Julie Gabrielli, Architect, NCARB, LEED
Gabrielli Design Studio & GOforChange.com
gabriellidesignstudio.com or 410-530-0389
Prescott Gaylord, President,
Baltimore Green Construction
baltimoregreenconstruction.com or 410-889-3193
Stuart D. Kaplow, P.A.,
Real Estate Attorney
stuartkaplow.com or 410-339-3910
Frank Lee, Director of Building Science,
TerraLogos Energy Group
TerraLogosEG.com or 410-225-5040
Martin Manescu, President,
Ram Supply Co.
ramsupply.com or 410-485-5250
It seems that on a daily basis, we are bombarded with another way to “go green” and complete tasks in a more eco-friendly way. But with all that is now touted as ecological and packaged to appear green, it’s hard to tell who to trust, what to buy, and just how to begin when it comes to doing what’s best for the environment. The good news is that with all of this burgeoning interest in all things eco-chic, there are many ways homeowners can go about making cleaner, healthier decisions in and around their homes. Here, we ask a panel of Maryland professionals to let us in on a few of their favorite green tips and products.
What’s something that doesn’t get talked about or doesn’t get much hype but that is a great idea for homeowners to adopt?
PG: Support your local craftspeople and trades people. Many of them know where to get local reclaimed or recycled materials for your project. Your big-box stores and chains will not have any idea how to get these things. I have a client now who had to send back an iron table base because the measurements were wrong. We got a local artist to make one custom for her from used metal that looks a million times better, and was half the cost.
MM: Microfiber rags and dust cloths are phenomenal products to clean with. They are washable, reusable and trap dust and soil easily. A microfiber cloth will outlast a terry rag 10 times over. Microfiber also cleans better. The average terry rag will pick up between 30 to 35 percent of soil. Microfiber removes in excess of 95 percent. Microfiber is non-abrasive, reduces chemical use, and can be used on a multitude of surfaces.
JG: Try eating less meat, particularly beef. There is a lot of info on the web about the climate impact of the beef industry. Try “Meatless Monday.” Or, eliminate meat at one meal every day or two days. You’ll be surprised how easy it is, you’ll probably save money, and you will definitely be lightening your environmental impact.
FL: Whole-house air sealing and systemic duct sealing represent two of the most cost-effective energy improvements for the majority of homes we have audited. Performing these improvements properly is the key to realizing the most benefits in energy savings while improving comfort and indoor air quality.
What’s a new eco-friendly product on the market our readers should know about?
JG: Roca just introduced an all-in-one sink/toilet that uses the graywater from hand-washing to flush the toilet—and, it’s a sleek, modern design. And EcoSmart™Fire’s beautiful ethanol fireplace.
PG: The best eco-friendly product is the one you don’t buy. Here are my two other favorites that most people don’t know about: Power-Pipe® reclaims the heat we waste by letting hot water from the shower run down the drain. It uses this heat to preheat water going into our hot water heater, thereby reducing the amount of energy we use for hot water. And the AirTap™ retrofit heat pump dehumidifies space around your hot water heater and heats domestic hot water with the wasted energy from that process.
What are some materials we can recycle that people often don’t think of?
FL: Compost all food waste using systems that take up very little space, like Green Cones or vermaculture (a method of composting using earthworms). Many building materials can be recycled or reused including all metals, gypsum board, masonry, glass, and architectural fixtures.
What appliance should be at the top of homeowners’ lists to replace with a more energy-efficient model?
FL: Number one is water heaters older than 10 years, especially if they’re electric. Upgrade to ENERGY STAR® or switch to tankless or solar thermal. Number two is refrigerators more than 13 years old. Upgrade to ENERGY STAR®. Properly recycle the old unit—do not use it in the garage or basement. BGE has a pay-for-clunkers fridge program [bgesmartenergy.com]. Number three is top-loading washing machines. Upgrade to an ENERGY STAR® front-loader to save energy and water.
What are the best ways to save water?
PG: The best way to save potable water is not to use it for non-potable uses like irrigation. Installing rain barrels and drip hoses are cheap ways to cut use of potable water where it is not needed. Low water use fixtures (low flow and dual flush toilets, low flow sink and shower head fixtures) are the next best way.
What tip would you offer consumers about cleaning green?
MM: Buy and use concentrates (products that can be diluted). A ready-to-use product leaves a far greater environmental footprint than a concentrate. One quart of concentrated window cleaner can make up to 40 quarts just by adding water. That means 40 spray bottles and three cardboard boxes that the ready-to-use equivalent was shipped in are not going into a landfill. The other benefit is fuel savings, since we are not shipping diluted product (mostly water), which saves fuel.
