In part 4 of our
series on what makes a green home green, according to
Build It Green, we are going back to the
3R's: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, which all add up to
Resource Conservation.
Whether remodeling or building new, there are cost, waste and energy savings to be had through
resourceful use of materials, smart construction and efficient design. Admittedly, it can cost a lot more in labor to save old materials during demolition, and re-use them, so it's often a judgement call whether materials are realistically
salvageable. "
Adaptive reuse has long been praised for being a sustainable form of development that reduces waste, uses less energy, and scales down on the consumption of building materials. However, beyond these environmental benefits, reuse projects may also have the ability to foster a greater sense of community and provide a springboard for the economic growth of a neighborhood."
Historic materials lend real heart and charm to new or reconstructed buildings, which can increase value enough to be worth the extra effort and cost required to salvage rather than start fresh. Wide plank floors are particularly beautiful, and many old structures in our area were built with amazing old growth redwood and fir, and of course all the crazy gorgeous millwork, and tin work etc. are absolutely worth saving.
The planters on the front deck of the beautifully remodeled
1566 Sanchez for example, (
Slide 16 of exteriors), are sheathed in lath from the original roof. This particular wonderful remodel was done by
eco+historical aiming for LEED Platinum, so there are countless green features, no doubt they would prefer I highlight something less cosmetic then reuse of the lathe. For that I refer you back to the websites, as they are beautifully detailed
there and
there.
Next post we'll look at some more affordable expressions of Resource Conservation, for the DIY or thinner wallet set. Given that necessity is the mother of invention...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete