Green Green Green

Tscarborough

Teetor, I am a proponent of green building, esp. since my product IS green. My complaint has to do with paperwork.

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Riversong

I beg to differ. Most of what passes for "green" are materials and methods that increase energy efficiency - that is, decrease operating costs.

But the primary determinant of a green material or method is one which has no deleterious impact on the earth (or better yet, actually reverses negative impacts - this is called regenerative architecture).

So anything that uses non-renewable materials or fuels, that has high embodied energy, that has environmental costs at manufacture, use, or disposal, that can't be 100% recycled - is not green.

And some (including myself) would include that it has to contribute to a local and equitable economy.

The three E's of sustainability, now accepted worldwide, are

1. environment
2. economy
3. equity

By these standards, SIPs don't even come close.

Riversong

Agreed.

A house is, ideally, our third skin - after our epidermis and our clothing, both of which have to "breathe" moisture or we suffer.

A house that is built hermetically sealed (whether with foam or plastic vapor barrier or well-caulked hardiboard or oil-based paints) cannot support life without "artificial respiration" - a HRV or other whole house ventilation system.

To buffer indoor relative humidity, it's necessary for building materials to be hygroscopic (able to absorb and release moisture), and in a heating climate the outside "skin" of the house should be at least five times as permeable as the inside "skin".

For this reason, I won't build with anything but natural wood, I don't use plastic foam (except for subslab and foundation insulation, and for sealing around doors and windows), and I don't use plastic vapor barriers (I use the air-tight drywall system).

Exterior siding is always wood with water-based stain. Interiors are finished with water-based paints. My roofs are always vented from soffit to ridge, and I use only dense-pack cellulose for envelope insulation.

Milhaus

I've been contemplating which method I like best. I listened to a professor from a nearby college talk last week. He was all about the tight envelope and using the mechanical system to control HVAC. His point was well taken in that it is truly the 'only' way to really control costs and be 100% sure of the building that you are putting together and what it will take for air cycles, heating, etc. But, I still tend to lean towards the 'breathable' system for some reason. I don't like the idea of fighting nature. Seems like there is a better way to do it.

As much as I like the energy efficiency of SIPS, they are not biodegradeable. So that house burns, along with the SIPS, and who wins? No one. Not that I wish for that, but IF it happens, I want my building package to go full circle, cradle to grave.

I sat through a webinar the other day on this stuff. The industry is moving towards that mentality. It is not how will this perform only, it includes ' what does it take to manufacture this from raw material to end result'. It was only for commercial building systems, but still what I think is the 'right' way to look at 'green' building. It has to include all of the costs from extraction to transportation to installation in a specific climate region. We're getting there...

mark

Riversong

Some are going even further. Architect William McDonough, who wrote the sustainability standards for the Millennium Worlds Fair in Hannover Germany, created the "cradle-to-cradle" principle, which some European corporations (VW, BMW) have adopted: every manufactured product has to be completely recyclable at the end of its useful life and taken back by the manufacturer for reuse.

This was based on nature's priniciple that there is no such thing as waste: one critter's output is the input for some other.

Cradle-to-cradle is now the law in some parts of Europe. Coming to a theater near you soon.

Milhaus

Even better Riversong.

Are there any specific sites that you frequent for what's happening in Europe? I've talked with some other 'green' enthusiasts that preach European building practices as well. How do you find out what's happening?

mark

Riversong

Just keep my ear to the ground. Web searches, books, articles, talking to others.

Because I teach sustainable building, I've got to keep up with the developments.

I've been reading The Sustainability Revolution, by Andres R. Edwards, which follows the historical trajectory of the "green" movement in all its facets.

Google Hannover Principles and William McDonough for more on cradle-to-cradle philosophy.

LaurieC

Forgive my ignorance... I don't understand something. Can you make changes in design when using SIP walls? For example...my home owner has changed the height of the wall sconces three times. Would that be possible?

playsinmud

I like to see people interested in green technology. I am a geothermal contractor and I also install thermal solar and solar voltaic. The funny thing is that going green sometimes actually is more economical thean traditional building methods. So if someone doesn't have a green bone in their body it only makes sense financially. We often use the intergrated design process which involves all trades at the designing of the process. So you can get many efficiencies by getting the hands on ideas for how to save money and make the building life cycle more practical without spending additional funds and improving the efficiencies. Sorry to rant

IslandConst

Nice info Riversong, thanks.

I've only used SIPS once, about 6 years ago, and they were sheathed with OSB.

Anyone know of a "Greener" example of the skin these days versus the OSB of 6 yrs ago?

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