Where does rubber come from anyway?
Unlike money, rubber actually does grow on trees. That is, naturally occurring latex does. Natural rubber or latex begins its lifecycle when the Para rubber tree is tapped for sap, not unlike how our Quebequois friends bring us maple syrup.

Yet, the majority of rubber products you and I are familiar with are made not from natural latex, but from synthetic rubber. Synthetic rubber is derived from petroleum and other minerals, and is made into tires, gaskets, seals, moldings, carpet backing, bouncing balls, hoses, and wet suits for starters. (IISRP)

But, according to the Minnesota Building Materials Database, synthetic rubber has a high embodied energy. Embodied energy is a measure of the total energy required for sourcing or extracting raw material, material processing, manufacture and even transportation to the end material’s point of use. In a nutshell, look for materials with a lower embodied energy when possible.

What About Recycled Rubber?
Logically, when you cut out the raw material extraction phase of a product’s lifecycle, the energy savings are fantastic: recycling rubber rather than producing it from scratch can yield a 70% energy savings (Mumma, 1995)! While it’s true that collecting, processing, and remanufacturing recyclable materials takes a massive amount of energy, it’s safe to say that the benefits and savings are worthwhile.

Still, no matter how hard you try you can’t deny the fact that a recycled product retains many of the characteristics from its raw ‘material of origin’. In other words, this recycled content apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Read the rest of this entry »

Peter Amerongen is fond of saying “concrete is one of the most energy intensive things we do”. Or something to that effect. By “we”, he means humanity, and he’s right:

Cement is the principal ingredient in concrete[, and] cement manufacturing accounts for approximately 7% to 8% of CO2 globally, and approximately 1.8% of CO2 emissions in Canada” (source).

The concrete used in the Millcreek NetZero Home (MCNZH) will be composed of about 50% fly ash (a waste material from coal-fired power plants) to minimize the use of cement. We’re still using too much concrete, but since my family is spending its life savings on this house, we weren’t willing to experiment when deciding how to add mass to the home to store solar heat.

Still, reducing our use of concrete is a priority, and were doing it in a couple of ways:

• We’re not building a garage. Since we’re car free, and since our building site already has a (very old) garage on it, we decided to not build a new one in order to save materials, energy, and money.
• We’re seeking non-concrete options for sidewalks, pathways, and other landscaping.
• We’re reusing concrete blocks and the broken up sidewalks that will result from the demolition of the existing home to build paths and sidewalks.

Old sidewalk blocks have been removed and stored so they don’t get broken during demolition and excavation

The old garage on the site - we like it and we’re keeping it!

The greening of concrete is an area that needs desperate attention - it’s a brilliant building material that is used in almost every building we put up. However, it’s an environmental nightmare. That’s why concrete houses are not at all green (contrary to claims made by the likes of Con Boland), and we should strive to reduce its use as much as possible.

In our next house (ha ha), maybe we’ll figure out a better way to store solar heat than in concrete floors. There’s a guy who’s building in the Garneau neighbourhood who’s storing it in pop bottles filled with water. Now that’s a benign source of solar mass.

In the meantime, we’ll do our best to minimize our use, even if it just means reusing old concrete blocks and not tearing down the second building on our building site.

Believe it or not, I actually passed organic chemistry in university. That, and I’m half decent at pronouncing crazy chems like Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

But, I can’t say I’m at all on top of knowing which types of plastic are okay to drink water from (is it #7 or #2?), and which symptoms are linked with which substance (does BPA cause neural damage or are VOCs guilty of disrupting hormones, or is it the other way round?). Never mind remembering which toxins are in our carpets, curtains, and yes, mattresses.

Luckily, more consumers are realizing that just because you can buy something in the store, doesn’t mean it won’t give you and your family cancer, organ damage, or migraines. The problem is, it is so dang hard to identify the culprits let alone unearth the alternatives.

Alas, one Canadian charity has come to our defence with a smorgasbord of studies, news reports, and guides to help us all detoxify our homes, lives, and bodies. In particular, Environmental Defense’s Healthy Home Checklist Guide (172 K pdf) walks you through each room in your home identifying not only the sources of nasty toxins, but also their healthier alternatives.

And if you’re not a chemist with a photographic memory, you can fall back on the guide’s trusty glossary. It’s a really swell resource. And, I’m not just saying that because I love checklists.

As for me, I plan to print off the pdf, stick it to my fridge, and work through a toxics purge in my abode. I may even take the site’s Chemical Reduction Pledge.

It’s a hefty feat, but well worth the effort to protect my hubby, myself, me pups, and our future kids. Happy detox!

Resources

Environmental Defence Toxic Nation Site

(NC)-Each year, an estimated 6,000 Canadians die prematurely as a result of air pollution. Even more are hospitalized for respiratory or cardiovascular illnesses or suffer minor effects, such as coughing or eye irritation.

In order to minimize their exposure to noxious pollutants, and take steps to reduce emissions from their own activities, Canadians need to know when the quality of the air they breathe poses a risk to their health.

(Image Source: Metrocreativegraphics.com)

The new Air Quality Health Index, found at www.airhealth.ca, is the first index of its kind to take into account how the level of exposure to multiple pollutants can affect your health.

