Green Building Products

Outdoor Essentials has introduced the latest M Brace design—The M Brace Mini—a colorful line of brackets for children’s raised garden beds and sandboxes.

The M Brace Mini is a miniature version of the original M Brace raised garden bed bracket. This patented, no-tool bracing system allows for fast, simple construction of small raised garden beds.

About The M Brace Mini
Made of recycled metal and powder-coated in bright colors with playful cutout designs, The M Brace Mini is designed specifically to appeal to children, and can also be used by growers desiring a small raised garden bed.

The M Brace Mini measures 6" x 7" and is sold in sets of four. These miniature raised garden bed brackets allow young, aspiring gardeners to grow their own gardens along side their parents. Simply insert one board per side (2x8 or 2x10 lumber recommended), build a square or rectangle then fill with soil (or sand) to complete a miniature, raised garden bed or sandbox.

The playful designs and bold colors of The M Brace Mini include Purple Butterfly, Green Frog, Yellow Flower, Orange Snail, Blue Bunny and Terra Cotta Dragonfly.

Outdoor Essentials products are available through a network of lawn and garden retailers in the United States and Canada.

Recently a highly acclaimed architectural firm in Texas published an article that helps identify ways for new and existing homeowners to make their dwelling "green friendly". Gary Gene Olp, Founder and President of GGO Architects outlines steps to becoming energy efficient. Olp and his firm promotes green and energy savings by installing a radiant barrier in the attic. Read on!

Dallas - Sustainability and energy efficiency have become significant selling factors during the home-buying and home-building process. In honor of Earth Day, Gary Gene Olp, Founder and President of GGO Architects, offers key questions to ask when that infamous word “green” makes its way into the conversation.

“Sustainable living is about interpreting natural processes in a modern way,” said Olp. “Many homebuilders and sellers make green claims, pointing to green products utilized in the building process. However, it’s the overall design that constitutes a sustainable design, not just the products used.”

Olp’s involvement in the “green” movement dates back to the early 1970s. He lays claim to the design of the first LEED Platinum home in Texas in 2007, further substantiating his “green authority.” Here are three questions to determine if the home you are buying or building is truly green:

1. How energy efficient is it really? Ask the builder to quantify what the expected annual utility cost will be. With current green building codes, Energy Star ratings and online energy modeling software, this is easily derived from the R value of insulation installed, the quality of the windows and the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) rating for hot water, heating and air conditioning. If they cannot provide a reasonable answer, perhaps their claims are more guesstimates than engineered performance. Windows should be insulated Southern Low-e, walls should have a minimum of R 24 and the roof should have a minimum of R 40 insulation. The heating and air conditioning can easily have SEER ratings of 16-18 for little extra cost.
2. Demand that a radiant barrier is properly installed on the underside of roof decking. This simple feature is perhaps the most significant design component in our hot Texas climate. Properly installed, it can repel up to 75 percent of the heat gained from the sun in the summer. Every British thermal unit (BTU) of heat reradiated away from the attic of your home means fewer BTUs of cooling required to keep it comfortable, which means smaller utility bills. It is important to make sure the radiant barrier is the metal foil type, and not a faux spray-on paint coating.
3. Do not fall pretty to smart Eco gadgets; instead look for the real thing. Take a compass with you when looking at a new home, and check to see which direction most of the windows are facing. Large amounts of windows on the west are certain to spin your smart electric meter into a frenzy. If most of the windows are on the north, the home may be cooler but generally dark with little natural light. The best orientation for windows is on the east and south for good natural light. Be sure any windows on the south are properly shaded with broad overhangs or large deciduous trees to block out the intense summer sun from passing directly into interior spaces. That same southern sunshine will be appreciated as it reaches deep inside to provide warmth and daylight on cold, gloomy winter days.

And for those who already own a home, it’s not too late to achieve energy efficiency. Homeowners can:

• Install a radiant barrier in the attic. It works equally well for an existing home as it does for new construction.
• Shade the windows facing south and especially those facing west. The easiest, albeit shower way is to plant native deciduous shade trees to block the intensity of the summer sun. Consider adding alternative shading devices like a fixed awning with decorative brackets, hurricane shutters or those really great aluminum awnings from the 30’s and 40’s, which bounce wonderful diffused light back inside.
• Upgrade lighting to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or LED lamps, replace aging appliances with newer high efficiency Energy Star models, and maintain your HVAC equipment and/or at the end of its useful life replace it with a higher SEER rated unit.

Olp, (American Institute of Architects, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, LEED AP) is the 2011 chairman of the North Texas Green Council Chapter of The U.S. Green Building Council. Olp’s work has been published extensively for the quality of design and to substantiate efforts to push the concept of sustainability.

“The amount homeowners can save with an energy-efficient home is mind-boggling, and it is not just for the elite – green is affordable and attainable for everyone. You just have to know the questions to ask to get started on the right path,” Olp said.

Read more about metalized film radiant barrier in this past blog post.

