Kitchener-Waterloo Green Home
This demonstration house is a 2500 sq ft single family home built jointly by
Kitchener-Waterloo Home Builders Association and Enermodal Engineering Limited.
This home takes a "low tech" approach to energy efficiency and environmental
responsibility. The "green home" building shell components are a major departure
from conventional building practices. This home is energy-efficient, draft free, durable,
made from a minimum of materials, and incorporates the recycled-content building materials
listed below.
Waste Reduction
A comprehensive waste management program was undertaken to reduce the impact of house
construction and operation on the environment. The program was based on the waste
management hierarchy of reduce, reuse, and recycle. The use of premanufactured components,
such as ceiling, wall, and floor trusses, resulted in no waste cuttings being generated at
the site.
Much of the wood waste from the house was taken by contractors for use on other jobs.
Wood pallets and tarpaulin quality packaging were reused for storage of materials at other
construction sites. Insulation scraps and other inert materials were placed in the attic
for added insulation.
Drywall scraps were inserted in interior walls for extra thermal insulation. Leftover
concrete from pouring the floor slab was set in a field, crushed, and used as aggregate on
other construction sites.
Wood Truss
Above-grade walls are framed using trusses instead of studs. Each truss is made up of two
load-bearing members connected by a thin web. The truss system is factory built with the
scraps reused in new trusses, thereby eliminating construction waste.
The truss system uses 35 percent less wood than conventional wood stud walls and site
labor requirements are reduced. The load-bearing members are made of laminated strips from
fast growing trees and the webs are made from wood scraps.
Insulation
Wall cavities are filled with wet-blown cellulose insulation manufactured from recycled
newspapers.
Drywall
The drywall used for this home contains a minimum of 25 percent recycled drywall wastes
and is without a paper covering for use on interior walls.
Wood Siding
The exterior cladding is made from scrap wood pressed into an attractive wood siding.
Roofing
Steel roofing was selected instead of asphalt shingles because it has a high recycled
material content, lasts the life of the building, and can be recycled. Asphalt shingles
were not chosen because they last only 10 to 20 years, emit volatile organic compounds,
and present difficulties in safe disposal.
Interior Furnishings
The hardwood flooring was recovered from a demolished building. A refurbished bathtub and
sink are used in the lower floor washroom.
Flooring
Floor tiles made from recycled glass, instead of petroleum-based vinyl, are used in the
front entrance and bathrooms. Recycled materials were used in the carpeting (manufactured
from polyethylene terephthalate [PET] plastic soda pop bottles), and the gypsum underlay
for the tile floor contains used paper products.
Bathroom Glass Walls
An interior glass wall made from recycled glass admits natural light into the north side
of the bathroom.
Landscaping
Recycled rubber walkway paving units were used.
This demonstration house is located in a new community just outside Ottawa and is a
2190 sq ft single family home with four bedrooms. Built by Minto Development, Inc.,
construction required the support of many public and private sector groups. This house
incorporated the following recycled content building materials:
Insulation
The walls are insulated with cellulose fiber insulation that is blown behind a fine mesh
prior to installing the wallboard. The insulation is made from recycled cellulose fibers
(i.e., old newspapers), which satisfies the requirements of the Canadian Environmental
Choice™ Program. The program stipulates that insulating material must contain 100
percent recycled paper fibers and meet stringent performance standards.
Carpet
The Innova House used carpets made from recycled plastic soda pop bottles.
Wallboard
Wallboard in the house contains 30 percent recycled newsprint by volume.
Roof Shingles
Roof shingles are made from recycled materials (i.e., sawdust formed under heat and
pressure).
The Manitoba Advanced House is a 2000 sq ft single family home located in south
Winnipeg and was constructed by Maintoba Home Builders Association. This project features
construction techniques intended to reduce the amount of waste generated at the job site.
The house incorporated the following waste management techniques and recycled-content
building materials:
Lumber
Scrap lumber generated at the job site during construction of this house was used for
blocking where needed.
Packaging Materials
All suppliers of building materials for this project were advised that all packaging
materials had to be made of recycled materials or be capable of being recycled.
Roofing
Pine shakes were used instead of asphalt shingles, which require large amounts of
nonrenewable energy to produce. Pine shakes cost about 15 percent more than asphalt
shingles, but they have a life expectancy of 30 to 50 years, after which they can be
recycled.
Drainage
The fill under the foundation and over the plastic drainpipes, or weeping tiles, is an
indication of the imagination used. About 30 percent of the fill is empty whiskey bottles,
smashed, and pulverized on site by tumbling in a concrete mixer with pea gravel. The
ground-up whiskey bottles reduced the amount of gravel required.
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