McGill University Part I

          McGill University Part I

          Here is the green picture for the day. It is a picturesque monument called the John Abbot Building on McGill University's Macdonald Campus. Such a quaint and statuesque structure marks the centre of McGill's environmental and agricultural campus. Seeing this building conjures the memories of the moments leading up to this point in my life, learning alongside the most brilliant students in Canada.

 

John Abbot Building, Macdonald Campus

        
Making the Journey

           Sometimes, we work so hard to achieve success, focused, yet doubtful of the outcomes of our endeavors. Then, when a problem arises that contradicts our plans, we give up and admit defeat as a predicted outcome of our efforts. Sometimes, we work so hard towards something, fail completely, admit defeat, blame ourselves, accept our failures, revitalize and recuperate, then continue to push forward until we are successful. Yet still, there are the ones who have a dream, not only a dream but a passion, something that they cannot stop thinking about. An unrealistic, perhaps even laughable aspiration. When they finally do achieve success, their efforts multiply, they propagate into opportunities that span farther than their original intentions. They do not work to achieve success, they believe in success.

Putting It In Perspective

Redpath Museum, McGill University

          Have you considered what you would do if you weren't looking at the light at the end of the tunnel anymore, but were actually outside the tunnel looking in? What if you were given the resources to realize your dreams right now, how would you manage? Quite a difficult situation to be in, since we are accustomed to our efforts being futile.

          I remember reading vividly about McGill University's Redpath Museum. The hundreds of artifacts that span many thousands of years, and attribute to the variety of cultures on our planet. One of the oldest and most comprehensive museums in Canada, certainly would immerse one in a sense of wonder. Now as I stood at the base of the museum's steps, I felt as though I was transposed from a sense of wonder into awe.  My eyes gleamed as I entered the building and was faced with what I used to have imagined, but now can touch.

          We believe that our thoughts, imaginations and ideas are so far from reality, but we may find ourselves faced with what we never thought we may have seen.   

         

 
           The McGill University Campus is incredible. Every building has a unique personality, and I assure you will remember every last building you visit. From the Library, to the University Centre, to the Medical School, to the Hospital, to the Centennial Centre, to the Bookstore, I would have to say that the Redpath Museum is my favorite.

          Among the impressive aspects of McGill,the diversity of students is exeptional. I have been honored to meet with students from China, Japan, Russia, Mexico, Cuba, Australia, Pakistan, Egypt, USA, Brazil, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ivory Coast and South Africa.

A Place to Rest Your Head

          A blessing has come unto you if you have reached a point in your life where you feel no fear, a point where you are able to influence others around you and retain your own individuality.

          When you realize that you have no need to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be taken care of. When you can see the fruits of your labor come to fruition before your eyes. When you finally reach the place that you have seen in the distance, so near, yet so far from yourself, now beneath your pillow. Where have you been all these years you may ask. What have I done? Why has it taken so long?

          The truth is, the place you have come to is the place you have always been. Your values, beliefs and family will remain with you wherever you go. That is why it is important that the house you build, is the place you rest your head.



          

            
            

Building Green - Getting Started Part III

Building Green - Getting Started Part III

          Here is the green picture for the day; it is a picturesque sunset illuminating some drifting clouds. Sunsets like this are commonplace out around country farmland. What is the most perfect sunset you have ever seen?

 

Picturesque Sunset

       

           Try This!

          Sometimes, we might find solutions to problems in the most obvious places, right outside our windows in fact. Energy efficiency is a major part of green building, and some great opportunities to increase the energy efficiency of a building, are in the categories of heating, cooling and lighting. Try this: use the Sun and windows to your advantage. Open the blinds, curtains and drapes during the day and let that natural light shine in. Natural light is very healthy for us and can reduce lighting costs by up to 60%. Also, this sunlight will provide passive solar gain heating, which means when sunlight strikes the surfaces of the inside of your building, this sunlight heat energy will be absorbed, and then radiated back into the air in the building's interior. This will heat up your house and can reduce heating costs by up to 50%.  

Let Natural Light Shine Through Windows

          Also, try slightly opening your windows in the evening at dusk and then leaving them this way throughout the night. Excess heat that has built up throughout the day will escape and leave your house cool for the next morning.

          Sometimes, solutions are simple, we just have to look in the right places for them. At the end of this post, there will be links to some helpful resources.

Structural Steel

          Using lumber for the main structure of a building is the traditional method of construction for residential buildings. Lumber is inexpensive, and is easily worked with, shaped and installed. Lumber has been the choice structural material for decades. However, lumber is also subject to cracking, splitting, warping, twisting and rotting. 

Rotting Structural Lumber

          From an environmental perspective, structural lumber is manufactured as dimensional lumber, which means that structural lumber is solid wood, and is cut from a tree log that is the same length as the lumber, or longer. This fact means that old-growth trees are the desired source for this lumber. Most mature, old-growth trees are not a sustainable resource, and their depletion means old-growth forests are declining as well.

 

Structural Lumber Is Cut From Mature Trees and Forests

          Old growth forests provide habitats for very specialized species that cannot live anywhere else. These forests provide: fallen logs, old tree stumps, shaded forest floors, hollow tree cavities and high treetop canopies, among other micro-habitats. Iconic wildlife like hawks, owls, woodpeckers, deer and chipmunks need these habitats to survive.

