About Recycling Grey Water

Published February 8, 2010 going green Leave a Comment
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Greywater is wastewater generated from domestic activities such as laundry, dishwashing, and bathing which can be recycled on-site for uses such as landscape irrigation, and constructed wetlands.

Recycling this water is becoming an increasingly popular topic of conversation among residential and commercial construction industry experts. Water recycling systems can range from DIY grey water system devices to sophisticated filtration systems. Some areas of the US severely restrict the use of recycled grey water as part of a Uniform Plumbing Code act but areas that are utilising recycled grey water may experience a reduction of almost a third.

Click on this link to find some case studies of large scale grey water recycling in Canada or you can learn about how the 2010 Olympics are utilizing water Recycling programs.

Recycled grey water is not suitable for drinking and may not be applicable to gardens that bear edible plants but is perfect for watering parks, fields and lawns, as well as flush water for toilets. So when considering irrigation / watering systems for your commercial steel building project, make sure to do your due diligence on the subject of grey water recycling.

Here is a video by Ecoplay Systems about their greywater recycling system:

Solar Lights to Brighten your Steel Building and Save Costs

Published February 1, 2010 Pre-Fabricated Building News , Steel Building Tips , going green Leave a Comment
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Do you want to save some money on your energy bills?  Have you ever thought about putting a skylight in a dark area or part of your building?  Well, this is an excellent idea because you can have the natural light of the sun shine through rather then having lights on for a long period of time. This will reduce your electricity bill and you’re also considering the environment! 

You can install solar tubes, also known as sun tunnels which are very popular and easily retrofitted into new or existing buildings.  Depending on the Energy Star rated system you decide to go with, it may qualify for a federal tax incentive up to 30% of the cost. As well as, local and state incentives may also apply.  Basically, the way electricity works is with every flick of the switch, electricity is typically generated by burning fossil fuels, and pollution, as well as greenhouse gases are released.  By utilizing the power of the sun to lower electricity usage, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint and help clear the air.  “Like skylights, solar tubes bring natural daylight into interior rooms. Unlike skylights, solar tubes are inexpensive and unlikely to experience problems like rain leaks, heat loss, condensation or overheating, and are relatively easy to retrofit into an existing house. A solar tube consists of a clear dome that collects sunlight into a highly polished and reflective tube that reflects the light down to a diffuser on the ceiling. The light has a natural quality and is sufficient to light a small room, hallway or staircase” reports Portland’s Office of Sustainable Development. 

For larger rooms, larger solar tubes or multiple units may be necessary.  Options for solar tubes include: diffusers, night time lighting, daylight dimmers and integrated bathroom fans. 

With a super energy-efficient solar tube, you can qualify for a federal tax credit, especially if it has a V-factor and solar heat gain coefficient less than or equal to .30 and it is installed between these dates: June 1, 2009 – December 31, 2010.

For more information on energy-efficient solar tubes, please visit: www.greenstrides.com   Also, please visit: www.norsteel.com for options on skylights.

Encouraging Employees to Promote Workplace Safety

Published January 29, 2010 Construction and Workplace Safety Leave a Comment
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workplace safetyWorkplace safety is a persistent concern among Canadians. In fact, almost 1000 Canadians die every year as a result of injuries or health issues related to the workplace.

Workplace safety is huge responsibility to bear. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending who you look at it) the responsibility of workplace safety does not fall unto the shoulders of one particular entity. Both employers and employees are responsible for worker safety. Of course, some employees may feel nervous, uncomfortable, or even fearful of bringing potential hazards and safety issues to the attention of their employers. There are several manners in which an employer may attempt to make their employees more interested in sharing safety concerns with their bosses.

Here are just a few options / suggestions for encouraging employees to share the responsibility of workplace safety:

  1. Place a Safety Suggestion box in an area in your work place. Encourage anonymous suggestions
  2. Along the same lines as above, place a Safety Suggestion box in your work place. But encourage employees to leave their names along with their suggestions. Offer rewards or bonuses for the best suggestion each month.
  3. Appoint a safety officer. Employees may feel more comfortable discussing possible safety issues with an appointed employee rather than talking to the boss directly.
  4. Post signage reminding employees that workplace safety is a shared responsibility and that you are interested in hearing from them.
  5. Hold 5 minute safety sessions each week or month followed with a 10 minute Q & A session.

