Renovation

Whether because of changing lifestyles or simply because houses are becoming outdated, millions of North Americans are renovating their homes every year, spending more money annually on renovation than on new home construction. But renovations can be fraught with unintended consequences like indoor air pollution. How do you remodel in a healthy, environmentally friendly way?

Buildings are responsible for 40% of worldwide energy flow and material use; so how you remodel can make a difference. Upgrading furnaces, cabinets and toilets means less fossil fuel pollution, reduced resource depletion, and fewer health risks. Green remodeling is more energy-efficient, more resource-conserving, healthier for occupants and more affordable to create, operate and maintain.

Green remodeling is simple. The idea is to change the world, one room at a time, says David Johnston, owner of the consulting firm What's Working, Boulder, Colo., and author of a recent book on green remodeling.

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The hard part for a remodelers is helping homeowners decide just how "green" they want their rooms or homes to be. Because, when it comes to green remodeling, you don't have to do everything, but anything you can do will help.
The most important thing is to provide the homeowner with a smorgasbord of options on green building. "Pick and choose among the options for the design features and green building products that serve the homeowner's best interests," David recommends. "There is no such thing as the right or wrong set of products. Building green is a thinking process, not a contest to see how many green things a remodeler and a homeowner can incorporate into a home. Do what you can within your budget and motivation."

David's book, Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time, was co-authored by Kim Master and published by New Society Publishers (www.newsociety.com). The 377-page book describes how to incorporate green-building features into every room of the home.

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Busting the myths

While many homeowners are interested in green building and remodeling, they may have some antiquated ideas about what it involves: Excessive expense, difficulty in getting green products, misconceptions about the aesthetics of a green house — even concerns about living like a hippie. These myths, David says, can be busted by a little education. Remodelers can point out that most green buildings don't look different from conventional buildings. Most green elements, such as improved energy efficiency and air quality, are built within the structure of the home. And recycled products largely look the same as their conventional counterparts.

As for the cost of green remodeling, "Yes, some green building elements do cost more," David says. "But many cost less. When it is part of the initial process of setting goals for the project, it becomes matter-of-fact. Many remodelers have found that the real cost is in the learning curve, not in the implementation of the building process."

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Green products are also becoming increasingly affordable as major manufacturers compete and develop new lines to meet the green-building demand. All major paint manufacturers now offer paints that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can compromise indoor air quality. The additional cost is low, too: typically less than $2.00 per gallon.

"My work is based on the belief that each one of us makes a difference," David says. "Collectively, Americans spend $160 billion each year on remodeling. If just a fraction of the money was focused on greener construction, we could restore a significant portion of the world's ecosystems, while immediately creating a healthier indoor environment for our families."
Just think about changing the world — one room at a time.

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