The ReUse People Dancing Rabbit: Newsletter: Spring 2008 Note: This page is from our archives and is no longer being maintained. It may not be up to date or accurate. Please use the menus above to find more current information about Dancing Rabbit. For current material from our online Newsletter, The March Hare, and our weekly updates see Step I: Find a suitable donor structure. This can be done any number of ways, but the most important thing is to keep your ears open. Two important factors to consider in your candidate are size and condition. Step II: Prepare for demolition. Now that you have a structure to take apart, you are going to need the tools to get the job done. Safety first: you are going to be using all these tools in an enclosed space, so wear hearing protection. Step III: Get to it already. First a note: you can never be sure of what you will find in a place like this. Now your tool bag is packed and the big day has come. Start on the inside by removing any trim and interior doors. Congratulations.
Save Money With Used Building Materials The construction of an average-sized home (2,000 square feet) usually results in 8,000 pounds of construction waste. Add that to the waste generated by demolition, and the figures are astounding: Every year in the United States, 136 million tons of construction and demolition waste are tossed into landfills. This debris amounts to more than half of all landfill waste — but if handled properly, much of it can be diverted and reused. Here are several ways you can locate reclaimed and recycled construction materials: “Freecycling” (www.freecycle.org) is an easy-to-use Internet service for people who want to trade things locally. Membership is free, and after a quick registration, each local group allows its participants to post messages for objects they want to unload or request items they need. Another good place to find used building materials is your own neighborhood. The technology to reconstitute many construction waste items into new products is rapidly progressing. www.freecycle.org
Eco-Friendly House Insulation from Recycled Materials written by: BStone•edited by: Sarah Malburg•updated: 3/9/2010 Substituting eco-friendly house insulation from recycled materials for conventional insulation, is a great way to make a home a little greener. Conventional Insulation There are two primary reasons for using environmentally-friendly insulation from recycled materials — environmental concern, and indoor air quality. Regular fiber glass and petrochemical foam, two of the most widely-used insulators, generate pollutants during manufacturing, and will be a source of toxins for the environment when disposed of. Either made from, or treated with chemicals, ranging from cancer-causing formaldehyde to polystyrene, which can cause respiratory and reproductive problems, they are a danger to the people who install them, and to those who live in the home insulated by them.Conventional insulation materials contribute to indoor air pollution.
Types of Insulation When insulating your home, you can choose from many types of insulation. To choose the best type of insulation, you should first determine the following: Where you want or need to install/add insulationThe recommended R-values for areas you want to insulate. Installing Insulation The maximum thermal performance or R-value of insulation is very dependent on proper installation. When hiring a professional certified installer: Obtain written cost estimates from several contractors for the R-value you need, and don't be surprised if quoted prices for a given R-value installation vary by more than a factor of two.Ask contractors about their air-sealing services and costs as well, because it’s a good idea to seal air leaks before installing insulation. To evaluate blanket installation, you can measure batt thickness and check for gaps between batts as well as between batts and framing. Types of Insulation Blanket: Batt and Roll Insulation Fiberglass Batt Insulation Characteristics Installation Costs
Choosing the Best Insulation Delivers Energy Savings Adding insulation is one of the most important steps you can take to improve the energy performance of your home and lessen its environmental impact. Space heating and cooling consume 44 percent of all energy used in the home, according to the Department of Energy. Adding a few hundred dollars worth of insulation can reduce your annual heating and cooling bill 10 to 30 percent. With the average U.S. household spending about $650 per year on heating and cooling, the investment in additional insulation can pay off quickly. Use this formula from the DOE to estimate the payback period for your home. Quick links to materials reviewed in this article Cellulose Cotton Fiberglass Foam Insulation Mineral Wool Environmental Benefits and Impacts Instant Energy Savings According to the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the attic is usually the top priority because installing insulation there is easy and provides immediate benefits. Environmental Considerations Insulation Pros and Cons in Depth Foam Insulations
RECYCLED BLUE JEAN INSULATION by Bonded Logic If you are feeling the chill at home this winter, why not consider a more eco-friendly form of insulation instead of the hazardous fiberglass standby? We’ve raved about Arizona-based company Bonded Logic in the past but we just can’t get enough of their superb product Ultra Touch. Comprising of 100% recycled denim, Ultra Touch proves that you don’t need to sacrifice your health in order to reap the benefits of efficient insulation. Unlike its toxic candy-floss-like alternative, the cotton material is safe enough for your kids to enjoy a tumble in, being entirely free of carcinogens and formaldehyde. Bonded Logic has also recently donated their services in aid of community-oriented projects such as Cotton’s Dirty Laundry Tour. + More ideas for Green Insulation
Structural Insulated Panels or SIPs Exterior and Interior Skins The oriented strand board skins on Insulspan® structural panels are exterior rated Exposure I by the American Plywood Association (APA). Exterior phenolic resin permits the panels to be used with normal construction delays. Energy Efficiency and Comfort lnsulspan panels decrease cooling and heating costs even more than their high R-rating would seem to indicate, because they form a solid thermal envelope around the structure, uninterrupted by the typical studs, sills or headers. Insulspan® panels provide stable performance year after year. Strength and Durability The strength of Insulspan® panels has been proven through rigorous structural testing required by national code authorities, plus their actual performance through more than 20 years of use. Adapting home plans to SIP Construction Generally speaking, almost any home design can be modified to be built with SIPs. SIP walls are often thicker than standard framed walls. Factors to Consider Cost
Eco Friendly Building Materials | Benefits of SIPS | FischerSIPS SIPS Save Resources The National Association of Home Builders estimates that the construction of a 2000 sq. ft. home produces 7,000 lbs. of waste. Structural insulated panels require less energy and raw materials to produce when compared to other structural building techniques and have the ability to drastically reduce waste generated during construction by being fabricated to specifications on a per job basis. The two primary components, Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and Oriented Strand Board (OSB), are both manufactured with the utmost consciousness for resource conservation. EPS, the type of insulating foam core used inside of structural insulated panels, is composed of 98% air and requires a minimal amount of petroleum byproduct to produce. Scrap EPS, created in the manufacturing process, is easily recycled into new EPS products. SIPS Save Energy Insulation is a key component of any energy-efficient home or commercial building. FischerSIPS Test Home Energy Cost Per Month To Heat and Cool