| | Five Myths about Building "Green"
by Joel Hirshberg
If you're considering building or remodeling a home or office and are faced with doubts about whether to build Green, perhaps this article will offer some inspiration.
Here are the Five Myths:
Myth #1 Building Green is more expensive.
Myth #2 Green Products don't really help the environment.
Myth #3 If it's zero VOC it must be Green.
Myth #4 Building Green is just about as good as conventional building.
Myth #5 Building Green may work in California but it won't work here. |
| | Myth #1 Building Green is more expensive.
This is the biggest myth because "expensive" is a relative term. More expensive than what?
Expensive today loses meaning when life-cycle costs are considered. Many building green designs, strategies, materials and practices can and do save everyone money because they generally reduce energy costs, labor costs, and medical costs now and in the future. How?
In general, Building Green improves indoor air quality, health, and the productivity of its occupants. They last a longer time, require fewer resources to develop and are usually more aesthetically pleasing. Resale values of Green buildings are usually greater than those that are conventionally built.
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| | Myth #2 Green Products don't really help the environment.
Most building products that are natural and non-toxic will be good for the indoor and outdoor environment (even though they cannot be tolerated by some due to sensitivities). There is no question anymore about the positive effect of using non-toxic materials to reduce or eliminate indoor air pollution. Whether it will reduce outdoor air pollution or save the whales or eliminate dangerous levels of CO2 remains to be seen. There are not enough people using Green building materials yet to make much of a dent on the larger scale, however this will change.
Just as organic farming made little difference at first in national health, it's now becoming a recognized positive force in improving the health of the nation. The same will happen with building Green over time. Eventually people will realize that most of the chemicals are simply not necessary and unhealthy. This will become more obvious when the alternative becomes more popular and widely used in the building industry. When enough builders start using Green materials there will be a noticeable atmospheric difference. |
| | Myth #3 If it's zero VOC it must be Green
A great deal of emphasis has been placed on the term VOC (volatile organic compound) to the extent that many have begun to believe that all VOC's are "bad" and should be eliminated. This is an overstatement. The government is interested in regulating VOC's because some, not all, react with chlorine in the atmosphere to form smog creating compounds. That is, they are interested in reducing outdoor air pollution. Not only has this narrow focus tarred all with the same brush, but it shows no concern with the toxic effects of various chemicals to humans.
Example...The government has exempted acetone and ammonia, two very toxic chemicals, from regulations as VOC's because they do not contribute to smog formation. These toxic ingredients have found their way into zero VOC formulations of major manufacturers, safe from government regulation, without concern for their effect on users.
Another example...Consider the difference between ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. The former is essentially anti-freeze and is used in the paint industry. It is a VOC and is extremely toxic. Propylene Glycol, on the other hand, is also a VOC, but has no indicia of toxicity. Paints made with ehtylene glycol and those made with propylene glycol both have VOC's yet one is poison and one is benign. |
| | Myth #4 Building Green is still new and not as efficient as traditional building
The design, methodologies, materials and building procedures of the Building Green movement have been around for thousands of years albeit in a slightly different form. Modern technologies have made Building Green materials more readily available, useful and reliable than ever before. Same for architectural design methods and construction techniques.
Many people feel fed up with cheap plastic synthetic boxes that are manufactured quickly with toxic materials but quickly degrade and are often unhealthy for their inhabitants. The popularity of Building Green is not just a response to the energy crises or the health crises, but rather a natural evolution of the building industry towards greater efficiency, purity, and harmony with nature. In general, Green Buildings are far more efficient and technologically advanced than most traditional buildings. |
| | Myth #5 Building Green may work in California but it won't work here, or, Building Green is just a fad for hippies
California certainly is one of the pioneers in Building Green, but it certainly is not the only place it is being used. Building Green is very popular in Europe where it has been very successfully implemented. Once considered a fad of the 70's, Building Green is fast becoming mainstream with the help of numerous organizations dedicated to the environment and human health. |
| | New certification standards through LEED and others are helping to define what Building Green means. The US government which is the largest builder in the US is also very instrumental in promoting Building Green through design, products and strategies. However, high utility bills and law suits from tenants and homeowners who complain of sick building syndrome may be two of the biggest prime movers forcing the construction industry into compliance with Building Green standards.
In short, Building Green costs no more than conventional building, saves resources, improves health, works in all climates, benefits everyone and the environment and will necessarily become the primary means to sustainability in the future. |
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