Sustainable Home Improvement Materials

Many cities and towns across America are instituting the LEED sustainability measures in new city and business construction in order to conserve the environment and its resources and to be more efficient in their use. Overall, this initiative preserves the environment, saves money, and cleans up our world while reducing conspicuous consumption and waste. It's a good thing and we can follow these techniques at home as well.

What is LEED?

LEED is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System™ promoted by the US Green Building Council for sustainable building and development via universally understood green tools and criteria.

Architects - landscape and building, real estate people, construction and facility managers, engineers, interior designers, lenders, and the government  use LEED. State and local governments use LEED for public-owned and public-funded construction and the feds are applying it to the Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Energy, and State. Further, LEED is used in 41 countries like India, Canada, and Mexico.

Individuals can join the LEED program for a fee or can read about agencies and companies that are LEED-certified, especailly home builders, and derive tips and projects from their work.

See the green home guide at the LEED GREEN HOME GUIDE ONLINE. It offers "15 Projects Under $500" (LOTS cheaper than $500) and many pages of information and tips.

This Old House online provides a substantial list of resources for Green Products for the home and garden at this link: Green House and Home.

For example, recycled pressurized paperboard makes a fine lower-cost construction material for room dividers, wall paneling, screens, etc. Other good examples:

• South African Railroad ties have been made into sturdy building cubes that can be used for attractive storage bins.
• Scrap lumber has been recycled into lighting fixtures for teh ceiling that are attractive and sturdy.
• Sea shells have become drawer knobs and handles for cabinets.
• Old Coca Cola bottles have also been melted down and made into drawer knobs. Additional glass objects have been repurposed in this way as well.
• Japanese Telephone Books have become attractive colorful  wallpaper.
• Trees from Ghana that grow very speedily are harvested for inexpensive floor tiling - about $1 per square foot tile.
• Recycled glass and ceramics can make good counter tops, table tops, and flooring.
• Bicycle parts are made into candle holders.

Sustainable Industries online is a comprehensive site that promotes renewable energy, Cleantech (clean technologies), green building, and sustainable food/agriculture. Many of the pages of information, projects, and resources offered can be applied in the home and garden. This organization has announced that Home Depot has began to offer sustainable building and home improvement materials in their stores 

In fact, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has facilitated the sales of sustainable, fast-growing woods to both Home Depot and Lowe’s. You can call or visit your local Lowe's or Home Depot to see what they can offer in the way of sustainability products. Another nice feature of Home Depot is that they also sponsor employees that participate in the Olympic Games, permitting these athletes to work part-time while earning full-time wages and working out and competing in their events all year.

Go to the Sustainable Industries website for additional information, projects, suggestions, articles, and news.

The City of St. Louis offers a directory of suppliers that sell recycled home improvement and building materials in the Greater St. Louis Area and Missouri. Their web site is located at: Recycled Home and Garden.

Many other cities around the US offer similar directories and listings. In addition, local university and college Extension Services can often provide this information as well as free plans for home improvement projects. Find an Extension Office or online site in your state at the link.

PreserveNet at Cornell University in New York helps to operate a project that recycles entire houses. Sustainable Community Initiatives is the company helping them and providing internships to students in this movement. Learn more at Recycle an Entire House.

HandyCanadian.com is also promoting green improvements at home. They do this by matching you to a local contractor in your area in Canada that uses recycled materials or can help you obtain recycled materials.

In Idaho, recycled materials are distributed through a commercial outlet known as ReStore.

Chicken Feathershave even been recycled into building materials! Dr. Menandro Acda of the University of the Philippines Los Banos, the College of Forestry and Natural Resources has determined this. They can be combined with cement to produce lower-cost panels for building and redcorating.

The Building Materials Reuse Association is available in many US States at this link: http://www.buildingreuse.org/.

This nonprofit organization is dedicated to locating and facilitating the deconstruction of houses and buildings in order to salvage and recycle as much of the original materials as possible. In addition, its activities create new jobs and keep usable materials out of our nation's landfills.

The site offers membership opportunities and links to related sites like the National Demolition Association and Academy.

Resources and a Directory of builders, suppliers, Habitat for Humanity and related organizations and agencies for the USA and Canada by state or province are offered on the site.