About GGO Architects
GGO Architects is a highly acclaimed private architectural practice in Dallas, Texas. Recognized for its innovative contemporary designs that feature a sustainable approach, each project represents a commitment to environmental responsibility. GGO Architects is noted for cutting-edge “Green Buildings” that incorporate energy efficiency, passive solar techniques, natural day lighting, non-toxic materials, advanced building science and enhanced indoor air quality. Sustainability and long-term durability influence every aspect of project development. www.ggoarchitects.com

Credit: dBusinessNews.

In 2009 more than 41 million Americans planted vegetable gardens—a number expected to increase as food costs climb, according to a recent Gardening Trends Research Report. When you factor in flowers, herbs and fruits, it’s difficult to find a home where people are not working the soil on a warm sunny day.

Aside from the obvious benefits of fresh flowers and produce, gardening provides low-impact, calorie-burning exercise. One hour of gardening burns as many as 375 calories. While love of gardening has not changed, methods continue to evolve. And one of the top trends is raised-bed gardening.

Tending a raised bed requires less bending and stooping, and is ideal for yards with poor soil. Rather than working to improve heavy clay soil or adding body to sandy soil, you’re starting with a clean slate. Raised beds are particularly useful for community gardens and urban gardens in areas with compacted or root-bound soil.

The key to success is preparation, says Mark Dwyer, Director of Horticulture at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, Wis. “Ninety percent of success is the prep work done ahead of planting,’’ Dwyer said. This includes finding a location that gets six to eight hours of direct sun each day.

ppOnce the site is chosen, determine the size of your garden. A first-timer should start small—don’t overwhelm yourself with a massive plot. Start with one or two raised garden beds measuring 4 feet by 8 feet. Select a location that offers room to grow, should you choose to expand your garden in subsequent years.

No matter what size raised bed you choose, the frame needs to be structurally sound and attractive. Helping to fill this niche are durable, decorative M Brace metal brackets from Outdoor Essentials. The patented, corner brackets let you create an attractive, sturdy raised garden bed in just minutes using common 2x6 and 2x4 lumber, and no tools.

The M Brace’s sturdy, recycled metal frame keeps boards seated securely at the corners. Sold in four-packs, these decorative brackets provide greater design flexibility—even for a large garden bed, 12 feet long. You can use a solid corner brace or choose from eight cut-out designs including carrot, pebble and sunshine. The M Brace raised garden bed brackets come in unfinished steel that will rust gracefully over time or powder-coated in an antique bronze finish. Watch a video on The M Brace.

Serpentine jade or handcrafted Tiffany-style jade stepping stones lend visual appeal to your garden / outdoor living space and protect soil and plants from being trampled.

To keep deer, rabbits and other critters at bay, consider a decorative enclosure using end caps and lattice. Fence posts—4x4 or 6x6—are ideal. Once fence posts are set, enclose the garden with decorative wood or plastic lattice, leaving a narrow opening or a hinged gate for access.

Make your enclosed garden an eye-catching centerpiece by topping off the end posts with elegant Planter Post Caps. The decorative caps, available in two styles and colors, add dimension and color to the garden. Caps are available in square and round designs, with a black or copper finish. Plant colorful flowers or trailing vines in the post cap planters to create horizontal interest.

The key to a bountiful harvest—be it fruits, vegetables or flowers—is successful pollination. Brightly colored flowers attract bees and hummingbirds, as will fresh water. Add a luminous green birdbath in serpentine jade to attract birds all summer and to provide an architectural focal point inside your garden.

“Think outside the box,” recommends Rotary Botanical Gardens’ Dwyer. Add a few herbs—or anything you want—to make the garden uniquely yours. And don’t discount edible landscape ornamentals: “Many fresh herbs and vegetables can contribute their own charm to an informal border or container,’’ Dwyer adds.

Whether for a relaxing hobby or for the desire to grow nutritious fruits and vegetables for you and your neighbors, now is the perfect time to start a garden of your own. Happy planting!

Saving money around the house continues to be a major pursuit for homeowners nationwide. And with a focus on “going green”, savvy homeowners are looking for ways to cut energy use to reduce utility bills and their home’s carbon footprint.

There are dozens of ways to curb energy use around the home. Sealing drafts by applying caulk and weather-stripping around windows and doors, and applying foam sealer around drafty outlets and piping leading outside can save up to 5 percent on heating costs alone. Most important, installing the proper amount of attic insulation with the proper airflow is generally the best way to save on home energy use.

If you are among the millions of Americans who enjoy do-it-yourself home improvement projects, installing a radiant barrier in the attic space above your home is one of the most effective energy-saving projects to consider.

While radiant barriers are not a new concept, new products on the market are making it easier for homeowners to install them and realize reductions in their energy bills—every month. Overall, a radiant barrier can save an average homeowner up to 15 percent on utility bills.

Rick Jordan of EcoRite Products, a major radiant barrier manufacturer, says the benefits of installing a radiant barrier have long been known by professionals in the construction, roofing, heating and cooling, and energy industries. Only recently have products been manufactured specifically for the DIY installer market.

Jordan explains that a radiant barrier is a product that is installed in the attic—between the rafters on the underside of a roof—to reduce the radiant heat gain that permeates a home when the sun is beating down on it. Radiant barrier, a particularly effective product for summer months, also reduces heat loss from a roof during the winter, which in turn reduces the workload on your furnace and lowers your heating bill.

