With customers demanding more energy-efficient and environmentally-sound building solutions, it looks like green building is here to stay. Green, or sustainable, building has exponentially gained popularity over the years, particularly in California and the Pacific Northwest where people tend to stress environmental responsibility.

Not just for the pro-environment zealot, green building has a little something for everyone. With its energy and money saving potential, the rest of the country is beginning to catch on. As sustainable products and practices continue to move from the fringe and into the mainstream of residential and commercial building, architects and builders aren’t missing a beat in keeping up with the latest green building trends. Today, whether you’re a retailer, supplier or building professional, offering sustainable products and services is a must for keeping ahead of the competition.

Just what is green building, anyway?

From blowing in cotton insulation to using low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints to building a zero-energy home, people tend to differ as to what qualifies as “green.” While builders wait for official federal government standards to follow for building green, groups like NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) and LEED (U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Standards) have developed voluntary green guidelines as well as a rating system to help clear up some of the confusion.

Designed to move environmentally-friendly building concepts further into the mainstream marketplace, NAHB green guidelines include information about how to maximize sustainability in areas such as lot preparation and design, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water conservation and indoor air quality.

Another option for builders and architects is LEED certification. LEED provides a specific rating system in which a design or structure can qualify as LEED-certified. According to their website, the LEED Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green building. Encouraging a whole building approach to sustainability.

What is J. E. Higgins doing to be green?

“In our industry, customers who want green options are looking for companies such as ours who supply products from companies who employ sustainability through SCS (Scientific Certification Systems) and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification,” said Bill Dyer, Higgins Hardwoods’ plywood and composites product manager.

Trees are a renewable resource and there are groups out there who are making efforts to optimize sustainable forestry. Like LEED in principal, SCS is a scientific certifier specific to our industry. Beginning as the nation’s first third-party certifier for testing pesticide residue in fresh produce, SCS move into other areas such as sustainable forestry management.

FSC is a nonprofit group that created and administers an international forest management certification program. Endorsed by some of the biggest environmental groups, this program certifies wood that originates from forests that are managed to a high environmental standard. According to their website, “The same species grow in certified and non-certified forests, and FSC wood is subject to the same grading standards, so from an aesthetic, mechanical, and quality standpoint, there’s no difference. The big difference is that certified wood promotes the sustainable management of the world’s forest for current and future generations.”

“Higgins is actually FSC chain-of-custody certified” said Dyer. “This means that we are licensed to buy and sell FSC products, which is becoming increasingly important to our customers.”

Higgins is continually working to bring in more green products for our customers. “In order to provide the most for our customer and to promote sustainability, Higgins Hardwoods offers green options to add value to our product line,” said Dyer. Golden State Flooring and Pella Window and Door also offer green alternatives to add value to their products and services.

For example, Higgins Hardwoods and Golden State Flooring carry Boral Timber Flooring, an eco-friendly product provided by an Australian company of the same name that, according to their website, is globally recognized as “a leader in the timber industry for its responsible management and conservation practices.”

Why go green?

With skyrocketing energy costs, homeowners and commercial building owners are becoming increasingly concerned about conserving energy, as well as natural resources. New buildings are also being built much tighter, making people more worried about indoor air quality.

Most people today spend 80% of their time indoors. With traditional construction, the quality of the typical indoor environment is often far more polluted than outdoors due to various building materials, inadequate lighting, and a variety of other variables.

According to EPA reports, the air in new homes can be up to 10 times more polluted than outside air due to VOCs and other chemicals used in product manufacturing. On the other hand, homes that follow green building guidelines use healthier paints and building materials. They also adhere to more stringent gas emission and ventilation requirements, which can greatly improve the quality of a homes indoor environment.

Formaldehyde-free products such as PureBond™ and Arreis™, carried by Higgins Hardwoods, greatly reduce emissions and are an excellent green option for plywood and composite paneling. “These products are truly green. The PureBond plywood panel we carry meets LEED standards and is extremely water-resistant,” said Dyer. “And the Arreis fiberboard panel is made from 100% recycled wood waste and has surpassed the most stringent formaldehyde emission standards in the world.”

Not only does green building create a healthier and more comfortable living and work space for both builders and the building’s inhabitants, it also saves money through increased energy efficiency. One way homeowners are achieving this is by investing in high-performance, quality windows and doors like those found in Pella’s product lines. Most Pella products meet or exceed ENERGY STAR® guidelines, which mean lower energy bills for residential and commercial property owners.

Here are just a few more reasons customers (as well as JEH employees) are leaning toward green:

• Lower electric and water utilities costs
• Higher quality construction
• Improved indoor air quality and interior lighting
• Greater durability and less maintenance
• Better safety
• Optimum long-term economic returns
• Improved resale value
• Reduced levels of construction and demolition waste
• Reduced environmental impact

And with more green products becoming available, prices are becoming more competitive, allowing customers to build green without breaking the bank. With all of the attraction that green building offers, it’s no wonder more customers are demanding it and more companies are meeting their needs. No longer just a passing fad, it not only pays to adopt green building tenets; it may soon be the key to a company’s success.