A Blog by WARM Training Center
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New green study may be wrong — new energy efficient buildings vs. green rehab
Jan 27th
Lots of folks are touting a new study by The National Trust for Historic Preservation claiming that re-habbing existing buildings is far more green than building new energy efficient buildings — but it’s not at all clear this is accurate.
The study itself is an impressive effort, and I laud their rigorous attempt to dig into this question. But they might be wrong, even though reports are flying around talking about about why you need to rehab instead of build new energy efficient buildings.
My concern is three-fold:
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A study done at University of Michigan found the opposite result. This study compared the LCA (life cycle analysis) of new construction single family residences, one energy efficient and the not. This found that the ongoing energy use of the buildings outweighed the carbon impact of the materials used by at least 4 to 1, and that was only over a 50 year lifespan (the new study uses a 75 year span). The results clearly indicated that energy use mattered more than the material use for the LCA.
- The National Trust’s own study shows that in a variety of contexts (depending on building type and climate) 10-12 years is all it takes for the energy use of the building to “catch up” with the embodied energy of the materials. When a building’s anticipated lifespan is 50-75 years, then this confirms the University of Michigan study.
- Finally, the new study compares rehabbed buildings to new energy efficient buildings and assumes that the new buildings are a notable 30% more efficient. Depending on the age, type of building and climate, I think this number may be misleadingly low and therefore harms the conclusion of the study. Residential construction in Michigan, for example, had such horrible energy codes until 2008, that a new energy efficient home (especially one that’s built green with a low HERS or ENERGYSTAR index) could easily be 40% more efficient and possibly more.
The new results may be accurate, but there’s plenty of reasons to wait before claiming that new truly energy efficient construction is worse than rehab.
Btw, some disclaimers:
- I have a strong interest and dedication to rehabbing buildings and historic preservation in my personal life and career — which is all the more reason why I want to be clear where the benefits and trade-offs really are.
- despite being right by the University of Michigan, I have no connection to the authors or department which produced the report.
Internships Available at WARM Training Center
Sep 20th
WARM Training Center has three unpaid internship positions available (click on for descriptions):
Besides working in an awesome work environment and getting great experience, these internships will be no fun at all. But seriously, if you are authentically interested in advancing sustainability, climate protection, equitably distributed water resources, and energy efficiency in Detroit and the region…these internships are for you. Apply today… the application period closes on September 30th! Thanks.
Recycling Small Appliances
Aug 1st
Heya Jacob,
I’m trying to figure out how to get rid of some of small, non-functioning appliances for my partner. She doesn’t want anything to end up in a landfill, which I understand and applaud, but there’s gotta be a solution. I know in Cali, there are places that will try to fix and then give away, and if that’s not possible, will strip and make sure whatever is recycleable will be handled properly, but I can’t seem to find anything comparable in either Detroit or Ann Arbor. I’ve also called a few scrap dealers but they deal in bulk and with bigger, commercial equipment. I’ll keep hunting around, but I thought you might have an idea….
– L in Detroit
For working appliances there area a lot of options now, but for broken appliances… well, small appliances can be a challenge. Here’s what I can suggest for now:
Some big box stores have extensive recycling programs now. For example, Best Buy takes a lot of things. Go here for a nice list of what they will and won’t take.
But some things, like toaster ovens or blenders, are still on their “no” list.
You might try Goodwill, which will sometimes take broken materials and fix them.
Otherwise, the best advice I’ve heard is to look up appliance repair shops and contact them to see if they want it for parts.
I hope this helps. Let us know what you find out!
Green Living – WARM in the News
Jul 14th
WARM’s on the homepage (and in the Home section) of Observer Eccentric Newspapers this week:
http://www.candgnews.com/news/green-living-simple-affordable-sustainable
Who installs Green Roofs in Metro Detroit?
May 9th
Green Roof at A3C Architects in Ann Arbor
I am working with a local business owner who is interested in installing a green roof. Is there anyone in Metro Detroit that you would recommend for this project? If not, is there someone from elsewhere you would recommend?
– Deb
Hi Deb,
There’ve only been a handful of greenroof projects in SE Michigan, with many more around the state — particularly on the west side. A variety of professionals may be involved in such a process, from designers, to installers to plant growers. The only local designer I’m familiar with who has experience with green roofs is A3C Collaborative Architecture in Ann Arbor.
I’d also recommend you go to the greenroofs database and search for Michigan installations. Each project lists who was involved in making it happen. For example, you can see the information on the Ford Rouge Plant, University of Michigan, Mallet Creek Public Library, and others.
Jacob