Green Policy > Suggestions for Green
Building
 From
a design standpoint, a critical decision is orientation on a site.
Even without an active solar or a highly optimized passive system,
you can still get passive heat gain from the sun just by orienting
windows to take advantage of that solar heat. In the Northeast,
the object is to shield yourself from the north wind. Well-placed
plantings
can help, as can situating the house with a hill to the north or
avoiding north-facing windows.
Use advanced materials to limit air infiltration and maximize insulation.
It not only saves heat, and therefore energy costs, but also makes
the home more comfortable by eliminating drafts and cold spots and
preventing the buildup of unwanted heat in the summer.
Limiting uncontrolled air infiltration must be coupled with controlled
ventilation (both by code and practicality). In homes as tightly sealed
as the ones we build today, problems such as condensation and mold
can endanger health.
Designing a house to use advanced materials from the beginning of
the process allows the designer to take advantage of the benefits
of the advanced materials for a better overall design. For example,
use of insulated concrete forms or structural insulated panels, with
their improved insulation values, allows for more windows than would
otherwise be possible by code with standard two-by-six walls. That
means more natural light, while maintaining a well-insulated envelope
that meets energy and seismic codes.
Recycling and Reuse
Existing as a green company means more than simply building green.
We recycle on a daily basis and reclaim the value in products that
can be reused. Our commitment to environmental responsibility manifests
itself in many ways on and off the job sites. We start the process
in the office by recycling all paper, cardboard and toner cartridges
used in our day to day operations. In our cabinet shop, saw and sanding
dust is collected and given to local farmers for use in their barns.
The finish shop has a paint thinner recycling program focused on reuse
which greatly reduces the production of hazardous waste.
Long ago, we learned that parts and pieces of buildings we remove
can be reused in new ways, while limiting stress on landfills. The
largest of these are the barn frames, which are desirable as basic
structures for new homes.
Old windows may find a home in the kitchen cabinets we build in the
wood shop. Bricks find new "lives" inside fireplaces. Site
stones from the landscape make up garden walls and fireplaces. Old
barn floors are transformed into pieces of furniture. Classic doors
are given new homes. Wood from trees needing to come down makes it
way into a staircase. It is a process of reuse we have learned well.
The McKernon Group’s goal for comprehensive job site recycling
includes salvaging usable building materials during demolition and
source separation of recyclable materials during construction and
demolition.
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