What are the most common misconceptions about green cleaning products?
MM: That they are more expensive and/or may not clean as well. The majority of green cleaning products clean as good or better than traditional products. The pricing sometimes may appear to be more expensive but in reality is not, because the product is often more concentrated.
What’s your favorite low or no VOC paint?
JG: Green Seal’s GS-11 standard is 50 grams of VOCs per liter for flat and 100 grams per liter for non-flat. Use this as a baseline; you can often do better than that. Benjamin Moore’s Eco-Spec or Natura and AFM Safecoat are my favorites.
What’s the #1 mistake you see people make when trying to “go green” in their homes?
FL: Doing energy improvements in the wrong order. Often homeowners jump to do fixes they know about, such as replacing windows, upgrading the HVAC system, installing solar panels, or adding insulation. These solutions all provide benefits and can be important parts of an overall energy improvement plan, but they are almost never the first steps. In fact, adding insulation at the wrong time can make it difficult, more expensive, or impossible to properly perform whole-house air sealing.
PG: Starting with electricity generation instead of conservation or efficiency. Efficiency measures are almost always more cost effective—and usually by an order of magnitude. The problem is they are not sexy. It is always cooler to show your friends your new solar hot water heater than your new filled-in cracks.
What types of green insulation are best for different applications?
PG: If the space is particularly prone to small infiltrations, then foam or dense pack cellulose is best. I cannot think of any application where fiberglass is the best choice. Dense pack cellulose also may be best for retrofit injections since it may shrink less than injection foam. The underside of roof decks is best done with some kind of foam since it sticks well and tends not to pull away.
What is the best tax-incentive for improvements made upon pre-existing dwellings?
SK: The best ‘subset’ of green government incentive program may be the Maryland Energy Administration’s newly revamped Geothermal Heat Pump Grant Program. Grants (yes, actual dollars) awarded under this Program may not exceed $500 per ton of cooling capacity, with maximum grant amounts of $3,000 for residential systems (and $10,000 for commercial systems). The State is using Federal stimulus dollars to refund (add dollars to) this existing program. And when coupled with the Federal Income Tax Credit equal to 30 percent of the total installed cost (through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) for qualified Geothermal Heat Pumps installed after December 31, 2008. This one-two punch is huge, and possibly the best-kept secret!
Last words of advice?
FL: There are three Rs in “green.” The first “R” is “reduce.” Don’t use it to begin with. Turn off the light. Don’t buy what you don’t need. Pack flatware and cloth napkins in your lunch and forget the disposables. The second “R” is “reuse.” Use rechargeable batteries instead of throwaways. Collect paper bags and jars. Honor gift wrapping paper by re-wrapping. Finally, the third “R” is “recycle.” When you can’t use something, collect like-with-like and send it back to grind up and reuse.
What makes a product green?
MANUFACTURER COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
- Is there a written, working environmental policy in place? Is it easy to find on their Web site or product literature?
- Does this policy strive to make important improvements in manufacturing, reducing and reusing first, then recycling?
- Do they comply with their industry’s voluntary testing programs?
EXAMINE THE PRODUCT’S COMPOSITION
- What are the raw materials used to create the product?
- And where do they come from? Did the materials come from renewable resources?
- Is the manufacturing process energy efficient?
- Does the manufacturing process release harmful substances?
- Are adhesives needed to make the product viable? What are they using?
- Are coatings or finishes needed to make the product viable? What are they using?
EXAMINE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PRODUCT
- Does the product nurture the health and well-being of its occupants?
- Does the product do the job well?
- How much energy does it use?
- Does the product release VOCs? At what rate?
- How is the product packaged and transported?
- How is the product installed and maintained?
- Does it have a color or texture that can lead to reduced lighting energy or an expanded range of thermal comfort conditions?
- Can the product be maintained in a benign manner? Using safe cleaning products?
EXAMINE STRATEGIES FOR DISPOSAL
- Is the product durable? Biodegradable? Recyclable?
- Can the parts be separated for recycling?
- Can it be made into something else?
- Can the product be returned to its manfacturer at the end of its useful life?
COST CONSIDERATIONS
- What is the price range for the product?
- Does the manufacturer provide life cycle cost analysis on this product?
Developed by Victoria Schomer, ASID with additional contributions from Penny Bonda, FASID www.regreenprogram.org
