Green Building Resources
Introduction
What is LEED?
Benefits
Costs
Resources
Incentives
Glossary
This section contains local resources for building materials, such as renewable energy and energy efficiency, reuse, carpet, paint, windows and doors, general resources, and professional training opportunities.
In addition, a list of local green building developers,including those involved with construction and remodeling, consulting, contracting, home building, interior design, landscaping, product manufacturing, and property management, can be found here: Local Green Building Contractors (XLS 39.50 KB)
If you are a local business involved with green building, and would like to be included as a resource, please contact the Environmental Commission at (812) 349-3423.
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency:
- Sherlock Homes Inspection Services, completes home energy audits using the ENERGY STAR rating system. Contact Dan Killion at 812-339-5828, c.inspector@insightbb.com, or visit http://www.sherlockhomes.cc.
- To find an ENERGY STAR home builder or developer in Indiana, see http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=new_homes_partners.showHomesSearch. The home builders or developers displayed are ones that have partnered with ENEGY STAR and have built and ENERGY STAR qualified new home in the last 12 months. Partners who have not yet built a qualified new home are listed as "new partners."
To earn the ENERGY STAR rating, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes. Features include effective insulation, high-performance windows, tight construction and ducts, efficient heating and cooling, and efficient products such as lighting, appliances, and water heaters.1
- The Energy Pros is a group of industry professionals who have joined together to offer you free, unbiased advice on how to build an energy efficient home that is healthy for your family and friendly to the environment. Hershel Graber and Mark Underhill are both members of Energy Pros in the Bloomington area. (http://www.theenergypros.net)
- Insulation: Healthy Foam uses environmentally friendly foam insulation. Contact Hershel Graber at:
12324 East 250 North
Loogootee, IN 47553
866.295.2448
hershel@healthyfoam.net - Water Furnace International provides geothermal systems. Contact Mark Underhill, Territory Manager, North Region-Central South Indiana, at: 453 S Catherwood Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46219
1-800-GEOSAVE, 317-357-8454
mark.underhill@waterfurnace.com
http://waterfurnace.com - The South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP) provides home energy audits and winter weather-proofing for low income households. Contact Matt Wysocki, Housing Director, at (812) 335-3611, or matt@sccap.monroe.in.us.
- Home Energy provides solar systems and installation. Leon Bontrager can be reached at (574) 825-4800, or leonb@homenrg.net.
Re-use:
- Monroe County Habitat for Humanity ReStore offers slightly used furniture, building supplies, and appliances. It is located at 300 W. 11th St, behind Upland Brewery. They are open M-F 10:30-5:30 and Saturday 11-4. 331-2660. See http://www.monroecountyhabitat.org/restore for more information.
- Foursquare is an antique store located at 727 W Kirkwood Ave (Kirkwood and Maple), 337-8577.
- Craigslist.org is a network of online communities, featuring free classified advertisements that can be searched by product type (furniture, tools, electronics, etc.). Users can post information under the Bloomington network.
Carpet:
- Hoosier Carpets Plus Colortile. 333-1080. They are located at both 1130 S Walnut and 1935 S. Liberty Drive in Bloomington. They offer a variety of eco-friendly products, including:
- "Eco-Choice" carpet, made from recycled nylon.
- Bamboo flooring
- Cork flooring.
- "Marmoleum," a type of linoleum made from natural products.
- Palm wood flooring, from palm trees that have reached the end of maturity for producing Palm oil.
- Bounds & McPike Flooring. 332-0900. They are located at 2903 W Third Street. They offer the following products:
- "Marmoleum," a type of linoleum made from natural products.
- Cork flooring.
- Bamboo flooring.
- Carpets that can be recycled.
- They also buy from Shaw carpeting and Mohawk carpeting, which use environmental friendly manufacturing processes. See http://shawgreenedge.com or more information.
Paint:
- Bloomington Paint & Wallpaper. 337-2468. Located at 1150 S Walnut St. They offer:
- Sherwin-Williams Co. 339-2010. Located at 2654 E 10th St. They offer Sherwin-Williams brands:
Windows and Doors:
- Rose & Walker Siding Specialties Inc. 298 Country Club Drive. 335-8748.
- Offer Jeldwen and Viwintech windows. Both types are certified Energy Star, based on the thermal efficiency of the glass.
- City Glass, Inc. 719 West 17th St. 336-0138.
- Offer windows (http://www.quakerwindows.com) that are certified Energy Star.
- When replacing windows, they can put on a low-E coating. This coating reflects infrared light, which keeps heat inside during the winter, and outside during the summer. See the Energy Star windows website for more information.
General Resources:
- Wabash County Solid Waste Management District's Green Building Program has compiled a list of green products and manufacturers. The list is online at: http://www.slashthetrash.com/grbld.htm#products0. The green products are listed in the CSI format (Construction Specifications Institute), and use the Sweet's Catalogue numbering system.
Professional Training:
- The Monroe County Building Association hosts events and seminars related to energy and building use. See: http://www.mcbaindiana.org/index.html.
- USGBC Indiana Chapter publicizes professional trainings on its website: http://chapters.usgbc.org/indiana/events.html