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Why go GREEN?
Green buildings have lower operating costs (less energy and water), and require less maintenance thanks to more durable materials. They provide better indoor air quality by reducing mold, chemicals and other harmful substances. By using recycled materials, green buildings reduce the impact on our landfills and natural resources. Building a green home makes your life easier and healthier, with a commitment to sustainability.
What shade of GREEN are you?
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With all the new products and options for green building available, you may want to build a green home, but not know where to start. Seiffert Lumber is the ONLY Quad Cities building materials retailer to earn the Certified Green Dealer™ designation from the LBM Journal. We welcome the opportunity to guide you with your GREEN projects, and urge anyone thinking of building a home to visit us in person to learn about the available GREEN options.
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PRODUCTS to consider for a green home:
LUMBER
The energy needed to produce steel beams and studs is more than the energy it takes to produce equivalent wood products, and since wood is more sustainable, wood is a greener choice than steel. Engineered wood is an even greener choice because it optimizes raw wood, and can reduce the need for dimensional or structural wood components.
WINDOWS
Windows can account for 20%-25% of the total heat loss and 45% or more of designed cooling load.
Look for the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council) label to see how a window rates. (see example below)
U-Factor measures the rate of non solar heat transfer through the window. The lower the U-Factor number, the better it keeps heat inside your home in the winter, and heat outside your home in the summer.
SHGC rates the amount of solar heat that gets through the window. The lower the SHGC number, the better it is at reducing heat gain in your home.
RECYCLED products
Many building products today consist of materials that have been recycled. Metal roofing and synthetic slate shingles can be made from recycled materials. Insulation batts can be made of recyclable P E T plastics (as in water or soda bottles). Outdoor decking, interior doors, even your kitchen countertop can be made of recycled materials!
DESIGN of a green home can:
-Minimize excess material waste at the job site.
-Accommodate extra insulation by specifying raised heel roof trusses or thicker walls.
-Impact energy performance through building and window orientation.
-Maximize energy efficiency through the use of REScheck™ , the U.S. Department of Energy’s tool to calculate energy code compliance.
These are just a few of many ways to build a “greener” home. Many options are as simple as choosing a lighter color shingle for your roof (to reflect more of the sun’s heat), or insulating your basement’s concrete walls. Again, we encourage you to stop in and meet with one of our Sales professionals to help you find your shade of GREEN.
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