Early, less-effective versions of radiant barriers included spray-on metallic paints, reflective radiant barrier chips or products known simply as attic foil. Installation was cumbersome, often requiring special tools, adhesives or multiple installers, and the low flash point on the older type of foil created added dangers in the event of a house fire.

It’s important to choose the best radiant barrier that is Energy Star approved and made of metalized film, not perforated aluminum foil. Today’s radiant barriers are far more sophisticated, yet some are so simple to install that no tools are required.

About Enerflex Radiant Barrier
Enerflex Radiant Barrier is an example of the best new radiant barrier technology. The product is available nationwide through a network of lumber and building materials dealers, as well as through major retailers. The product is Energy Star approved and was named one of the “Best New Products of 2010” by Professional Remodeler, a leading trade magazine.

Enerflex Radiant Barrier comes in rolls or panels, pre-cut for 16” and 24” widths for installation ease. The radiant barrier panels literally flex or “snap” into place between the rafters, with no tools needed. This makes it possible for installation to be a simple, one-person, do-it-yourself job that can be completed in a matter of hours. Watch a video on installing Enerflex radiant barrier.

Studies on installed radiant barrier products show that attic temperatures are typically reduced by a full 30 percent during the summer months, which can translate to 30 degrees on a hot summer day. In addition, the radiant barrier keeps heat from escaping from the home through the roof during the winter, so not only does your HVAC system get a break, but you can realize energy savings year-round.

Unlike the earlier versions of radiant foil barriers, Enerflex is made of a highly reflective, multilayered, metallic film that is protected by a tough poly scrim that keeps it from tearing or being punctured. The product is made in America, comes with a 15-year warranty, and has achieved a Class A/Class 1 fire rating.

In really hot climates, homeowners are finding other uses for radiant barriers. In Texas and Arizona, for example, many homeowners keep garages cool by installing radiant barrier insulation on the inside of garage doors and walls. Outbuildings on farms or ranches, or outdoor workshops can also be kept cooler in the summer when the product is installed between rafters under the roof.

Jordan of EcoRite Products says adding a radiant barrier in the cooler months makes installation safe and more comfortable for the installer.

Radiant barriers are proven environmentally friendly building materials for reducing energy bills and reducing the strain on a home’s HVAC system. And when you can spend a few hours over a weekend and complete a project that saves money month after month, it’s hard to ignore the benefits.

If you’re remodeling an older home, there are many options for updating with green principles in mind. Indoor air quality, water conservation and sustainable building products are considerations when planning an environmentally friendly home. If you’re looking for the biggest bottom-line and long-term effect, let reduced energy consumption lead the way for your remodel.

In warmer months, air conditioning is a leading cause of increased utility bills. In hot weather, roof shingles absorb the sun’s heat—which in turn heats up the sheathing below and radiates heat toward the floor or the attic. To reflect up to 96 percent of this radiant energy back toward the roof, install Enerflex Radiant Barrier.

A Centex Corporation and Energy Center of Appalachian State University study has determined that when radiant barriers are installed in an attic, the air conditioning system works more efficiently and electric bills decrease. The study found that when radiant barrier was installed in test homes, there was a drop of 23 degrees Fahrenheit in the attic’s peak temperature, a 20 percent reduction in operating time of the air conditioning system during seven hours of peak attic temperatures, and an efficiency improvement of 57 percent for cooled air coming through a home’s air ducts.

Energy Star approved Enerflex Radiant Barrier’s simple, between-rafters tension fit allows easy, tool-free installation. And Enerflex is great for existing homes. Watch our step-by-step “how to” video and see how easy it is to install Enerflex Radiant Barrier.

There is some controversy as to whether radiant barrier insulation reduces the life of asphalt shingles. Studies by both the University of Florida and Texas A & M University show no significant heat increase in shingles on roofs employing radiant barrier insulation in conjunction with full venting. 

Texas A&M University actually built two homes to test the effectiveness of radiant foil barrier insulation. One home without radiant barrier and one with radiant barrier. The tests concluded that there was a significant reduction in heat gain in the test home with radiant barrier insulation. There was no evidence of damage to shingles because of reflected heat.

Here are the results of the Texas A&M University Radiant Barrier Study (PDF). This study should alleviate fears about using radiant barrier foil on a home that has asphalt shingles. As long as you use full venting—that is a full ridge vent and vents along the soffit—it is OK.

Further studies at Texas Tech University have shown the cooling effect in a hot attic of radiant barrier insulation to be approximately 15 degrees with an asphalt shingle roof and 13 degrees Fahrenheit with a metal roof. How this translates into a certain percentage of cost reduction depends on the amount of insulation between the dwelling and the attic.

There are new underlayment products that go directly under a metal roof but for existing homes your choice will be limited to stapling the proper width of radiant barrier between your rafters up against the ceiling.

Radiant barrier insulation is among our list of green building products. It appears that it does live up to most of the manufacturer's claims. Here's an in-depth explanation of how radiant barrier insulation works by the U.S. Department Of Energy: DOE Radiant Barrier Information.

As more attention is paid to reducing home energy and increasing green building, radiant barrier insulation is spending time in the limelight, especially in hot climates throughout the U.S. like Texas, California, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida and Arizona. But what in the heck is a radiant barrier — and why should radiant barrier installation be at the top of your home improvement project list?