Hourly readings of current conditions and maximum forecasted values for today, tonight, and tomorrow are represented using a colour-coded numerical scale: 1 to 3 is low, 4 to 6 is moderate, 7 to 10 is high, and 10+ is very high.

The index also provides advice to the general population and those who are sensitive to air pollution-such as children, the elderly, and people with existing cardio-respiratory problems-about how to adjust their outdoor activities when pollutant levels are high.

The program will be available in more than a dozen communities across British Columbia as well as communities in the Greater Toronto area. It is also slated for expansion to other major cities in Canada in the near future.

“Canadians are entitled to clean air, to know the quality of the air they breathe and what they can do to reduce harmful impacts of air pollution,” says Environment Minister John Baird. “Our Government is committed to reducing greenhouse gases and other harmful pollutants through a variety of initiatives detailed in our Turning the Corner plan. Tools like the Air Quality Health Index enable Canadians to protect their health as we move toward our goals.”

Credit: www.newscanada.com

Remember, indoor air quality is often far worse than outdoor air quality. To protect your family’s respiratory health:

• ensure your home has adequate ventilation,

• change your furnace filter on a monthly basis,

• minimize your exposure to dust, mold, and harsh chemicals, and

• choose houseplants that are especially good at cleaning the air. English ivy, and spiderplants are great choices.

Alberta’s Climate Change Central has kindly compiled some great facts about BBQs and the greenest of options for your outdoor cooking pleasure. Read the full article.

What’s round, sturdy, stunning, affordable, earthquake and hurricane resistant, made in Canada from waste wood and frameable in under 8 hours?

I give you the Canadian Wooden Dome, an invention of Vancouver engineering firm Altus Engineering Ltd.

Green Building Company Profile: Canadian Wooden Domes (CWD)
Company Name: Altus Engineering, Ltd.
Location: Vancouver, BC

Company Mission Statement
“To successfully provide affordable, aesthetically pleasing, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and durable structures that are highly resistant to natural disasters.”

Dome Basics
Domes are nothing new. Think the Pantheon (Rome – 125 AD), the Taj Mahal (1653), and St. Paul’s Cathedral (London – 1708). It’s domes in modern North America that are uncommon to most. And though the average Canadian surely hasn’t imagined living in one, the beauty, comfort, affordability, security, and environmental benefits may soon woo a great many of us.

(Image Source: Wikipedia)

Simply explained, a CWD is made from 2 x 4 lumber ends cut to a precise size and shape to form panels or sections. When fastened together, these sections become progressively smaller concentric rings, and presto – you have a dome. Watch the video to help wrap your head around it.

(Image Source: Canadian Wooden Domes)

Domes in Canada

Altus Engineering’s CWD building experience reaches 8 years back including prototype development. Currently, one CWD tourist lodge and few cottages have been built in New Denver, BC. Of all the company’s potential clients, it is the government of Mongolia that is signed up for up to 14,000 affordable housing units.

(Image Source: Canadian Wooden Domes)

What Makes a CWD Energy Efficient?

• “A dome contains approximately 30% less air volume compared to a traditional stick built building with the equivalent floor area, because walls and ceilings are sloped not angular – so there is a smaller air volume to heat and cool.

• Angled walls and ceilings create dead airspace that inhibits natural air circulation and warm air tends to pool at the ceiling. With the sloped walls, ceiling and open spans, domes facilitate more natural air circulation with more even heating or cooling.” (Canadian Wooden Domes)

Dome walls are built to 5.5 inches thick, but a greater thickness can be achieved for those striving for higher insulation values. Using basic insulation ratings, dome walls should perform at about R-36 with sprayfoam insulation, or R-20 with cellulose insulation.

Ecofeatures

Dome Construction & Finishing

Altus Engineering Ltd. manufactures the Canadian Wooden Dome (CWD) sections and assembles them on the construction site. This gets you a fully framed and assembled dome with all external sheathing. Because the sections are pre-fabricated and ready to assemble, a dome’s frame can be raised in a single day. The dome featured in the above video link at the University of British Columbia was erected in just 6 hours.

As for windows, roofing, and the rest of the work, the company recommends that post-assembly steps be contracted out, or completed by the homeowner. Of course, finishing can be included at an extra cost.

In addition to single and two-story structures, domes can be built with or without basements, and as additions onto conventionally built houses. While exterior and interior building materials are not limited to those shown in photos, the company lists recommended and compatible materials within their technical specifications.

Budgeting for a Dome

Base prices for dome frame assembly depend on the complexity of the structure but as a guide are as follows:

• a 26’ diameter hemispherical one-storey dome: $21,142.66

• a 26’ diameter hemispherical two-storey dome: $28,196.67

• a 33’ diameter elliptical one-storey dome: $35,420.42

Prices include on-site assembly but not taxes.

Contact
Canadian Wooden Dome Group
1311 Howe Street, Suite 600
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6Z 2P3
T: 604-691-1758 / F: 604-691-1759
Toll free: 1–877-982-3322

Resources
Canadian Wooden Domes

Dome Spirit Geodesic Domes

Monolithic Dome Institute -Click on ‘homes’ to see photos of dome homes around the world, some even for sale.

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