FUNDAMENTALS
GREEN PROJECTS
Eco-friendly Resources for Renovating
removed all the hardwood floors, the kitchen cabinets, the granite coun- tertops, the toilets, sinks, windows, plantation shutters, kitchen sink, and tub plus anything that could be reused and repurposed and then gave my friend a receipt for the dona- tion. They removed everything and then the home was torn down. The selective deconstruction of these building materials also helps create green jobs. According to the Lifecycle website, “For every one green job created through demo- lition, seven jobs can be generat- ed through deconstruction.” Plus, there’s the added benefit of the positive environmental impacts such as reducing the extraction of natural resources to create virgin materials and lowering greenhouse gas emis- sions created by the manufacturing facilities and the transportation of these new materials and building products. Another bonus – many of the homes that they deconstruct are older and have some amazing wood- work, trim molding, claw foot tubs and fireplaces that can be salvaged to give flippers and homeowners that unique feature. PICKYOUR PAINTWISELY. There’s eco-friendly paint now with no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) that leach out into the air and can cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and respiratory impairment. Some options are The Real Milk Paint Company, ECOS Paint, and Benjamin Moore Eco Spec line. (Think Realty members can receive discounts at Benjamin Moore. Check out the dis - counts page on thinkrealty.com.)
REHABBING WHILE REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
by Lorraine Beato
re you thinking about reno- vating a home or doing a fix and flip, but you want to be earth friendly? Is there a way to rehab and reduce the impact on the environ- ment? Going green has become a sought-after feature in homes, cars, and businesses. Add to that the Eco - Broker and Green designations that the National Association of Realtors has for real estate agents as well as the Green Resource Council, which is designed for agents to learn about energy efficiency and sustainability in real estate. But which resources are readily available to homeowners or inves- tors? Here are a few ways you can go green on a renovation budget: A
reusable household items and build- ing materials from area landfills. The sales of all these donated items help Habitat for Humanity partner with local families to build, rehabil- itate, and repair safe and affordable homes in communities around. One of the Re-Stores I frequent gets brand new discontinued windows from one of the local major manu- facturers for pennies on the dollar. I once purchased a pallet of 2x6 Italian grey subway tile for $100. SHOPAT OTHER LOCAL RECYCLING OR REUSE STORES INYOURAREA. In Atlanta, there is a nonprof- it called Lifecycle Building Center. Similar to the ReStore – they sell recycled building items that would have been headed to landfills. They go into a home and strip it of items that can be reused elsewhere. A few years ago, I had an investor friend who was going to demo a 1950s home to build new construction. There was nothing really wrong with the home, but this was an area where investors and builders were tearing down the smaller homes and build- ing larger million- dollar homes. We called Lifecycle and they came in and
SHOPATYOUR LOCAL HABITAT RE-STORE.
This is one of my favorite places to go! Why? Because the ReStores are independently owned reuse stores that are operated by local Habitat for Humanity organizations. ReStores accept donations from all different place and have a changing invento- ry of diverse items such as doors, windows, light fixtures, molding, tile, tubs, toilets, appliances, furniture and so much more, while diverting
BE MINDFUL OFMATERIALS. The lighting industry has been slowly phasing out the traditional
30 | think realty magazine :: september 2021
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