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THE
VARIOUS SHADES OF GREEN: WORKING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE
WAY OF BUILDING
by
Thomas Hirsch
Green
building, sustainable construction, earth friendly, alternative, natural,
healthy, resource efficient and eco-conscious are some of the buzzwords
used today to describe a more responsible way of using our natural
resources in the construction of new buildings.
More and more people are becoming aware of the negative
environmental impacts that current building practices perpetuate and are
striving to make choices that promote personal and planetary health.
Bryn
L. Golton , a professor of architecture at the University of Salford, UK,
wrote in Affluence and the Ecological Footprint of a Dwelling in Time:
“Building activity and
use represents approximately half of the total energy consumed worldwide
which is causing irreversible adverse changes to the planetary ecosystem.
This increasing activity is in response to the political agenda of
all governments to increase the affluence of their people.”
The
construction industry is a major contributor to deforestation, mining and
pollution. Modern building materials are increasingly toxic to builders
and residents. New houses cost $100, 000 and up and take a lifetime to pay
for. Homeowners trapped in a
30-year mortgage often work at unfulfilling jobs to pay for their drywall
boxes that are expensive to heat and can contribute to their own physical
ailments. It is easy to feel
disheartened and apathetic.
Thank
goodness there’s hope. Internationally,
precedents are being established to counteract this trend.
In Sweden scientists, business leaders, government officials and
concerned citizens have developed “The Natural Step” (TNS), a systems
approach to ecological and economic sustainability.
The Natural Step is based on the laws of thermodynamics and natural
cycles. Many
organizations worldwide are adopting the “Natural Step” principles as
part of their operating guidelines.
The Institute for Baubiologie (building biology) and Ecology,
started in Germany with affiliated institutes worldwide, offers training
and information on holistic approaches to building and living in man-made
environments. The
American Institute of Architects (AIA) created an “Environmental
Resource Guide” to help architects and builders understand and better
deal with the very real personal and planetary health issues at stake.
Web sites, learning centers, magazines, books and all sorts of
activists are helping to raise awareness.
Until
recently, most alternative building locally has been taken up by
owner-builders who grapple with energy, resource, social and moral choices
in their building process. Most commercially erected structures in the Grand
Traverse area have been built with little regard to environmental
impacts. Demonstration projects are beginning to pop up via the
Eco-Learning Center and the American Lung Association- sponsored Health
House. The local chapter of
the Home Builders Association has created a Green Builder’s Committee
and a Green Builder Award for the upcoming Parade of Homes.
Some of the individuals responsible for creating these programs
have been offering Green Builder courses through the University Center at
NMC. Businesses like Odom
Reusable Building Materials in Traverse City provide valuable services for
those wishing to lessen their impact on local landfills and the Earth’s
resources.
The
issues are broad and complex; they can appear overwhelming at first.
To better understand the problems and solutions, upcoming issues
will feature in depth articles covering such topics as Indoor Air Quality
and the Sick Building Syndrome; Total Embodied Energy, Resource
Consumption and Sustainability; a Natural Home Primer; Electromagnetic
Fields; Renewable Energy and Off-the Grid Living; Passive Solar
Design/Greenhouses; Home Heating Options/ Masonry Heaters; Insulation;
Wall Systems; Roofing Options; Waste Treatment; Recycled Building
Materials; Sacred Architecture; Paints, Plasters, Finishes and Healthy
Home Maintenance. We have
much to talk about. Stay tuned.
Harmony
Home Construction, LLC.
8122 Barney Road
Traverse City,
Michigan 49684
Ph: 1-877-45-GREEN Fx: 231-932-9193
info@harmonyhomeconstruction.com
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