Carbon Study Determines Remodeling Is Better Than Building New

Architects, designers, magazines, websites and builders all present good arguments for homeowners to build new houses. Unfortunately lowering your carbon footprint is NOT one of them. A new study compares the difference between building new vs remodel carbon footprint.

While true that a new house can require far less energy to run than an older home, tearing down an old structure and building a new one generates tons of CO2. 80 tons or so actually, and all for just a 1400 sft cottage according to one study. A relatively small home by US standards.

New homes are far costlier to the environment than renovating and maintaining older properties.

Carbon footprint is a horribly abused phrase, so it’s worth spelling out exactly what it means.

When talking about climate change ie global warming,  footprint is a metaphor for the total impact that something has. And carbon is shorthand for all the different greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.

The term carbon footprint, therefore, is a shorthand to describe the best estimate that we can get of the full climate change impact of something. That something could be anything – an activity, an item, a lifestyle, a company, a country or even the whole world.

Human caused global warming is a result of the release of certain types of gas into the atmosphere. The largest man-made greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (CO2). This gas is emitted whenever we burn fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, wood or natural gas) in homes, factories or power stations. But other greenhouse gases are also important. Methane (CH4), for example, which is emitted mainly by agriculture and landfill sites, is 25 times more potent per kilogram than CO2. Even more potent but emitted in smaller quantities are nitrous oxide (N2O), which is about 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide and released mainly from industrial processes and farming, and refrigerant gases, which are typically several thousand times more potent than CO2.

True footprints are heavy

To give an example, the true carbon footprint of driving a car includes not only the emissions that come out of the exhaust pipe, but also all the emissions that take place when oil is extracted, shipped, refined into fuel and transported to the petrol station, not to mention the substantial emissions caused by producing and maintaining the car.

New house footprint

The carbon footprint of building a house also depends on all kinds of things – including, of course, the size of the house and the types of materials chosen. Be sure to see my article on How Many Trees to Build a Home. For this article, the subject homes were based on a study for Historic Scotland.

The estimate of 80 tons calculated above was for the tearing down and reconstruction of simple but energy efficient, brand-new, 1400sft cottages. The homes had two bedrooms upstairs, with two reception rooms and a kitchen downstairs.

The study looked at the climate change implications of various options for these traditional cottages in Dumfries. The options were: leave as it is, refurbish, or knock it down and build a new one. The study looked at the climate change impact for each option over a 100-year period, taking into account the embodied emissions in the construction and maintenance as well as the energy used and generated by those living in the building. 

The results of the study

The worst option by far was to do nothing and leave the old house leaking energy.

The second worst option was knocking down the old structure and building new. This produced about 80 tons CO2e. Eighty tons is a lot of course, but a house may last for a century or more (hopefully). If so the “annual” carbon cost is much less – and for all the new-build options, the up-front emissions from construction work will be paid back by savings from better energy efficiency in 20 years.

The winning option was to refurbish the old house, because the carbon investment of doing this was just eight tons CO2e. Even the highest-specification, highest-cost newbuild option could not catch up this advantage over even a 100-year period. Once the actual cost was taken into account, refurbishment became dramatically the most practical and attractive option. This makes sense because saving the existing structure also saves all the embodied footprint of the original materials that do not have to be mined or manufactured or shipped.

Conclusion

This of course is just one study. But I believe the concept is representative. If so, the bottom line for the new home building industry is clear. Even at the very highest levels of energy-efficiency, newly constructed homes are a step backward as far as saving carbon vs remodeling.  Better is to default to remodeling and save new construction for when there is no other alternative.

Investing in improvements to existing homes is dramatically more cost-effective CO2-wise than building new. Can the same be said of new or electric cars?

Resources

This article draws on text from How Bad Are Bananas?: The Carbon Footprint of Everything by Mike Berners-Lee Get it at Amazon Here.

