San Francisco Real Estate Services

What, exactly, is green construction? There are many areas to consider: energy and water conservation, air quality, and landscaping are just a few. This article lays out some general concepts to consider, and explores solar systems, air quality, and costs. Whether you’re considering remodeling your existing home or thinking about moving, a green home can be healthier and less expensive to maintain.

In "the three Rs" – that’s reduce, reuse, recycle to the eco-conscious – remember that reduce comes first. That means the highest priority is to consume less – always try to take advantage of what’s already in place.

Additionally, it is better to creatively reuse items that may not have been so green in their original creation, like just about anything you find at a salvage yard or antique or second-hand store. A new "green" item is still less green than the cabinets you found at an estate sale.

In remodeling terms, you are not doing the earth a favor by ripping out a perfectly serviceable kitchen or bathroom to replace it with one that’s marginally more green. If you’re planning to move and would like to remodel, look for a fixer-upper, not a home that was recently updated. Leave those to the less environmentally savvy. (And really, why would you want to pay a premium for a home with non-green upgrades?)

When evaluating green claims, be aware that there’s a lot of "greenwashing" out there – vague or even inaccurate claims of environmental benefits that have not been evaluated by an impartial third party. Rather than learning everything there is to know about green construction, it is very helpful to rely on standards set by certifying organizations. A well-known example is the Department of Energy’s EnergyStar rating system for household appliances. Build It Green’s GreenPoint Rated system is a newer approach that evaluates an entire home. Currently available for newly constructed single-family and multi-family homes, it will soon be expanded to existing and remodeled homes as well.

Solar Panels
Just in the least year, there has been an explosion of contractors who are qualified to install residential photovoltaic systems. This is a significant project, with a payback period of several years. A great time to consider solar for your home is when you are putting on a new roof. If you do the projects together, you will save money, and your new roof will last longer because the solar panels will actually protect it from the sun’s harsh rays. You can “sell” the power that you generate with your system to PG&E to offset the cost of your electric usage. This is called Net Energy Metering, or NEM.

Air Quality
There are two major sources of potentially harmful airborne irritants in construction and remodeling: formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.

Many new cabinets and ready-to-assemble furniture products incorporate materials that can release formaldehyde for weeks after installation. Fortunately, manufacturers have begun to use alternative ingredients that are less harmful. Look for products that are made without formaldehyde.

Paint, stains, finishes and adhesives can release VOCs during and for more than a year after application – long after the “new paint smell” has gone away. VOCs have been linked to a variety of respiratory problems, and even cancer. Fortunately, low-VOC paint is now available in a wide variety of designer colors.

Costs
And finally, what is the cost for being eco-conscious? Great news! By investing a little of your own time, you can save a lot of money at salvage yards and consignment shops (and it’s fun, too). And costs of supplies, like paint, that simply must be bought new have come down dramatically. As green building becomes the norm, costs will continue to equalize. Once you’re done with your project, or moved in to your new, green home, you will enjoy lower energy and water bills.

In San Francisco, we’re fortunate that a growing number of the professionals you might turn to – architects, interior designers, landscape architects, contractors, and yes, Realtors – care about these issues and are taking the time to educate themselves. Take advantage of their expertise and you’ll have a beautiful, healthy home that’s good for the earth.

Copyright 2008 Jim Rudoff. This article originally appeared in the April 2008 edition of the Castro Courier.