GREEN BUILDING AND MCCUTCHEON CONSTRUCTION • Green Building Philosophy • Green Building Experience • Green Building Leadership • Typical Green Practices • Typical Green Projects WHY BUILD GREEN? • Many good reasons... • Natural Resource Conservation • Energy Efficiency • Indoor Air Quality • For More Information GREEN BUILDING AND MCCUTCHEON CONSTRUCTION Green Building Philosophy Green building is a commitment to lasting quality of both design and construction. No matter how “green” the techniques and materials used, if the quality is poor and/or wasteful, a project is not really "green." That is one reason we are so proud to be skilled at giving new life to existing buildings, remodeling them to serve the future. The first step in this process is thoughtful, green design. The goal: buildings that in all senses will stand the test of time and which may be adapted for different uses over many generations. Such buildings should have a minimum useful life of 500 years, like so many structures in Asia and Europe. Green building should also draw on traditional building knowledge such as Feng Shui and Vastu Shastra - which for centuries have offered valuable insights regarding durability, solar orientation, energy efficiency and sustainability. Ultimately, green building asks that we open our awareness to the wider world in which we build, the natural world, the world of many cultures. Green building offers a way to use resources more modestly yet more creatively, and for the long term. As we work together to build a healthy future for our planet and for the human race, we are honored and proud to consider ourselves green builders. Green Building Experience McCutcheon Construction has been involved in green building since the very beginnings of this movement in the Bay Area. Many of our sustainability-oriented clients have encouraged us to take the green approach to their projects - giving McCutcheon years of successful experience with innovative sustainable building techniques and materials such as: • Recycled materials such as framing lumber, finish materials, etc. • Wheat and straw board • Blown-in cellulose insulation • Photo-voltaic electricity-generating systems • Radiant heating • Tankless water heaters • Recycled glass counters • Low or no-VOC paints • Plaster finishes instead of painted, both interior and exterior • Gray water systems • Recycled glass counters • High-volume fly-ash concrete • Super-low energy consumption appliances • Pervious paving • Drought-tolerant landscaping • Certified lumber In 2004, McCutcheon Construction was selected by NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) to build a green demonstration volunteer project for Rebuilding Together (formerly Christmas in April). This donated project provided a new handicap ramp for an elderly couple in Berkeley using sustainable materials and methods, including high-volume fly-ash concrete and recycled-content decking. The project received extensive media coverage including a feature on KTVU Channel 2 News. Green Building Leadership McCutcheon Construction has been a leader in bringing green construction to the local building community. Working with StopWaste.Org, Michael McCutcheon has served on committees to reduce the construction waste stream and develop the Certified Green Building Professional training program. That program now has trained over 400 Certified Green Building Professionals in the Bay Area, including fourteen who work for McCutcheon Construction. Michael also serves on the Steering Committees of the Green Remodelers Guild, which provides ongoing education for the growing community of Certified Green Building Professionals through regular meetings. Michael also serves on the Board of Directors of Build It Green, the parent group for the green training program, which aims to educate homeowners and new home builders about green technology. Typical Green Practices RESOURCE CONSERVATION • High quality construction for maximum useable life of the building to maximize the benefit from the resources used • Thoughtful and timeless designs which promote flexible use and maximum value of the structure over time for different occupants and uses • Re-use of materials within a project: trim, doors, windows, cabinets, fixtures, etc. • Diverting construction waste from landfills by recycling the removed materials • Donation of building materials (kitchen cabinets, doors, windows, fixtures) • Use of high-volume fly ash concrete, with a goal of 50% fly ash in the mix • Use of FSC Certified or manufactured lumber INDOOR AIR QUALITY • Use of formaldehyde-free batt or blown-in cellulose insulation • Use of formaldehyde-free building products when possible • Use of low VOC paints • Use of hard surface flooring materials instead of carpet • Installing high quality filters on forced air furnaces • Ensuring proper ventilation at kitchens, baths, and laundries • Proper separation of combustion exhaust from living space ENERGY EFFICIENCY • Use of energy efficient windows, doors, and skylights • Use of low-E insulated glass • Installation of high-efficiency furnace equipment (90% efficient and above) • Use of whole-house ventilating systems instead of air conditioning • Installation of