| In sustainable construction, choosing sustainable | | | | harvested and investigate how it is manufactured. |
| materials and products can be challenging. Inferior, | | | | Also, consider if it is locally recycled and produced or |
| traditional building products are chosen based on | | | | if it is coming from halfway around the world. |
| aesthetics, and value. However, sustainable building | | | | Research ratings and product certifications |
| products are evaluated in several different aspects in | | | | Certified labels such as Energy Star ratings is a quick |
| order to determine its level of sustainability. One | | | | way to identify a sustainable product of material |
| must be careful of products and materials that claim | | | | because qualified research data has been analyzed by |
| they are eco-friendly by placing a small green leaf on | | | | the U.S. Department of Energy in order to develop |
| their products. Many companies are quick to make | | | | lists of certified products. However, their standards |
| sustainable claims about their products because a | | | | of sustainability may be lower than the desired for |
| single aspect about an item may be environmentally | | | | many new sustainable construction projects. For |
| friendly. Also, it is important to realize that green, | | | | example, there are many energy star rated |
| environmentally friendly, products and materials are | | | | insulations but many products exist that far exceed |
| not always sustainable in practice. This means a | | | | the R-values of these energy star rated insulations. |
| material may have eco-friendly properties, but is not | | | | Recently, Underwriter Laboratories has introduced UL |
| durable and will need replaced in a few years after | | | | Environment. The UL rating has already established |
| construction. These traps can be avoided before | | | | national credibility. Now products and construction |
| construction by researching products and making | | | | methods can be submitted to Underwriter |
| appropriate selections in the design process. | | | | Laboratories for a sustainable certification. |
| In reality, since all construction projects are on a | | | | Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) |
| budget, the cost is the biggest factor in material and | | | | is technically a building rating system, but it does |
| product selection. The truth is sustainable materials | | | | identify specific sustainable products and other |
| can be more expensive than standard materials, but | | | | certifications that will add to a buildings LEED score. |
| the cost effectiveness is what makes sustainable | | | | As far as certified sustainable lumber products, the |
| materials a better choice. The initial investment in | | | | Forest Stewardship Council has been recognized by |
| sustainable materials means less maintenance and | | | | LEED as a credible forest certification system. They |
| lower energy costs. These savings over time is what | | | | are responsible for certifying everything from framing |
| makes the investment worth it. Because initial | | | | materials, to furniture, and flooring. |
| budgets rarely allow for all sustainable selections to | | | | Finalizing your sustainable selection |
| be made, it is important to decide which sustainable | | | | Once you have made your sustainable selection, it is |
| decisions make sense for the specific site location. In | | | | important to verify that your contractor is capable of |
| other words, which sustainable options will provide | | | | installing the product or working with the material. As |
| the most return? | | | | sustainable construction is a fairly new industry, many |
| Health and Environmental Impact | | | | contractors may not have ever used these new |
| A product's health and environmental impact is | | | | innovative products before. If your contractor is |
| arguably the biggest factor in selecting sustainable | | | | inexperienced with a product it is better to find one |
| materials. The following are attributes to a product or | | | | who is or choose a different product. Taking the |
| material's sustainable properties: Local availability, | | | | chance and having an improper installation can be |
| created from recyclable or easily grown materials, | | | | very costly, especially early in the construction |
| durability, weather resistance, aesthetics, and toxicity. | | | | process. |
| Choosing a product because it excels in one of these | | | | Always remember: The overall goal when developing |
| categories is a mistake. The product should be well | | | | a sustainable product is to use natural material that is |
| rounded and maintain sustainable qualities in several of | | | | renewable and can be recycled, while sustainably |
| these aspects. For example, do not select a | | | | providing a building with efficient energy consumption |
| sustainable insulation product because it is made from | | | | for many years. |
| recycled materials. Find out of the material is safely | | | | |