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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 2003)
PHOTO COURTESY ROBERT BOLMAN Earth Day 2003 MAITREYA ECOVILLAGE IS AN URBAN OASIS OF SUSTAINABLE LAND USE. Build It Green SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MOVEMENT IS GAINING MOMENTUM. by Bobbie Willis T he alternative “green” home built on eco-friendly design and con- struction principles is moving clos- er and closer to the mainstream realm. Even national retailers such as Home Depot are responding to the client and builder demand for environmentally friendly building options. Jerry Johnson, department manager of lumber for Home Depot, says, “There’s absolutely the demand for these products, especially here in Eugene.” Johnson says Home Depot has stopped carrying any old- growth lumber, specifically replacing the one- by clear Doug fir with one-by hemlock, which functions similarly to Doug fir without the impact on old-growth forests. In addition to these environmental con- cerns in building, health issues come into play. Construction of homes and small com- mercial buildings often involves the use of materials containing pretty nasty building blocks, such as formaldehyde, solvents, evaporative petro-chemical distillates, aro- matic chemicals, etc. “Sick building syn- drome,” where these components break down and create toxic off-gassing within the home, has become a modern home hazard. Even traditionally accepted construction practices, such as wrapping a home’s interior walls with Visqueen plastic or using particle board based countertops, are coming under suspicion as health hazards. While there’s no consensus on the actual danger of using this or that product or the haz- ards associated with some construction prac- tices, it’s become clear that there are people who suffer adverse reactions, sometimes severely adverse reactions, to chemicals in the environment — many of these people feel 10 APRIL 17, 2003 est. We pack the McNail-Riley House every sicker at home than in almost any other setting. month to standing room only.” Sullivan also As cost and availability are always fac- cites EWEB’s recent adoption of the Earth tors in determining use of these “easier” Smart program, and former Gov. Kitzhaber’s building materials, Alec Dakers, designer sustainability agenda as signs of public inter- with Rainbow Valley Design and est, particularly Pacific Northwest public Construction, says, “Our consumption has interest, in issues of green building. become disconnected from the product.” But what exactly is green building? Dakers is the go-to guy for green design at Dakers says, “It’s very complex. There’s no Rainbow Valley. He says that green, or sus- real consensus on what green construction is. tainable, building often overlaps with good Essentially, what you build should have as design principles. He explains that a well- little impact on the designed building has environment as possi- a lot to do with effi- ble. You try to keep a ciency; spatial efficien- few simple, basic cy (also known as tenets in mind.” “right sizing”) and Dakers explains that a energy efficiency are lot goes into the defi- just two factors that nition of green build- play into good design, ing and especially into as well as into a green, green building materi- sustainable structure. als. “There’s some- Dakers believes the thing called embodied recent spike in utility JAN SPENCER SHOWS energy that looks at costs has a lot to do WHAT CAN BE DONE the whole lifecycle of with more and more WITH A CONVENTIONAL HOUSE AND PROPERTY. a product — how people looking for much energy it takes to make the materials, building alternatives. “The energy crisis is a how many people are actually involved in big deal. It has people really considering ener- production, even how far the materials have gy efficiency in their homebuilding projects.” to be transported for use — all of this can This is only part of the reason that green factor into the degree of green building…” building is moving from the alternative Green building makes use of recycled fringes to the mainstream. Bruce Sullivan, materials and, Dakers says, renovating or president of the Eugene chapter of Northwest remodeling can be a really great way to use EcoBuilding Guild, says, “What characterizes sustainable practices in building. As for cost, the national green building scene is to say, Dakers says, “It runs roughly 10 percent ‘There are pockets of interest …’” Sullivan more up front. But in the long run, green believes that this interest is indeed growing. building can cost less.” “Judging from the attendance at our monthly Without a standardized method to measure classes, there’s a tremendous amount of inter- green-ness, sustainable building could go the precipitous route of organic food labeling. Both Dakers and Sullivan mention Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design in Green Building Rating System (LEED). LEED pro- vides a point system to rate green construc- tion, as well as certification and accreditation programs for builders. But, for the most part, green construction is open to interpretation. Sullivan mentions that David Eisenberg will be speaking in Eugene at 7 pm May 9 at the EWEB Training Room. Eisenberg is direc- tor of the Development Center for Appropriate Technology (DCAT) in Tucson, Ariz. DCAT provides education and support to building officials, designers and builders nationwide to promote sustainable construction and develop- ment practices. “David is doing a lot of really good work in terms of trying to make changes at the national level to support sustainable building.” But Sullivan adds, “Change in this industry comes very slowly — it took 30 years for builders to accept and use sheetrock.” Green building is gaining momentum. Sullivan is glad to see changes like those being made at Home Depot. “It’s just like organic food. Once we put the green materi- als on the shelves where people can see and compare, people will buy them. We’re just at the beginning of this curve.” And in the long run, green construction could mean better, healthier, more efficient buildings that fit the global landscape more appropriately than just any old McMansion. As Dakers says, “The boundaries for the affects of green, sus- tainable construction are much farther out there than we think — it’s not just your house; it’s community.” ew
