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What’s new in green building materials
BEC Green is on a mission to help homeowners understand what green building materials are and where to get them. We also feature new green homes and speak with the wonderful builders, architects and designers who create them.
Featured Article:
Calgary Modern Energy Efficient Home Built on a Reverse Walkout
Designing and building a beautiful, energy-efficient home requires careful thinking and execution with special attention paid to the building envelope. A tight envelope means that a smaller heating and cooling system can be installed, and therefore, the running costs will be lower than a typical home of the same size.
IceStone Countertops: Recycled Glass and Cement
This post was updated on October 31, 2019. IceStone countertops are made from 75% post-industrial recycled glass, Portland cement and a non-petroleum-based binder in Brooklyn, New York. They look like a subtle terrazzo for your countertops. The company was...
Blu Homes Prefab Home Manufacturer Retreats From Canada (and everywhere but California)
Update as of October 29, 2019. I contacted Blu Homes this week to see if they were still offering to build homes in Canada. This is the response they sent me: We are currently not serving your geography and only available to build in California. If you do own land in...
Reclaimed wood furniture companies in Ontario
If you've ever picked up an antique chair and compared it to picking up a new one, chances are you will be surprised at how much heavier it is. Old chairs tended to be made with oak, maple, and other hardwood species. Not only that, but they are most likely made from...
Reclaimed Wood Flooring Companies in Ontario
There are several advantages to using reclaimed wood for your floors. It has character (you can see nicks, gouges, worm holes), it’s dense because it is probably from an old growth forest, it gives the wood a second life, and it supports local industry.
LED Lighting will surely put me into an early grave
LED lighting is far more complex than traditional incandescent lighting. We examine the issues to consider in choosing the right lights for your home.
The latest environment and green building news
Our Most Popular Posts
BEC Green posts about green building materials and homes our readers view the most.
Sheep's wool insuation
Sheep’s wool insulation has several benefits in that it is hygroscopic, mould resistant, pest resistant, an excellent acoustic materials and is available in batts or as loose fill.
The Pros & Cons of Rainscreens
Rainscreens are often used in home construction in rainy climates but they can function equally well in more moderate climates as well. Their purpose is to prevent water from infiltrating buildings.
Ontario's First Rammed Earth House
Rammed earth is an old building technique that is regaining popularity in North America. Rammed earth uses hyper local materials and creates majestic walls once finished.
Is your home solar-ready?
Two companies are making strides in providing easy access to determining whether a home sits in an optimal location to have solar panels on its roof. Mapdwell and Project Sunroof make it easy to tell.
BEC Green Guides
Resource guides to help you navigate the complex world of better building materials, energy and water efficiency and more
Browse green building categories
Interior Finishes, Furniture & Lighting
- Paints and coatings
- Flooring
- Lighting
- Countertops
- Water fixtures
- Furniture
and more…
Building Envelope
This category is all about materials used in the construction of the building envelope including windows, doors, roofing, wrap, cladding and rainscreens.
Building Materials & HVAC
- Adhesives & Sealants
- Insulation
- Drywall, lumber, etc.
- Heating & Cooling
and more…
Architecture & Design
A variety of information on green design including interviews with architects and contractors who specialize in designing and building green.
Prefab and Modular Homes
Prefab and modular homes are not only faster to construct, they can usually be made to higher environment standards. Further, because they are made off-site, they generate less construction waste than a standard build.
Green Building Techniques
There are plenty of ways to build green. Methods such as straw bale, rammed earth, and cross-laminated timber had fallen out of favour as brick and lumber-built methods became quicker, but they are getting a revival because of their postivie attributes.
Energy Efficiency
- Energy efficiency guides
- Products to help your house become more energy efficient
and more…
Green Living
Tips, tricks and product reviews for living a lower impact life. Articles cover waste management, green cleaning and more.
Gardening and Landscaping
- Landscaping for maximum energy and water efficiency
- Environmentally-friendly path and mortar systems
- rain-barrels and cisterns
- solar panels and residential wind turbines
and more…
Green Building Stores & Services
Where to buy green building products, hire green architects and contractors and track down strawbale builders, rammed earth builders and more.
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