part of a much larger team all working towards a common goal. 

And a big part of that collective goal is to establish gold LEED certification. There’s a lot that goes into a building that’s LEED certified, but the principles behind it don’t differ much from what I’ve seen as far as residential is concerned. Over the course of the next (however long), I’ll be sharing a lot of my new experiences with you, and hopefully shed light on some more modern green technologies and how they’re being applied from a commercial standpoint.

*Please note that not all of the materials you see here and in fact published by me; I have a loving and caring wife that will sometimes handle and coordinate my work and words. 

Create Energy While Taking a Shower

Water power may be the oldest type of renewable energy. The hydroelectric dams at Niagara Falls have been around almost since electricity was first transported on metal wires, but the idea of drawing power from running water goes back a lot further than that. You can see a working waterwheel at any cider mill. It makes you think about how machines were in use for many centuries before we had gas pipes and electrical grids to power them, and how those machines were often run using the energy of an existing water flow.

I like to think that inventor Ryan Jongwoo Choi was drinking a delicious glass of freshly pressed cider when he came up with the idea for the ES Pipe Waterwheel. This nifty device uses the velocity of the water in an ordinary pipe to generate electricity. The power is stored in rechargeable batteries connected to two light bulbs. The fully charged light bulbs can be removed from the pipe and used for lighting. It’s an incredibly smart idea. Tiny water wheels in a pipe can generate electricity just like the dam at Niagara Falls does.

Although the ES Pipe Waterwheel was invented with remote African towns in mind, I’m excited about its potential in the kind of ordinary American homes I work on in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is full of people who care about the environment, and who can also appreciate a clever gadget. I think that these mini-renewable energy systems would be popular with people in the City, and particularly with the forward thinking and conscientious people of Brooklyn.

I’m going to be honest, though. To me, the ES Pipe Waterwheel would be even better if it could recharge small electronic devices in addition to light bulbs. I’m already thinking about ways that I could rig it up to do that. I’d love to have this in my own home, and I think that it would be a great thing to add in as part of a bathroom remodeling or as a feature in a new development, as-is. However, if it can charge light bulbs, then it should be able to charge phones and digital cameras. Maybe it’s not feasible, though. The recharge would probably take too long.

Anyway, portable light bulbs are useful. They can act as nightlights. They can be used as reading lights. They can be used to light the way in an old, unlit or poorly lit basement or attic or to illuminate a closet or the area under a sink when you’re looking for something. A portable light is always a nice thing to have handy, and these will never run out of batteries.

I think that ES Pipe Waterwheels will fly in the Brooklyn Real Estate market, and I’m going to test that theory by installing one in my next project.

ES Pipe Waterwheel

8 Ways to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution

Did you know that indoor air is on average 5 times more polluted than outdoor air? I was shocked when I heard this statistic because, in general, I feel as though I have more control over the air in my home than the air outside. But, it turns out that furniture, paint, and cleaning supplies emit chemicals into indoor air, which are then trapped within the relatively small space of my home.  After a little bit of research, I put together this list of 8 tips for reducing indoor air pollution:

1)     Easily reduce the amount of particulate matter that gets into your home by having everyone take off their shoes right outside your front door. I’ve been doing this for years, just because I am more comfortable in bare feet and slippers, but I was happy to read that this is also one of the best ways to reduce household dust.

2)     Vacuum at least once per week. Don’t be lazy. Sweep and vacuum regularly.

3)    Dust with a wet rag. Some cleaning supplies emit VOCs and contain artificial fragrances, so water and a reusable cloth is the best option for regular dusting.

4)     Wash bedding at least once a month. We’ve all heard that a big percent of dust is actually made up of skin cells, and that combined with how much time the average person spends in bed, means your bed might dirtier than you think.

5)     Be careful with anything that sprays – hairspray, perfume, cleaners, etc. All have the potential to leave hazardous chemicals and particulate matter lingering in the air. This is one of the reasons that I’ve recently switched to perfume made from organic essential oils rather than traditional fragrances.

6)     When re-decorating look for low-VOC options. Furniture and paint manufacturers are responding to consumer demands by creating low-VOC products. One example of air-conscious furniture is made by a company I blog for - the Pure line of rugs by Merida Meridian has been recognized by the Carpet and Rug Institute [CRI] for the incredibly low level of VOCs emitted by the rugs.

7)     Use potted plants. Plants help naturally filter the air around us and can even decrease VOC levels!

8)     Open the windows. It is finally summer, so skip the air conditioning and open all of your windows instead. This is a great and money-saving way to get clean air circulating. 

Cameron Bruns is the founder of Boston Green Blog and a contributor to Merida, the premier source for distinctively designed natural rugs with a conscience for sustainability.

Spring Pests

with the past year or so, I’ve replaced almost every window in my house. It wasn’t until this spring that I realized there were nagging carpenter ants inside the frame & moulding surround the each. So far, I’ve killed approximately 134 ants; And yes, I’m counting! This has become quite a problem to say the least, but for any of you experiencing similar issues, there are solutions.

