FAQs on environmental site assessments

Deciding to have an environmental site assessment is one of the best decisions any property owner can make. Who knows how many people prior to you owned a particular piece of land. Ideally everyone would conduct solid, environmentally-sound business practices but the fact of the matter is that your new business could be sitting on top of chemicals that have been in the ground for years. Motor oil, anti-freeze, toxic waste, who knows? It could be anything and without an environmental site assessment the ‘not knowing’ factor could cause many problems later. However, environmental site assessments are new to many people and as such they still have many questions. Here are some of the most frequently asked.

What happens if I don’t complete an environmental assessment?
The legal ramifications for owning an environmentally contaminated piece of property are extensive. Even if you had nothing to do with the initial contamination, it doesn’t matter. Now that it’s your property, you’re liable for all clean-up costs.


Do I have to pay for the clean-up if someone else contaminated the property?
Initially, yes. As the current owner of the property it’s your responsibility to comply with federal regulations requiring the clean-up. Afterward, it’s up to you to identify the person responsible and sue for compensation.


Is conducting an assessment mandatory by law?
No. However, in the event that you do not complete the assessment and are found to have environmentally damaging contaminates at a later date the clean-up can be costly (think million of dollars). It’s much more cost-effective to be preventative rather than reactive in this situation.


What is a Phase I assessment?
Phase I is a preliminary assessment that generally consists of researching the history of the property, possibly taking soil and groundwater samples, and determining the need for further testing. This is a non-invasive stage that takes roughly two weeks to complete.


What is a Phase II assessment?
If the Phase I test identified possible issues, then a Phase II test is conducted. This is a more in-depth analysis of the site including sub-surface soil and groundwater samples to determine the extent of the environmental issues. The degree of the sampling depends on the property itself and the possible presence of different contaminates.


What are the qualifications of the assessing agent? Can anyone do it?
Not just anyone can do it. A qualified environmental agent that conducts the assessment will have had proper on-the-job training as well as a college degree in a related field.

Are You Being Greenwashed Make Sure You Know The Facts When Building green.

Greenwashing' means misleading consumers or exaggerating about a company or product's environmental status. Nowadays, because everyone wants a share of the green pound, the greenwashing of consumer products is rife. So how do you make sure you're doing the right thing and choosing the best building materials for your home?

 InsideOut Buildings' Director Lynn Fotheringham believes it is important to look behind claims about eco-friendly' DIY and construction materials. InsideOut Buildings designs and builds environmentally responsible garden offices and granny annexes and research their materials thoroughly before making recommendations on sustainability to customers.

 Here is InsideOut's simple, six-point plan for choosing sustainable materials:

 1. PVC windows.

 Problem: -Lynn explains "People think that double-glazing is eco-friendly because it saves energy, which is true. But look further and you discover that the amount of energy used to manufacture UPVC is enormous. Also PVC frames are bigger and wider than wood and so reduce the amount of light coming through a window". Solution: - Buy locally from a joinery manufacturer and check the wood comes from renewable forests, ideally in Britain or Western Europe.

 2. Wooden cladding and flooring.

 Problem: - This is often used on garden buildings and around the house. The assumption that wood + eco-friendly is simplistic. Many cladding and flooring products are pressure treated and imported, both of which use unnecessary energy. So while wood is better than man made claddings and floorings, it can still be energy-expensive.
 Solution: -Lynn says "Choose untreated British or European wood from well managed local forests. Our beautiful larch cladding, for instance, is grown in Scotland, then cut and planed by our local timber merchant, with no treatments or preservatives.\"

 3. Insulation.

 Problem: - Insulating your home or garden building properly will help the environment, again by saving energy. To do the job properly, you have to use a lot of insulation material. In garden offices, for instance, all surfaces should be insulated to an absolute minimum of 100mm. "We use UK manufactured insulation materials, either sheepswool or Rockwool, who have an excellent environmental policy in their factory." says Lynn Fotheringham. \"Which means we can insulate our buildings' walls to a generous 200mm for maximum insulation efficiency while remaining environmentally responsible".
 Solution: - Look at the manufacturing process before choosing an insulation material. Can it be recycled? Has it been imported? Does the manufacturer run their factory processes sustainably?