tankless, instantaneous water heaters • Installation of radiant floor heating systems • Encouraging the use of Photo Voltaic panels to generate electricity, placed to minimize the visual impact Typical Green Projects LANDMARK BUILDING IN BERKELEY • High-volume fly ash concrete in foundation and slab • Wheat and straw board wall paneling • Recycled lumber at: a. beams in studio b. flooring at main floor level • Recycled Victorian-era cast-iron columns, retrofitted for modern structural requirements • Blown-in cellulose insulation • Plumbing for gray water system • Cork flooring and natural linoleum flooring • Recycled doors from the Philippines • Radiant floor heating • Certified lumber including Jarra wood • Recycled doors, windows, and trim from the building itself • Recycled glass counter • Super-energy efficient Conserv refrigerator • Unpainted plaster finishes • Salvage and restoration of existing siding, windows, brick, etc. GARDEN ROOM IN OAKLAND • High-volume fly ash concrete used in foundation and slab • Certified lumber • Radiant floor heating • Photo Voltaic panels • Textured concrete floor surfaces • Bamboo ceiling beams and paneling KITCHEN REMODEL IN BERKELEY • Certified, recycled, and manufactured lumber • Tankless water heater • Recycled wood for kitchen cabinets • Recycled plumbing and lighting fixtures EXTERIOR DECK IN KENSINGTON • Non-toxic pressure-treated framing • Recycled plastic and wood fiber decking WHY BUILD GREEN? Many Good Reasons Green building applies the principle of sustainability to design, construction and remodeling - with the goals of a cleaner environment, greater construction efficiency, energy saving, resource conservation and improved human health. Natural Resource Conservation Conventional building practices consume and unnecessarily deplete huge quantities of natural resources. Wood, for example, is often used wastefully in construction. A green alternative is "engineered lumber" made from fast-growing farm trees instead of trees from our old growth forests (now 95% depleted). Many building products now incorporate this new material, which uses much less wood fiber and is typically stronger, straighter and lighter than solid lumber. Every day the range of green building materials expands. This diverts waste from landfills while offering quality and durability that often exceed conventional materials - such as a decking alternative made out of recycled materials that can last up to five times longer than wood yet never needs to be treated or painted. And today remodelers can provide a means to reduce water consumption through the use of new high efficiency washers, dishwashers and landscape water management systems. Energy Efficiency A fundamental of green building is the improvement of energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources - both central to the improvement of air quality and reduction of global warming. This also offers great economic benefit to the consumer - through the ongoing reduction of utility costs. Energy efficiency is immediately increased through the addition of insulation and weather stripping , the installation of double-glazed/low-E windows, and upgrading to high-efficiency appliances and lighting. Other energy upgrades/choices include installing solar water heaters, photovoltaic panels, and purchasing “green power” generated from renewable sources like the sun, wind and biomass. Indoor Air Quality The EPA reports that the air in new homes can be ten times more polluted than outdoor air, and the New England Journal of Medicine says that 40% of children will develop respiratory disease, in part due to the chemicals in their homes. Bad interior air results from the off-gassing of chemicals from many building materials - and from the mold and mildew that often result from poor home construction. That “new house smell” is a telltale sign of off-gassing. Formaldehyde, a suspected carcinogen, is a component of particle board - common in kitchen cabinets, countertops, shelving and furniture. Such products may release formaldehyde into the air for years, and most paints and floor finishes contain unhealthy amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The building products industry has responded by developing alternative paint, finish and adhesive products - including solvent-free flooring, and countertop adhesives free of suspected and known carcinogens. Non-volatile paints, varnishes, and cleaners are now readily available at reasonable prices. Also, a growing number of builders and remodelers are also using natural materials such as cork, bamboo and lime plaster - materials which are renewable and abundant, energy efficient in production, transport and use, non-polluting, durable and long-lasting. For More Information Building green is the responsible choice, protecting our resources while also protecting our health. To find out more about how you can help the environment through your building project, visit: • Build It Green - http://www.builditgreen.org • Green Building Guidelines - http://www.builditgreen.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=guidelines • Green Home Guide - http://www.greenhomeguide.com • Green Building in Alameda County - http://www.BuildGreenNow.org