Enerflex radiant barrier and other radiant barrier insulation are made from metalized film or foil materials that reflect the sun’s radiant heat when installed in an attic space. Do radiant barriers conserve energy? Sure — that’s their job! Just be sure you understand what your radiant barrier’s savings claims mean. For example, if a product claims to reflect 90 percent of your structure’s radiant heat, that doesn't mean your utility bills will be reduced by 90 percent. 

How do radiant barriers work?
Here’s some background. Heat transfer is by conduction, by convection or radiant. Conduction transfers heat from one molecule to the next. (Think about how quickly that cold pop can warmed up as you held it. Insulation might’ve kept things cooler.) Convection involves air that moving—heat that could be reduced by a fan, perhaps. Radiant heat is harder to explain, so we’ll simplify it: You feel radiant heat in the air around you, on a toasty car seat, or beating down through the roof of your house. When roofing materials absorb the sun’s heat, that heat transfers to your attics—and that’s why your attic air gets so hot. Because that heat has no way out, it’s absorbed by insulation and ceiling drywall before making its way into the living spaces below. And now those rooms below are warmer, too. Watch a video to see how Enerflex Radiant Barrier works.

To reflect that heat and prevent it from heating up your home in warm weather, use a reflective radiant barrier. More than 90 percent of the radiant heat striking a shiny aluminum foil surface is reflected away. Your climate, your attic insulation, any shade trees and your attics ventilation (to an extent) all have an effect on your cooling costs. Some studies show that homes with duct work or HVAC equipment in the attic will realize the greatest energy saving benefits from radiant barrier insulation: If leaky ducts are drawing in steamy attic air, your HVAC system is working harder to cool that air—and it’s not working hard enough to cool your warmer living spaces.   

Enerflex Radiant Barrier could lower your attic’s temperature by up to 35 degrees. A cooler attic means lower cooling costs (and heating costs). It also means that the rooms below will be consistently more comfortable...

Watch this video to find out how easy Enerflex Radiant Barrier is installed.

Enough already with the exotic green building products!

As the singer Tom Waits says in one of his lyrics, “Let me pull on your coat about something.” As a green building consultant, I receive dozens of green-building e-newsletters, environmental alerts and green-product announcements. A common trend I see in the new product announcements is a rising number of exotic green products.

What do I mean by “exotic”?

I could pick from a number of examples, from insulation made from blue jeans to pipe systems that recover the heat from bath shower wastewater, or even faucets with in-line micro-hydro generating plants (a very high-fidelity product, indeed). I recognize that developers of new products have to dazzle just to get our attention, but some exotic products only distract us from green building basics.  Moreover, their benefits don’t always “move the needle” in terms of what green building must accomplish; specifically, reducing energy consumption and lowering overall environmental toxicity. Worse, some products even try to give the impression we can consume our way out into a green future. Which, of course, we can’t. (This is especially true of the wastefully oversized and extravagant “green show homes” built to showcase environmental products.)

I am in favor of innovation as much as anyone. More so than most, probably. But I can’t help but think that many new products (or even traditional products that are now being retroactively marketed as green) actually are holding back the green-building movement.

Here’s why.

Besides writing magazine columns, I also speak internationally at green building trade events. Believe me, the level of doubt out there about the green building movement remains remarkably strong. Many mainstream contractors still believe that the green building movement has been dreamed up by graduate students who have no calluses on their hands, and who think Carhartt is a kind of Danish sports car. And that these elite “deep greenies” are eager to promote expensive contraptions and a rising tide of codes and regs that only make houses harder to build and more expensive—with no measureable benefit or return on investment for contractors and buyers. As evidence of this impression, someone in the audience will point out some wild product, or refer to a hokey marketing campaign, as evidence that the entire green building movement is suspect. Which it is not, of course. But clearly, many exotic products aren’t focused on what truly matters in terms of green building.

What is that exactly?

Well, I am often asked, “What’s the greenest thing I can do to a structure?” And I invariably point to three guiding principles: A) Condition your structure so it burns 30% to 60% less fuel to heat and cool itself over its lifetime than it does now (e.g. tighten up and properly vent the thermal envelope), B) Use third-party-certified nontoxic/low-emitting products that protect the environment and air quality at every stop in the value chain, from manufacture to installation and use, and C) Don’t buy products whose source materials have been harvested or extracted at rates that are unsustainable or non-regenerative.

Sound too basic? Unsexy? Well, all the recovered wastewater heat in North America isn’t going to move the needle in terms of saving meaningful amounts of energy, when you realize how much is being lost through low-tech, low-fidelity problems. For instance, a study I read about commercial buildings stated that more than 45% of the roof-top HVAC units (RTUs) have an improper refrigerant charge, 39% have low airflow, and a remarkable 63% have broken economizers. As unglamorous as it is to get out there and monitor the HVAC system while a Swedish model is displaying high-end recovered countertops in a glossy magazine, that’s the level of baseline building operations that should draw our attention. When we have that cleared up, we’ll have the luxury of reviewing more exotic products.

