Community: Green products and materials

I can't seem to get values for doors from manufacturers or when I do, the SHGC drops precipitously once you put the glazing in the door, e.g., Sungate 500 SHGC drops from .6 to less than .4 when put in a swinging fiberglass patio door. Of course glass size is limited to about 2 ft width, although the length is long. How I get what I need in SHGC in a south facing door. Do I change door style, size of door/glass, material, glazing brand, ? etc. Thanks

I'm working on a project to rehab and convert a garage building to a studio and living space and am looking at options for exterior wood siding and decking.

I will be using Hardie Panels with reveal strips for much of the siding, however there are some areas I would like to use a clear finished wood siding for an accent. In addition I'm building a small ground level deck and want to match the decking to the siding wood. The totally square footage of wood being used fairly low at around 500 sq. ft.

I'm considering using rigid foam on the exterior of my roof. Cost is of course a big concern with this approach. I'm found sites online that sell recycled rigid foam. Apparently, it is often recovered from commercial buildings and shipping containers.

I read one post on the site that caution against using foam that had been degrade during freeze/thaw cycles. Are there any other issues to look out for? Have anyone tried the "recycled" approach? Is there a reputable source for material? Any lessons learned you folks could share would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.raycore.com/sip-panel-overview.php

A potential client is pre-sold on using it. I have a hard time seeing the benefits over conventionally-framed, exterior-foamed assemblies, or double stud wall assemblies. Any first-hand (or unfounded) opinions?