Pacific Coast Builders Conference 2019

I spent last Friday checking out the exhibit hall of this years Pacific Coast Builder Conference for the newest cool building products for 2019. This year the show was held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Here are a few of the highlights for me:

A welcome sight at the entrance to the exhibit hall was a well patina’d old Ford pick-up.

Appliances

No, it is not a hot tub.  A cutting-edge builder conference needs to display the latest kitchen technology and PCBC did not disappoint. Here is the latest offering from KitchenAid for really BIG families.

Job Protection

The next thing to catch my eye were these job protection products. Successful builders and remodelers know that nothing exemplifies professionalism more than  showing respect for the clients existing property. At HPS we do this by installing a heavy layer of protection to any area of the home that might be in the path of the work.  Included in this manufacturers line-up was a waterproof, dust-catching protective floor mat. We have already been using the foam corner protectors and they are great. I like them because they install quickly and are tough and reusable. Use these during your next bath or kitchen remodel to both improve your image and save yourself a lot of damage repair expense at the end of the project.

Dog Products

The PCBC show did not leave out Man’s best friend. For those of you contemplating a serious renovation, you might consider adding this dog-washing station to your wish list. It is available on Amazon here. It is free standing and comes ready to be plumbed into your home with your choice of stainless sprayers and a loading ramp for easy in and out. These look great if not a little hospital-like.  I would use them in a garage or outside area or even inside if the area is water-proofed properly and has a floor drain.

Modular Plumbing

Modular concepts are becoming more mainstream with production builders. Here is a modular lavatory system that bolts between wall studs on a standard stud layout. The module holds are the mountings and piping for attaching choice of faucets and bowls. Currently only offered for commercial applications, I can see this moving into the spec or manufactured home arena next. A neat idea for humans needing to wash up.

Schluter Systems

Schluter innovation continues to kick butt in the industry with some of the best systems for waterproofing showers. They also make the best base materials for stone and tile systems, including edge trims and anti-crack mats with integral floor heating. These systems have become extremely popular for curb-less shower systems. I installed two in my home. One in the master bath and the other for my moms bathroom shower. You can order a full range of Schluter products at Amazon.

Mailbox

One of my favorite new devices is this secure mail and parcel system designed for the “delivered” world we are heading into. This mailbox on steroids is built into the wall fitting neatly between the studs. The outside is accessible via a code to drop off parcels. While the homeowner has access from inside the home. This mailbox is secure. If you own a home and want one, contact me through this website I can arrange the manufacturer to provide one to you.

Outdoor Kitchens

At the show I found this new line of outdoor kitchen cabinets that are made for the outdoors. All stainless steel, including the hinges. For folks living on the coast, this company will even make these for you out of the fantastic 316 marine grade stainless. Unfortunately the makers of the cabinet drawer slides do not offer them in 316 stainless steel just yet. Too bad as there is definitely a market for them, especially in marine environments. If you are contemplating a new outdoor kitchen be sure to read my post on “outdoor kitchen mistakes to avoid.“

Summary

That about wraps up the cool building products for 2019 that were present at the PCBC show. It’s good to see that the industry continues to innovate and put out useful new products.

Who killed American Recycling? It’s not who you think.

Homeowners are consuming more stuff than ever and with recycling dead, it’s all ending up in the trash.  

Almost weekly I read where another US community has stopped recycling. So who killed recycling in America?

I grew up in the late 50’s and all us kids were natural recyclers. We went hunting for that elusive coke bottle along the side of the road because it was worth five cents.  I even remember collecting the little rubber liners from under the Pepsi caps because they were worth a penny each. Our scout troop collected tons of newspaper for recycling too. Very little got wasted.

Master sorters

During the seventies and eighties recycling became more mainstream, and by the nineties, after decades of public-information campaigns, Americans were finally recycling in earnest. All of us knew how to interpret the various recycling symbols at the bottom of product containers.

Architects designed kitchens with recycling centers. Mom’s had separate bins at home for plastic, metal, cardboard and glass. Cans and milk jugs got washed out before being placed in the bins and even the little plastic ring around the necks of bottles had to come off.

