How to find a ‘green certified’ general contractor for remodel?
deanberg
| Posted in GBA Pro Help on
We’re looking to embark on a fairly extensive remodel of a 130 year old house in the Boston area. As part of the remodel, we’d like to be as green as possible. Is there such a thing as ‘green certification’ when it comes to general contractors? And, if so, how can we find one in our area?
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Replies
Deanberg,
Q. "Is there such a thing as 'green certification' when it comes to general contractors?"
A. Not really. There is no agreed-upon definition of the word "green," so greenwashing (meaningless claims by building manufacturers and unscrupulous builders) is a real problem.
A variety of private for-profit companies and non-profit agencies have set up green building programs -- some that are relatively local, and others that are nationwide or even global. These all have a slightly different focus. For more information on some of these programs, see "Green Rating Systems for Home Building."
Before anyone on this web site can give you advice, we need to know more about your personal definition of "green." For some homeowners, a green house has to be energy-efficient. For others, it has to be small and inexpensive. Still others value natural materials like straw and mud, and disdain materials like spray foam insulation. So your own requirements will affect what type of program you gravitate towards.
Deanberg,
One final point: Some of the best contractors -- those who have lots of experience with the methods mentioned on the GBA website -- have no particular certification. Certification programs vary a lot in value, and there is no guarantee that a contractor with lots of letters at the end of his name knows what he is doing.
Deanberg- I'd look for an architect who focuses on energy efficient design. Any good contractor can follow detailed drawings and do a good job on your project. Our house is pretty "green" and was built by a great contractor (Ton Greenleaf, Jefferson ME) with no real experience in energy efficient construction. But he's a smart guy, who met with our architects (Jesse Thompson and Jamie Broadbent of Kaplan Thompson Architects, Portland ME) several times to make sure everyone understood the program.