These are just a few tips that the Norsteel Buildings crew for encouraging a safe work environment. If you have any more, please leave your suggestion in the comments section.

How to Maintain Good Indoor Quality in Your Steel Building This Winter

Published January 26, 2010 Before You Buy Your Steel Building , Steel Building Tips , going green Leave a Comment
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In winter, most of us like to stay indoors and keep warm, however if your indoor air quality isn’t very good then it’s not very healthy to breath in this air so here are some tips to follow below on how to improve your air quality in your steel building.  The tips are crucial for people who suffer from asthma, children and the elderly, but all of us will benefit from cleaner air.  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that indoor air is typically more polluted than the air outside.  “Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.”  Here is how we can reduce indoor contaminants: Every 3 months, or when they become dirty, changing filters in forced-air heating systems is crucial.  Making sure to Clean and freshen the air with non-toxic products.  When painting your house using paint, avoid harmful VOCs, and volatile organic compounds.  Choose from low-VOC paint and paint that contains zero VOCs are readily available and can be colour matched just like any other paint.  Make sure combustion appliances such as gas stoves, fireplaces, boilers and furnaces are working properly.  Regularly cleaning such as dusting and vacuuming are a good way to reduce allergens especially dust mites, pet hair and dander.

In the bathroom, kitchen and basement be sure to fix all plumbing leads and get rid of excess moisture.  Throw away items that have been contaminated with mold and mildew and clean surfaces, especially bathroom tiles that are moldy and have mildew.  Also, make sure exhaust fans vent to the outdoors.   Second hand smoke should also be eliminated in your building and car.  Make sure to be aware of carbon monoxide which is an odorless, colourless and toxic gas that will cause health effects which are often mistaken for the flu.  You can install carbon monoxide detectors in your building.

Finally, the last thing is making sure to test your home for cancer-causing radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter a home or building through cracks and openings in floors and walls that are in contact with the ground.  Testing your building is inexpensive and easy. 

 For more information on this topic visit:  http://www.greenstrides.com

Installing Green Flooring in your Building

Published January 26, 2010 Before You Buy Your Steel Building , Steel Building Tips , going green Leave a Comment
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Looking for ideas on how to go green with your flooring?  If so, the first things you need to consider are the durability of the floor, what the intended use will be, will the product off-gas toxic chemicals, will the flooring be made with recycled materials and will it be recyclable at the end of the floors lifetime as well as will the floor be made from sustainably-harvested materials. These are just a few things you need to think about before replacing your floor. 

When carpeting your home, while it does seem like a good idea because it is soft on the feet, never put carpet in the bathrooms as this can lead to mold growths.  Carpet can come with a number of problems such as flues used in carpets often off-gas toxic chemicals after a long time of it being installed.  Children are very vulnerable to carpet as they tend to spend a lot of there time sitting on carpet and can inhale negative effects of VOC’s.  Carpet also traps dust mites, pet dander and allergens.  People who have allergies tend to stay away from carpet, so if you have this in your home you may want to think about other options.  Although you vacuum and clean carpet often, it is still difficult to eliminate all problems that come with carpet.  Hard flooring surfaces are a much better choice, they are washable and don’t cause any of the problems carpet does.  If you do consider carpet for certain rooms, you may want to install carpet in low traffic areas.  You can also check out Green Label Plus certification, they may be of some help.

Natural carpets are a good idea for your building, they are made from wool or sisal and usually have jute backing. The natural fibers are usually preferred over traditional nylon.   Recycled carpeting can be made from many materials most popular is plastic bottles (PET). While the quality of these products has improved, if the fiber count is too low, these carpets can flatten under heavy use.  It’s important to ask whether the carpet has any chemical treatments during importing.  Wool carpets are subjected to US Department of Agriculture inspection which requires that it be fumigated with a pesticide to kill prospective moths before it enters the country. The pesticide stays in the carpet fibers.

Other carpet choices are carpet tiles. They are a great choice.  You would put these in areas where there is high traffic such as airports and commercial buildings.  The reason for this is that if there are wear-and-tears, new tiles can easily replace old ones.  This option is less expensive, especially if you need to replace a tile rather than replacing an entire floor. The tightly-woven fibers and low pile won’t trap harmful allergens and irritants.  Some of these tiles are often made from recyclable content which means they can be recycled at the end of the lifetime of the carpet.  This option makes it an excellent choice for low costs and eco-friendly flooring for your building. 

