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Welcome to TheJillSmithTeam.com's Your Green Home webpage. Team members, Kathy Murphy and Erin Smith, have long had an interest in green building and eco-conscious living. In 2009, Kathy was awarded the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Green Designation, the only green real estate professional designation recognized by NAR. With a Green Advantage Certification and knowledge of the USGBC’s LEED for Homes, Erin is also becoming a “Green Building” expert. This webpage will serve as a resource for homeowners and builders who have an interest building and renovating with sustainable practices and marketing these homes for sale. 
What is green building? Why is it beneficial? Green building is the implementation of practices and materials that minimize the harmful effects construction has on the environment and that maximize the energy efficiency, indoor air quality and comfort of a home or building. These building practices and materials cover all aspects of green building and renovation from site selection to paint. The widely accepted guidelines for a home’s “greenness” is the US Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) for Homes. Even if you are not looking to get your project LEED certified (available for new construction homes or homes renovated to the studs), these guidelines are a great resource for designing with the environment and the occupants’ health in mind. In order to be considered for LEED certification, a project must meet several pre-requisites including square footage limitations, mandatory project planning, onsite erosion controls, landscaping with non-invasive plants, Energy Star energy and lighting performance, reduced framing waster, outdoor air ventilation, garage pollutant protection, proper insulation, tight building envelope and efficient HVAC. This is only a partial list of the pre-requisites but clearly illustrates how comprehensive these guidelines are and how green building practices cover every aspect of design. The idea of green building is that if a home can be built or renovated to these high standards the benefits are far reaching. Green buildings have a minimal impact on local and even global eco-systems, reduce the amount of energy used by constructing and maintaining a building, conserve water, conserve trees and other natural resources and provide a healthier place for people to live. How do I choose green materials? If you are renovating a home there are several ways to green your home. Choose products that are easily renewable and require minimal energy and resources to manufacture. Making green choices are not always simple however. For instance, say you choose to install bamboo flooring. Bamboo is a highly renewable resource because it is harvested between 3 and 5 years. Bamboo is a grass and grows quickly unlike hardwood trees. On the other hand most of the bamboo used in flooring comes from China and the energy required to harvest, manufacture into flooring and ship to NJ may outweigh the benefits of using a easily renewable material. In a situation like this, it may be more green to used reclaimed wood floors from a local supplier or wood from an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, or equivalent, forest in Vermont. Choosing green products is not only for the sake of the environment. Indoor Air Quality is key to living green. Because most people spend 90-95% of their day indoors, indoor air quality is very important for good physical and mental health. It is key to remember that not only do the materials you put into your home need to be green but so do the chemicals used to manufacture or treat those materials. It would negate the purpose of buying FSC lumber if you use toxic chemicals to stain the wood. These chemicals, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), off gas into your home and affect your air quality. Common household VOCs are methane, formaldehyde, toluene and limonene. Some of these VOCs off gas for the life of the product and household toxins are believed to contribute to childhood asthma, headaches, fatigue, throat irritation, congestion and even emotional disorders. These chemicals can be found in adhesives, cleaners, paints, ceiling tiles, MDF board, cabinets, flooring and synthetic fabrics. Be sure the products you choose contain low or no-VOCs. VOCs can be found in paint, cabinets, carpet, window treatments, linens and flooring. Choosing green products is not always simple, there may not always be a clear “right” choice, and it may require a bit of investigation and label reading. “Green” is great marketing tool for products but be sure to look past symbols on packaging to make sure it is green it the ways that matter to you. When choosing green materials, consider: Is the product manufactured locally? Does this product contain VOCs? Is this product recyclable?Does this product contain recycled content? Is the product biodegradable?Links to Information on Indoor Air Quality (IAO): US Environmental Protection Agency US Library of Medicine/National Institute of Health Centers for Disease Control (CDC) American Lung Association World Health Organization Green Materials and Website Links *Websites are offered for reference.Please research each company and product to make sure it meets your needs and standards.Several local retailers stock many of these products so ask around for recommendations.If you have a personal recommendation you would like to share please let me know by contact me at ErinSmith@kw.com. **Local! denotes a company that is within 500 miles of the Short Hills area thereby meeting the USGBC’s criteria for LEED which gives credit for using locally manufactured products. See the USGBC’s website for more info if you are considering LEED certification for a project. ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE & RECYCLED BUILDING MATERIALS A great way to go green is to reuse building materials. There are two great local resources for architectural salvage items and recycled building materials, Build-it Green! NYC and Recycling the Past. Build-it Green! NYC has a warehouse full of reclaimed building materials like wood flooring, doors, hardware, sinks, vanities, mirrors, toilets, etc. They also offer a great program for people who are gut renovating their kitchens. Build-it Green! NYC deconstructs you old kitchen and hauls everything away…for free! See our blog for more details or their website for more details. Recycling the Past also offers building materials like doors and sinks (including authentic farm sinks) but specializes in architectural salvage including antique hardware, fireplace surrounds, iron gates and other unique and rare finds. Using reclaimed materials is a great way to go green and add unique, one of a kind features to your home. Build-it Green! NYC Local! Astoria, NY Recycling the Past Local! Barnegat, NJ
