Green Remodeling is a Process of Discipline and Discovery

Some parts of the process are up to our customers, some are up to us. We guide the discovery process and use a disciplined construction process to boost value — whatever shade of green our clients aim for.

By Tommy Strong

Despite the economic upheavals in the housing market, about 8 million new homes were built last year — and we’re building them greener than ever. That’s a good thing. But improving the existing housing stock will have a much greater effect on greening America than even gargantuan efforts on the new construction side.

Green, smart, and high quality are all the same thing
Smart remodeling is undergoing evolution, and the notion of green is simply the next step in the evolution of construction. As a production manager for a remodeling company, my primary task is to perform my job efficiently, in smarter ways, with value added. I don’t care how you define green, as long as you let me build smart.

Green remodeling involves a balance of products and processes. There are two areas of opportunity to influence our client’s choices during the sales process, but we are limited by their level of understanding, desire, and commitment.

We can influence product choices during the sale process
We’ve been including a free Duct BlasterCalibrated air-flow measurement system developed to test the airtightness of forced-air duct systems. All outlets for the duct system, except for the one attached to the duct blaster, are sealed off and the system is either pressurized or depressurized; the work needed by the fan to maintain a given pressure difference provides a measure of duct leakage. test as a part of our high-end remodels, and this year we started offering energy audits. We look for opportunities to include envelope upgrades in the scope of current and future remodeling plans. We suggest fixing big energy wasters regardless of the scope of work, and clients never balk. (If a mechanic suggested replacing severely worn tires, would you balk because you just hired him to change the oil?)

When gauging our clients’ level of green awareness, we start by showing them low-maintenance no-brainers like durable PEXCross-linked polyethylene. Specialized type of polyethylene plastic that is strengthened by chemical bonds formed in addition to the usual bonds in the polymerization process. PEX is used primarily as tubing for hot- and cold-water distribution and radiant-floor heating. plumbing systems and healthier paints. Making sure they see the obvious benefits is easy, and once they understand, they become curious.

We ask follow-up questions to understand their living habits. Talking about water and energy conservation, we can find out if their wishes include better hot water delivery. If so, we steer them towards tankless water heaters. If they’re interested in ceiling fans, we can point them towards super-efficient models with an Energy StarLabeling system sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy for labeling the most energy-efficient products on the market; applies to a wide range of products, from computers and office equipment to refrigerators and air conditioners. rating.

Bath fans are another easy upgrade: they are quieter and more expensive than they used to be — and worth every penny. Sucking moist or stale air out is as important as circulating air for interior air quality.

To take it up a notch: we’ll talk HVAC(Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning). Collectively, the mechanical systems that heat, ventilate, and cool a building. upgrades or spray-in insulation, both of which offer big benefits, but an additional level of up-front financial commitment. (We are talking thousands of dollars here). For our clients committed to maximum efficiency, we go beyond conservation and look toward contribution — think photovoltaic(PV) Generation of electricity directly from sunlight. A photovoltaic cell has no moving parts; electrons are energized by sunlight and result in current flow. panels, solar water heaters, rain water collection, etc.

The main point is that by following the clients’ lead on budget items we can dial in on where to lead the conversation next. We look for opportunities to sell green building, and we want to be ready to take it as far as they want.

To go deep green, we need trade partners who are up to the task: suppliers who want to help install their products, engineers and designers who will specify them, and fellow contractors who will take the ball and run with it. These specialists must know the products or be willing to learn about them. We lean on them pretty heavily because we can’t be their technical expert, and we can’t spend all our time talking people into a different (smarter) way of doing things.

During production, we’re in control of the details
Levels of commitment to specified products vary wildly among clients, but our commitment to the process varies little. Our tactics may change but our strategies don’t.

We keep our quality consistent with the help of durability and “best practices” checklists developed during 17 years of remodeling. These standards and checklists help us stay focused on whatever we can do to tighten and refine the building envelopeExterior components of a house that provide protection from colder (and warmer) outdoor temperatures and precipitation; includes the house foundation, framed exterior walls, roof or ceiling, and insulation, and air sealing materials..

We strive to get the details right when installing claddingMaterials used on the roof and walls to enclose a house, providing protection against weather. , flashing, and drainage components. We have adopted advanced framingHouse-framing techniques in which lumber use is optimized, saving material and improving the energy performance of the building envelope. techniques that increase opportunities to add insulation and reduce heat flow. We strive to manage air flows to control temperature and humidity — and therefore comfort.

Our systems and practices attempt to squeeze value from every square foot, no matter how many square feet there are. We do this by examining every inch of floor, wall and ceiling space for maximum benefit.

Some value choices aren’t necessarily green per se, but they’re good design. For example: it often makes sense to thicken a bathroom or kitchen wall — plumbers and electricians like the extra room to work with utilities and fixtures, and designers and architects like the extra room to play with things like built-ins and pocket doors. It costs a little more, but the floor space is used well.

Surgeons who recycle
Our demolition approach is less like tear-out and more like surgery, with instruments and masks. The attitude is remove, re-cycle, and ReStore. Old aluminum window frames and copper supply lines don’t go to the dumpster; they go to the salvage yard. And many items we take out of a particular home can find another home somewhere else. Hardware, doors and windows, even commodes are in enough demand that the Habitat for Humanities of the world will come pick them up. And that means fewer trips to the dump for us.

Surgical demolition should be mapped out with a solid 3-point plan:

• Isolate — reduce the impact of a major renovation on the rest of the home by controlling security, traffic, and of course, dirt.
• Protect — go the extra mile, even if means 1/8 in. at a time: I’ve pulled 300 ft. of shoe molding so we could better protect a hardwood floor all the way to the baseboard.
• Remove — pay attention to negative air pressure and reduce dust for the people living there and the people working there.

The next big thing in the marketplace — no matter which marketplace — is always right around the corner. Despite the fogTo fog a room or building is to use a fog machine during a blower door test, revealing locations of air leaks where the fog escapes. The fogging material is usually a glycol-based solution, completely non-toxic. of economic uncertainty we know some things: gas, oil, and kilowatts won’t get cheaper.

Quality construction is a concept that continues to evolve and we continue to roll with it. During a green remodeling project we elevate the quality of installed products whenever we can through education and options, and through our processes we maximize value no matter what selections are made. As we do, we make the best buildings we can, those that stand the test of time — the most valuable commodity we have.

—Tommy Strong (CGR, CAPS, CLC) is vice president of construction services and co-founder of Brothers Strong, a design/build firm in Houston.