Local Green Contractor

Joey at Greener Visions has established his company with similar ethics and ideals as PaintGreen. We sat down with Joey and asked a few questions:

How long have you been in the building industry?
Green Vision Building & Design has only been operating for about a year. However, the owners of Green Vision have over 20 years of experience in the building industry working for other companies and for there own companies.

What inspired you to take your company "green"?
It really came down to quality. Buck and I both consider ourselves craftsmen, we enjoy completing quality projects that we can be proud of. As we delved deeper into higher quality in our construction we kept running into "green building" techniques, and finally we came to the conclusion that if we built green we also would be building to the highest quality standards available. It's also a nice bonus that our "green work" gives back to the community and the environment in so many beneficial ways.

What do you do differently than other builders?
First we come in as consultants and give you many options and ideas for ways that we (or you) can reduce your houses carbon footprint and energy consumption, within your current project and just in general. We usually start with many possible options and whittle them down to what works with your budget and tastes. Once construction begins you will notice that our demolition process has much less waste than other demolitions as we try to reuse as much of the old materials as we can. Of those materials that are not reused we recycle what we can. Unlike most construction companies we usually have a recycling bin on site along with a garbage bin. During construction we use materials that are sustainable and non-toxic whenever possible (we also work within a customers budget when it comes to materials). We implement building techniques that save our customers energy and money as a result of reduced energy consumption. We pride ourselves in creating a product that looks good, one in which we can be proud to have built and the customer can be proud to live in.

Is it more expensive to build green?
The reality is that "green building" really isn't that much more expensive than standard construction practices. There are certain things, such as solar panels, which are very expensive initially but that are paid off over time in energy savings. However, for the most part, green building isn't more expensive than standard building practices. For example, when we install insulation in a wall, we take time to insure that the insulation is installed correctly, that its not "squeezed" tightly into bays which are too small (as is often done), because this causes the insulation to lose much of its R-value (its ability to insulate). We also caulk joints around ducts, pipes, and other openings which allow air to leak in and out of the building. These better building "green" techniques may cost our customers an extra $200, but they will result in a wall that is in some cases 50% more efficient than the same wall installed without the same attention to detail. So going green really doesn't mean you have to drain your pocket book, and the end result is usually a more energy efficient and more comfortable home.

What is the most common mis-perception in your industry?
See above answer.

How should people contact you?
Call green vision at 619-972-2002 or email myself (Joey) or Buck at:

joey@greenervision.net
buck@greenervision.net

You can also view our website at www.greenervision.net.

www.paintgreen.com

Paint Quality Institute

An excerpt from a recent article at www.paintquality.com:
There are two basic types of paint to choose from: water-based paints, often referred to as acrylic emulsions, and solvent-based paints. High-quality water-based paints offer not just an excellent all-round performance profile, they are also a good choice from an environmental perspective. Solvent-based paints, the more traditional type of paint, require users to excercise a degree of caution to avoid potential damage to the environment.
Solvent-based paints are a source of potentially hazardous emissions called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), a family of substances that easily evaporate into the air to form invisible vapours.
When evaporating, the solvents contained in paint emit VOCs into the atmosphere. VOCs react with oxygen in the presence of sunlight to form ozone – "bad" ozone.
It is important to distinguish between "good" ozone and "bad" ozone.
"Good" ozone occurs naturally in the stratosphere about 10-35 kilometres above the ground, which protects the surface of the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays and acts to protect plants, animals and humans from its various harmful effects.
"Bad" ozone occurs at ground level, forms through the chemical reaction between VOCs, oxygen and sunlight, and is an irritant for the mucous membranes. It can also cause nose, eye, and throat irritations; and can lead to shortness of breath, coughing, and asthmatic symptoms.
This "bad" lower-atmosphere ozone can also damage vegetation – plants, trees, bushes – and such impacts negatively on those dependent on nature for their livelihood. This ozone also has a corrosive effect on certain man-made materials: for example, it accelerates the deterioration and fading of certain paints.
A further major consequence of VOC emissions is global warming – VOCs play a significant role with respect to the creation of the greenhouse effect. Further, some chemically very stable VOCs participate in the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer (the "good ozone"): this is the famous hole in the ozone layer.
San Diego Paint Contractor: PaintGreen
"Blazing the Green trail for other San Diego Paint Contractors to follow."
www.paintgreen.com

Ceram-X follow up

Ceram-X is a local San Diego company that manufactures a line of top-quality elastomeric paint. Their paint comes with a 25 year warranty, is environmentally friendly, A-1 fire rated, and creates a thermal barrier that will reduce your energy bills.

I talked to the guys at Ceram-X and learned that how much energy saved is determined by several factors, including the color chosen. Unlike most elastomeric paint, their ceramic base will actually repel dirt, rather than attract it.

Elastomeric paints are much more costly to apply than traditional paint, but are a great product for a long-term paint solution.

We are happy to have another high-quality paint to be able to offer our San Diego-area clients.