Green Building - BCC Builders' Commitment
| The essence of “green building” is the aspiration to 1) Utilize the planet's natural resources in a sustainable manner, 2) to maximize the efficiency of energy usage, and 3) to ensure buildings are healthy for occupants. The reason we pursue these goals is to protect the health of those using our buildings, and to leave the environment to succeeding generations as attractive and capable of sustaining life as our generation has been privileged to enjoy. Some practices BCC Builders follows to achieve this include: |
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Conserving Natural Resources:Conventional building practices consume large quantities of wood, plastic, cardboard, paper, water and other natural resources. For example, wood is one of our most common building materials, but it has often been used wastefully. America has harvested 95% of the its old-growth forests, an obviously unsustainable trend. Whenever feasible BCC utilizes engineered lumber products such as wood I-joists, wood fiber laminates, and oriented strand board, that come from fast growing renewable farm trees. When manufactured into engineered wood products, we can often use as little as 50% of the wood fiber as solid lumber, and are typically stronger, straighter and lighter. |
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| Approximately 40% of the material being placed in our land fills is construction scrap and waste. BCC Builders makes a conscious effort to minimize our waste, and to divert what remains to be recycled. Some other ways we conserve resources include using: |
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Minimizing Energy ConsumptionEnergy efficiency is a key part of green building. Generation of energy is a major contributor to air pollution, climate change, and environmental degradation. Improving energy efficiency and using renewable energy sources helps mitigate these adverse effects. Besides being good for the environment, energy efficiency is also an economic benefit for our clients. Lower utility expenses brings them financial gains for many years. |
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| Essential first steps to increase energy efficiency include generous insulation, effective weather stripping, double-glazed low-E windows, and solar photovoltaic panels. Other measures BCC Builders have utilized in our projects include: |  |