One of the most important things that eco-friendly contractors have to think about is the scrap metal that they use. You will want to make sure that it can be put to good use to avoid the harmful environmental impact of letting it go to waste in a landfill.

Most industry experts estimate that there are about 2,000 pounds of scrap metal in an automobile and 1,800-3,000 pounds in the average home. The amount of scrap metal left over from an eco-friendly construction project can be a lot higher. With so much metal at your fingertips, shouldn’t you take advantage of it?

If you’re wondering how to make money from scrap metal from a building project or want a few ideas for recycling it, we’ve got you covered. 

What Is Scrap Metal?

Scrap metal falls into two main categories: ferrous metal and non-ferrous metal.

Ferrous metals are made of things like iron or steel and are often large appliances or car parts. You will usually have a lot of left over ferrous metals after working on a construction project, especially if it was a commercial one. Non-ferrous metals include copper, nickel, aluminum, and others (think aluminum cans or copper wire). Both types of scrap metal can be sold and recycled. 

How Do You Go About Selling It?

When selling scrap metal, local recycling centers are your best bet. A quick online search will help you narrow down recyclers or junkyards in your area that accept metal. 

This site, along with many others, gives you advice on how to recycle scrap metals. But if you’re looking for three quick and easy ideas for recycling scrap metal from your recent construction project, then you should keep keep reading. 

1. Recycle Major Appliances

Maybe the refrigerator your subcontractor tried installing stopped working or it’s time to get rid of your stovetop. These are major appliances that contain metal, making them ideal for recycling.

Call a local recycler to find out if they take your appliance and how much they might pay for it (but be aware that you might need to transport it yourself!). Other major appliances include things like dryers, washers, and freezers. 

2. Scavenge Household Items from a Residential Building Project

You might have been asked to help install household appliances when you were working on a residential project. In comparison to large appliances, smaller household items will likely have less metal, meaning they’ll be worth less. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t make some money by recycling them. 

The next time you do some spring cleaning, look for items around your home made of scrap metal. This includes cans, copper pipes or wire, metal sinks, and cookware. Even lawn chairs made of aluminum are fair game. 

It’s possible that you’ll find metal household items left outside for others to take, too. All of these can be taken and sold to a metal recycler. 

3. Seek Out Auto Parts in the Area of Your Construction Project

Were there any abandoned cars in the area that you were conducting your construction project? Cars are a fantastic source of metal, and individual parts are worth some money.

If you have an old car you want to sell for parts, or you just have some items taking up space in your garage, taking them to a local junkyard or recycler is a great idea. Car frames, bumpers, doors, radiators, and even car batteries have valuable metal in them. Auto parts are often made of everything from steel to aluminum, copper to lead, so don’t miss out on the chance to make some money off of the scrap metal. 

Recycle Metal from Your Construction Project for Extra Cash

While these are only three ways to make money from scrap metal, there are many more recycling ideas out there. And once you run out of scrap metal in your own home, there’s lots of other metal out there to be found, whether it’s on sites like Craigslist or free on the curb. 

Inspired to recycle other materials? Check out the rest of our site for more environmentally friendly content.

The post 3 Quick And Easy Ways To Make Money From Scrap Metal appeared first on Green Building Insider.

Most of the emphasis on green buildings centers around their construction. However, there are important maintenance guidelines that must be taken into consideration as well. If you manage a green building, one of the most important things that you need to do is make sure that the HVAC systems are eco-friendly. You can’t do this without finding the right parts first.

Eco-Friendly HVAC Projects Require Finding the Right Parts

HVAC systems have a great impact on the quality of our life. This system is a crucial investment that requires proper planning to choose and buy the right one suitable for your needs. It is important to be comfortable all year round.

Unfortunately, HVAC systems are not without their downsides. One of the biggest issues associated with HVAC systems is their carbon footprint.

HVAC systems account for around 40% of all energy consumed in commercial buildings. They obviously play a large role in contributing to the climate crisis. Therefore, you need to make sure that you have an HVAC system that operates as efficiently as possible to minimize the impact on the climate.

When you choose your system, there are significant factors to consider to get the right HVAC supplies. Finding your HVAC supplies is not a straightforward purchase, especially if you are trying to lower your carbon footprint; however, you will make an informed decision with the guidelines below.

Consider the following when purchasing your HVAC Supplies for an Eco-Friendly Building

There are a lot of things that eco-friendly building managers need to do when they are installing or maintaining an HVAC system. They must make sure that it is regularly tested for air leaks that could cause energy efficiency ratings to go down.

However, it is equally important to make sure that the system uses the right parts. This can help make sure that the system operates efficiently. It will also reduce maintenance needs, which is also going to help the environment. Reducing maintenance needs will lower the number of parts that you use, which also preserves natural resources and lowers the carbon footprint by not requiring technicians to travel regularly.

