Responsible construction practices are another important aspect of a well- rounded, environmentally sound building project. Before your contractor breaks ground, let him know what you expect during your project. Many contractors aren't aware of these approaches to building, but with your guidance your building project can be much more green.

minimal site disruption: work with your contractor to determine the exact location of your home and then determine where workers will park. If your land has delicate native plants and grasses, insist that workers park elsewhere or they will drive right up to the most convenient place for them to unload their tools. Fence the areas that you don't want disturbed by the construction. (This is the only way to ensure compliance.) Protect trees and shrubs with fencing too. Your contractor will need a reasonable amount of space around your new home to do his work, but beyond that, no land needs to be disrupted. Be vigilant! If you suddenly find the land has been destroyed and workers are gone, it’s too late. Keep an eye on them from the beginning.

eliminate waste before it begins: strategic planning in design and before construction can make a big difference in the amount of waste created at the job site. If your home is designed in standard dimensions, your builder will use standard sized materials that won't have to be modified, thus reducing scrap. Using scrap lumber for blocking or, in some cases, as headers can reuse what would otherwise be wasted. Accurate lumber take-offs eliminate extra materials and engineered wood ordered to exact sizes reduces waste.

recycle: inevitably, there will be waste on the job site. This waste can be recycled in many ways. Wood scraps can be cut into small pieces and burned in your fireplace or wood stove. Rent a chipper to chip any branches or wood products to use as mulch. Get some 55 gallon drums or make wire containers and label them clearly for glass, cardboard and aluminum. Place them conveniently around the job site and let your contractor know that it's important that the workers recycle the waste without mixing materials. Bribing them with a cooler of soft drinks occasionally may help get compliance!

hire a local recycling company: depending on where you are located, there might be an enterprising company in your area that will take care of recycling your job site waste for you. Compare the cost to the traditional tipping fees charged by your landfill and you may find the price to be quite competitive. Your local home builders association will probably have information on where to recycle job site waste if you decide to do it yourself. Habitat for Humanity takes useable construction materials as does the Salvation Army and you can get tax credits for donating.

If you are committed to making as little impact on the land as possible when building your home, you will find many resources out there to help you. If you come across any new ideas during your project, let us know! We'll add them to this Web site for future customers to use.

How are all of these concepts applied to a real, live project? Follow the project link to see how!