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As a leader in the building products distribution industry, Bradco Supply is dedicated to supporting environmentally conscious, or “Green,” building practices.
As home owners, building owners and municipalities become more environmentally conscious, building professionals are more likely to be asked about high performance Green buildings and adhering to Green building guidelines. In the absence of national consensus on what Green means, several organizations are clearly leading the charge. Probably the best way to define Green is by gauging whether or not the project meets criteria established by the key national certification programs, like LEED® or the NAHB Model Green Home program. Coincidentally, both of these certification programs use the identical environmentally friendly attributes to rate projects.
We all may be Greener than we think!
Many of the products that you currently buy are already Green. Metal roofing, composite decking, engineered lumber, low-e windows and fiber cement siding all have Green attributes. Our industry has been stressing things like low maintenance, longevity and energy efficiency for some time now, not necessarily because of their Green attributes, but because of financial rationalization. Everyone wants products that are easier to take care of, are going to last longer and are going to save them money. More energy-efficient products that offer less maintenance and lower operating costs will save money in the long run and reduce the environmental impact.
According to Professional Remodeler Magazine, a majority of builders and remodelers already incorporate some forms of energy efficiency into their projects:
- 85% use energy efficient windows.
- 75% reduce use of old growth trees by using engineered wood.
- 65% incorporate recycled or recyclable materials into their projects.
Remember sustainable, high performance, low-maintenance, energy-efficient products are good for the environment and sales opportunities. |
