What's green, what's not

Since learning my trade at the hand of my father, "making it right" has been the only option for me (Mike Holmes). That means building solid, safe and legal.

Today, there is a new factor working its way into the make-it-right equation: building in a way that reduces the negative impact on the environment.

But what does that mean?

A lot of products claim to be "green." A lot of building methods claim to be environmentally friendly. For most of us, being green starts with using less energy. Others see green as better indoor air quality.

Deep greeners are focused on the political agenda, where environmental concerns include workers' rights and the rights of indigenous peoples.

Every builder — including me — has had to consider what being "green" means. Sorting out the truly green from just marketing can be very tough.

Every one of the three objectives on my make-it-right list is environmentally positive:

Building solidly results in a home that is energy-efficient and long-lasting.

Building safely not only means a house is constructed in a way that workers stay healthy and unhurt, but one in which residents can breathe untainted air and are comfortable.

Building legally means taking into account the concerns of the community, such as workers' wages, protection of green space and visual effects on the area.

These are all good green values.

Heating water

Right now, one of my favourite green technologies is an in-floor water-heating system. The heat produced is even and the system is energy-efficient. It warms the house without blowing air around, which helps with indoor air quality. And because the heat distribution is so even, you can be very comfortable with the thermostat set at lower temperatures than with other systems.

Another great idea is a product called Power-Pipe, manufactured by Waterloo-based Renewability Energy Inc. The pipe picks up the heat from the hot water used during your shower, dishwashing or clothes washing, and uses it to preheat the water going into your hot-water tank.

It's a simple, passive system with no moving parts that uses heat that would otherwise go right down the drain, literally.

Lumber from weed trees

Or what about Timberstrand made by lumber giant Weyerhaeuser Co.?

This wood product is made from fast-growing weed trees, such as aspen and yellow poplar. Manufactured with minimal amounts of resins under tremendous pressure, it's environmentally friendly, strong and stable, and has none of the defects of sawn lumber.

There are many more products — including LED and fluorescent lighting, Low-E glass in windows, sealed door systems and mould-resistant drywall — that are improving the energy-efficiency of today's homes.

I'll warn you, though, you will have to do your homework to discover if a product is really "green," or just lipstick-and-mascara marketing. (In the green business, they call the latter "greenwashing " — marketing that aims only to change the image of a product that is not really energy-efficient.)

New certifications

Recent changes to some building codes have made it easier to use cutting-edge products and building methods.

The code is now a set of "objective" standards, whereas before it was entirely "prescriptive." At the same time, there are new certifications available to tell you exactly where a product, method or building stands in terms of its environmental friendliness.

Forest products (plywood, lumber) are regulated by either an SFI (sustainable forestry institute) standard or an SFC (sustainable forestry council) standard.

Protecting animals, too

The SFI standard, which was established by the forestry industry, concentrates primarily on how trees are harvested and replanted, but covers other issues, such as the protection of animal life.

The SFC standard contains more stringent environmental guidelines, such as workers' rights and the protection of indigenous peoples in the area where trees are being harvested.

A rating system called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) measures the environmental impact of commercial and multiple-unit residential buildings, and will soon be applied to low-rise homes.

LEED rates a building in five categories — indoor air quality, materials and resource handling, energy-efficiency, sustainability and water-efficiency — with a maximum available score of 70.

Buildings with 52 or better are rated platinum, with lower scores earning lesser ratings (gold, silver and basic).

One of the advantages of systems such as LEED is that they determine whether a builder is constructing a home correctly or just using green-labelled materials while doing a crappy job.

Unlike building codes, which are concerned primarily with safety and strength, these rating systems regulate the materials and the methods used to establish the competency of a builder as well as the strength and safety of the building.

Maybe the green movement will, by regulation, get this industry doing the things my father did by habit every day.

(prepared by Mike Holmes/Globe & Mail)