The housing recession has led to the loss of many qualified building employees and the closure of many manufacturing facilities. Now that the market is rebounding, those who survived the recession are experiencing labor shortages and increasing building material costs. Rising concerns about these issues are starting to affect the market as builder confidence experienced a two-point drop in April*. Read more

Green building is becoming an international phenomenon and many home plans now come standard with energy efficient building envelope features that were once an added cost. As building codes change to improve efficiency, designers push the envelope of what it means to have a green home. We take a look at homes that expand the boundaries of green buildings with these extraordinary eco-friendly homes.

Orchid House, Cotswolds

This green building masterpiece has the distinction of also being the most expensive green home in in the world having sold for $14.2 million. The Orchid House produces more energy than it uses through geothermal heating, solar and wind power. The home is designed by Sarah Featherstone who was also responsible for part of the London Olympic Village.
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The EPA declares fly ash and silica fume as hazardous substances

The EPA has long been a supporter of fly ash and silica fume as additions to concrete mixtures. These substances have been widely utilized in the construction industry as well as in ICF construction. Silica fume and fly ash are by-products of the coal industry and their use in buildings has long been promoted as a sustainable and cheap way to reduce the impact of coal use. The EPA has long touted the ‘beneficial reuse’ of coal power plant waste, but its support of fly ash and silica fume was rescinded in 2011.
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The building envelope is the shell that keeps the interior of your building at a comfortable temperature. An efficient building envelope will drastically reduce your energy consumption (by as much as 50% in some cases) which helps you to save money and reduces the carbon footprint of your home or business. Whether you are planning to retrofit an existing building, or are embarking on a new build, establishing an effective building envelope is the key to green building success and energy savings.

For a building envelope to work efficiently, careful planning and faultless execution are required. A green building consultant can assess your building’s needs and recommend suitable building materials and insulation that will help you achieve your energy saving goals. No matter how carefully you plan, shoddy workmanship that leaves gaps and holes will render even the most dedicated planning ineffectual.
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The benefits of using Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) are legion and ICF buildings are gaining purchase in the niche box retail store construction market. Traditionally constructing their stores using tilt-up walls, the box retail market is increasingly adopting ICFs as their building material of choice thanks to its durability, noise reducing properties and energy-saving attributes.

Its popularity is understandable; the ICFs reduce waste and construction time while improving insulation and the appearance of buildings. More and more large American chains like Walgreens, Ace Hardware, and Aaron’s Rentals are discovering that building with ICFs gives them a better, stronger building in less time. Let’s not forget that ICF buildings are cost effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly too. This positive environmental impact has growing cache in the retail industry as larger companies strive to attract customers through their efforts to be greener.
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Whether you are already in the building industry, or if you are considering a career in construction, there are certain key qualifications that will secure your future. Since the field of green building is so diverse, there are many branches in which you can specialize. While this list is by no means exhaustive, it does cover the most commonly utilized qualifications.

LEED

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is run by the Green Building Council which describes it as “a third-party certification program and an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.” The Green Building Council offers courses and qualifications for professionals in the green building industry.
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