"Green" Building Seminars
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Quite a bit of attention has been focused on the issue of green building materials. What makes a given product "green"? How do you evaluate the relative greenness of different products? How do you find green products?
The Challenges in Defining What is Green
In building a house, a great many materials and products will be used. Even in the greenest of projects it is likely that many products will be used that are not themselves green—but they are used in a manner that helps reduce the overall environmental impacts of the building. A particular window may not be green, but the way it is used maximizes collection of low winter sunlight and blocks the summer sun. So even a relatively conventional window can help make a house green. Creating a green building means matching the products and materials to the specific design and site to minimize the overall environmental impact. This seminar examines products in isolation—not how to use a product to make a building green, rather what makes a certain product green. Green products could be used in dumb ways that result in buildings that are far from environmentally responsible. In a well-thought-out building design, however, substituting green products for conventional products can make the difference between a good building and a great one.
Defining Standards When Feasible
Our tactic with the Green Building Seminar is to help the consumer identify quantifiable, easily verifiable, standards where those could be defined. In a few product categories, such as energy-consuming appliances and VOC-emitting paints, specific thresholds can be established relatively easily. But for many criteria, the lines are much fuzzier and judgment calls are required. It is important also to note that multiple criteria often apply—in other words, a product may be considered green for more than one reason.
The following topics will be discussed at seminar:
- Products Made with Salvaged, Recycled, or Agricultural Waste Content
- Salvaged products
- Products with post-consumer recycled content
- Products with pre-consumer recycled content
- Products made from agricultural waste material
- Products That Conserve Natural Resources
- Products that reduce material use
- Products with exceptional durability or low maintenance requirements
- Certified wood products
- Rapidly renewable products
- Products That Avoid Toxic or Other Emissions
- Natural or minimally processed products
- Alternatives to ozone-depleting substances
- Alternatives to hazardous products
- Products that reduce or eliminate pesticide treatments
- Products that reduce storm water pollution
- Products that reduce impacts from construction or demolition activities
- Products that reduce pollution or waste from operations
- Products That Save Energy or Water
- Building components that reduce heating and cooling loads
- Equipment that conserves energy and manages loads
- Renewable energy and fuel cell equipment
- Fixtures and equipment that conserve
- Products That Contribute to a Safe, Healthy Built Environment
- Products that do not release significant pollutants into the building
- Products that block the introduction, development, or spread of indoor pollutants
- Products that remove indoor pollutants
- Products that improve light quality
- Products that help control noise
- Products that enhance community well-being
The primary intent for the Green Building Seminar is to simplify the product selection process and to save time. For a product to properly serve your needs, you must be able to trust it—you must have confidence that the process used to select products for inclusion is logical and based on good information and careful analysis. In this seminar, we will attempt to lay out vital information required to build a green home. The one day seminar will consist of approximately 4 hours instruction. Registration is required and will end one week before the seminar date. Seminar dates for 2011 are April 29 and September 2. Cost for seminar is $75 per person.
