In the Know - Yankton Press & Dakotan
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(MS) -- Even in a down market, individuals recognize the long- term, cost-saving value of building a home with sustainable materi- als. Survey findings show that over the next five years, the green building market in North America is expected to double, with up to 20 percent of us insisting on the use of sustainable materials. “A green home uses less ener- gy, water and natural resources,” says Todd Blyth at Nudura, the manufacturer of insulated con- crete forms. “It creates less waste and is healthier and more com- fortable for the occupants. Equally important benefits include lower energy bills, reduced greenhouse gas emis- sions, and less exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins. As a result, the net cost of owning a sustainable home is comparable to the cost of a conventional one.” When talking to your builder, ask for materials and systems that meet established green criteria. Such building materials are identi- fiable if they're rated by LEED, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design organiza- tion. LEED encourages and accel- erates global adoption of sustain- able green building and develop- ment practices. It provides a third- party certification program, set- ting an international benchmark for the construction and opera- tion of high performance sustain- able buildings. “Concrete is a good place to begin,” says Blyth, referring to the Nudura building system. “Concrete walls are far superior in performance than the old wood frame method. A home that begins its construction with efficient, pre- assembled, interlocking concrete blocks will deliver significant, ongoing benefits to your lifestyle, to the environment, to your oper- ating costs, and to the overall resale value of the house.” Nudura forms, can be ordered in a variety of sizes and shapes so that home can be built to any design. As important, concrete walls eliminate the risk of mold growth and allergens, so common with wood. This concrete system provides a superior sound barrier and is resistant to thermal bridg- ing, where outside cold travels easily through walls to create uncomfortable cold spots, drafts, and mustiness. It is also reported that concrete walls like these are up to nine times stronger, far more fire resistant, sound resistant, and will reduce energy costs by up to 70 percent. Courtesy of Family Features Whether it’s out of concern for the environment or for a desire to live a more natural lifestyle, more people are mak- ing green decisions for their homes. In Gallup’s annual Environmental Poll (2008), 28 percent of Americans said they’ve made major changes to their lives to protect the envi- ronment, while 55 percent said they have made minor changes. The most common changes involve recycling, conserving fuel, using less electricity and making homes more energy effi- cient. Another step people are tak- ing is to buy eco-friendly or more natural products for their homes. A recent Yahoo green living survey found that 57 per- cent of respondents have made green purchases within the last six months. There are simple and afford- able steps you can take around the house that will help improve the environment of your home as well as the earth. Step One: Understanding Natural A growing number of compa- nies have come out with “green” or “natural” products. But because these terms do not have regulated definitions or standards, it’s important to know what label claims mean when making buying decisions. For example, when The Clorox Company introduced its line of Green Works natural cleaners, it listed all ingredients on the label and defined what it means by natural: ingredients that are plant-based, biodegrad- able and not tested on animals. Check a company’s Web site and look for product reviews for more information about the products you want to buy to see if they live up to their claims. Step Two: Take Simple Steps You don’t have to give your home a top-to-bottom instant makeover. Take small steps to make your home more energy efficient and natural. Each one you take makes the next one easier. Here are some simple steps to get you started: • No running on empty. Load the dishwasher after every meal, but only turn it on when it’s totally full. Running several smaller loads instead of a full load wastes both water and energy. • Foil spills. Line the oven, broiler and burners with alu- minum foil for easier (and less harsh) clean up. • Green cleaning. Use natural cleaning products made from plant-based ingredients. Josh Dorfman is a green lifestyle expert and author of “The Lazy Environmentalist.” He places several Green Works natural cleaners on his “50 Best Green Products” list. “I like the Green Works Natural Bathroom Cleaner and Natural All Purpose Cleaner,” he says, “because they’re natural cleaners that are also effective in getting the job done.” Think reuse! Recycling is great, but it still consumes a lot of energy. Before you toss, ask yourself: “Is there anything else I can use this for?” (Storing toys, sorting change, craft proj- ects, etc.) Buy recycled. For paper product must-haves, purchase recycled, unbleached paper towels or napkins. Kitchen trash bags made from recycled materials are becoming more widely available as well. Car smarts. Save water by cutting the number of times you wash the car each month, and make sure to turn off the faucet between rinses. And think twice before hopping in the car for a ride to the store. Try shopping once every one or two weeks instead of making multiple trips for just a few items. Limiting the number of trips helps save gas and money. Step Three: Get the Family Involved It’s easier to make changes in the household routines if everyone is on board. Talk about why you want to make these changes. Get feedback from the kids on what steps you can take together to make your home healthier and greener. Everyone can pitch in: have the kids help with online research and decisions about new prod- ucts. Even the littlest ones can help sort the recycling. Making your home a little greener will not just make you feel better about