Of course having said all of that, many builders still question the value and practicality of going green in the construction industry.To begin with, green buildings offers significant cost savings on many levels.

ü  Energy efficiency

ü  Water efficiency

ü  Material conservation

ü  Improved quality of life for employees, translating into less sick days

ü  Possible Government incentives.

If you look at our comprehensive green prefab buildings section of the Norsteel website, you will find the following information and much more information about this topic. As mentioned on our site, you may also find valuable green building information from the following resources.

Canada Green Building Council
Energy Star
Cool Roof Rating Council, CRRC

So why is the Bloom Box being touted as the affordable fuel cell? Well it is all about the materials inside the box. Most fuel cells require platinum and/or other precious metals, and utilize pure hydrogen. The Bloom Box, however, uses an inexpensive metal alloy, disks made of beach sand (ceramic), some mysterious paint, and it feeds on oxygen and a methane mixture. Sridhar is also confident that he will eventually be able to bring the price of home units down to about $3000 USD

The cost is not the only concern that has been voiced in regards to the Bloom Box. In fact for as many supporters that Sridhar has managed to rally, there seems to be umpteen naysayers. Beyond the typical problems associated with fuel cells, other possible detriments include the possibility of high carbon dioxide emissions and, of course, high competition in the race to be the first company to create a viable fuel cell.

It will be interesting to observe how the Bloom Box story plays out and the effect it will have on residential and commercial steel buildings.

Watch the 60 Minutes interview, filmed earlier this week, of the “power plant in a box” here: BloomBox Experiment

The different types of systems are geothermal heat pump systems, eligible solar energy systems, small wind systems, and residential fuel cell and microturbine systems.  Geothermal heat pump systems, ground-source or water-source heat pumps, use the constant temperature of the earth as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature like conventional air-source heat systems. The good thing about a geothermal heat pump system is that it is highly efficient, quiet, long-lasting, and requires little maintenance.  This is a good system to consider especially if you’re looking to install something that is quiet and long lasting for your steel building!  If you’re looking for an eligible solar energy system, this is great for any climate and should drop your water heating bills by 50%-80%.  This system also includes solar water heating and solar electric heating (photovoltaic) systems.  This type of system uses solar cells that capture heat from the sun and convert it directly into electricity.  The next system is called small wind systems and collects kinetic energy from the wind and converts it to electricity that is compatible with a home’s electric system.  These systems are one of the most cost effective home-based renewable energy systems and lower electricity bills by 50%-90%.  If you’re looking for a system for your home, this is a great one to consider.  Finally, the last one uses oxygen to clean and efficiently create electricity that will produce water and heat as by-products.  This system is called a residential fuel cell and microtubine system.  If your currently looking to purchase a system and are not quite sure which one to consider, visit energystar.com for different options and to find out which system is more suitable for your home or steel building structure! 

Also, don’t forget to read the federal tax details below: 30% of the cost, up to $500 per .5 kW of power capacity for existing homes, new construction and includes installation costs and expires December 31, 2016. For more information on incentives in your state or province, please visit: www.energystar.gov

For additional info on this article, you can visit:  http://www.greenstrides.com or www.norsteel.com for info on steel buildings and green options!

Affordability and reduction of sound transmission are just a few key features of strawboard panels. Plus, they’re also fire, termite, mold, and impact-resistant.

Strawboard is close to wood in texture so it can be sawn, drilled, routed, nailed, screwed, and glued. In the U.S, there are two companies that manufacture strawboard panels. They are Enviro Board Corp. of Sacramento, CA. and Durra Building Systems, based in Whitewright, Texas.

Also a product called BIOFIBER™ wheat panels that are made by Environ BioComposite can be used for interior applications such as table surfaces, cabinetry, furniture, and decorative & architectural applications.

For more information, please visit: www.greenstrides.com  or visit us at www.norsteel.com

When we talk about reclaimed wood, most of it was originally sawn from old growth trees which are usually larger, older and had tighter growth rings than trees cut today.  When the wood is re-milled and re-finished, it provides rich colors and beauty, and not available from today’s timber. The price of these doors is about twice the price of stock doors you’ll find at big box retailers, but the quality and character are unsurpassed.  Liberty Valley Doors from California offer a Rediscovered Wood Door collection of new, unfinished doors constructed of 100% reclaimed wood, mainly Douglas Fir beams, joists and timbers. Doors are sanded and ready for finishing. Designs include 1-, 2- or 3-panel layout, with or without arches and pre-finishing is also available in these styles. 

Some more styles include Albany Woodworks from Albany, Louisiana custom crafts fine doors from antique heart cypress and antique heart pine.  From Tetonia, Idaho there is a place called Alternative Timber Structures which offers an amazing line of custom doors from reclaimed Fir, Cypress, Oak, Cedar and redwood which is all assembled using mortise, tenon and pegging. The last place is called Pine Door Company, they are located in Montana and retain the rich character and time-worn look of reclaimed barn wood in its handcrafted doors.  So as you see here are some great places to check out if your looking to re-finish old doors in your building and have them look beautiful, modern and new! 

For more information on this article or more about how you can re-finish your old and existing doors, please visit:  www.greenstrides.com and also visit us at www.norsteel.com for some green options and ideas!

Now knowing how competitive today’s construction markets are with lumber to pre-engineered metal buildings to pour and tilt concrete walls to structural steel building components to block and plank to light-gauge cold-formed steel, you are going to have to offer the best prices and service!  Using mobile automation will help with this.  Here’s how you can you do this, you can eliminate all the variables and focus on the quality and efficiency of the actual product (steel building etc.).  What do we already know about the product?  When panels and trusses are properly utilized, they are already contributing to savings to everyone in the construction process.  By automating the design of your steel building and production of panels and trusses, you can then use software design to steel coil to finish the product with less scrap, waste, labour and of course material costs.  Now you have an efficient and cost effective method to create light-gauge cold-formed steel panels and trusses. 

These technologies are available and packaged in a way so that you can take them with you to the construction site.  You can manufacture high quality, cost effective light-gauge cold-formed steel panels and trusses right on your job site.  Eventually, you can save money on facilities and on freight.  Make sure to consider this factor and also include how many pounds of panels or trusses a manufacturer could get on a trailer.  This is very important.  Some questions to consider during this process are: How much steel and labour costs could be added to this product?  How much more installation time would that add to the project? Make sure to consider the answers to these questions as saving more time and money are two very important things to bring to your project. 

For more information on this topic, please visit:  www.metalconstructionnews.com   You can also visit us, at www.norsteel.com

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:

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.

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

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!