Want another example? They are easy to find. The Harvard University School of Public Health estimates that there are 46 million under-insulated houses in the U.S. alone—46 million. (Just imagine, in aggregate form, how much Gulf of Mexico oil those under-insulated homes burn every year.) Putting programs and products in place to address unsexy stuff such as tighter buildings, moisture control and balanced efficient HVAC systems is what green building must be about before we can in good conscience bring in the high-end glamour.

High stakes for dealers, builders and homeowners
If you ever want to elicit groans from dealers, just mention FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). Dealers pay fees to obtain the FSC “Chain of Custody” certificate, and then they pay more fees to renew that certification. Now, if you think the dealer groans about FSC are loud, just mention FSC to builders. Since USGBC’s LEED standard accepts only FSC-certified lumber, builders are forced to buy it, often at a premium, to achieve the LEED lumber point. Typically, builders overbuy FSC lumber, mistakenly believing it’s required throughout the entire LEED job. Not true; see below.

Do you get a greener wood with FSC than with other reputable wood certification systems?  Frankly, no. That’s one reason the SFI (Sustainable Forest Initiative) is fighting so hard for LEED recognition. The core of the problem is that USGBC considers SFI a so-called “industry-sponsored program” – and in the eyes of USGBC that somehow compromises SFI’s ability to protect forests.  At press time, BuildingGreen.com reports that the new LEED wood certification draft language would allow for “multiple levels of compliance, and assigns half-credit, full-credit, or double-credit to programs based on the degree of compliance.” FSC of course gets access to the full point. Non-FSC standards would settle for less.

Outsiders may look at SFI’s battle for LEED acceptance as inconsequential. But that’s a misconception. If SFI attains LEED acceptance — through a proposed USGBC benchmark system — it will affect lumber costs for LEED projects, by driving them down through competition. It will also reduce fees to dealers for FSC Chain of Custody certificates. Plus, as SFI’s CEO Kathy Abusow recently pointed out to me, SFI acceptance could bring recognition of all SFI-certified products to the LEED community, from paper to wood fiber of all types.

The Point of the MR7 Point
Today, the battle for LEED acceptance by SFI is focused on the MR7 point. (Yes, I know that wood and wood fiber may also qualify for the MR 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, and 5.2 points, as well as the EQ 4.4 point.) Today, FSC has a monopoly on that LEED MR7 point. If a builder used wood certified by SFI, American Tree Farm, or CSA—to name just three—he would be ineligible for that point. To show you how crazy this has become, here’s a story for you: You could build a stone house and install a fixed cutting board from an FSC source and obtain the same wood-product point as a builder who pays for FSC lumber for a 10,000 square foot home. Plus, to obtain that LEED point, the builder has to prove that he’s bought the wood from a certified FSC Chain of Custody provider, which the dealer must pay to keep current.

The goal of LEED has been to create greener buildings, and it has succeeded in large part, especially in the commercial sector. Kudos to them, and I genuinely mean that. But does the freezing out of SFI (and other standards) foster greener, more-sustainably harvested lumber and wood fiber? No, it doesn’t. The fact is, these so-called ineligible lumber standards achieve equitable results when compared to FSC. (Some argue that FSC is focused more on non-U.S.-based lumber and therefore is inherently compromised as a truly green standard by the carbon footprint of shipping wood products).

The 50% Rule
Let’s say that SFI fails at navigating the USGBC benchmarks for acceptance in the LEED standard. Well, in that case, here’s a perception about LEED. The MR7 LEED point requires that more that 50% of the value (not the quantity) of permanently installed wood and wood fiber be FSC-certified. Some LEED builders have recognized this and they use non-FSC lumber for the framing (“legally” amounting to 49% of the wood value). Then they buy the higher-priced FSC wood products for, say, cabinets, built-ins, and floors, to comply with the MR7 rule.  Even though that rule is public, it isn’t widely known, and I have met builders who mistakenly bid out FSC certified products for every stick in the structure, and paid as much as 20% more for FSC lumber that they weren’t really required to use.

At the end of the day, I hope USGBC opens its wood certification system to other standards, as other green building standards have done.  In my opinion, the FSC system does not demonstrably offer a greener wood product, and all the hoops that mills, distributors, dealers, and builders have to jump through just make it more expensive to build.

Your home center may have several options when it comes to pressure treated lumber for landscaping. You should know a few basic facts about each before you buy.

3”x5”x8’ landscape ties (nominal measurement)
Most 3”x5”x8’ pressure treated landscape timbers (LST’s) originate as the center cants from plywood veneer peeling mills. Logs are kept wet to make peeling easier and the peeled cants arrive at the pressure treatment plant without benefit of kiln or air drying. Lumber that is not dried before pressure treatment cannot be fully penetrated by the treatment solution during the treatment process. This will be reflected with a shorter term warranty—in the case of ProWood Micro CA treated lumber, one year—than would have been otherwised offered by lumber that had the advantage of full preservative penetration. These ties are not recommended for applications that call for in-ground, structural performance over several years, such as fence posts.
 
