I’ve been seeing increasing interest from potential clients in “green building.” Has anyone successfully started offering green building services to their clients?
What are the best ways to get started here? What are the key resources I should be familiarizing myself with?
It is very simple, you get to know "Green " ways to build and "Green " products to build with then you incorporate these items into your building practice.
internet research if Green products is your best search engine to able you to acclimate to the Green products available and generally offer some feedback of workability & cost effectiveness.
Green is a great way to be but it tends to come with a cost so make sure you have this discussion with your clients as a great alternative to standard market items & they can weigh the pro’s & cons.
good luck.
Green Building can be very expensive process. Any homeowner going green has done there homework on the cost and the savings they will aquire. They are not going to tell you but rest asure they did and you alays have to asume they did.First thing you have to do is get familar with every thing out there from grass roofs to solar panels .windmills, to recycled toilet water. No everything and every part that gos in it make it run and how to install, Find out everything you can about pricing and be prepared to spent money for classes on stuff to get certified.
“Green” or Sustainable Building can be overwhelming because there are so many things one can take on for a project. I would suggest focusing on 4 areas that you feel is possible to achieve in your market. For example here in Miami it is very possible to introduce solar water heaters and rain water collection tanks to irrigate landscaping.
A good place to start is to look at your surroundings. Apply “green building” products and processes appropriate to your specific needs and surroundings. For example: Go solar in CA, in CO straw bale construction is taking off, do you have sufficient wind or hydro resources at hand, passive solar design concepts last the life of a building with no maintenance. I believe the high end “green products” can be very pricey but can attract a high end consumer.
The best place to start is to contact your local branch or chapter of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). They can direct you to information, other companies doing green building in your area that you can use as a model for greening up your business, as well as the LEED system for rating green projects and products. Through the USGBC, you can become acredited as well.
USGBC and LEED are the most recognized regulatory bodies in the US for Green Building. If you are truly wanting to take your buisiness in this direction, go to a networking event held by your local chapter and talk to other members of the community. There are increased costs associated with Green Building and you will want to know how to sell this cost to your client successfully.
Remember that Green Building Standards will always strive to be ahead of the current Government regulations. If you do business in a particularly environmentally concious area, it may not be necessary to go above and beyond what the government is already mandating in your area to achieve a “green” result.
Alternative Energy Sources: Solar, Wind, Hydro, Geothermal
Efficient HVAC Systems
Non-toxic carpets, Cleaning Supplies, Paints and Finishes
Water-saving Appliances and Features
Rainwater or Greywater Systems
Collect, Contain, Conserve!
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Energy-star, Energy-efficient Lighting, Fixtures, Lamps, Appliances, Climate Controls, Windows & Doors
Permeable Hardscapes and LID Technologies
Smart Landscaping Using Native, Drought-Resistant Plant Materials and Reducing Need for Toxic Pest Controls
Soil and Erosion Controls, Stormwater Runoff, Retention and Best Management Practices
Retention Walls and Ponds; Catch Basins
Smart Materials Selection; Product and Resource Classifications Including: Sustainably Harvested; Recycled- Content; Locally/Regionally Produced; and Higher Durability/Lower Replacement Rated
Insulation with High R-Value
No Gaps, Cracks, or Leak’s in Home’s Envelope
Read the book, “Green from the Ground Up,” published by Taunton Press. 
Rhoda
The best way to start, and inexpensive is recycling. If you look at the amount of trash that is generated by any construction project it is very easy to keep recyclables seperate and dispose of them properly, even the workers drink containers. Recycle the concrete from demolition and overpours, keep it out of the lanfill. Seperate any metals and take them in for recycling especially the copper, that puts money back in your pocket. This procdure has reduced our overall trash collection and reduced cost there as well. Then look into recycled finish materials like metal studs, tile, laminates.
Pushing for Better Insulation / A/C Systems / Getting Certifications through local courses provided / teaming up with companies that handle other trades and push for green building to provide good prices
I have found that one of the easiest ways to introduce Green Building is by incorporating some simple practices at first like; salvaging or reusing materials such as lumber, windows, doors exc. Use low VOC and Formaldehyde products and materials this increases indoor air qaulity. Use green stamp wood products and recycled materials. The first suggestion is the simplest and cheapest way to start out Green. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
First and most you have to become familiar with the materials and methods of Building green, if you are a builder then you can build green and sell it. If you are a contractor or design build, customers will request it if desired. You can not push it, as some customers do not understand the concept or canot afford the extra cost.
Your quickest and easiest route to Green Building is to conact your materials manufacturers.
Very often they work with LEED or the SRC, and will have ideas on how to be more green while using their products.
In my case, I contacted GAF, who then pointed me to multiple certifications and classes that I could take on Green Building practices.
To answer your first question, yes!
The following questions, a good place to start may be our blog where we’ve informed about eco-friendly building materials, http://whyecobuild.blogspot.com/
Welcome to the effort, the planet needs you!