your home, it will make your home a better place to live. For more tips on greener living, visit greenworkscleaners.com. 222 Capital, Yankton 605-665-5233 Helping you Build Your Dream Home — from concept to completion! Now Building: 218 Beaver Shore Trail, Utica Private, lake front home with 2 bedrooms, 1 3/4 bath ———— 1306 Green Street 2 bedroom duplex. No step entry, walk out basement ———— Lots available for custom homes at Fox Run and Beaver Lake Call us for more information. CAPITAL STREET CABINETRY LIST CONSTRUCTION Featuring Cabinetry Call 665-3970 For Your Free Estimate! HUGE Discounts On Heating & Cooling Equipment HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING Heating & Air Conditioning 1901 Broadway • Yankton, SD 57078 • (605) 665-3970 Stop By Our Booth at the Home Show! Harry Lane Electrical Contractor Home: 665-6612 Fax: 668-1772 AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR WITH A CAN-DO ATTITUDE SPECIALTIES! • Commercial • Residential • Farm Wiring • Prompt Service • Quality Work • Competitive Prices New Construction or Remodeling Call us today for all your electrical needs! FYO Construction Call Dennis W. Johnson 605.661.1089 • Remodeling • Garages • Sheet Rock Hang, Tape, Texture • Siding • Window & Door Replacements “Quality Workmanship” Kisch Construction P.O. Box 1004 • Yankton, SD 57078 Home/Office 605-665-1500 Cell 605-660-2480 • Fax 605-260-6678 [email protected] General Contracting Residential & Commercial New Construction & Remodeling Dennis R. Kisch Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan ■ Tuesday, March 24, 2009 www.yankton.net PAGE 5B Simple steps toward a more natural home In the Know ... Here are some definitions of terms associated with green and natural claims. Renewable Resources — A natural resource qualifies as a renewable resource if it is replenished by natural processes at a rate that’s equal to the rate of consumption by humans. Biodegradable — A biodegradable material is something that has the ability to safely and relatively quickly break down into the raw mate- rials of nature and disappear into the environment. Sustainable — A sustain- able product is something made from renewable resources, which means they can grow back quickly and can be harvested with minimal harm to the environment. Petrochemicals — Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw mate- rials of petroleum. Definitions courtesy of the makers of Green Works Natural Cleaners. Following in her father’s footprints Laura earned her Journeyman Plumber License in September — one of only 3 women in S.D. Congrats Laura! Larry’s Plumbing 703 Burleigh, Yankton • 665-4322 Better Building: Green Homes Improve Quality Of Life Need Quick Cash? Call the Classifieds 665-7811.
Transcript of In the Know - Yankton Press & Dakotan
(MS) -- Even in a down market,individuals recognize the long-term, cost-saving value of buildinga home with sustainable materi-als. Survey findings show thatover the next five years, the greenbuilding market in North Americais expected to double, with up to20 percent of us insisting on theuse of sustainable materials.
“A green home uses less ener-gy, water and natural resources,”says Todd Blyth at Nudura, themanufacturer of insulated con-crete forms. “It creates less wasteand is healthier and more com-fortable for the occupants.Equally important benefitsinclude lower energy bills,reduced greenhouse gas emis-sions, and less exposure to mold,mildew and other indoor toxins.As a result, the net cost of owninga sustainable home is comparableto the cost of a conventional one.”
When talking to your builder,ask for materials and systems thatmeet established green criteria.Such building materials are identi-fiable if they're rated by LEED, theLeadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design organiza-tion. LEED encourages and accel-erates global adoption of sustain-able green building and develop-
ment practices. It provides a third-party certification program, set-ting an international benchmarkfor the construction and opera-tion of high performance sustain-able buildings.
“Concrete is a good place tobegin,” says Blyth, referring to theNudura building system.“Concrete walls are far superior inperformance than the old woodframe method. A home that beginsits construction with efficient, pre-assembled, interlocking concreteblocks will deliver significant,ongoing benefits to your lifestyle,to the environment, to your oper-ating costs, and to the overallresale value of the house.”
Nudura forms, can be orderedin a variety of sizes and shapes sothat home can be built to anydesign. As important, concretewalls eliminate the risk of moldgrowth and allergens, so commonwith wood. This concrete systemprovides a superior sound barrierand is resistant to thermal bridg-ing, where outside cold travelseasily through walls to createuncomfortable cold spots, drafts,and mustiness. It is also reportedthat concrete walls like these areup to nine times stronger, far morefire resistant, sound resistant, andwill reduce energy costs by up to70 percent.
Courtesy of Family Features
Whether it’s out of concernfor the environment or for adesire to live a more naturallifestyle, more people are mak-ing green decisions for theirhomes. In Gallup’s annualEnvironmental Poll (2008), 28percent of Americans saidthey’ve made major changes totheir lives to protect the envi-ronment, while 55 percent saidthey have made minor changes.The most common changesinvolve recycling, conservingfuel, using less electricity andmaking homes more energy effi-cient.
Another step people are tak-ing is to buy eco-friendly ormore natural products for theirhomes. A recent Yahoo greenliving survey found that 57 per-cent of respondents have madegreen purchases within the lastsix months.
There are simple and afford-able steps you can take aroundthe house that will helpimprove the environment ofyour home as well as the earth.
Step One: Understanding Natural
A growing number of compa-nies have come out with“green” or “natural” products.But because these terms do nothave regulated definitions orstandards, it’s important toknow what label claims meanwhen making buying decisions.