4x4 and 6x6 timbers (nominal measurements)
ProWood Micro CA timbers carry either a lifetime limited warranty or a one year warranty, depending on their intended end use. The surest way to know the difference between a timber made for landscaping and a timber made for a structural application is by the warranty. If the timber carries a lifetime limited warranty it means it was dried before pressure treatment and can be warranted for structural use. Generally, these timbers are building code approved and carry an Evaluation Service Report from ICC-ES, a third party testing agency. You can use timbers for fence posts, raised garden beds, retaining walls and any other projects that call for high performance over a long period of time.

End tags
Every piece of treated lumber in the store has an end tag, on which you should find the following:

• Third party testing agency
• Standard to which it is treated (ESR-2240 in ProWood Micro’s case)
• End use (ground contact or above ground, for instance)
• Wood preservatives used (ProWood Micro uses micronized copper azole)
• Treating company’s name
• Warranty
• Handling information

Eco Friendly Products
ProWood Micro treated wood products use the MicroPro treatment process which is certified under SCS's Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) program. In addition to EPP status, the technology has earned Green Approved Product certification from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center.

Knowing the above information will help you make the informed choice when specifying your next outdoor landscape project.

Take concrete protection to the next level with EZ Cover. EZ Cover’s ability to breath, allowing green concrete to continue to cure and harden is definitely one of its greatest assets. Two unique advantages this concrete and floor protection blanket has over other floor protection fabric are spill absorption and great impact resistance. In fact, test results show a 24”, 15 lb pipe wrench dropping from a height of 10’ resulted in no damage to concrete protected with EZ Cover. In another test, a 2”, 20 lb steel pipe dropped from 20’ resulted in minimal impact damage to the surface protected with EZ Cover. No other product protects finished concrete formwork like EZ Cover.

Key Benefits of EZ Cover Concrete Protection

• Helps protect large colored and gray slabs as well as marble, hardwood, and more
• Simple installation—rolls out where needed
• High friction coefficient keeps blanket in place
• Lightweight, moveable and reusable
• Helps prevent surface scratches, contaminants and potential impact hazards
• Disposable, biodegradable and environmentally friendly building material 

The patent pending EZ Cover protective blanket features a soft bottom layer to help prevent surface scratches, while also allowing new slabs to continue to breathe and harden. The harder top layer helps shield against contaminants and potential impact hazards.

With increased attention being paid to home energy reduction, radiant barriers have lately been in the green building spotlight. So, what exactly is a radiant barrier and what can a home owner expect from one?

Radiant barriers, like Enerflex, are materials that reflect the radiant heat of the sun. They are installed in roofs and walls of a structure. Do they save energy? Yes. But be careful to understand any savings claims that may be made. For example, a claim that a product reflects 90% of radiant heat does not mean it will reduce cooling bills by 90%.

So how do they decrease heat? First let’s understand the three ways heat is transferred: With conduction, heat is transferred from one molecule to the next. Holding a beer bottle warms the beer. This is bad. Insulation mitigates this. Convection involves moving air, and a fan is an example of how to reduce this type of heat. Radiant heat is a bit harder to understand. Terms like “electromagnetic waves” and “high-energy particle transmission” are thrown about in its explanation but for purposes of this post let’s just say radiant heat is noticed by you when it hits the air around you, your car seats or your home’s roof. Heat from the sun is absorbed by roofing materials and reradiates to the air in your attic. That’s why attics get so hot. This heat energy then gets absorbed by the attic insulation and ceiling drywall, then is reradiated into the living space, making the room warmer.

A radiant barrier reflects that radiant heat. Shiny aluminum foil facing a heat source reflects over 90% of the radiant heat that strikes it. How much can it save you in cooling costs? Depends on your climate, shading from trees, how much insulation you already have in your attic, and to some extent, how well the attic is ventilated. Some studies indicate the most energy saving benefits are in homes that have duct work or HVAC equipment located in the attic. Leaky ducts draw in the hot attic air causing your system to work harder to cool 140 degree air rather than the air in other living spaces.

Radiant barriers like Enerflex can cool attic temperatures 20 to 35 degrees. The radiant barrier creates a cooler attic which helps reduce cooling costs. Obviously there are comfort improvements to be noticed in the rooms just below the attic.

To see just how easy Enerflex radiant barrier installs, watch our step-by-step how-to video.

Source: Green Builder Magazine

There are many ways to remodel an older home with green principles in mind. Contemplating indoor air quality and water conservation, and the use of sustainable, green building products all play a part in the planning process of environmentally friendly homes. But reduced energy consumption has the biggest long-term, bottom-line affect for a home owner once the last nail is driven.

Air conditioning is a major cause of high utility bills during summer months. On a hot day, heat from the sun is absorbed by the roof shingles and warms the sheathing below, which radiates heat toward the attic floor. By installing Enerflex radiant barrier, up to 96% of this radiant energy will be reflected back toward the roof.

Air conditioners will have an easier time doing their job and electric bills drop when radiant barriers are added to attics, a study by Centex Corporation and the Energy Center of Appalachian State University has determined. When a radiant barrier was installed in test homes, the study found:

• A 23-degree F drop in the peak attic temperature
• A 20% reduction in the AC unit’s run time during the 7 hours of peak attic temps
• A 57% efficiency improvement in the cooled air delivered through the air ducts.

The Energy Star approved Enerflex radiant barrier is best for existing homes and installs easily, with no tools, via a simple tension fit between rafters.

