Building Materials
Playground Equipment & Decking
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Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) treated wood playground equipment and decking |
Recycled plastic and composite lumber, sustainable-grown wood |
Insulation
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Poorly installed, leaky, formaldehyde-filled products |
Soy, wool, and cotton, non-hazardous, well-installed products |
Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems (HVAC)
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Poorly installed, leaky house envelope, using expensive energy to manage heating and cooling |
Well-designed whole house systems, passive solar strategies, Energy Star air conditioners and heaters |
Photovoltaic systems (PV)
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Large-ugly roof panels, limited battery storage/use options |
Sleek, efficient, solar roof panels and tiles, computerized, energy managing, on-grid, off-grid combination systems |
Wood Framing, Wall Boards, Cabinetry, Trims & Molding
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Conventional wood sources, wastefully-cut, Over-framed, and wallboard materials filled with Formaldehyde and other toxic chemical binders Termite-tempting, wood-wasting siding |
Salvaged Wood, Certified Wood, sustainably grown wood, Low Volotile Organic Compound (VOC) Engineered Lumber, Optimal Value Engineering, Advanced Framing Techniques, Prefab Wall Systems (SIPS), Steel, Rammed Earth, Straw Bale, Oriented Strand Board (OSB), Strawboard/Wheatboard Fiber-cement siding |
Paints, Finishes, Wall Coverings
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Paints, stains, lacquers and other finishes containing solvents with Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and other harmful off-gassing additives Vinyl, glue-heavy, VOC emitting wall coverings |
Low VOC paints, clays, milkpaints and water based, non-toxic finishes VOC-free natural, materials using non-toxic adhesives |
Landscaping
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Liberal use of pesticides to control pests, and herbicides to control garden weeds |
Integrated Pest management techniques (IPM), low toxicity products and home recipes |
Glues, Sealants & Caulks
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Highly-volatile adhesives, solvents and caulks |
Water-based, 100% silicone, and low VOC products |
Deconstruction
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All materials rendered useless, then hauled off to landfill |
Careful deconstruction, selling/reusing/recycling all possible materials |
Windows
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Drafty single-paned, energy-leaking windows |
Double-paned, properly installed, heat-reflecting Energy Star windows |
Concrete with Fly Ash
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Carbon Dioxide producing new concrete |
Recycled, Fly Ash, added concrete |
Roofing and Attics
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Heat-absorbing dark tile and shingle roofing materials |
Heat abating light-colored roofing materials, roof underlays, vegetal roofs |
Spotlight on the Experts
Dennis Odin Johnson
Dennis Odin Johnson has been designing, manufacturing and building environmentally green homes and dome homes since 1971. His company, Natural Spaces Domes, is one of the leading manufacturers of geodesic dome homes in the world. During his 37 years of building domes, one of his major focuses has been educating and promoting the green aspect and environmental sustainability of dome homes as well … Read More »
