The Mixed Message of 'Green' Remodeling

I've been gradually completing my LEED Green Associate training these past few months (hoping to take the exam some time in August)...its fascinating to see the difference between the content of the training and the popular impression of what it means to be LEED certified.  Sure, I've been learning quite a bit about sustainable materials (bamboo, cork, etc.), insane R-value insulation, and energy efficiency (all I can say is - thank goodness for dimmable CFLs!)  But a good part of the curriculum focuses on aspects of construction & remodeling that have been a 'no-brainer' for me for years, things like avoiding unnecessary waste and reusing existing materials.

Growing up, renovating historic properties with my father, these 'green' measures were both a necessity (no sense in paying for dump fees to remove perfectly good materials when they could easily be repaired or repurposed) and a philosophy (historic preservation aims, by definition, to preserve the existing structure and materials of a building whenever possible rather than needlessly using up new, limited building materials resources.)  The way I learned things, when you take down a 100 year old wall, you save as much of the framing as possible - the old lumber is so much higher quality than it is today.  It seems much more respectful of the environment to take a few extra minutes and carefully disassemble an old wall rather than just ripping everything apart with a Sawzall.  I even save the wooden lath (that the plaster is applied to) to use as shims!  And instead of throwing out leftover materials, I try and find creative ways to use them on different projects - right now, for example, I'm working on a proposal to resurface a laminate bar using the leftover bamboo flooring from another project - a low cost, low waste solution that will end up looking like a more expensive version of butcher block.

I think of issues like these a lot whenever I see 'green' remodelers offering to rip out 100-year-old minimally damaged oak flooring and replace it with bamboo, a project that creates several tons of waste that could easily be avoided.  I'd opt instead for repairing the damaged oak boards (perhaps even using reclaimed oak flooring) and refinishing the existing floors.  

I'm completely in favor of incorporating as many green building principles into new construction as possible; it just seems that there's a bit of confusion about how to apply green building techniques to remodeling existing buildings.  I see a lot of contractors that stress the environmentally friendly nature of the products and materials they install, while at the same time adhering to a 'complete gut job' strategy of renovation, even when it isn't remotely necessary.  

You've Come a Long Way, Vinyl Tile

This winter - arguably one of the chilliest we've seen in years - I was continually reminded of what a good idea it was to install groutable vinyl tile in my kitchen instead of stone or ceramic.  Not only is it inexpensive and easy to install, but it isn't freezing underfoot in the morning like stone or ceramic tile is after a chilly night.  I've used groutable vinyl tile in three properties now, including my own home, and in each case buyers and visitors have refused to believe that the floor is made out of vinyl tile.  A combination of higher quality material with more variation, beveled edges, and leaving space for grout makes these tiles almost indistinguishable from ceramic tile.   Vinyl tile costs about $1 per square foot (1/3 or less what comparable ceramic tile costs per square foot), and has lower installation costs - all you need to cut and shape tiles is a good utility knife.  The photo to the left is a vinyl tile floor in a kitchen I renovated in Medford (the kitchen reno was still in process when the photo was taken, as you can see, but this is the best shot I have of the floor.)  Vinyl tile is also great because it is a fairly thin material and is lightweight and flexible, so it can cover over small imperfections in the smoothness of the floor surface without the need to lay or pour a new subfloor.  If you try to do that with ceramic tile, you'll have a bunch of cracked and broken tiles on your hand.  So, here's to you groutable vinyl tile.  My feet and my budget thank you.