Forest Wildlife Needs Protection

        Steel and aluminum structure members are great green alternatives to dimensional lumber. These metal alternatives do not crack, split, warp, twist or rot, and are lighter than dimensional lumber. Steel members can be made from up to 50% recycled content, and can be recycled. Aluminum members can be made from up to 100% recycled content and can be 100% recycled. 

Metal Structural Members For Interior Structure

           Metal members are great for interior structure, however, do not use metal members for exterior structure. Metal members are very conductive of heat, and can reduce the heating and cooling energy efficiency of your building, by allowing easy escape, or infiltration of heat. 

          When you use metal structural members for the interior structure of your building, you can greatly reduce the amount of structural lumber that goes into your building, and contribute to the overall "green-ness" of your building!   

Links To Helpful Resources

         
          For all Canadian  and U.S. residents, here is a website about Bailey Metal Products Limited. This company is a supplier of metal framing members.

http://www.bmp-group.com/

          For Western Canada and U.S. residents, here is a website about SCAFCO Steel Stud Company. This company is a supplier of metal framing members.

 http://www.scafco.com/


           For all Canadian  and U.S. residents, here is a website about Imperial. This company is a supplier of metal framing members.

http://www.imperialgroup.ca/

          Thank you for reading, I hope you learned something new. Stay posted for more sustainable building information and helpful resources on the Belac Construction Green and Sustainable Building Blog!

What a great post! Encore! Encore!

Building Green - Getting Started Part II

Building Green - Getting Started Part II

          Here is  the green picture for the day; it is a beautiful lily flower resting effortlessly on a pond's surface. It reminds me of the hikes I used to go on when I was younger, through creeks, ponds and lakes.

Beautiful Lily Flower

          It is amazing how much you can learn when you search for ways to enhance or improve upon a traditional way of doing something. You will find that you learn much more about the tradition itself, the principals behind the tradition, as well as alternative ways of performing the same tradition which in many cases is easier, cost-effective, efficient and brings us more benefits than if we had not look for these ways. New ideas and innovations are born this way. 

          Sustainable building innovations are born each day, as we have found that our traditional building methods cause many environmental problems. By searching for alternative ways of building, we have developed new products that are less harmful, are recycled and can be recycled. Traditional products have even been designed to do their job much better. Lights that bring more light with less energy, insulation that keeps more heat in and let less heat escape, lumber products that are stronger and straighter. We have benefited from these innovations, but so will the environment and the wildlife that inhabits it. At the end of this post, there will be links to some helpful resources.

Crystal-Clear Pond

Curious Blue Jay

 

Butterfly Get-Together

Sheathing 

          Sheathing comes in four major types: plywood, oriented-strand board, gypsum board and fiberboard. There are unique benefits to each of these types of sheathing.

Plywood 

Plywood

          Plywood is a great green option. Plywood has the potential to come from a sustainable source if you choose bamboo plywood or poplar plywood. Poplar, like bamboo, grows quickly and so, is renewable; there is little energy used when plywood is manufactured; plywood is a very natural product, and so, there are no toxic chemicals used in plywood manufacturing; and, to top it all off, plywood can be recycled.  

Oriented-Strand Board

Oriented-Strand Board

          Oriented-Strand Board is usually made from aspen, and recycled wood waste. Aspen is also a fast-growing tree species, and is a renewable source of wood. However, oriented-strand board consumes much energy in manufacturing and uses a chemical called phenol formaldehyde in most products. Phenol formaldehyde can off-gas and be harmful. There are products that do not contain this chemical, however. So look for formaldehyde-free products.

Gypsum Board

Gypsum Board

          Gypsum Board is highly recyclable. The gypsum in the board can be reused, most often back into other gypsum products, but can also be used in concrete production. Also, gypsum board has the highest resistance to degradation. Gypsum board uses much energy in manufacturing, but not as much as oriented-strand board.

Fiberboard

Fiberboard

          

          Fiberboard is made from high amounts of recycled fiber and wood materials. However, fiberboard consumes much energy in manufacturing and uses a chemical called urea formaldehyde in most products that can off-gas as well. Also, fiberboard is difficult to recycle because of the chemicals used to manufacture it.

           

          Of the above choices, plywood is the most sustainable type of sheathing. Gypsum board comes in a close second.

          When looking for green sheathing products, remember to check for Forest Stewardship Council Certification. Their certification label is shown in Building Green - Getting Started Part I of this blog. This label ensures that you are getting lumber products from well managed forests.

          Sheathing accounts for a large portion of a building's construction materials. Choosing sustainable sheathing plays a major role in creating a green building!

Links To Some Helpful Resources

             For all Canadian builders, here is a site about Taproot Distribution. This company is a Canadian supplier of bamboo panel and sheathing products, including plywood.

          http://www.taproot.ca/

          For Western Canada residents, here is a site about the Canadian Plywood Association. This company is a Western Canadian supplier of bamboo panel and sheathing products, including plywood.

          http://www.canply.org/english/

          For all Canadian and U.S. builders, here is a site about CertainTeed. This company is a sustainable building materials supplier, and is a provider of gypsum board among many other green products.

          http://www.certainteed.com/

          Thank you for reading, I hope you learned something new. Stay posted for more information and helpful resources on the Belac Construction Green and Sustainable Building Blog.

"I think our nest dropped down there."