Watch Dog Contractor Service Goes Green

Go Green! This seems to be the latest catch phrase on everyone's lips, you know, the trendy thing to do. From the automobile industry to the construction industry, green initiatives are impacting every aspect of our life. But what is green building and is it really affordable?

What is Green Building

• Green Building also goes by the name of sustainable building.
  
• It is a broad term but basically refers to building in a way that is environmentally responsible and energy efficient.
• Green Building aims to construct buildings that are environment friendly and people friendly.
• Green Building aims to impact all phases of construction and the entire existence of the building from design, to build, to clean up, to building operation and maintenance.
• The use of recycled building materials to construct new buildings or the use of all natural materials to construct buildings can be aspects of Green Building but are not all that is involved
• The building is designed so that it will have as little negative impact as possible on the environment.

• High efficiency windows and doors and insulation in the ceilings, walls, and floors increase the efficiency of the barrier between the conditioned space of the building and outside
• Windows are placed in such a way that natural light is utilized both for light and heating and cooling purposes.
• Solar, wind, hydro, or bio power is generated by the building itself (somewhere on site) to reduce the amount of outside energy needed by the building.
• Water is purified and reused on site and water that has not been fully purified is reused for irrigation, or heating and cooling purposes.
• Materials used in the building processes are taken from sources that are easily renewed (such as recycled materials or building blocks made out of dirt).

Is green building affordable?
Simply put, the answer is yes. While many people think that green building costs more than traditional building, this is not necessarily the case. There are many simple and affordable materials that can be used in the building process to make the building "green". For example, something as simple as a programmable thermostat and an HVAC system with a high seasonal energy efficiency rating can be used instead of a traditional thermostat and system. Or, less lighting can be used to reduce the amount of heat in the building so that a smaller chiller can cool the same amount of space. These are just a few examples of "green" building techniques that will add little or no additional cost to the building.
True, more advanced "green" systems and materials may be expensive, however the cost effectiveness of these must be judged on an individual basis.
In addition, once the building is completed, maintenance and operational costs for green buildings will be dramatically less than those of a traditional building. Plus, because green buildings are designed to be durable, flexible, and healthy they are often more easy to finance.

What's the bottom line for you and your business? Whether you are a general contractor, carpenter, electrician, plumber, or HVAC guy, take some time to educate yourself about green building because it is here to stay. Learn ways that you can incorporate "green" design and techniques into your repairs and new installs. If you can do this without raising your prices it will be a great selling point for your business and give you a leg up on the competition. So Go Green, it might earn you some green.

For more detailed info about the affordability of green building, check out this link http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/greenbuilding/cost.cfm