Environmental Issues in Northern Ontario
Construction Without Destruction
A new breed of home building and supply
retailer is helping Canadian homeowners make consumer choices that not
only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but look good too. By offering a
range of high-design products, including paint, flooring, cabinetry and
other energy-efficient building supplies in one place, so-called green
supply centers allow buyers to make informed decisions but not sacrifice
style in the process.
Seeing the void
Seeing the void in
the green building market was a primary reason partners Rodney Wilts and
Tony Bruin launched The Healthiest Home & Building Supplies in an urban
Ottawa neighbourhood. Located between a pita sandwich shop and large
mountain equipment store, Healthiest Home looks like any other
design-oriented retailer. It's when you talk to Wilts that you see the
significance of stores like his appearing across Canada.
"A lot of people are pretty savvy about
green buildings," says Wilts. "They want to know why this stuff is green
and how does it compare to conventional building materials. It's in
magazines, newspapers and TV. So the reaction to us is mostly 'Thank
goodness you're here.'"
According to The LOHAS (Lifestyles of
Health and Sustainability) Journal, which tracks green economic trends,
about 30 percent of U.S. adults -- more than 63 million consumers -- now
purchase goods and services with a nod toward the products' health,
environmental, social justice and sustainability values. The
marketplace, worth $227 billion a year, is projected to reach $1
trillion annually by 2020.
Less Waste, More Choices
So what are
green building materials? Healthiest Home for one specializes in
environmentally friendly, sustainable, healthy building products
including:
- Flooring made with cork harvested
every nine years from the bark of the cork tree. Regular harvesting is
more efficient than cutting down an entire tree.
- Bamboo flooring, an
environmentally-friendly option because of the rapid growth of the
bamboo plant. Manufacturers can make a dozen bamboo floors in the time
it takes to grow one floor's worth of maple.
- Wood flooring manufactured from
reclaimed lumber. A Bristol, Quebec mill is gathering millions of
cubic board-feet from the bottom of the Ottawa River to be made into
wide-plank flooring.
- Low- or no-VOC (volatile organic
compound) paint, which omits ingredients such as formaldehyde.
- Recycled rubber roofing shingles that
are guaranteed for 50 years.
- Tankless water heaters which heat the
water as it's needed. Used throughout Europe, these compact units run
on gas or electricity and are more energy-efficient.
With more architects, contractors,
developers and designers discovering eco-friendly building options,
Wilts sees more opportunities for businesses like his to reach new
markets. He already has signed on to supply materials for a new
condominium a short distance from the store. Marketed as a luxury
development, the 43-unit building touts 40% less energy and water use
than similar developments.
Guaranteed to be Green
Wilts's newest product is a line of
hardwood flooring and decking certified by the Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC). He says the FSC label has brought credibility to the
industry. "It's the only certification that has the support of
environmental groups," he explains. Ideally, he'd like to sell only
products with the FSC seal of approval.
"Either the products aren't there yet, or
the market isn't ready to pay because of the higher costs," says Wilts.
"That will change over time, as more
products are available and consumers weigh personal cost against
environmental cost."
Tips for Buying Green
Minimize the amount of waste in your
choice of building materials and method of construction. Use standard
material dimensions and modules to reduce waste.
Use fully recycled materials or materials with recycled content.
Choose materials with a lifespan
equivalent to the projected life of the building and design to extend
building lifespan. Current building average 50 years; aim for 100+.
Minimize greenhouse gases emitted to
transport materials by using locally produced material. Use lightweight
material where appropriate to reduce transportation energy.
Understand how chemicals used in the
manufacture of some building materials might affect your health. Use
nontoxic or low-toxicity materials and finishes
Tips supplied by the Government of Canada
