Going green has become more than just a popular concept. Finding ways to be more sustainable is starting to be in demand by consumers, which means finding alternative ways to get projects completed. The number of clients asking for green options for construction is increasing because it creates a healthier environment, and their clients know they are making an effort to be eco-friendly.
In addition, almost half of all the energy used in the United States is by the building industry, which means more significant environmental and financial expenses. Making the change to create environmental sustainability for construction projects is possible, so here are a few tips to help get you started.
Why Is Green Construction Important?
There are several reasons you want to choose sustainability as your primary focus. Being more eco-friendly helps create more jobs that support the recycling industries, but it also reduces building expenses by avoiding transportation and disposal costs.
Making the changeover can also lead to fewer disposal facilities, meaning a reduction in impact on the environment while reducing the number of new materials that need to be produced.
Choose Materials That Make a Difference
Some individuals may not be aware, but utilizing sustainable materials may be cheaper and more efficient than traditional choices. The durability always comes down to the product's health, so keep this in mind when you are searching. A few reusable construction items are:
● Concrete
● Wool bricks
● Straw Bale frames
● Recycled wood
● Recycled concrete
In addition to this, you want to avoid using any products such as coatings or carpeting that have any volatile organic compounds in them with your installations.
Get a Green Certification
If you are pushing towards having sustainable and eco-friendly options as the priority for your company, you might consider getting a green certification. Having this document in your community is beneficial because it lets your clients know that making responsible choices is important to you.
Companies like the Green Building Initiative work with the National Association of home builders to create new guidelines.
Some companies recommended for products are:
● Forest Stewardship Council
● Energy Star
● WaterSense
● Green Squared
● GREENGUARD
Plan to Reuse
Another recommendation is to ensure that the dismantling is done carefully when it comes to deconstruction and breakdown of older projects.
This action alone can help save materials and comes with multiple benefits:
● Resource preservation
● Conserves old-growth forest resources
● Offers additional job training and employment opportunities
● Prevents debris from going into landfills
In most cases, multiple materials can be reused for other projects, so as you are breaking down the project, be mindful of items that may be easily accessible, and here are a few examples.
● Doors and their hardware: These can be utilized for other projects or taken to be donated.
● Brick and masonry: Utilize these as fill or subbase material.
● Exterior insulation: This can be repurposed to reduce noise for internal walls.
Reusing these materials reduces the amount of energy use and waste generation that would typically take place. In addition to this, finding ways to preserve existing buildings instead of building brand new ones is also encouraged. Using methods that facilitate the reuse of materials is being implemented more regularly now.
Choose Sustainable Resources
Another thing you can choose is to utilize two tools that help identify manufacturer reports on what their products are made from.
● One tool is called the Health Product Declarations. This tool focuses on if there are inhabitants on the property and how their health will be affected by the products used.
● The second one is called the Environmental Product Declarations. This option looks at the process of manufacturing from the beginning to the end of the supply chain and measures all the impacts the product has, between waste to energy use.
Offer Clients Green Solutions
If you are seeking additional options, you could look at prefabricated projects. This means the main structures are produced and then brought to the site, saving time on transport and the amount of waste produced. They are beneficial because they create a higher quality built product while controlling things like the level of debris more easily.
Utilize New Technologies
New technologies can also come in handy to help you streamline how your construction projects are being run. Going paperless is one of the first steps you can take, which reduces energy consumption and overusing materials. 3D printing has become a great option that reduces construction time, and the materials used are fully recycled.
LJP: Changing the Future of Sustainable Waste Solutions
Making the transition into creating a more sustainable-run business might feel complicated, but LJP Waste Solutions is here to help! Our primary focus is to promote zero-landfill facilities by implementing sustainable waste solutions that are streamlined for our client's needs. We offer multiple services and work hard to educate others on their options with waste solutions.
We have the planet in mind when it comes to sustainability. So if you would like more information, contact us or give us a call at 507-625-1968.