For more information on green flooring, please visit: http://www.greenbuilding.com/   

You can also visit us at www.norsteel.com for eco-friendly options!

Green Paint for Your Building

Published January 22, 2010 Pre-Fabricated Building News , Steel Building Tips , going green Leave a Comment
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Are you thinking about painting your new or existing building?  Well, you should consider “Green paint”.  It’s environmentally friendly, and better for your health!  Read below for some options on green paints as well as finishes.

Have you ever felt nauseous or dizzy, had eye and skin irritations?  Low-VOC paints are known to release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air causing these symptoms and they also contribute to smog. Luckily, now a days, most major paint brands are now mixing eco-friendly alternatives, using water and latex as base and binder, and are minimizing the use of synthetic solvents and petroleum-derived products. You can look for “Low VOC” or “Zero VOC” on the label for greener paint options.

The Natural ingredients of these paints are:  Linseed oil which is a biodegradable, renewable resource, milk paint which employs casein, a non-toxic milk protein, as a binder, minerals which can also be used as pigments, beeswax is a binder that’s been around for ages, and biodegradable interior and exterior stains made with soy or citrus oils.

Many companies now are recycling unused paints and mixing them with small amounts of new ingredients. These are durable as mid-range new paints, and recycled products use less energy and fewer natural resources. They also consume much less waste.

For more info, you can visit: www.greenseal.org or www.treehugger.com.  

You can also visit us at www.norsteel.com for Green options and ideas.

Image: Safety Fail

Published January 20, 2010 Construction and Workplace Safety Leave a Comment
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Safety shop has trouble practicing what they preach?

safety fail funny

fail blog

Solar Water Heaters Becoming a Great Way to Heat Buildings

Published January 18, 2010 Before You Buy Your Steel Building , Steel Building Tips , going green Leave a Comment
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Looking for a cost-effective way to generate hot water in your existing structure?  Well, solar water heaters are becoming the new eco-friendly way to heat buildings and in any climate.

There are three types of solar water heaters, one being called the flat-plate collector.  This type is insulated, has weatherproofed boxes with a dark absorber under one glass or plastic cover.  This one is typically used for solar pool heating and it’s made of metal or polymer.  The second type is known as ICS or batch systems and they have one or more black tanks or tubes that are insulated and have a glazed box.  Cold water passes through this collector and pre-heats the water.  The water will continue on to the conventional backup water heater giving it a reliable source of hot water.  This type of heater should generally only be installed in mild-freeze climates due to the outdoor pipes freezing in cold weather.  This system is good for buildings.  The final water heater is called evacuated-tube solar collectors and has parallel rows of transparent glass tubes. The tubes contain a glass outer tube and metal absorber attached to a fin.  The coating of this fin absorbs solar energy and inhibits radiative heat loss.  This collector is used for commercial applications in the U.S.

Most water heating systems include storage tanks and solar collectors.  There are two solar types of water heating systems which can be active or passive.  The active system has circulating pumps and controls and the passive does not. Solar water heaters need a well-insulated storage tank.  Storage tanks are important because they have additional outlets and inlet connected to and from the collector.  Systems that have two tanks, the solar water heater pre-heats water before it enters the convention water heater.  In one tank systems, the back-up heater is combined with the solar storage in one tank. This is who the solar water heaters work.  There are also two types of active solar water heating systems, these are direct circulation and indirect circulations systems.  The first one, pumps circulate household water through the collectors and into the building structure.  These work well in rarely freezing climates.  The second system pumps circulate which is a non-freezing heat-transfer fluid through the collectors and a heat exchanger.  This will heat the water that will flow though the building.  This is a good system for freezing climates.  So these are just some of the types of water heating systems you can have in your building structure depending on the climate in your area. 

You must also remember that almost all solar heating water systems need a backup system for cloudy days and times of increased demand.  One backup that you can use is called a conventional storage water heater which usually provides backup and may already be a part of the solar heater system package.

Also, proper installation of solar water is very important and it can also vary depending on the type you have. This includes solar resource, climate, local building code requirements, and safety issues.  So it’s very crucial to have a qualified, solar thermal systems contractor install your system.

