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Pro Spotlight: How to Go Green During Home Construction
Build an energy-efficient home that helps the environment with tips from this Seattle expert
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Who: Ryan Anderson of RW Anderson Homes
Where: Seattle
In his own words: “We as humans have an axiomatic responsibility to take care of the planet. Green building must come out of the shadows, where it has been for years, and into the forefront of the industry where it belongs.”
To some, building or remodeling a home can seem intimidating enough. Making environmentally friendly choices during the process might seem downright frightening. However, “green building just means responsible building,” Ryan Anderson says.
Anderson, who owns RW Anderson Homes, a Seattle building and remodeling firm, advocates building energy-efficient, environmentally conscious homes. “Many people have spent years in homes that were cheap to build but not energy-efficient,” he says. “Those homes cost an arm and a leg in the long run. Ultimately, green building pays the environment and pays you back years down the line.”
Where: Seattle
In his own words: “We as humans have an axiomatic responsibility to take care of the planet. Green building must come out of the shadows, where it has been for years, and into the forefront of the industry where it belongs.”
To some, building or remodeling a home can seem intimidating enough. Making environmentally friendly choices during the process might seem downright frightening. However, “green building just means responsible building,” Ryan Anderson says.
Anderson, who owns RW Anderson Homes, a Seattle building and remodeling firm, advocates building energy-efficient, environmentally conscious homes. “Many people have spent years in homes that were cheap to build but not energy-efficient,” he says. “Those homes cost an arm and a leg in the long run. Ultimately, green building pays the environment and pays you back years down the line.”
The greater good. One of the cornerstones of RW Anderson Homes is giving back. “Each year, we seek out ways to help the world,” Anderson says. “This has included building an orphanage in Africa, restoring boardwalks in Canada, renovating our local food bank and more. What you love must be an instrument for good. In my case, that’s building.”
Getting the green light. As a musician and an all-around creative, Anderson sees green building as a chance for inventive thinking: “Rather than focusing on maximizing profits, we’re dreaming up ways to give homes the internal integrity to conserve energy and help the environment. We use the latest and the greatest techniques to build better homes.”
Want to build a better home? Below, Anderson explains how easy it is to be green.
Want to build a better home? Below, Anderson explains how easy it is to be green.
1. Insulate for Efficiency
Green building emphasizes maximizing insulation, Anderson says: “We want to build something formidable and self-sufficient.” This means building a home as airtight as possible, “including opting for windows with higher U-values and going above and beyond with sealing the window and door systems,” he says.
Because energy efficiency was critical to clients on Lake Washington, Anderson used only structural insulated panels, commonly called SIPs, for the framing of their home. “SIPs are essentially prebuilt walls that come with a thick middle layer of insulation,” he says. “A home built with SIPs can naturally keep the heat in, which greatly lowers utility bills.”
See more of this project
Green building emphasizes maximizing insulation, Anderson says: “We want to build something formidable and self-sufficient.” This means building a home as airtight as possible, “including opting for windows with higher U-values and going above and beyond with sealing the window and door systems,” he says.
Because energy efficiency was critical to clients on Lake Washington, Anderson used only structural insulated panels, commonly called SIPs, for the framing of their home. “SIPs are essentially prebuilt walls that come with a thick middle layer of insulation,” he says. “A home built with SIPs can naturally keep the heat in, which greatly lowers utility bills.”
See more of this project
2. Choose Eco-Friendly Materials
Explore recycled materials to minimize your construction’s impact on the environment. “Use salvaged materials whenever you can,” Anderson says. “Old driveways and pavement can be shaved down to make gravel. Sawdust from mills is the main component of composite decking. Why cut a tree down for a new deck?”
During their full-home renovation, Green Lake clients were especially conscientious about reusing items rather than discarding them. “We encouraged them to use their old decorative window as an indoor accent piece,” Anderson says. It’s seen here at left. “It was otherwise destined for the trash, but green building emphasizes using leftovers to create something beautiful.”
See more of this project
Explore recycled materials to minimize your construction’s impact on the environment. “Use salvaged materials whenever you can,” Anderson says. “Old driveways and pavement can be shaved down to make gravel. Sawdust from mills is the main component of composite decking. Why cut a tree down for a new deck?”
During their full-home renovation, Green Lake clients were especially conscientious about reusing items rather than discarding them. “We encouraged them to use their old decorative window as an indoor accent piece,” Anderson says. It’s seen here at left. “It was otherwise destined for the trash, but green building emphasizes using leftovers to create something beautiful.”
See more of this project
3. Emphasize Green Disposal
Employ responsible practices during the demolition phase. “The less that goes into the landfill, the better,” Anderson says. “Hundred-year-old floor joists can be made into tables. You can donate old appliances to second-use stores. Almost everything, except for wet insulation, can have a second life.”
To minimize the footprint of a major remodel on Capitol Hill, Anderson encouraged his clients to send their discarded items to a commingled recycling community. “There, everything would be sorted manually, recycled and reused,” he says. “On that job, we even focused on restoring their old furnace so they didn’t have to toss it and purchase a new one.”
See more of this project
More: For more information on Ryan Anderson and examples of his work, visit RW Anderson Homes’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Employ responsible practices during the demolition phase. “The less that goes into the landfill, the better,” Anderson says. “Hundred-year-old floor joists can be made into tables. You can donate old appliances to second-use stores. Almost everything, except for wet insulation, can have a second life.”
To minimize the footprint of a major remodel on Capitol Hill, Anderson encouraged his clients to send their discarded items to a commingled recycling community. “There, everything would be sorted manually, recycled and reused,” he says. “On that job, we even focused on restoring their old furnace so they didn’t have to toss it and purchase a new one.”
See more of this project
More: For more information on Ryan Anderson and examples of his work, visit RW Anderson Homes’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
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