Airports, malls, schools, and office buildings across the country had separate bins for plastic bottles and aluminum cans and newspapers. In some cities, you could be fined if inspectors discovered that you hadn’t recycled appropriately.

Quality products sell, junk does not

As a result of the care put into sorting and collection, the bulk of our recycling product was fairly clean. Clean product in the recycling world means quality. Throughout the 1990’s, the USA produced a high-quality recycle product. The rest of the world wanted it enough to buy it.

Our recycling habit in the US was a good one and old habits are hard to break. To this day many people are still going through the motions of cleaning, sorting and setting out. But now most of that carefully sorted recycling is ending up in the trash. It is enough to make an environmentalist cry!

What happened?

Ever heard of co-mingled recycling? I bet you have.  Fully comingled or single-stream recycling refers to a system in which all paper, fibers, plastics, metals and other containers are mixed in a collection bin or truck instead of being sorted at the source. Instead the sort takes place at a central collection area where it can (in theory) be sorted more quickly and efficiently. This made so much sense that the idea spread fast from a few test communities in California to nationwide by 2012. By 2013 over 100 million Americans were serviced by comingled recycling. The devilish, time consuming business of sorting glass, plastic and paper waste was now abandoned. Life was simple and easy again. How clever. Not so fast.

Co-mingling is confusing

Turns out that “co-mingling” is mostly confusing. Americans faced with a trash container and a comingled recycling container have no idea the difference.  The result is as you can imagine…a mess!

Because of mass confusion at the source in the collection system, by the time the “co-mingled” material gets to the plant for sorting, it is essentially not much more than pure garbage. The plants are not set up to sort pure garbage and so the system grinds to a halt or puts out filthy product or both. The result is a terrible recycling product and no one, not even China wants to buy it.

So, in ten years the “innovation” of co-mingled recycling has instead murdered the system. Not only are Americans now confused about how and what to recycle but even when they do, the quality is so bad, there is no market for it.

Politicians and the main stream media want you to think that China is to blame. It is not.  Delivering a poor recycling product is our problem. Not China.  If you want to answer the question “who killed recycling in America?” just look for those who introduced and promoted co-mingled waste to the market.

The end of recycling

Waste-management companies across the country are telling towns, cities, and counties that there is no longer a market for their recycling. This is true, but I ask you who really killed the market?

This end of recycling comes at a time when the United States is creating more waste than ever. In 2015, America generated 262.4 million tons of waste, up 4.5 percent from 2010 and 60 percent from 1985. That amounts to nearly five pounds per person a day.

For a long time, Americans have had little incentive to consume less. We love to buy cheap products and then throw them away at the end of their short lives. But the cost of all this garbage is growing, especially now that bottles and papers that were once recycled are now ending up in the trash. It is time to change our thinking.

Companies don’t bear the costs of disposal so they have no incentive to manufacture products out of material that will be easier to recycle. This needs to stop.

The best way to fix recycling is to persuade people to buy less stuff and take better care of the stuff they buy. This would also have the benefit of reducing some of the upstream waste created when products are made. But that’s a hard sell in the United States, where we have a disposable mentality and where consumer spending accounts for 68 percent of the GDP.

Meantime, many municipalities are desperately trying to retrain consumers to recycle properly again. I fully support them and wish them luck, they will need it.  And please no more brilliant shortcuts like co-mingling thank you!

Comments

One of my readers, Kerry has asked:  

“Interesting and frustrating article. Frustrating to know that recycling is diminishing. It would be nice to know if persons, cities, HOAs, POAs, townships, etc are being charged by for-profit waste companies for recycling services when their collected material is actually going to the landfills. I call that theft and fraud that needs to be exposed.”

HPM: Thanks for the thoughtful message Kerry.  You have a very good point. A ton of money has been spent on separate trucks, collection bins, sorting centers etc. Who paid for all that, and who is paying for it now?

NEWS Flash!

Home Depot reported that it is eliminating roofing, siding, insulation, and gutters from its installation service categories.

