from the ground up - The Tyee

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Excerpts from the ensuing discussion in The Tyee’s comment section:Industial practices in materials production.posted by “Chernoe Znamia” on January 10, 2011First, thanx for the great article. It has been manyyears of greenwash in the building trades, focusingon energy savings rather than curing the sickness ofindustrial production and shipping of green, or anyother building materials that we use to build with......Every community in B.C is surrounded by wood,stone, clay, almost everything needed to build withlocal materials. I think its a mistake to to try to buildgreen like the rest of the world. A world lacking theabundance of NATURAL resources that B.C enjoys.Wood is the obvious answer and if it is kept dry andout of the sun will last indefinitely.Here in B.C the option to step away from the industrializationof the planet and embrace from harvestto installation without industrial practice. We can beindustrious without industry.and bring back skillsinstead of division of labour and assembly line hell.future topicposted by “icare_dou” on January 10, 2011I’d love to see more coverage on the negative impacton indoor air quality in green and energy efficenthomes. During the first energy crisis we sealed upcommercial buildings and people got sick. We subsequentlyrequired commercial buildings to have freshair ventilation. We are still in the phase of sealing uphomes without requiring adequate fresh air. Researchershave already documented that ‘green’ or energyefficent homes have higher concentrations of pollutantsthan traditional homes built at the same time.First, the greenest thing you can do is not build. Constructionmaterials contain so much embodied energythat the green choice is to buy an existing buildingand renovate. Obviously there are many considerationsin that scenario.That said, over the life of a building, heating is by farthe largest cost. The two main factors for achieving alow energy use home are good insulation and a properlydetailed air barrier.I think that achieving a green certification like R2000or LEED can be too costly for individuals and mighteven be unnecessary. We’re lucky here in our marinecoastal area where temperature and humidity fluctuationsare relatively flat. Imo, (and starting with awaterproof envelope), good insulation, a meticulouslydetailed air barrier, and a heating system that mechanicallycontrols air changes will produce a comfortable,energy efficient home without costing the earth.Right on Chernoe Znamia!posted by “Stayweird” on January 10, 2011What a clear statement of a building ethic I have triedto live out in the real world, mostly in isolation. I wasfortunate to aquire raw land in a district without anenforced building code. It seems to me no real changecan happen without radical land reform. Is it not ahuman right to occupy some small piece of the planetwe were born on without huge mortgages or rent toa landlord? Owner built housing is a luxury very fewcan achieve. The average logging slash pile containsenough materials to build a small home and heat it fortwo winters(I’ve done it). Our greatest resource hereis land and no way to occupy it without oppression.As a residential builderposted by “cynic” on January 10, 2011As a residential builder, I like to stay abreast of thelatest building science and I feel fairly well-versed. Ican think of a point or two that are worth keeping inmind.22
CASE STUDY #2: The BrookgreenfromthegroundupThe BrookDelbrook, North VancouverPhoto by Justin LangilleCompleted: 2009Use: ResidentialDistinction: Certified LEED Platinum, the highest available rating.Features like geothermal technology for heating and cooling and a solar thermal system for hot water helpedThe Brook secure a LEED platinum certification, the highest available, when it opened in 2009. A unique waterrecycling system (groundwater from the geothermal system is re-used to flush toilets, do laundry and wash cars)means The Brook uses 83 per cent less municipal water than conventional buildings. Its developer, StreamlineProperties, used its ground-breaking design elements to raise initial investment from the green-focused EvolutionFund, among others, before seeking bank financing. According to Streamline’s Jeff Wiegel, The Brook costabout six per cent more to erect than a conventional build, but is saving 67 per cent of an ordinary building’senergy costs.23
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CASE STUDY #7: Austria PassivHausgr
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Beyond rebatesOne thing is clear: i
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Greening Homes Can Be Big Boost to
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provincial government.”There is p
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CASE STUDY #8: The Okanagan College
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gook.”“The EPS is something tha
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Building Green from the Ground UpWe
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easier to tackle green projects tha
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Excerpts from the ensuing discussio
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