Having green cabinets is important because many cabinets contain VOCs like formaldehyde that are toxic and pollute your indoor air. Formaldehyde is known to off gas into your indoor air for the life of the product. The VOCs can be in the wood itself, in the finish and in cabinets that contain MDF. If you are replacing your cabinets, consider cabinets with little or no VOCs and if possible cabinets that are made from reclaimed wood, local forests and/or FSC certified wood. The healthiest flooring is bare surface floors; tile, concrete, wood, etc. Carpeting and large area rugs trap allergens, dirt and VOCs that off gas from other materials in your house. In fact, most common carpet and rug materials contain VOCs themselves. Make sure to choose products that contain low or no VOCs. When possible try to choose products that are manufactured locally, contain recycled content or are recycled like reclaimed hardwood, and come from companies that use green methods in their production and operation. Offers recycled glass tile, recycled aluminum tile and bamboo flooring including a couple styles with a lovely handscraped finish. Eco Timber: Bamboo flooring. Forbo: Local! Marmoleum, (made from linseed oil, wood flour, rosin, and jute), certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America as asthma & allergy friendly™, easy to clean and naturally bacteriostatic. PAINT: Traditional paint contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that off-gas toxic chemicals into the air years after application. However, most major paint manufacturers like Sherwin Williams and Benjamin-Moore, now offer lines of low or no-VOC interior and exterior paints. Other companies like Mythic Paint offer only no-VOC paint. Paints with low or no-VOC offer the same quality and durability of traditional paints but will not off-gas harmful chemicals into the air and have little or no odor. The fact that green paints have little or no odor means you can paint a room and comfortably use it while the paint is still drying. This is great for anyone who paints the interior of a home prior to putting it on the market! Benjamin Moore Natura is their zero VOC line. I used this and was very pleased with it. Sherwin-Williams Harmony interior paint is no-VOC and they offer several lines of interior and exterior low VOC lines. Mythic Paint TILE: When installing new tile look for tile with recycled content like eco-friendly tile recycled glass tile and recycled metal tile. You can also get ceramic tile with recycled content.You also want to choose non-toxic tile adhesive. Although I never personally bought tile from them and I can’t give a review one way or the other, Virtue Tile Company on Broad Street in Summit caries a couple of these brands last I checked. Enviro-GLAS Tile and counter surface manufacturer that uses recycled glass. Eco Friendly Flooring Offers recycled glass and recycled metal tiles. The glass tiles come in a huge variety of beautiful colors and the recycled metal tiles look really cool. If anyone uses these tiles I would love to know your feedback. Please email me at ErinSmith@kw.com to let me know. Terra Green Ceramics Recycled content ceramic tile. They offer several varieties of colors and finishes including a highly glazed Terra Crackle that looks really pretty similar to glass tile. Sandhill Industries 100% recycled glass tile. Bedrock Industries Handmade glass tile with 100% recycled content. Have a Certified Wildlife Habitat™ in Your Own Backyard (or Balcony) The National Wildlife Federation offers a great program to restore natural habitat in your community whether you have an apartment balcony or multi-acre estate. By addressing 5 categories you can apply to have your home habitat certified by The Nation Wildlife Federation. The categories include supplying food, water and shelter for wildlife and creating green space that uses native species and conserves soil and water. This is a great project for families or anyone wanting to help sustain their local ecosystems. The application process includes a $20 fee and a simple form outlining the features of your habitat. Included in the application fee is a certificate recognizing your certified habitat, free NWF membership with a one-year subscription to NWF quarterly newsletter and your habitat’s listing with the NWF’s Certified Wildlife Habitat™ registry. Once certified you can also purchase a Certified Wildlife Habitat™ yard sign to show your neighbors your commitment to the environment. The Nation Wildlife Federation’s guidelines for the Certified Wildlife Habitat™ requirements are reposted below. Please visit their website for all the details and particulars.Provide Food for Wildlife Your habitat needs three of the following types of plants or supplemental feeders: Seeds from a plant • Berries • Nectar • Foliage/Twigs • Nuts • Fruits • Sap • Pollen • Suet • Bird Feeder • Squirrel Feeder • Hummingbird Feeder • Butterfly Feeder Supply Water for Wildlife Your habitat needs one of the following sources to provide clean water for wildlife to drink and bathe: Birdbath • Lake • Stream • Seasonal Pool • Ocean • Water Garden/Pond • River • Butterfly Puddling Area • Rain Garden • Spring Create Cover for Your Habitat Wildlife need at least two places to find shelter from the weather and predators: Wooded Area • Bramble Patch • Ground Cover • Rock Pile or Wall • Cave • Roosting Box • Dense Shrubs or Thicket • Evergreens • Brush or Log Pile • Burrow • Meadow or Prairie • Water Garden or Pond Give Wildlife a Place to Raise Their Young You need at least two places for wildlife to engage in courtship behavior, mate, and then bear and raise their young: Mature Trees • Meadow or Prairie • Nesting Box • Wetland • Cave • Host Plants for Caterpillars • Dead Trees or Snags • Dense Shrubs or a Thicket • Water Garden or Pond • Burrow Garden in an Environmentally Friendly Way You should be doing two things to help manage your habitat in a sustainable way.Soil and Water Conservation: Riparian Buffer • Capture Rain Water from Roof • Xeriscape (water-wise landscaping) • Drip or Soaker Hose for Irrigation • Limit Water Use • Reduce Erosion (i.e. ground cover, terraces) • Use Mulch • Rain Garden • Controlling Exotic Species: Practice Integrated Pest Management • Remove Non-Native Plants and Animals • Use Native Plants • Reduce Lawn Areas • Organic Practices: Eliminate Chemical Pesticides • Eliminate Chemical Fertilizers • Compost Marketing Your Green Home for Sellers & Builders
NUMBER1EXPERT® © Homes Media Solutions™, a division of Dominion Enterprises and/or its clients. All rights reserved. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. |
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