Q & A: Getting Started with a Green Remodel
(Page 2 of 3)
July/August 2007
Troy Griepentrog
What are the best first steps for a DIYer or home
owner to take if they'd like to 'go green'?
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Don't be scared. All of these products have been around for
centuries if you look at some of the really classic things. The
natural products?wood, stone, even tiling?never go out of style. Go
for things that aren't trendy, but are classic and will stand the
test of time. It will save the environment a lot of mess and you'll
save yourself a lot of work and a lot of money.
Where would you encourage home owners to 'splurge'
when building green?
The first thing and probably most important, just in the quality
of your life, would be the windows; energy efficiency is something
you may have to splurge on initially, but will end up saving you
money in the end. I would start there, but I would encourage urban
beasts as well as country peeps to really look into solar options
because they're getting more affordable.
What is your favorite green building material or
technique? Why?
Materials that are made locally. Reclaimed wood is a great
source to use on the outside or the inside of your house. It has
such soul.
Also, I can't say enough about bamboo. It's a material that's
been around for centuries and used in other parts of the world very
regularly from scaffolding to flooring to exteriors of homes. It's
just now gaining more popularity in America and it's one of the
densest and strongest woods you can buy. And you can get, in some
states, a tax incentive when you use it in your home or business,
because it's a green product.
What's green about your home?
My primary residence is about 200 years old, so it's been used a
lot. We just did some major, major renovations. We got all of our
doors, our hardware and a lot of our stone from architectural
salvage yards. It's very eclectic and very much us, but it has the
substantial qualities of that time: thicker doors that aren't
hollow vinyl and doorknobs that are wrought iron and have been
antiqued by 120 years of little hands in the New York public
schools.
