Improve soil quality to improve water retention
Soil rich in worms and nutrients stays aerated.
Healthy soil can also absorb large amounts of water, filtering some of it as it passes through to the groundwater and keeping the rest available to plants' roots. Less vital soil, by contrast, tends to become compacted and impervious to moisture, and it requires more frequent irrigation to maintain plants. Grinding clean gypsum drywall scraps on site and using the material as a soil amendment has proven to be a good practice.
Green points
LEEDLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED for Homes is the residential green building program from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). While this program is primarily designed for and applicable to new home projects, major gut rehabs can qualify.
-H: 1 point for minimizing disturbance to the site by one of several means (SS 1).
NGBSNational Green Building Standard Based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and passed through ANSI. This standard can be applied to both new homes, remodeling projects, and additions.
/ICC-700: Up to 43 total points for minimizing soil disturbance and creating no disturbance zones for vegetation and sensitive areas, including 4 points specifically for enriching the soil with amendments and mulch (403.4 and 404.3).
Learn more in the Green Building Encyclopedia