 4. Green and living roofs. 

These are undoubtedly eco-friendly and can be highly effective on larger buildings. But there are drawbacks. You need at least 600mm of soil to achieve a practical level of insulation. The insulating properties are reduced when the soil is dry. In summer you have to irrigate and weed your roof. You have to use several different layers of plastic for waterproofing and containing the soil.
 On the other hand when insulation isn't so important, say for a garage or shed, a green roof is a great way to conceal an eyesore, add interest to your garden and provide an important space for wildlife.

 5. Wind turbines. 

Wind turbines simply don't hit the mark unless you live in a rural area with very strong winds. Current technology means that a small urban turbine will probably generate less energy than it takes to make. "Instead, use low energy light bulbs, don't leave equipment on standby and insulate your home properly& both you and the environment will benefit much more!"

 6. Recyclable materials. 

Even the word 'recyclable' can be misleading. Thousands of products claim to be recyclable but, in all honesty, so what? Are you really going to re-use a load of exhausted plastic insulation in fifteen years' time, or is anyone else? InsideOut Buildings recommend a common sense approach. \"Our buildings are designed to last for a very long time, not to fall apart after just a few years. We think this is the best approach. If you build for life rather than for the short term, the need to recycle becomes less relevant."

 7. Paints and wood stains. 

These are the ingredients to avoid in paints and stains:- Solvents and white spirit, turpentine, terpenes, ethereal oils, and acrylics. Ingredients to look for:- Water, binders , non-toxic pigments, mineral fillers and waxes.

 So have InsideOut Buildings found a truly green solution to all their garden building challenges? "No, it is an ongoing process as more affordable, sensible, sustainable products become available\" says Lynn. "For example we use untreated cedar shingle roofing which is imported. We've been looking for a UK wood shingling manufacturer for some time& is there anybody out there?\"

A Brief History of Recycling in Australia

Recycling isn't in any way a new idea. The process of recycling and repurposing raw materials has been in use for thousands of years. The process of recycling materials has seen a significant increase in prominence mostly due to the fact that more people are environmentally aware and are willing to take the steps to help protect the earth's natural resources. Recycling in Australia has seen a major increase in the last 10-years or so, and is now play an important role in modern society. Households are now more aware of the recycling such basic materials as are aluminium, juice cartons, steel, glass, cardboard, paper, HDPE milk containers, and plastic.

Here is an overview of the significant periods in Australia's recycling industry:

1815: In 1815 Australia saw the construction of the first paper mill which was involved in recycling materials, and related to repurposing rags into making paper.

1915: The earliest recording of industrial steel recycling dates back to 1915, which was undertaken by BHP Steel. Also, charities have relied on recycled clothing and household goods for going on a century now.

1920s: In the early 1920s, the first waste paper collections started in the region of Melbourne and collected from factories and households. Early vehicle production also relied on recycling the valuable metals from older model cars in order to save on resources and costs.

1940s: It wasn't until the 1940s that the first of the cart and horse recycling collections began in various regions across Australia, which involved collecting old newspapers for the purposing as paper or packaging material.

1970s: The initial campaign to help with recycling aluminium cans was first presented to the general public.

1980s: It wasn't until the late 1980s that the first of the kerbside recycling initiatives was launched in Sydney. Recycling now plays a significant role across the entire country, with an estimated 90% of homes being actively involved in this practice in urban areas.

1992: It was in 1992 that drinks bottles started to be manufactured in such materials as recycled plastic resin, and made available from such companies as Pepsi and Coca-Cola.

   

Recycling is able to save a significant amount of energy. In most cases, you are likely to see a 50% reduction in the amount of energy and a 10% reduction in the amount of water necessary for creating paper from the fresh or raw materials. Also, the recycling process is likely to result in significantly less pollution, often rated at 25% of the alternative of using raw materials.

