There seems to be a perception that green building and remodeling is impractical or expensive. Certain things can be impractical, but without a “filter” to run decisions through it can be difficult to assess. As green remodeling becomes more mainstream, it’s important to work with a remodeler who knows and understands the opportunities and implications. McDonald Remodeling is a Minnesota GreenStar Member. Minnesota GreenStar is a green building standard and green certification program for both existing and new homes that promotes healthy, durable, high performance homes. The five guiding principles of Minnesota Greenstar are:
- Energy efficiency
- Resource efficiency
- Water conservation
- Indoor air quality
- Site & community impact
Nothing impractical here at all. In fact, all of these principles are intended to save money – not cost it.
A basic example of McDonald Remodeling Practical Green approach would be, the price of a high efficiency furnace is more than the price of a lower efficiency furnace. But it’s fairly easy to demonstrate that the “price” of the high efficiency furnace plus the “cost to operate” it is less than the price of the lower efficiency furnace and its cost to operate. Therefore, the higher efficiency furnace not only “costs” less, but has a lower impact on the environment. In other words, there is a distinct difference between price and cost.
Similar mathematical and environmental dynamics are present with each part of a home, so it’s important to have a way to assess each piece. That’s the value of a legitimate 3rd party organization like Minnesota GreenStar certifying your remodeler’s projects to help provide a decision making filter.
Whether you’re interested in taking just a few steps into the green arena, or achieving the highest standards of certification, McDonald Remodeling can help you add real value to your home while making it more livable.