To see just how easy Enerflex radiant barrier installs, watch our step-by-step how-to video.

An iPod, a Lump of Coal, and Replaceable Trees

If you look across all the green building standards and product-certification systems, one consensus principle that repeatedly comes up is the use of products that are “sustainable.”

A sustainable product lowers pressure on the environment through the use of source materials that are renewable and/or sustainably harvested. The term “sustainably harvested” means the product, or the product’s components, are harvested in a way that doesn’t permanently deplete the source of the material, nor poison or ruin the surrounding area, nor—in detailed analysis—pollute the air on its way to market.

That’s a fairly academic description, so let’s take a practical example. I have an iPod and I suspect you do too. A green product? You bet! By downloading songs off the Internet, I help reduce pollution, because a download avoids the production and shipping of CDs and plastic boxes, and the printing of liner notes. The iPod is green in its application. 

But is the product “sustainable” if the iPod is made in a filthy plant in China and powered by coal generating plants here in the U.S.? In other words, does the manufacture and power generation for the seemingly green iPod poison the air we all breath? In fact it does, thereby ruling the iPod out as a truly sustainable product, its green properties notwithstanding. If you were to power the iPod with hydro or solar, and ensure that the factories are well-run, you’re talking green and sustainable. See the difference?

Let’s take a remodeling example. Consider a high-performance caulk. Let’s say it’s a high-VOC product that is nasty to use because of the fumes. That caulk can be very green indeed, if it stops air infiltration, keeps out moisture, and cuts down on energy costs and mold. But is the product sustainable if the manufacturing process is poisonous? Or if the product risks the health of the contractors, or the occupants who must smell it before the fumes cook off, when they first move in? 

No. So, something can be green in its ultimate application but not sustainable in its manufacture and initial use.

• Performs as a green product
• Has low or no toxicity, and
• Is manufactured in a sustainable manner

That said, sometimes, for lack of choice, you may choose to make a trade off. You pick a product that isn’t very sustainable during production, but is very green in its application. Take a highly durable, high-VOC floor finish. It’s very green in its application and use – because the floor doesn’t have to be stripped and refinished as often – but it’s probably not sustainably manufactured, because the high VOCs contribute to smog and other problems. In this situation, you have to look at the life cycle analysis of the product, and make a judgment of the greenest way to go, on balance. 

Take wood for another example. Wood is clearly a very green building product, but it’s only sustainable if the company that harvests the wood has a sustainable forest plan that doesn’t deplete the source forests, over time and on balance (FSC lumber / FSC wood: FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests). Tropical lumber may be very green because of the durability, but not sustainable if harvested in destructive ways. Some pressure-treated lumber products, such as ProWood Micro, use a treatment process which has received Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) status.

So, for green purists (and that’s a growing number of people) making the judgment of what to use takes research not only of the properties of the product, but of the corporate practices of the manufacturers. If the data is correct, this is a judgment that Americans are increasingly willing to take time for, as they increasingly vote with their dollars for products that are both green and sustainable.

The Southern Pine Council recently published its 2010 guide to specifying pressure treated wood: Pressure Treated Southern Pine – standards, specifications and applications. If you've ever had questions regarding this time-honored product line this document will answer them.

• Attributes of the Southern Pine species
• The pressure treating process
• Types of wood preservatives
• The Use Category system (a specifying guide)
• Code standards and building code requirements
• Design values
• Guide to grade and quality marks
• Fastener and connector recommendations
• Use and handling
• Green aspects of wood in general and pressure treated lumber in particular

Here’s the answer to the question of which brand of pressure treated lumber is best:
Universal’s ProWood^® Micro pressure treated lumber products use a wood preservative process that has received environmentally preferable product status. ProWood Micro pressure treated wood products have gained enthusiastic acceptance in the marketplace and are in thousands of retail locations. Its many features and benefits, including sustainability attributes, fastener advantages and performance, make it the choice of professionals and home owners everywhere.

The process used to make the micronized copper formulation found in ProWood Micro CA was awarded Environmentally Preferred Product (EPP) status by Scientific Certification Services in December 2007. This was the first pressure treated lumber formulation to earn such status.

We are now pleased to announce that this same formulation has recently earned Green Approved Product Certification from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center. Now, ProWood Micro CA pressure treated lumber products are eligible to receive points toward a building being certified under both the National Green Building Standard and LEED. Go to the ProWood Micro CA Web site to read complete details.

This alternative to pressure treated wood is surprisingly sustainable. The decking market offers dealers and contractors a clear opportunity that is growing in a number of ways. First is market size: The Cleveland-based Freedonia Group says that decking is expected to grow by about 20 percent annually to become a 3.6-billion-lineal-foot industry by 2011. Secondly, the decking market is growing in sophistication. Decking contractors are no longer banging galvy 10d nails in CCA #2 southern yellow pine, as we did in the 1980s. Today decks are part of so-called outdoor living space, and that has even developed into a designer specialty.

For dealers and contractors alike, decks and deck building material offer good-margin, low-maintenance products to customers, who are increasingly willing to pay premiums for products that they will proudly display in high-profile areas of their homes. Today, although decking is still a product that most general-contractors offer, you are seeing an increased number of specialty deck-only operations, and there is a great opportunity for dealers to cater to them.

