Recycled plastic lumber is made from plastic bottles and other plastic waste. While many people think of plastic as synonymous with disposable, plastic lumber is surprisingly hardy and highly prized for marine applications.

The largest advantage of plastic lumber is that it won't rot or absorb water and is highly resistant to insect damage. This makes it perfect for marine and other water applications, where the lumber is further prized by its ability to resist shock. It also eliminates the need to treat the lumber, unlike treated wood, which uses toxic chemicals to impart the same qualities that plastic naturally has.

Making a sustainable roofing choice for your home doesn't require planting a garden on your roof. There are many environmentally sound choices that don't involve plant life or hundreds of pounds of soil overhead.

Below are four of the most common and easiest sustainable roofing choices available to the homeowner.

Anyone who has ever considered photovoltaic cells knows that they are an enormous investment. However, there is a certain allure to solar panels and the ability to go “off the grid” that makes many homeowners at least consider photovoltaic cell technology, which remains one of the most sustainable available.

If you’re considering photovoltaic cells, there are three factors that solar panel manufacturers like to ignore when talking about their product. However, these factors can significantly diminish the energy savings that solar panels can produce, making it all the more important that you know about them.

Image courtesy ConstructionProgress
 

Cordwood building is an alternative building method that uses stacks of firewood held in place permanently with mortar to create walls. Most people considering cordwood building are interested in its potential as a green building method. But how green is cordwood building really? The answer, like most questions pertaining to sustainability, depends on where you live and the techniques used when constructing your cordwood building.

Top Reasons For Cordwood House Construction

Embodied Energy

Cordwood building can have low embodied energy provided the wood used is local, or better yet, used from on site. Because the wood requires very little work before being used in cordwood walls, there is very little waste or energy consumed processing it. However, the inherent energy contained in the wood, combined with any distance that the wood must travel to the site, can increase the embodied energy significantly.

The embodied energy represented by the wood pales when compared to the energy intensive mortar that is often used. Portland cement is one of the most high-embodied- energy materials used in building construction. It also causes significant pollution when it is manufactured. Some of these concerns can be addressed by using a cob mortar or a Portland cement that has a significant amount of fly ash in it.

You've probably heard about the green properties of cork flooring, but you may not be aware of the other advantages of installing this material in your home. Similar in cost to tile or hardwood floors, cork flooring can be installed by the careful homeowner and should be considered before your next remodeling project.


Cork Flooring: Versatile, Warm and Cozy

Warmer and softer than tile floors, cork flooring has become very popular for use in the kitchen. It easily absorbs impacts due to the millions of tiny cells present in each square inch. This same quality also means cork flooring is easier on your feet and more comfortable to stand on for long periods of time.

 

Solar powered hydronic floor heating is the term used for water used for radiant heating powered by photovoltaics (solar collectors). Installed underneath floors, hydronic floor heating can make an enormous difference in the temperature of the flooring and consequently your home.

While this green technology may work well, cost and practicality make this a difficult system to recommend to the average homeowner.

In a solar powered hydronic floor heating system, solar panels are mounted on the roof to collect energy to heat water by the means of several pieces of equipment that also monitor the temperature and the amount of water being circulated.

 Image courtesy Chixoy

Solar powered attic fans can be a great way to save some money on cooling costs as well as support solar technology.

Although the initial cost for a solar powered attic fan is greater than other fan types, eliminating the need to call an electrician as well as future electricity savings can make this a prudent investment for many homeowners.
 
Image courtesy GreenThinkers.org

In residential construction there are four solar powered attic fan options ranging from 10 watts to 25 watt models. In this case bigger isn't necessarily better, nor will it get you better results.

With new home construction consuming over 40 percent of all wood used in the United States [Source], finger jointed lumber is an excellent way of making use of what would normally be considered scrap lumber. Even for the average homeowner finger jointed lumber provides an opportunity to specify a green building product requires no special considerations for design or budget.


What Is Finger Jointed Lumber?

Finger jointed lumber is created when scrap lumber is milled with finger joints on each end and glued together to create standard sizes. Although it is mostly used for vertical applications, finger jointed lumber is an excellent replacement material for the standard studs found within most walls [Source].

So....you want to go green, do ya? Excellent!

Green homebuilding has come a long way and there are lots of resources out there to help you do the right thing along the way. Your timing couldn't have been any better because of today's access to a multitude of resources to green home building methods and standards via the internet, widespread material availability and builders with the know-how to get the job done according to the green code in your area. If you have the inclination to build an energy efficient, ecologically-friendly home in your area, then you will need to be aware of the standards and codes to go green. With no further ado, please take the time to explore some of the links provided here to increase your knowledge of all things green. We will be adding to the list of links as we come across them in the coming weeks and months.