GO GREEN / LEED Consulting

By:  Bryan Lauer

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Sustainable Sites

Use environmentally-friendly cleaning products that have a Green Seal label or products that do not contain chemicals

• www.greenseal.org displays environmentally friendly products
• Use paints, adhesives and sealants that have low VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds)
• Minimize the amount of landscape irrigation to conserve water while upholding the sites looks/integrity
• Check for erosion from too much water or foot traffic
• If fertilizers are necessary, consider the following best practices:
• Use fertilizer based on need not by calendar
• Use fertilizer only during times of plant uptake and not when heavy rain is expected
• Keep at least 25 feet from water bodies
• Use organic and natural materials as much as possible
• If synthetic fertilizers are used, choose slow-release formulations, and do not use “weed and feed” products
• Protect or restore open habitats to provide habitat and promote biodiversity
• Consider retrofitting driveway with grass or paint white or use a white membrane to lessen the heat-island affect (probably too expensive with NO payback)

Water Efficiency

• Install 0.5 gpm (Gallon per minute) aerators on all faucets to reduce the water consumption.  Aerators are cheap and you probably have at least 2.2gpm faucets right now
• Put a brick in the sistern of the toilet to take up space to use less water OR
• Retrofit your toilets to 1.2 gpf (Gallons per flush) or water-less urinals
• Consider retrofitting your shower-heads to 1.0 gpm (gallons per minute) – they are probably 2.5 – 5 gpm right now!
• Consider purchasing ENERGY STAR rated dishwasher and washer/dryer
• Consider installing a water meter to track your water usage on a weekly basis or more often
• Consider upgrading your irrigation system to a low-flow, high tech system that uses:
  • Bubblers
  • Sprayers
  • Rain sensor
  • Drip irrigation
  • Reduce the watering schedule until you see a negative impact.  You want to use as less water as possible while upholding the looks/integrity

Energy & Atmosphere

• Unplug anything not in use
• Turn A/C up or off when you leave
• Turn lights off when you do not need them
• Understand the types of light bulbs you have
  • Wattage
  • Life
  • Lumen output
  • Replace high wattage lightbulbs with new technology bulbs that use less wattage, last longer and have similar light colo
    • This will save hundreds or thousands of dollars every year!
    • Consider purchasing ENERGY STAR rated appliances, computers, tv’s, etc.
    • Visit https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_improvement.hm_improvement_index to learn more about tips to reduce energy at your home.
    • Consider installing solar panels, wind turbines or thermal technology.  Google these names and research the cost, benefits and federal tax incentives/credits that make purchasing make sense.
    • Consider having your house checked for any cracks or leaks and make sure it’s insulated to help save energy. This includes looking at:
      • Windows
      • Attic
      • Garage
      • Doors

Materials and Resources

• Begin purchasing environmentally friendly products as much as possible.  Click here to find a list of products – http://www.greenseal.org/findaproduct/index.cfm
• Recycle as much as possible, including at a minimum:
  • Paper
  • Cardboard
  • Plastic
  • Aluminum cans
  • Glass (can be recycled forever)
  • Light bulbs (give to me to recycle)
  • Batteries (give to me to recycle)
  • Electronics (give to me)
  • Furniture (give to me)
  • Toner cartridges (give to me)
  • Purchase food that is USDA organic, Food Alliance Certified, Rainforest Alliance Certified, Protected Harvest Certified, Fair Trade or Marine Stewardship council’s Blue Eco Label
  • Purchase food produced within a 100-mile radius

Indoor Environmental Quality

• Use filters that have a Minimum Efficient Rating Value (MERV) of 13 or higher.  This filter will capture 99% of all the bad stuff in the air
• Consider purchasing air purifiers that have HEPA filters and change on a 6 month basis
• Begin purchasing environmentally friendly products from here – http://www.greenseal.org/findaproduct/index.cfm
• Install entry way mats on the outside before you enter and on the inside right when you enter at all entrances.  Mats should be a combination of at least 10 feet long that will capture about 95% of the dirt on your shoes.
  • Clean/vacuum the mats on a daily basis
  • Studies show that having as much sunlight as possible leads to better productivity and less sickness
  • Consider purchasing sustainable cleaning equipment that meets the following criteria:
    • Vacuum cleaners certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute “Green Label” Testing Program and operate less then 70 decibles
    • Battery-powered equipment with gel batteries
    • Powered equipment designed to minimize vibration, noise and user fatigue
    • Equipment designed with safeguards, such as rollers or rubber bumpers, to reduce potential damage to building surfaces
    • Use pest control products that are organic and do not contain chemicals.  You can find a list here – http://www.sfenvironment.org/downloads/library/20100420_sf_pesticide_list__red_legged_frog.pdf

ANY QUESTIONS GIVE BRYAN LAUER A CALL AT 813.363.0861 OR EMAIL Bryan@2BGreenWorld.com

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