G.W. Rede is an eco-friendly “green”

building company specializing in

sustainable
energy efficient
healthy
durable
affordable

home and business construction and building materials.

While creating a building that is healthier and more comfortable for its occupants, consequently, enhancing productivity,
G.W. Rede uses fewer resources, improves air quality, generates lower energy bills, and constructs or renovates a building that is overall better for environment.

Sustainable

Sustainable buildings, building materials, and building practices are ones capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment. Green building materials and forms of energy are composed of and/or utilize renewable, rather than nonrenewable resources such as:

• wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal energy,
• corn and wood burning,
• bio fuels and bio fuel blends like ethanol, corn oil, soy oil and other vegetable oil based blends used to fuel vehicles, equipment, and even heat buildings as research is being conducted with heating oil no. 2 to offer a vegetable oil based blend with heating oil no. 2, 
• bamboo flooring as bamboo is a fast-growing grass that can be harvested/renewed every 6 years or so as opposed to a slow growing oak tree that takes 40 plus years to renew to the Earth and the look and durability of bamboo is comparable or better,
• wood from managed forests identified with the Forest Stewardship Council logo “FSC” certifying that it came from trees from a managed source for protection against depletion or extinction, and
• recycled materials like countertops made from recycled glass embedded in concrete, recycled-denim insulation, recycled aluminum tile and roofing where the amount of energy to recycle the material is drastically less than to originally produce the material.  In the case of aluminum for example, it can be recycled over and over without any decrease in quality.

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Energy Efficient

Energy efficient features in the home or office save money on the utility bills, create a more comfortable space, and help keep energy demand down.  The following are examples of energy efficient features:

• high SEER heating and cooling units,
• low-emissivity windows,
• improved insulation,
• low flow toilets, faucets and shower heads,
• radiant floor heat,
• on-demand water heaters,
• appliances with the Energy Star logo,
• alternative (ie. solar) electric powered appliances,
• fluorescent lighting, and
• efficient framing and layout techniques specifically for energy conservation.

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Healthy

Currently, the average home produces more pollution than the average automobile in a year, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, and millions of people suffer from health issues surrounding paints, stains, varnishes, flooring, and more such as toxic paint, exposure to formaldehyde, allergens, etc. The goal in a “green” building is to utilize:

• materials, components, and systems:
  • installed with minimal Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) producing compounds, or no-VOC mechanical attachment methods and minimal hazards,
  • that require only simple, non-toxic, or low-VOC methods of cleaning,
  • that emit few or no carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, or irritants; and
• products that:
  • have minimal emissions of VOCs,
  • maximize resource and energy efficiency while reducing chemical emissions,
  • resist moisture or inhibit the growth of biological contaminants in buildings (like mold),
  • promote healthy living by identifying indoor air pollutants or enhancing the air quality.

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Durable

A building designed and built to last 100 years offers significant resource advantages over a comparable building that will last just 50 years.  The same goes for the products and materials going into those buildings. Durable products and materials will not need to be replaced or repaired as frequently, so the raw materials, energy, and environmental impacts invested in them can be spread out over more time.

A product that lasts longer or requires less maintenance usually saves energy because manufacturing is very energy-intensive. Durability often goes along with low maintenance.

Durable green products contribute less to the world’s solid waste problems.  Asphalt shingles that need to be torn off and replaced every 10 to 20 years, thrown in a landfill because they can not be broken down or recycled provides a short period of time to amortize the cost and does not provide a long enough period of time to amortize the environmental cost incurred with disposing of the used asphalt material as opposed to a metal roofing that lasts years longer and can be recycled with minimal energy consumption into new roofing material or other useful products.

Bamboo is said to be as strong as steel when it reaches maturity at 6 to 8 years (depending upon growing/climate conditions) and has a very similar look to oak flooring.

A pultruded fiberglass window frame and sash is considered highly durable, in part, because it will hold up well even with no maintenance.

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Affordable

Recent research reflects that on average green features increase the initial construction costs only slightly (by a few dollars per square foot). Then there is the big savings -- when you factor in the reduced costs for energy, water, waste-disposal, plus (in a commercial building) enhanced employee health and productivity.  The improvements can pay for themselves, offering a better than competitive real rate of return. The financial community understands this and is recognizing the green building trend.

For example, Fannie Mae has developed green mortgage products and continues to create effective mortgage programs to support green building initiatives.  Fannie Mae’s green mortgage products recognize buyers’ savings from increased energy efficiency, water conservation and durability.

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