For more information about solar water heater systems, please visit: http://www.energy.gov/

You can also visit us at www.norsteel.com for ways to save energy and cut costs!

Non-Residential Building Construction 2009

Published January 16, 2010 Pre-Fabricated Building News Leave a Comment
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The national average of construction of non-residential buildings has fallen in 2009. The provinces that showed evidence of the steepest drops include Ontario and Alberta. Despite the national average showing a slight decline, however, there are provinces that have experienced the opposite – an increase in non-residential construction. Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and all territories have all posted a fourth quarter growth in this sector.

An article on CanadaViews.ca points out only the positive, focusing on the fact that while there may be a decline in non-commercial building construction from third to fourth quarter, inclines may be seen when comparing data from same quarters on 2008. Saskatchewan showed the highest increases when comparing 2008 fourth quarter to 2009 fourth quarter. Advanced Education, Employment and Labour Minister Rob Norris was quoted in the article as saying “The annual totals for non-residential construction are solid when you look at the economy in 2009,” Norris said. “This definitely supports the case for more positive news in 2010.”

There may be something to the logic behind this more positive outlook. Simply look at this Statistics Canada graph showing the major incline in non-residential construction from 2004 until 2009.

investment construction non-residential 2004-2009, Canada

For information about commercial building projects, contact Norsteel Buildings, Canadian commercial steel building specialists.

Yahoo Canada: Construction of Non-Residential Buildings Down in Fourth Quarter of 2009

Statistics Canada: Investment in non-residential building construction

Canadaviews.ca: Non-Residential Construction Hit Record Levels in 2009

Copper or Zinc Rainwater Systems Becoming High Demand

Published January 12, 2010 Before You Buy Your Steel Building , Norsteel Buildings News , going green Leave a Comment
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If you’re thinking about roof drainage for your building structure, consider copper or zinc rainwater systems as they are sustainable and durable and good for the environment.  Studies have shown that sustainable and durable materials, especially such as copper or zinc rainwater systems are becoming affordable and help in saving costs.  Also, sustainable designs are widely accepted and most building structure owners are demanding this product.  When deciding on a roof drainable system, we must consider the lifespan and/or longevity of the roofing systems.  Copper or zinc have incredible environmental credentials.  They have been used on a variety of structures such as, schools, churches, cathedrals, public halls, government buildings and hospitals.  Copper and zinc have wide acceptance all over the world due to their permanence and are great in any climate. Copper and zinc develop natural patinas that can reform if damaged, especially when being exposed to rainwater. The systems ensure extreme durability and resistance to corrosion in virtually any climate. Ranging from gold to chocolate brown and eventually light green, the copper patina’s come in a few great colours.  The light green patina can take seven to nine years in saline climates, five to eight years in heavy industry, 10 to 14 years in urban areas and up to 30 years in clean environments.  As you can see the patina’s light green is quite durable and has been in the industry for many years.  It can be seen on much older roofs.  Zinc is a shiny mill finish to a uniform gray in and can last up to two to five years.  Its warm gray, soft patina makes it a versatile shade for any roof design.  VMZinc manufacturers can create rainwater systems using natural zinc or quartz zinc which pre-weathered and anthrax zinc which is black.  This gives building structures a wide variety of aesthetic choices.  Zinc and copper patina’s provide amazing longevity up to around 100 years!  Both these rainwater systems are the most affordable.  As an example, aluminum gutter systems need to be replaced every 15 to 25 years, or every four to seven times before you have to replace it, this makes copper and zinc rainwater system incomparable. 

Now, sustainability may play an important part of going green, but durability is also as important.  This is especially important when your building structure roof is in metal, slate and tile.  Making sure that your roofing system is properly installed, this will save you costly repairs and maintenance expenses. Copper and zinc are known to provide durability of raw materials and has the necessary products to protect your building structure from the harsh elements at its most vital point, your roof. 

Selecting a roofing system can be a lifetime investment so make sure to choose a roof drainage system that is durable of the roof and building that it needs to protect.  Available in the U.S. market only, the European style system includes features that will meet the needs of a durable lifetime roof and will carry away the water shed by roof surfaces to last 100 years or more.  This style contains half round gutters, deeper profiles and features a back lip that prevents overflow.

For more information on zinc or copper rain water systems, please visit:  www.metalconstructionnews.com

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