Green
Go Green for Renovation and Construction
Denise Mitchell is a member of the Canada Green Building Council and proponent of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Canada program.
"I think it is important and now is the time that we really focus on meaningful ways to minimize the impact on our environment when we are contemplating new construction or renovations, even when making small changes to kitchens and baths."
I encourage all my clients to at least consider 'one small thing' they can do in their project to 'go green'. There are so many new options in the marketplace for sustainability and efficiency. We can provide our clients with the resources to take advantage.
Here's what we can do:
- Buy fewer things of better quality for sustainability
- Focus on renewable materials such as lyptus, bamboo, and locally made materials which reduce energy consumption for transport
- Use of recycled content for tile, carpet, underlay, countertops and furniture
- Repair, refinish, reupholster whenever possible
- Recycle all demolished building materials for use in the community and recycling programs
- Focus on water efficiency by using tankless water heaters, flow restrictors
- Use of formaldehyde free cabinets, finishes and low-VOC paints and stains
- Layout of space for economies of heating and atmospheric quality through use of more windows for lighting, fewer separate rooms for economies in heating and lighting and maximize exposure to sunlight
- Solar heating and energy when possible