Tri-State Green Report - Constuction

When most people think of environmentally friendly homes, solar panels probably come to mind first. And even though those are a part of the green trend, everything from building materials to irrigation can make a difference. Would you like to live in this 4 bedroom, 3 bath home? Wait until you hear what the utilities cost. "Its 3200 square feet, nice windows, hardwood floors, its a nice home but it only uses about 35 dollars a month worth of electricity." That may sound too good to be true, but its a reality for William Ball and his family. Ball started his environmentally friendly construction business Stellar Sun many years ago, and he certainly practices what he preaches. His home is fully solar and was built using durable material. Take this deck, for example. Instead of using wood, a material that rots and wears down, ball used porcelain tile and steel railings, materials known to last. And his lawn? Grass free, to cut down on mowing fuel and fertilizer use.This home is also the model of energy efficiency thanks to extra thick, reinforced walls. Even the scenic touches are environmental. This gold fish pond runs off rain water collected in 55 gallon drums.That water is also used for irrigation. Johnny Varnadore is talking about a new kind of recycling that re-uses excess building material. I&W Environmental recently started collecting lumber to be re-used or converted into mulch.They also collect shingles and concrete which can be made into road base. So whether youre looking to build an all green estate, or just find good use for some extra two by fours, in todays society, youre just one of many.