Building Greener Homes

By Steve Bielinski, COO

As a Certified Green Builder, Bielinski Homes is always environmentally conscious. And, at the end of the day, we want to make both our clients and the earth happy. So, here are some ways we guarantee a smaller environmental footprint.

Eco-Friendly Exteriors

Eco-friendly building and sustainability starts with the basics — framework. All our lumber is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) standards. Using SFI-certified lumber not only promotes the sustainable growth and harvest of trees, but also the protection of wildlife, plants, soil, and water quality.

And, we use engineered wood products, which are stronger and more reliable. When installed, these products use approximately 50% less wood fiber than dimensional lumber. That’s about half the number of trees.

But it doesn’t stop there. Here are some other ways we incorporate recycled materials:

• A minimum of 10% recycled fly ash content mixed into our concrete batch.

• 90% recycled gypsum content in our drywall — minimizing drywall scrap debris from being disposed of in a landfill.

• 100% recycled content in our carpet pads.

Efficient Interiors

In our “Eco-Friendly Features” blog, we mentioned an abundance of materials we use to lessen our strain on the environment. But, what we didn’t discuss is smart technology.

With technology constantly evolving, it’s no surprise that there are new gadgets that help your home become energy efficient.

Popular among many new homebuilders are higher-efficiency furnaces, smart thermostats, and smart switches.

This convenient technology allows you to control your home environment from anywhere in the world. It doesn’t matter whether you left the bathroom light on when you went to work or you need to turn the heat down while you’re away. You can take care of your needs any time.

But, it isn’t all about the ease, it’s about the environment as well. These technological features consume less energy and make consuming less energy easier. Benefiting both your planet and your bank account.

All About Insulation

Going the extra mile to preserve energy starts with insulation. We use R-21, high-density BATT insulation so that it fits perfectly within your home’s walls. We also utilize R-50 Blown-in Attic insulation in our attic spaces. And once that’s all in place, we seal it with Closed Cell Spray insulation at the basement floor joists box sills — ensuring that your home is airtight.

But what does this mean for you and the environment?

Reducing the amount of outside air infiltration from entering your home through the walls, floors, and attic spaces will not only reduce your operating costs of the house, but it will also decrease the amount of energy resources utilized.

And, it improves air quality. So, you’re losing less air, wasting less energy, and creating cleaner air for your home and those in it.

Learn more about how we can build your new eco-friendly home here.