7 Ways to Save Power in the Home through Sustainable Design

Sustainable design projects have significantly increased in popularity mostly due to the fact that the cost of energy continues to rise. You have the option of renovating the existing home to make it a far-sight more sustainable or look at a complete new build project designed from the ground up to incorporate sustainable features. In the process of consulting with an architect to create a more eco-friendly home, you want to make certain it incorporates a wide range of features, from how you decorate and use the property to how water and energy is used. Each of these different elements can have a significant impact on the sustainability of the property.

Here are the seven ways to save energy by implementing a sustainable design:

Electricity

 

If at all possible you might want to look at the viability of installing a renewable energy system, such as a small wind turbine, solar panels or hybrid system (power and wind system), to help generate your own source of energy.

Water Heating

In a typical household up to 15% of the energy used is needed for heating the water supply. It is possible to put in practice several different methods for reducing this energy use, from using installation on the hot water pipe's and tank to using automatic timers.

Insulation

Cooling and heating costs are likely to go down significantly if you are able to put in place in the right size and thickness of installation within the walls and roof spaces. Old-styled properties are likely to have minimal installation; therefore it might be advisable to use the services of a home energy adviser to give guidance on the type of installation required.

Air Sealing

Have the property inspected for air leaks. If detected these can be sealed with weather-strip and caulk. This ensures cold air is no longer able to enter the property.

Lighting

You'll likely find the energy used for lighting a home is in the region of 10%, which can easily be reduced if you are able to rely on the more energy-efficient LED lights. If constructing a new build it is highly beneficial to add large north and south-facing windows, which should help limit your reliance on artificial lighting. But, if you're in an old-styled home you might wish to look at renovating the property with the latest energy-efficient windows.

Decorate

Look at decorating the home with sustainable design materials, such as cork and bamboo, which are entirely environmentally friendly and a safe option for the flooring. Paint is available with minimal Volatile organic compound (VOC) content, which will make it a far-sight less harmful.

Appliances

Make sure to use the latest electrical appliances which come with high energy ratings, which cost a far-sight less to operate and are also more environmentally friendly.

7 Reasons Why Recycled Building Materials are Better than New

Salvaged or recycled building materials are those construction materials that formed part of a structure in the past. Whether it is bricks that have been salvaged from a commissioned property that had been cleaned and reused or recycled windows, you find that there are wide-ranging benefits for using the recycled build materials in future remodelling or new build projects. 

Here are seven of the advantages of using the recycled building materials:

Environmental impact

One of the significant reasons is likely to relate to the environmental impact such as those relating to landfills. Each year up to 30% of the solid waste dumped in the rubbish tips comes from the construction industry, therefore if you are able to recycle build materials where possible, this will greatly reduce the demand on landfills.

Cost of recycled materials

You will likely find that it is possible to source recycled materials for a fraction of the cost of new construction materials. A responsible recycle centre is likely to supply recycled building materials that are up to 25% less than that of the equivalent new material.

Characteristics

Whether it is a recycled fireplace, floorboards, beams, or bricks, they are able to offer a higher level of warmth, personality, and depth to a room mostly due to the characteristics that develop with time.

Carbon footprint

By sourcing the right complement of salvaged materials this will go a long way to limiting your carbon footprint throughout the process of remodelling or constructing a new build. Just by attempting to source the build materials from the local area, this can go a significant way to limiting a building's carbon footprint.

Strength of material

It is often found that the long-term durability and quality of some of the salvaged timber for a construction project used is of a superior standard to some of the woods that you might purchase freshly cut at building centre.

Creates jobs

The desirability of the salvaged and recycled building materials is creating a whole new industry which is creating a significant number of jobs in relation to the major building centres that trade in this type of merchandise and the contractors that are employed to carefully deconstruct properties in order to source the basic materials.

Increased market value

If the right energy efficiency practices have been put in place throughout the construction progress then this is likely to mean that a property has a higher market value due to the cost efficient measures used.