For example, when TheClorox Company introduced itsline of Green Works naturalcleaners, it listed all ingredientson the label and defined what itmeans by natural: ingredientsthat are plant-based, biodegrad-able and not tested on animals.
Check a company’s Web siteand look for product reviews
for more information about theproducts you want to buy tosee if they live up to theirclaims.
Step Two: Take Simple Steps
You don’t have to give yourhome a top-to-bottom instantmakeover. Take small steps tomake your home more energyefficient and natural. Each oneyou take makes the next oneeasier.
Here are some simple stepsto get you started:
• No running on empty. Loadthe dishwasher after everymeal, but only turn it on whenit’s totally full. Running severalsmaller loads instead of a fullload wastes both water andenergy.
• Foil spills. Line the oven,broiler and burners with alu-minum foil for easier (and lessharsh) clean up.
• Green cleaning. Use naturalcleaning products made fromplant-based ingredients. JoshDorfman is a green lifestyleexpert and author of “The LazyEnvironmentalist.” He placesseveral Green Works naturalcleaners on his “50 Best GreenProducts” list. “I like the GreenWorks Natural BathroomCleaner and Natural All PurposeCleaner,” he says, “becausethey’re natural cleaners that arealso effective in getting the jobdone.”
Think reuse! Recycling isgreat, but it still consumes a lotof energy. Before you toss, askyourself: “Is there anything elseI can use this for?” (Storingtoys, sorting change, craft proj-ects, etc.)
Buy recycled. For paperproduct must-haves, purchaserecycled, unbleached paper
towels or napkins. Kitchentrash bags made from recycledmaterials are becoming morewidely available as well.
Car smarts. Save water bycutting the number of times youwash the car each month, andmake sure to turn off the faucetbetween rinses. And think twicebefore hopping in the car for aride to the store. Try shoppingonce every one or two weeksinstead of making multiple trips
for just a few items. Limiting thenumber of trips helps save gasand money.
Step Three: Get the Family Involved
It’s easier to make changesin the household routines ifeveryone is on board. Talkabout why you want to makethese changes. Get feedbackfrom the kids on what steps youcan take together to make yourhome healthier and greener.Everyone can pitch in: have thekids help with online researchand decisions about new prod-ucts. Even the littlest ones canhelp sort the recycling.
Making your home a littlegreener will not just make youfeel better about your home, itwill make your home a betterplace to live.
For more tips on greener living,visit greenworkscleaners.com.
222 Capital, Yankton605-665-5233
Helping you Build Your Dream Home — from concept to completion! Now Building:
218 Beaver Shore Trail, UticaPrivate, lake front home with
2 bedrooms, 1 3/4 bath ————
1306 Green Street2 bedroom duplex.
No step entry, walk out basement ————
Lots available for custom homes at Fox Run and Beaver Lake
Call us for more information.
CAPITAL STREET CABINETRY
LISTCONSTRUCTION
Featuring Cabinetry
Call 665-3970 For Your Free Estimate!
HUGE Discounts On
Heating & Cooling Equipment
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
Heating & Air Conditionin g1901 Broadway • Yankton, SD 57078 • (605) 665-3970
Stop By Our Booth at the Home Show!
Harry Lane Electrical ContractorHome: 665-6612 Fax: 668-1772
AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR WITH A CAN-DO ATTITUDE
SPECIALTIES!
• Commercial• Residential• Farm Wiring• Prompt Service• Quality Work• Competitive Prices
New Construction or Remodeling
Call us today for all your electrical
needs!
FYO Construction
Call Dennis W. Johnson 605.661.1089
• Remodeling • Garages• Sheet Rock Hang, Tape, Texture • Siding• Window & Door
Replacements
“Quality Workmanship”
Kisch ConstructionP.O. Box 1004 • Yankton, SD 57078Home/Office 605-665-1500Cell 605-660-2480 • Fax [email protected]
General ContractingResidential & Commercial
New Construction & Remodeling
Dennis R. Kisch
Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan ■ Tuesday, March 24, 2009www.yankton.net PAGE 5B
Simple steps towarda more natural home
In theKnow...
Here are some definitionsof terms associated with greenand natural claims.
Renewable Resources — Anatural resource qualifies as arenewable resource if it isreplenished by naturalprocesses at a rate that’s equalto the rate of consumption byhumans.
Biodegradable — Abiodegradable material issomething that has the abilityto safely and relatively quicklybreak down into the raw mate-rials of nature and disappearinto the environment.
Sustainable — A sustain-able product is somethingmade from renewableresources, which means theycan grow back quickly and canbe harvested with minimalharm to the environment.
Petrochemicals —Petrochemicals are chemicalproducts made from raw mate-rials of petroleum.
Definitions courtesy of the makersof Green Works Natural Cleaners.
Following in her father’s footprints
Laura earned her Journeyman Plumber License in September
— one of only 3 women in S.D.
Congrats Laura!Larry’s
Plumbing703 Burleigh, Yankton • 665-4322
Better Building: Green Homes Improve Quality Of Life Need Quick Cash?Call the Classifieds
665-7811.