Usage

This is one of the vital factors when looking for HVAC supplies, how you’re going to use them. It is important to find a system compatible with your lifestyle, the nature of work, commitment to environmental sustainability and other factors. For example, you can choose a temperature controller when working an area that needs particular temperatures for operations.  Keeping it at the right temperature can help reduce energy use and lower your carbon footprint.

Speed Control

Find the one fitted with easy-to-use speed control when buying your HVAC supply. This is vital for the equipment to match the operational requirements. Ease of use is important. The best option is to choose an HVAC system that is easy to use and operate. Find a system that doesn’t require in-depth skills or technical expertise to manage it. This is the best way to save the time and money you require to find a specialist.

Safety

The reliability and safety of your system are crucial. These are some vital things to consider when looking for your HVAC supplies. First, ensure that your HVAC supply can operate without causing any bodily harm or affecting the surrounding. The best HVAC equipment supplier fit their supplies with safety standards. Ensure that you read the labeling before buying. 

Frequency of use

Before buying this device, it is essential to consider how you intend to use it. The more you’re going to use your system, the more it will be prone to wear and tear; therefore, find the time to choose the right one that can operate for long hours without stalling or overheating.  

When sourcing for your HVAC parts, you can overcome this challenge by finding a supplier that caters to professionals. HVAC equipment supply is a very competitive market. As a result, it is becoming increasingly hard to find the best HVAC equipment, supplier.  There are different places you can source and buy your HVAC supplies, including your local hardware shops, online stores, national home repair chains, etc. 

On the other hand, new and better products are entering the market regularly. Therefore, consider those that add value for the industry experts when choosing your HVAC supplier. Therefore, you should start by determining the retailer who offers the most value; this is the key to finding the right HVAC supplies and parts. 

If you are a building manager or an HVAC professional, you must source high-quality HVAC parts. In addition, you are responsible for making sure that you buy the supplies at a cost-effective rate. Finally, all HVAC professionals must satisfy their clients. To achieve this, you must do extensive research and consider the above guidelines.

Finding the Right HVAC Parts is Important for Green Buildings

Green buildings need to have the right HVAC parts in order save the planet by minimizing your carbon footprint. You will be able to make sure that your building operates more efficiently and uses less energy by equipping it with the right parts. This is one the most important steps to run an eco-friendly business.

The post Choosing the Right Parts for Eco-Friendly HVAC Projects appeared first on Green Building Insider.

Fortunately, the government is introducing some new policies to encourage sustainable living in the coming years. This will encourage more people to practice sustainable lifestyles. Many of them are investing in new technologies to make their homes eco-friendlier.

Are you looking to make your home more energy efficient? Perhaps you’d like to pay for insulation, or invest in double glazing for your windows and doors?

If you have already been trying to reduce your bills and carbon footprint by turning down your thermostat, washing your clothes at a lower temperature, and turning off the tap when you don’t need the running water, then that’s a great start. However, if you’re a homeowner or residential landlord, you can now apply for a Green Homes Grant voucher, which you can use towards the cost of installing energy efficient improvements to your home.

What is the Green Homes Grant scheme?

The Green Homes Grant is a government scheme that offers vouchers up to the value of £5,000 to help homeowners like you make green home improvements.

What home improvements apply?

The voucher that you will receive from the government must be used towards installing at least one primary measure. It is meant to inspire many residents to move towards greener buildings. These primary measures include under-floor insulation, cavity wall insulation, flat roof insulation, solid wall insulation and insulating a park home, plus others. Low-carbon heating measures are also covered by the voucher and include the likes of a ground-source heat pump, biomass boiler and solar thermal.

If you use the grant to install at least one primary measure, your voucher can also be utilised to help pay for the cost of any of the following secondary measures: double glazing on windows and doors, a new hot water tank thermostat and heating controls.

Home improvements don’t come cheap, so if you’re looking to make huge changes to your household and know that the grant won’t cover all the costs, ensure that you have carefully considered all your financial options beforehand.

Who’s eligible?

While both homeowners are landlords are eligible, newbuild domestic properties and non-domestic properties such as offices and shops are not. You may be eligible if you live in England and own your home, or if you own your own park home on a residential site.

If you’re a residential landlord in the private or social rented sector – including local authorities and housing associates – you will be able to apply, too.

If you’re a low-income household, you may be eligible to receive up to £10,000 towards home improvements, and you won’t have to contribute anything to the cost.

When is the deadline?

All individuals that are eligible must redeem the voucher and ensure home improvements are completed by March 31, 2022.