“We’re only exiting these four programs,” said Home Depot spokesperson Stephen Holmes in a prepared statement. Eleven installation categories remain in the company’s offerings, including an “exterior home” category, which now covers fence, pergola, deck, solar panel, generator, and solar water and pool heater installation.

“Going forward, we will focus our efforts on installation categories that enable us to deliver the best customer experience, while simplifying processes and business structure,” Holmes stated. 

Interpretation:

HD is going to focus on easier, less risky work, that can result in higher profits and less angry customers.

The action resulted in layoffs, with Home Depot placing the number of jobs lost at “fewer than 1,000.” It appears the downsizing is primarily happening in California, Florida, Georgia, New England, and Wisconsin.

Home Depot did not reply to requests for further comments beyond its initial statement for this story.

Hazard:

The portable generator can leak gasoline from the fuel valve, posing fire and burn hazards.

Remedy:

Repair

Recall Date:

March 20, 2019

This recall involves Honda EU2200i, EU2200i Companion and EB2200i portable generators. The recalled portable generators were sold with a red or Camo cover. The names “HONDA” and the generator model name are printed on the control panel. The serial number is located on a lower corner of one of the side panels of the generator. The following model numbers and serial number ranges are being recalled:

Remedy:

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled generators and contact a local authorized Honda Power Equipment service dealer to schedule a free repair. Honda is contacting all known purchasers directly. Incidents/Injuries: Honda has received 19 reports of fuel leaking from the fuel valve. No injuries have been reported.

Sold At:

Authorized Honda Power Equipment Dealers and The Home Depot and other home improvement stores nationwide and online from February 2018 through February 2019 for about $1,100 to $1,300.

Manufacturer(s):

Thai Honda, of Thailand Importer(s): American Honda Motor Company Inc., of Torrance, Calif. Manufactured In: Thailand Recall number: 19-088

Consumer Contact:

American Honda toll-free at 888-888-3139 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at https://powerequipment.honda.com/ and click on “Recalls and Updates” at the bottom of the page for more information.

Recommendations:

I just learned that I have one of these recall units. My generator got me through a terrible six day power outage without a single glitch and with no sign of the recall problem. Still, I’m taking it in to the local Honda place for a fix.

I’ve recommended these Honda units in the past and will continue to do so. These are great little generators. The small size, quiet operation and portability make them a great addition to any emergency back up plan.

Spending on remodeling hit a record of nearly $425 billion in 2017. This according to Improving America’s Housing 2019, a report produced every two years by the Remodeling Futures Program at Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, .

Difficult credit hampering growth

The record remodeling year occurred despite the homebuilding industry still struggling following the Great Recession. With credit more difficult to acquire, the industry is having trouble meeting the housing needs of the country. More than 50% of the remodeling expenditures were paid for using cash from savings. Even greater activity could be available if access to funds were more easily available through credit. Lack of credit is also hampering new home building.

An aging population and aging housing stock

According to Abbe Will, associate project director of the Remodeling Futures Program. With new construction slowly recovering from historic lows, 40% of the country’s 137 million homes are at least 50 years old. The aging of the housing stock has been a boon to the remodeling industry, with spending surpassing investment in homebuilding every year for over a decade.”

Renovating for aging in place

House prices have escalated in many markets. High prices, combined with an aging population are driving increased spending on home improvements and repairs. Older households have higher homeownership rates than younger households. They also have the resources to afford major renovations. Households 55 and over account for half of all improvement spending by homeowners today.

Expanding the ability of owners to pay for improvement projects over time would generate considerable growth in the remodeling industry and help preserve and modernize the nation’s aging housing stock. Source: JCHS Improving America’s Housing 2019.

“Over the next decade, the strong preference of older homeowners to age in place and the increasing difficulty of building affordable housing in many markets will continue to hinder the construction of new homes,” said Kermit Baker, director of the Remodeling Futures Program. “The remodeling industry will therefore retain its critical role in helping the country meet its housing needs.”

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