Step Into The Future of Green Building

Tips For Every Successful Contractor

We have arrived at a widespread environmental revolution. This green evolution has made a powerful mark on our political legislature, our building standards and techniques and most of all- market demands. A recent study published by World Green Building Trends 2016 Smart Market Report, found that the global green building industry doubles every three years. Additionally, the green building materials market alone is expected to reach $234 billion in 2019, and as of early 2016, nearly 75,000 commercial projects were participating in Leadership in Engineering & Environmental Design (LEED) globally. These stats lend valuable insight into the current demand and the global move towards green building. As contractors, it is your duty to ensure that your projects adhere to these new environmental standards as well as meet the needs of your clients. Below are some helpful tips ensuring that your buildings and project sites are as environmentally sound as possible.

Materials Matter

The first aspect to consider, of course, are your materials. The quality, the source, and the environmental impact they will leave on the planet. When managing a building project and construction team, you must take into consideration a slew of factors to produce a harmonious finished product. Cost, value, efficiency, aesthetic are all on the mind when deciding what materials to go forward with. Green materials are the contemporary component now considered alongside all these other factors.

Sustainable Materials

Make use of recycled building materials and consider “upcycling” rustic materials and features to create a design flourish while conserving and reusing resources. Alternative woods, bamboo, hemp, straw-bail, and Rammed Earth are all innovative materials that have a beautiful aesthetic quality your clients will love. There is no excuse for continuing to use outdated, wasteful and built-to-break materials in 2020. Step up your building game and introduce green materials.

Temperature Retention and Reflection

A big waste creator in the residential and commercial building industry, are poorly designed or thin windows that allow the transfer of heat or cold to pass through. This classic design flaw can have a massive impact on your energy consumption and overall energy usage. By installing double-pane or eco windows, you’ll save your clients thousands in energy costs as well as slash their carbon footprint in the years to come.

By installing interior glass doors, your clients can enjoy the benefits of spatial separation while effectively and efficiently heating or cooling areas of their home without messing with the thermostat to get the desired temperature throughout the home.

Optimize Natural Light

Most homes are built with little consideration for allowing ample natural light throughout the interiors. Unfortunately, this creates a living environment that is devoid of views, crucial daytime light and overall higher quality of life. This lack of free light ends up costing homeowners higher energy costs in lighting during peak daytime hours.

Bi-fold doors offer the option for an increased surface area to fill with view-enhancing doors.  Compared with the typical sliding glass door we are accustomed to, the bi-fold system can stretch much further and allows for the option to open up the entire space.

Closet mirror sliding doors are also a great solution for any light-lacking room, as mirrors are fantastic at reflecting available light and making the space appear larger than it is.

Solar

Especially if your clients live in a sunshine state, there is practically no good reason not to install solar. The panels pay for themselves in energy savings over the course of about ten to fifteen years and are a great ROI for the homeowner.

Know Your Supplier

Knowing where your materials come from and how they are harvested and processed is super important when taking steps to build green. Is your supplier environmentally conscious? Are you buying wood that is unsustainably harvested? Good companies will provide ample written statements and stamps of environmental advocacy if they are compliant with state and federal regulations. Look for these companies and don’t do business with a supplier that cuts corners

Managing Waste

As overseer of a construction site, make certain you are doing everything you can to manage your waste accrued during building. Have recycling and reuse piles on site so you aren’t throwing everything in one large dumpster and sending it to the landfill. Talk to your crew and ensure everyone is on the same page and acting consciously.

Green Features to Reduce Footprint

Introducing and educating your clients on all sorts of wonderful and innovative green features is a great way to get people on board and excited about eco aspects to invest in. Everything from Green Electrical, Green HVAC systems, motion sensors to conserve energy, Smart Thermostats to reduce HVAC fluctuations are all potential features to introduce to your projects.

Even awareness when selecting plumbing systems (alternative hot water heating >> tankless hot water heaters for example) will make a massive impact in the form of water reduction and conservation. This will also lower your client’s water bill and give them a home they can feel proud of.

With all of these green solutions, features, and practices, you will undoubtedly appeal to a growing market of clients who demand green homes and conscious building. From an environmental standpoint, we can’t afford to build unsustainable homes entering into this new decade- with eminent global warming on the near horizon, any unconscious building is holding us back from making the changes we need to combat this major threat to our planet. 

With these effective considerations and upgrades to building, you’ll be on your way to dominating your client’s interiors. For more space optimizing solutions and inspiration, visit The Sliding Door Company to browse our online viewing catalog and Get A Free Quote from one of our team members to start your rental upgrade today!