Meek's Lumber & Hardware Blog

We’ve written previously about the push for “green” or sustainable building and the rising trends. Many of you have asked, where does the contractor fit in?

While there is truth that the architect and the owner usually make the choice on how green a building is going to be and what (if any) LEED certification they’re going for, contractors play an important role too.

There are a few stops along the way that you have a major influence on. First, you know the product and how it works into the structure of a home. If you’re used to working with one brand and they develop a product that has less environmental impact, you’ll be able to suggest an alternative during the bidding stage of the project.

From there, you are likely going to be the person picking out and picking up the materials. You can talk with the store to see what options are available for your specific set of plans. When it comes to LEED certifications, every detail is essential. If a subcontractor picks up some material and the General Contractor cannot trace back where the product came from, the certification can be denied. In this case, you would have to resubmit the entire material’s package documenting that the proper products are being used.

Once on the job, there are many tools at your disposal for keeping your project green. For starters, you can swap out any old bulbs for LED systems. While yes, you may be slightly paying more for the initial bulb to start, they will last for years longer and lessen the project’s environmental effects.

If you’re building a new home with solar, you can install that first and run that power on the job. This works as a test of the system and saves on-the-job costs.

Whether you’re building a house from the ground-up or repairing a HVAC system, there are simple steps and adjustments you can make to please not only the environment, but the customer and the budget as well.

As we hear of new techniques to try, we’ll be sharing them here for anyone to test out! If you have some ideas, leave them in the comments below and let’s start a conversation!

Home sale prices are showing a trend when LEED standards are involved. With sustainability on the rise across the country, green-construction is leading to increased resale values.

According to the USGBC’s 2015 Green Building Economic Impact Study, green-construction as a whole is projected to go from $55 billion spent in 2015, to just under double that in 2018 at $100.4 billion.

As consumers are looking to lessen their carbon footprint, LEED custom-built homes are a foot above the rest. Looking at the market, younger buyers are looking for first-time sustainable homes. Obviously, the municipalities are shifting towards renewable energy sources as well to cover the rising demands.

With solar companies moving in, the build of a home will be changing to accommodate the energy influxes. Studies are finding that homes with pre-existing solar are selling 20% faster and for around 17% higher margins than homes without.

As cities throughout California and Nevada strive to reach net-zero energy in the coming years, sustainable building will become the new norm.

As we hear about new green building trends, we’ll share them here to keep you in the loop!

Starting next Saturday, September 23, the new OSHA silica rules will be in full effect. Any contractor who does anything involving respirable crystalline silica, now is the time to comply.

If you (or any of your subcontractors) cut, grind, or blast concrete, stone, or brick, these new rules are just for you.

The initial silica standards were put in place in 1971 after forty years of questions and complaints. Now, these stricter standards are in place to lessen the amount of dust that workers inhale. It’s important to note, this not only applies to you the contractor, but to anyone working with or around these materials.

Many people are asking, “What’s the big deal?” and we’re here to answer that question. It’s imperative that we all make a change now. The particles are 100 times smaller than a grain of sand. If someone were to inhale the dust, the repercussions could be lethal. From lung disease to lung cancer, kidney disease, or pulmonary disease, the negative possibilities clearly outweigh the extra paperwork.

The new limits have been reduced from 250 micrograms per cubic meter to 50 micrograms over the course of an eight hour day of work. The fines are steep too. The maximum fine for non-compliance is $12,675 for a violation, $12,675 per day for any failure-to-abate violations, and $126,749 for repeated violations.

On the employer side, there are initiatives in place to make everything safer for all parties.

In addition to the decreased exposure limits, there are also six things all contractors and General Contractors need to take care of.

First, firms must have a written exposure plan for any silica related instances. This plan could and should include wearing respirators, wetting work down.

Second, someone must be in charge of that plan.

Third, someone must be tasked with keeping up housekeeping items so silica dust is kept to a minimum. In this case, using tools like a wet saw or using a vacuum device to reduce the volume of dust would be fantastic.

Fourth, if an employee is exposed to silica and/or has to wear a respirator for 30+ days, employers have to provide medical exams. The exams include chest x-rays and lung-tests.

Fifth, all workers must be trained on how to limit exposure to silica.

Lastly, there must be a set of records on the overall exposure to silica and/or any related medical treatments.

So, whether you’re a one-person operation, or a fifty-person team, these standards are going to affect everyone. Keep an eye on any of the subcontractors you work with to make sure everyone is protected.

If you’re looking for more information, check out OSHA.gov or download this book to learn more on staying in compliance. This free document explains what an OSHA office will be looking for and why they might issue a citation.

If we hear anything else on these new standards, we’ll be sure to share it with you on our Facebook page (Facebook.com/MeeksWestern) or here on our blog at MeeksBlog.com.