2009 Contractor of the Year

Telephone: (417) 827-4389

NARI CotY Showcase

NARI recognizes Contractor of the Year award winners in 2009 Showcase.

If your looking to remodel your home and go "green" at the same time, Keystone Building and Design can help.

Remodeling, by its very nature, is "green" in that you are reusing and improving existing infrastructures. After that, remodeling green calls on many of the same products and techniques as any other green building process.

What is green building?

• "Is it energy efficient?
• Does it improve indoor air quality?
• And what's our resource conservation, what's our footprint on the planet?"

A green home pays attention to energy efficiency, measures to protect indoor air quality, water and resource conservation, and the use of sustainable or recycled products. Remodeling is an opportunity to create a home that enhances the environment, instead of depleting it. With your green remodel project, you can be more resource efficient, minimize waste, and recycle what’s left over to reduce the amount of materials ending up in landfills.

Improving Energy Efficiency

Energy-efficient windows, doors, and skylights can help lower a home's heating, cooling, and lighting costs.

Windows, and water heating systems will likely have ENERGY STAR ratings. The home should also include efficient lighting fixtures and bulbs. Renewable energy sources, such as solar panels (photovoltaic electricity) and water heating systems, further decrease the overall energy consumption within the home.

Windows provide our homes with light, warmth, and ventilation, but they can also negatively impact a home's energy efficiency. You can reduce energy costs by replacing existing windows with energy-efficient windows in your home.

Improving Air Quality

Increased incidence of childhood asthma, allergies, and even multiple chemical sensitivity (a phenomenon where a person becomes highly sensitized to a variety of chemical irritants) emphasizes the need for healthy indoor environments. Airtight houses save energy, but without proper ventilation and careful avoidance of toxic and irritating building materials, they can compromise indoor air quality.

Indoor air is three times more polluted than outdoor air, and according to the EPA, is considered to be one of the top 5 hazards to human health. Paints and finishes are among the leading causes.

Paints and finishes release low level toxic emissions into the air for years after application. The source of these toxins is a variey of VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) which, until recently, were essential to the performance of the paint.

Low-VOC paints and finishes and wall papers should be used. Many water based products are more comfortable to work around with low odors and ecological freindly.

Heating, air conditioning and ventilation system (HVAC) must be appropriately sized for an efficient and properly ventilated home. Fans in the kitchen and bathrooms should cycle fresh air inside, and release stale air. Old systems may need to be replaced.

Sustainability

Sustainability is providing for our own needs, and for those of future generations. It means thinking about the impacts of our actions now, and years from now.

By choosing environmentally responsible products, you can protect forests, wildlife, and air and water quality. For every gallon of water or kilowatt-hour of electricity you save, you reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (the greenhouse gas) entering the atmosphere.

Remodel with renewable materials, including rapidly-renewable wood species such as bamboo, and recycled-content materials in carpets, tiles, and concrete formulations.