How to build "green" : Rooftop Views

Rooftop Views

How to build "green"

With the growing concern about the ways in which our behaviors are effecting our environment, many people are being proactive when it comes to changing their lifestyle in order to alleviate these growing problems. The focus on ‘going green’ is steadily increasing and more and more individuals are taking a green approach to their life. Here, Carl Seville, owner, Seville Consulting explains what ‘going green’ really means.

Q. What was the motivation behind your becoming interested in green building?
A. I had known about green building for quite some time and got involved in green remodeling in 2001. From the beginning, it struck me as the only way to build. From that point forward, I felt that it was my mission to educate individuals in the building/remodeling industry as well as consumers and agents about the benefits of green building over traditional building and remodeling. In 2004, I became involved with EarthCraft House, a non-profit organization dedicated to green building and living and I headed their green remodeling committee. The pilot projects that I worked on for this committee were the turning point in my career.

Q. What are some of the features that make a home green?
A. There are four main precepts behind the process of building green. These four guidelines include that the home be energy efficient, healthy for the occupant, durable and resource efficient. All of these concepts interrelate, as a lot of things that make a home energy efficient will make it healthy and resource efficient as well. Green building is a fairly well-established building principle that anyone can employ with the proper training, and almost any building can be made green. The key thing to remember is that green building is not about products and materials, it is a process.

Q. What are some of the advantages to having a green home over a traditional home?
A. First and foremost, green homes are very healthy. Many individuals who move into a green home find that their allergies go away all together or severely diminish. The houses are comfortable, quiet and cleaner as well. In addition, green houses don’t get hot and cold spots that are typical in most traditional homes and they use a lot less electricity gas. In the end, fewer materials are used and wasted.

Q. What do you see in the future of green building?
A. There is no doubt in my mind that everything will be green, because it is where we have to go especially in order to protect our environment. Even today, most green energy codes are strong, but most builders don’t enforce and build to them. The movement is still on the trendy side right now, but it will continue to pick up speed and penetrate more of the market. As it becomes more understood, people will realize that they don’t have to spend more and there is no downside to building green.