Can This Home Be Greened: Getting Older, Getting Better
(Page 2 of 3)
September/October 2006
By Robert Politzer
COST: Laboratory asbestos and lead testing: $10 to $25 per sample. New hardwood doors: $150 to $300 per door.
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Priority 2: Adding insulation
PROBLEM: Like many unchanged 140-year-old houses, this one is drafty, cold and poorly insulated.
SOLUTIONS: The Lawrences have several good insulation options. Blown-in cellulose insulation and expanding-foam insulation both give good R-value (the measure of an insulation’s ability to impede heat flow) and fill in cracks and gaps. However, because the home is located in a floodplain, they should avoid cellulose insulation; although it’s treated with mold-inhibiting borates, the dampness still could encourage mold growth. Icynene spray-in foam insulation is an excellent choice, but finding an Icynene installer in the Lewisberg area might be difficult. There’s also Owens Corning’s Greenguard-certified, low-VOC, Pink fiberglass batts and rolls and blown-in fiberglass insulation.
COST: Reinsulation: $2,750 for the attic; $3,200 for blown-in fiberglass into exterior walls; $3,200 for blown-in foam insulation on the interior (10 to 20 percent more for Icynene).
Priority 3: Saving energy
PROBLEM: Matthew and Lida want to utilize the sun’s energy, but solar electric systems have a fairly long 15- to 20-year payback in Pennsylvania, where there are few government financial incentives.
SOLUTION: The couple chose a solar hot-water system instead of solar electric. The environmental benefits are much the same whether you convert solar energy into heat or electricity. A solar hot-water system can be linked with radiant floors for a super energy-efficient space-heating system.
Solar hot-water systems are particularly cost effective for new construction projects because the interior copper tubing is easily installed through vertical chase openings. In the Lawrences’ house, the copper tubing must be run inside the home, so installation will be more expensive.
COST: Solar hot-water system: $7,800.
Priority 4: Finding green suppliers and contractors
PROBLEM: Lida found it difficult to navigate the supply chain for green-building materials. When she visited the local Home Depot and Lowe’s and asked store managers about green-building supplies, she just got blank stares. Moreover, most general contractors and trade subcontractors have minimal experience in environmentally preferable building.
SOLUTION: Lida asked Lewisburg Builders’ Supply Company to work with green-building suppliers who will ship materials (see “Resources,” page 27).
For general and trade contractors, regional green-building associations, such as the Green Building Association of Central Pennsylvania (GBACPa.org), are good sources for referrals. For California and New York residents, the Green Home Guide (GreenHomeGuide.com) provides additional referrals.