How to apply for the green home grant

Before you apply, it’s important to check that you’re eligible to receive the voucher. Following on from that, you can check what energy-efficient or low-carbon heat improvements might be suitable for your home, before finding a certified installer to carry out the work. Then you can go ahead and apply for the voucher.

Make the Most of the Green Home Grant

You can do a lot to make your home more sustainable. The Green Home Grant can be very beneficial. You just have to make sure that you invest in it it appropriately.

The post Exploring the Nuances of the Promising Green Homes Grant appeared first on Green Building Insider.

There are several LEED certification frameworks, and each has been developed for the needs of a different type of project:

• BD+C: Building design and construction
• O+M: Building operations and maintenance
• ID+C: Interior design and construction
• Homes
• ND: Neighborhood development

LEED certification is based on a series of credits that each award a specified number of points. In the case of new constructions and major renovations, the maximum possible score is 110. Building projects must have a score of at least 40 to be certified, and there are also three higher tiers: Silver (50+), Gold (60+) and Platinum (80+).

It is important to note that some LEED credits are mandatory for certification. A building that misses even one of the mandatory credits becomes ineligible, regardless of the score obtained.

How a LEED Score is Broken Down

As mentioned above, not all LEED credits have the same weight towards a building certification. For example, up to 6 points can be claimed for water use reduction, but there are 18 points available for energy performance. Project developers can aim for any combination of credits to certify a building, as long as the mandatory items are covered.

LEED credits are classified into eight categories, which add up 109 points. An additional point can be claimed by following an integrative process from the start of the project, bringing the maximum score to 110. The eight LEED categories and their possible points are the following:

• Location and transportation – 16
• Sustainable sites – 10
• Water efficiency – 11
• Energy and atmosphere – 33
• Materials and resources – 13
• Indoor environmental quality – 16
• Innovation – 6
• Regional priority – 4

The first six categories are equal for all projects, with a predefined list of credits. The 16 points under Location and Transportation can be earned automatically by selecting a site that is already certified under LEED for Neighborhood Development.

The innovation category grants up to 5 points for measures that reduce the impact of a building and are not covered in other categories. As their name implies, regional priority credits are based on geographic location. They cover measures that offer a particularly high benefit under local conditions.

Considering the wide range of technical areas covered, LEED certification requires a multidisciplinary effort. GBCI manages the application process for a LEED certified building, reviewing the credits for which the building is applying. Credits are awarded or denied based on the information provided, and additional information may be requested by GBCI to complete the certification process.

The Importance of Required Credits in LEED Certification

Required credits do not have a score attached to them, but they are mandatory for a LEED certified building. Note that required credits are independent from the LEED score: even if a building project earns more than 80 points, it cannot get a Platinum certification if any of the required credits was missed.

The following credits are mandatory for LEED certification in new construction and major renovations:

Depending on the type of project, additional credits may also be mandatory. For example, schools must meet all the credits in the table above, as well as an Environmental Site Assessment (Sustainable Sites) and Minimum Acoustic Performance (Indoor Environmental Quality).

When getting a LEED certification for a building, a recommended practice is aiming for a number of credits that leaves a margin of error. For example, if a developer plans for a LEED Gold certification, the project should aim well above 60 credits. That way, some credits can be rejected without bringing the project to a lower certification category.

Construction administration is also vital when a developer is working towards a LEED certification. LEED credits cover not only the finished building, but also its construction process. Even if the finished building consumes minimal amounts of water and energy, the LEED certification may be denied if the construction process was very polluting, or lacking in waste management practices.

Does a LEED Certification Offer Competitive Advantages?

Since an LEED certification demands a minimum performance level in water and energy use, the building owner can expect lower operating costs throughout the service life of the property. However, the certification also provides business benefits for developers who have tenant spaces for rent, especially in competitive markets like New York City and Chicago.

If a potential tenant is considering several spaces for rent, the LEED certification level of a building can be an important factor in the decision. Considering that the program has global recognition, using commercial spaces with a LEED certification can boost corporate image. Since the certification covers water conservation, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality, it is associated with reduced utility bills and a human-friendly working environment.

LEED for Building Professionals

The LEED program not only offers building certification, but also professional credentials:

• The entry-level credential is called LEED Green Associate, and it requires a specified number of training hours and passing an exam.
• Professionals with advanced knowledge on green buildings can apply for the LEED Accredited Professional credential, and there is a version of LEED AP for each of the five frameworks listed above.
• Finally, a LEED Fellow is a LEED AP with an exceptional track record in the green building industry. There is no application procedure – LEED Fellows are nominated.

Although a building can be certified without a LEED AP, the process is much simpler when one of the team members has advanced knowledge on the topic. In fact, the building project earns one point in the Innovation category for having a LEED AP as a team member with a principal role.

The post What Aspects Are Considered for a LEED Certified Building? appeared first on Green Building Insider.