A demonstration renovation in Pittsburgh offers building professionals, scientists, and the public a place to view energy-saving upgrades to an older home.
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After a recent demolition, though, the remodeler found himself with huge steel girders and other scrap metal that he knew he had no use for. He called 20 different people to offer it for free, before he found someone willing to salvage it.
Positive publicity about green remodeling has helped Meadowlark Builders “enjoy huge success … in a down market in a really down state,” says co-owner Doug Selby, of Ann Arbor, Mich. But the green part isn’t lip service, and the publicity part goes far beyond getting on reporters’ radar screens.
Demolishing an existing house for a renovation or infill project may be quick and easy, but a lot of those building materials unnecessarily end up in land fills. According to the EPA's 2003 estimates, 164 million tons of waste was generated from building activities, including construction...
Building scientist Terry Brennan is the crime scene investigator of the remodeling industry. He uses forensic analysis to solve vexing issues regarding mold, lead, heat loss, moisture, and general inefficiencies in existing buildings.
For the hundreds of attendees at the Remodeling Leadership Conference, a successful event is all about networking and asking questions - and when it comes to green, boy, are there a lot of questions! With the conference theme of The Color of Money: Green and the Future of Remodeling, a three-member...
For the past three years, Daniel Mackey Construction, San Jose, Calif., has taken the time to find ways to recycle and reuse materials. “It helps channel products in a more responsible way,” owner Daniel Mackey says. “[And homeowners] view us as more professional because of our systematic approach.”
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It's not rocket science, but it is a link between building science and diagnostic testing, says Walt Harwood of the new home-performance division he runs for Neil Kelly Designers/ Remodelers, in Portland, Ore. “We do it to create homes that are comfortable, durable, safe, and cost-effective.”
Jonathan Mills, owner of Mills Builders in Sacramento, Calif., says, “We tear down homes that have nothing wrong with them all the time out here.” Mills didn't feel right about dumping the materials. From his company's inception in 1999 he began donating them to the local Habitat for Humanity.
When Chad Gohm wanted to get ahead of the competition he decided to pack heat. A heat sensor, that is.