Background

From what I’ve read, carpenter ants like to borough inside wood - Keep in mind I say borough, not feed off of, so they aren’t as bad as let’s say, termites. Yet, they still pose an eminent threat. As you can see from the pictures below, if left untreated, they can certainly do some damage. Carpenter Ant Damage

Treatment

There are a large multitude of products that can be found at any local hardware store, and most will contain the necessary ingredients to kill carpenter ants. Likewise, they will kill just about every other household bug or insect nuisance. But the biggest problem with terminating carpenter ants completely is locating their satellite nests, because simple traps or baits won’t necessarily remove the problem as a whole. In other words, these products aren’t guaranteed. Usually, you’ll want to hire a professional to take care of the situation, but I can certainly reveal their secret remedy, and that is Boric Acid.

Most simply put, boric acid is a weak form of insecticide. It comes in powder and liquid form, and will almost always do the trick. You can literally spend hours spraying areas of infestation with household formulas and get undesired results, whereas with boric acid it sometimes takes a simple puff. You can find this product online, or at your local hardware store as well. 

As a supplemental and preventative solution/measure, you may want to consider purchasing a pesticide to pour around the base of your foundation. This will keep most of these pests at bay, at least for the warm season. 

Guest Author Guidelines

Although I’ve done a number of guest posts, I have yet to publish work from an outsider. Now, I think it’s time my readership get a sample of somebody else’s work. For the time being, my guidelines as follows:

Write from the heart. 

What I want to see are highly personalized pieces with a touch of emotion, whether it be humor, sadness, happiness or remorse - I’m really looking to see an individual reflect the core principles of blogging, back before content farms and automated spam. This can also mean opinion; the more argumentative, the better. Please, feel free to send me your submissions at smarquit@gmail.com, but make sure they’re coming from you.

I think that about sums it up. Happy Monday!

Landscaping & Gardening 101

So I’m a little overdue for a post, but remodeling projects never sleep - Remember that. Anyway, one thing that’s been on my mind recently is my home landscaping. If you’re a homeowner that cares about his or her landscape, and you witness continuous wear and tear from the cold season, it may be smart to stay ahead of this by taking cautionary measures. 

Just as you would with anything inside your home, you also want to prevent things from going bad outside. Here are a few simple tips to keep your landscape looking fresh to death: 

  • Lay down extra (matching) mulch each year to keep a vibrant looking spread. This will also help prevent weeds by keeping your underlay nice and flat. 
  • If your mulch or stone has slowly eroded away, this may be an opportunity to lay fresh fabric or stone.
  • Trim your bushes in mid-spring, and water your flowers to let them flourish quicker. 
  • Enrich your garden or landscape soil with fertilizer at the beginning of spring.
  • If you’re already to the point where you’re getting weeds, DO NOT use round-up or any other weed killer for that matter - This will kill everything else as well. Believe me, I’ve done it. Instead, carefully pull what needs to be removed. 
  • Perennials are easy to maintain, as they come back every year. However, if you’re a seasonal flower planter, be sure to keep all the above in mind, and don’t forget to water!
  • Survey your yard: In other words, don’t let pesky critters invade your garden or landscape. I have about three neighborhood cats that like to destroy my perennials each year. After some thorough investigating, I found ways to keep them out without harm. 
  • Start a composite pile - Keep all your clippings, leaves and raked up materials in a bin and spin regularly. This can all be used as fertilizer at a later date.

Landscaping can be tedious and annoying, but it’s worth it in the end. By remembering these few simple tips, you’ll have a luscious & beating landscape/garden each and every spring and summer.

Don’t Regret Anything: At One Point, It Was Exactly What You Wanted

Going back to my buyer’s remorse piece, I’d like to speak a bit on the issue of regret. Furthermore, what I’m really interested in discussing is a few psychological factors that I think can help us avoid this feeling, specifically for those who simply aren’t attracted to their home any longer.

For folks who have lost interested in their current residence, it may be easier to rely on factors within their control. Example 1) Homeowner X decides he absolutely hates the feel of his kitchen, but can’t afford to remodel. The fact that homeowner X isn’t happy (emotions) can’t be controlled, and neither is the fact that he or she isn’t earning enough money. This is, unless of course he or she decides to find a new job or take out a secondary loan. But in this particular case let’s say it isn’t possible to do either. 

So, what can be controlled? Well, our perceptions, beliefs and imaginations tend to take a bite out of us sometimes, but they can certainly be tamed. Hence, homeowner x’s position on his kitchen is based on the belief that it should look one way, when it doesn’t. His perception is now skewed due to community standards and “modern day appeal.” Now, here’s where it gets tricky; in order to alter those perceptions and beliefs, he or she must succumb to his or her imagination. In other words, homeowner x must imagine a world without standards or beliefs that one look is better than the other. Realize that a) everything in your kitchen works, and b) your look is just plain old different from your neighbor’s and c) there’s nothing that warrants immediate repair or remodel.

In other words, you’re fine - Relax! Tougher said than done, but buyer’s remorse extends beyond the bounds of plain old money. You can be the most broke SOB on the planet, and still love your home. It’s all about internalizing that happiness.

And, since my blog is more than just assessing home value through design and remodels, it would only be appropriate that I urge homeowners to find value in their home’s current state, as well as their own self.