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•	The average-sized single-family home in the US creates between 2 and 5 tons of solid waste during construction (due to wasteful building practices).
•	The average US home produces TWICE as much greenhouse gases per year than the average car.

The way we build and remodel our homes has a big impact on our carbon footprint. Thankfully, we have the knowledge and incentives to change for the better. As a partner in the Madison Green Built Home Initiative, Chad’s Carpentry has embraced the following principles:

1. Durability: By using materials and methods designed to last a long time, we reduce waste and conserve our resources. Using sustainable materials is important whenever possible, but ultimately worthless if the structures we build will not last a long time. As a company, Chad’s Carpentry makes a significant investment each year to train our staff to better understand the best building techniques known to building scientists. The details are critical to assuring a durable structure.

2. Energy-efficiency: Every dollar spent on energy efficiency is likely to pay back $5 dollars in energy savings. It is a standard practice at our company to ask our clients to participate in a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® evaluation. The typical insulation improvement suggested by Home Performance evaluations has a 3-5 year payback, which means that an efficient home costs much less to heat, cool, and live in. You can pay the quality-conscious remodeling contractor, or you can pay the power company. With rising energy costs, the choice should be obvious. The environmental benefits are icing on the cake.

3. Healthy indoor air quality: Toxins, mold, and dust diminish the air quality in a building, and these unwanted guests cause problems in many structures. Many toxins are in the materials that are installed in our homes, such as cabinetry, furniture, paint, and fabrics. Poor ventilation can trap these pollutants, and also contribute to mold and dust problems. Poor air quality diminishes our health, and can lead to costly health problems and expensive renovations. We partner with the Home Performance program to assure that we leave a home with better ventilation, even after improving the energy-efficiency of the structure. Similarly, our partnership with the Green Built Homes program helps us to identify unhealthy building products and to seek alternatives that create better air quality within the home.

4. Alternative products and systems:

•	Solar and geothermal options are becoming increasingly available and affordable. With government tax incentives, the payback on these investments occurs even faster.
•	Lumber harvested from managed (sustainable) forests was hard to find in Madison a few years ago. Thanks to pressure from consumers and local NARI contractors, both Marling and Brunsell Lumber have committed to start stocking certified wood in the coming year. By avoiding clear-cutting, we improve the health of our planet.
•	Throughout the Madison area, lots of suppliers of building materials have sprung up with a “greener” option. From flooring to roofing to paint- there are options to choose that take into consideration the health of our planet.

We all need to recognize the part we play in the health of our homes, our communities, and our planet. Chad’s Carpentry has made a solid commitment to helping you find the best possible green products for your home.

For more about green building visit the Greenbuilt Remodeled Homes website.