GREEN BUILDING

Energy & Atmosphere

Material Conservation

Sustainable Building

Water Conservation

Indoor Air Quality

Third-Party Raters

Build to Last

When possible, building with materials that have a long life cycle is preferable to using more disposable materials. Frequently, these better quality, longer lasting materials will have a higher up front price, but over time will save money, and usually have other features that make them preferable if the budget will allow.

A good example of this would be using a metal roof instead of an asphalt roof. The metal roof will cost three times as much, but will also last roughly 3 times longer. The price is approximately the same over the long term, however a metal roof has other advantages. It can save energy by reflecting summer heat rather than absorbing it, will save materials by not have three roofs that are landfilled during that time, can have solar panels attached to it without compromising the integrity of the roof, and can be used to collect water for use in the house and for irrigation if a gray-water system is installed. An asphalt room has lead and cadmium as well as other harmful chemicals that leach out. The water running off an asphalt roof is not particularly good for the environment, and shouldn't be used for watering your lawn.

Frequently, these long life cycle items are not installed because homeowners either don't have the budget for them or feel that they will not get a benefit from them over the long period of time that they last. If the budget allows, however, a long term view is generally better for the environment, and will make a higher quality product that usually will result in less maintenance, use less energy, and possess more aesthetic appeal.