Decking in the broadest sense of the word now includes four category of products: All-plastic decking, Wood, Composites, and—increasingly uncommon—Aluminum.

The all-plastic decking products are different from “composite decking,” which contains plastic and fiber (more on that below), and plastic decking breaks down into sub-categories by differentiating themselves from one another by the source and type of plastic, and sometimes by the plastic’s recyclability. The most popular choices of deck plastics break out into five categories:

1. Common HDPE  (#2, milk jugs);
2. Recycled high-density polyethylene plastic (ReHDPE);
3. Polypropylene (think Tupperware);
4. Solid polyvinyl chloride a.k.a. PVC;
5. Cellular PVC (polyvinyl chloride with a foaming agent).

 (It important to know the difference between the types of plastic, because they are also used in composite decking material.)

With so many kinds of plastic, manufactures of all-plastic decks will point out differences in the plastics they use, especially where the plastics come from. Marketers of decking will take great pride in features like “virgin plastic,” or a high percentage of “post consumer resins” (PCR), and even “100% recyclable.” Also, since plastic decking can be manufactured through extrusion (that is, product that is pushed through a mould), even the speed of extrusion can be a selling factor, because a product that is extruded too quickly is considered poorer quality.

Whether you are dealing with all-plastic decking or composites, HDPE is the most commonly used product. It performs very well in most situations, and expands only along its length, like vinyl siding. Plus, it does not swell, as many lumber products will. Manufactures argue that it retains color well. Plus, the all-plastic product is entirely recyclable.

Another product, all-plastic PVC decking generally has resistance to scratching, staining, and fading that is superior to composite decking. But PVC decking has been getting slammed for the toxicity of the manufacturing process, which can release mercury and dioxin. That said, there is a green case to be made for PVC’s performance and durability, and it goes like this: If you use PVC (in all-plastic or composite products), you are less likely to harvest, manufacture, and ship replacement products, which therefore makes PVC a viable alternative to wood. What’s greener: a 30-year plastic or PVC deck…or a wood deck that has to harvested, shipped, installed and shoveled into the landfill three times in those three decades?

Now, on to composite decking. It’s called composite or synthetic decking because it has more than one component, and this class of decking has some characteristics of wood and some of plastic. Most composite wood decking is created when wood is added to plastic resin (usually polyethylene). Since the properties of composite decking vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, marketers will differentiate their products using various metrics or features, most notably:

• The source of their plastics (“post-consumer” is considered greener),
• The percent of recycled plastic (for those who want to use recycled products),
• The percent of virgin plastic (for those who don’t want to use recycled plastics because of perceived quality issues),
• The source of the non-plastic components used (recovered wood is the greenest alternative),
• The quality of the post-consumer resin used in the plastic (you don’t want chopped-up milk and vitamin labels in the deck boards),
• The color-fast properties of the decking (fading is so common among some it’s sometimes called a “mellowing process”),
• The surface feel and slip-resistance,
• The structural performance of the product (look for 16 o-c span-ability),
• The UV-protection the decking (anything to frustrate the sun’s punishing rays), and
• The deck board’s weight per board food (for transportation, easy handling during installation, and span loading).

 For a good composite example, let’s look at a popular product and see how it presents itself in these categories. Latitudes composite wood decking is made with both recycled and virgin polyethylene, and 100% of the wood additive is reclaimed product. Indeed, Latitudes is made from approximately 70% recycled materials. It’s “barefoot friendly,” slip-resistant, and reversible with a brushed finish on one side, and a wood grain look on the other, so you can choose look-and-feel. Latitudes comes in six colors—gray, cedar, redwood and walnut, and the specialty colors of Koa and Adobe in the tropical wood-look Latitudes Capricorn composite decking.

No matter what composite deck boards you're looking for, be sure they can span 16-o.c. joists, and that they comply with the all the crucial codes and standards. Look for a warranty of at least 10 years, and it should cover splintering, corrosion, as well as rot, warp, cupping, checks, or damage caused by termites or fungal decay. And finally, urge your customers to purchase premium products, for their own sake. If they always use low cost as the ultimate metric of value, they risk their reputations, as well as the prospect for annoying callbacks that are hard to solve without painful and costly tear-outs.

With the recession in full swing home gardening is making a comeback. Vegetable lovers with diminished means are finding that a little more green in the pocket is worth a bit of toil in the soil. A good choice for many backyard growers is a raised garden bed. The perfect building material for raised beds is pressure treated lumber. It’s economical, easy to work and safe to use in gardening applications. The new micronized copper formulations, including ProWood Micro CA, use a treatment process that has earned Environmentally Preferred Product status from Scientific Certification Systems. This new formulation also has a lighter, fresher appearance compared to other formulations and is less corrosive to fasteners.  

 
According to Becky Wern, Master Gardener with the Duvall County
Agricultural Extension Service and the University of Florida, today's pressure treated lumber "is safe to use around children and animals and for gardens with edibles."
 

Don’t burn or compost pressure treated wood. Once you’re finished building the bed, your pressure treated wood scraps and sawdust can be land-filled along with ordinary household trash.