Green from the Ground Up
See Chapter 4 on Foundations in the Green from the Ground Up book for more details.

Green Foundation Resource

A well-planned foundation can make a substantial contribution to controlling heat and cooling costs while eliminating potential moisture and mold problems. There are many different types of foundations to choose from, depending on climate, soils condition, water table and other factors.

Green Concrete’ Transition Guide
 

1. Build forms from plywood or aluminum

Benefit

Wood forms made from 2x12’s can only be used a few times and are usually too soiled to be recycled.

Process

Replace solid wood forms with reusable forms

Details/ Materials

Initial costs are higher, but they save the trouble and expense of replacing forms made from dimensional lumber

2. Reuse forms as much as possible

Benefit

Keep as much material out of the landfill as possible and reduce landfill costs.

Process

Clean and stack used forms after use and reuse them on another project

Details/ Materials

Modular forms are made for most foundation applications

3.  Insulated concrete forms

Benefit

Combines insulation and concrete to form one wall.

Process

Polystyrene blocks are stacked to create a foundation wall and concrete is poured into the void for rigidly. It can save on both concrete and labor costs

Details/ Materials

There are many companies making ICFs. There are  blocks that are made from recycled woodchips and mineral wool. Most are made from polystyrene

4. Install a perimeter drain at the base of a foundation wall

Benefit

A perimeter drain gathers water that might otherwise damage the foundation wall, and channels it away from the foundation.

Process

A perforated pipe wrapped in landscaping felt and placed in a bed of crushed rock located around the footing of the foundation

Details/ Materials

 

5. Insulate foundation walls and slabs with rigid foam

Benefit

Foundations are thermally connected to the rest of the house and need to be insulated. Insulation is the cornerstone of energy conservation and home comfort.

Process

Insulate the exterior of the foundation before backfilling and also below the slab.

Details/ Materials

Use at least 2” of closed cell extruded polystyrene.

6. Specify a minimum of 15% of fly-ash in your concrete

Benefit

Flyash makes concrete stronger, more durable and water resistant.

Process

Flyash is a by-product of coal fired energy plants. When ordering concrete, ask for it to be added to your mix. Notify the structural engineer that you intend to use flyash.

Details/ Materials

Flyash is not always suitable for flat work as it takes longer to cure.

7. Use a shallow frost protected foundation

Benefit

 Foundations in cold climates can save money and materials by using shallow horizontal insulation

Process

With a frost line of 36” or deeper insulation can be placed 16”-24”down vertically on foundation walls and 16”-24” horizontally under the back fill.

Details/ Materials

See illustration for placement

“How will “Going Green” make me more money?”

Green is not simply getting more respect; it is rapidly becoming a necessity as corporations—as well as home builders, retailers, health care institutions, governments, and others—push green buildings fully into the mainstream over the next five to ten years. Customers need help with this difficult project and will look to you as an expert to show them what needs to be done.

“I thought green was just for Treehuggers.”

Green Homes no longer look like they did in the 70’s. They now look normal and very diverse. Professionals who would not consider themselves “greenies” are adopting green practices. People can now see the real benefit of these practices and want to implement them in their own lives.

“How will I talk to my customers about my green practices?”

A home should be built to last a lifetime. This challenges concrete workers to build the best foundation that they can. Careful attention to detail now will help prevent water and moisture problems in the future and proper insulation techniques will save the owner money on their utility bills.

“Why should I care about the environment?”

Using less concrete and other materials on a jobsite will save you and the client money.
Concrete lasts a long time, but a lot of energy goes into making the product. Using construction methods that use less concrete really add up over time.
Foundations comprise part of the building envelope and therefore need to be insulated. Insulation is the cornerstone of energy conservation.

“What kind of training am I going to give my team?”

- Greenbuilding.com has a team of green building specialists. One of our trainers can come to your business to train your team.
- We have foundation specialists.
- We can provide a one-day training to get your team ready to transition to green. This training will include marketing your business as green.

“What should I do first?”

- Read our Green Foundation’s Transition Guide below.
- Our guide is organized with the easiest changes listed first and those that may take longer listed last

 

Click on the link below for a print friendly version to take with you to the jobsite. Post for for your crew to know more about green building practices and technologies.

 

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