Recycling Building Materials in St Louis

Earlier this year I was asked to replace a leaking roof on a Patio of an Investment Property.  The job consisted of Removing the existing Mound City Clay Roof Tiles from the Porch Roof and replacing with Certain Teed 3 Tab-Shingles (Energy Star Rated). 

Rather than dispose of the Clay Roof Tiles in the local  landfill I choose to "Recycle" the roof tiles and am happy to report that they went to a good home and will be re-installed on future roofs by: "Old World Roofing Company Slate and Tile Specialists"

Mound City Clay Roof Tiles Recycled by Scotts Contracting

While I was at Old World Roofing Company and speaking with the business owner, Mr. Hagerty.  We discussed the aspects of his business that has his business backlogged with future projects into 2012.  I jumped at the opportunity to discuss and learn the various aspects that have made his business a success.  And was thrilled to learn that the things that have made his business a success are the same principles that I incorporate into my small business:

"Honesty and hard work, prompt customer service, keeping the customer informed of the progress on the job, and providing quality work!"

We also discussed the aspects that make the Clay Roofing tiles a Green and Sustainable product.  Clay Roofing Tiles-

• are traditionally made from locally available materials such as clay.

• Clay as a building material is one of the oldest building materials on Earth, among other ancient, naturally occurring geologic materials such as stone and organic materials like wood. Between one-half and two-thirds of the world's population, in traditional societies as well as developed countries, still live or work in a building made with clay as an essential part of its load-bearing structure.re-posted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay#Clay_as_a_building_material

• Clay minerals are typically formed over long periods of time by the gradual chemical weathering of rocks, usually silicate-bearing, by low concentrations of carbonic acid and other diluted solvents. These solvents, usually acidic, migrate through the weathering rock after leaching through upper weathered layers. In addition to the weathering process, some clay minerals are formed by hydrothermal activity. Clay deposits may be formed in place as residual deposits in soil, but thick deposits usually are formed as the result of a secondary sedimentary deposition process after they have been eroded and transported from their original location of formation. Clay deposits are typically associated with very low energy depositional environments such as large lakes and marine deposits.re-posted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay

In keeping with the Title of the Article: " Recycling is not just for Cans " I'd also like to point out that recycling also saves:

"Landfill Space, Reducing the Energy to manufacture new products ie: Reducing Global Warming, and re-using building products in the construction industry will also save you money." 

I encourage everyone to Re-use and Re-cycle!  If you are interested in recycling options on your next building project (St Louis Area) Scotts Contracting offers many options for recycling the building materials  and many times are tax deductible for added savings on your project.  Feel free to drop me a quick note by using the Contact form below and Scotty, Scotts Contracting will return your request asap.

Additional Articles by Scotts Contracting

• Frost or Snow on Roof or Lack Snow is a sure sign... (scottscontracting.wordpress.com)
• CAD Detail Heat and Cold Loss-2×4 Wall (scottscontracting.wordpress.com)
• Fall Weatherization Services Offer (scottscontracting.wordpress.com)

Tracking two important EPA pollution rules

Tracking two important EPA pollution rules

November 3rd, 2011 › Climate Action, Coal › Josh Galperin, Esq. ›

In the past few weeks, new information has become publicly available about two important pending rules from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). One rule would set the first-ever, national standards for greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Know as the greenhouse gas New Source Performance Standard (GHG NSPS) rule, EPA announced on October 29 that it would undergo further delay before publication. This delay is the third such delay since the GHG NSPS rule was originally due last summer. But this time, the delay is not entirely bad news. Environmental groups and states have agreed to extend the deadline to November 30, 2011. The groups agreed to the delay in a letter sent to the Justice Department and said in the letter that this was reasonable, “In light of the progress made to date.”

EPA proposed another important rule in March of this year. This rule, known as the Mercury and Air Toxics rule or Mercury MACT rule, will set national emission standards for mercury and other hazardous air pollution from coal-fired power plants. EPA also recently announced a new date for finalization of the Mercury MACT rule. Previously, the deadline for the rule was November 16, but EPA now plans to release the final rule on December 16. Once again, this is seen as a generally positive development since it sets a date certain in the very near future. Moreover, utilities and some states were pushing to have the rule delayed by a full year, a proposition that the federal court explicitly rejected.

This minor delay is really a big win against those who are trying to push the rule indefinitely into the future. As currently proposed, the mercury rule will prevent 91 percent of mercury in coal burned at power plants from being released to the air, which will have a significant impact on human health and the environment. Given that the Southeast is home to almost 300 coal units that have collectivelyemitted over 20,000 pounds of mercury into the air in a single year, this rule would be a huge step forward in cleaning up the air and water in numerous states. Meanwhile the GHG NSPS rule would be a crucial first step in reducing our contribution to global climate change.

Together, these two policies represent significant steps forward in protecting human health and the environment. If these minor delays provide EPA with needed time or help to deflect unwarranted criticism, then it is a small price to pay.

Tracking two important EPA pollution rules

Green Home Renovation Tips for Fire Safety - Guest Post

Green Home Renovation Tips for Fire Safety-

Guest Post by: Ms Sally Davison 

When it comes to sustainable home construction and renovation, fire safety should also be a concern. Preventing fires is a green practice in itself, because fires present a serious threat to the environment in terms of emitting toxic smoke and chemicals and creating hazardous debris and waste. Firefighters also have to use a considerable amount of water to fight a fire, and this water can turn into dangerous runoff containing various chemicals.

Here are some areas of green home renovation that will make your home fire-resistant.

Insulation – Spray-foam insulation uses green products, saves energy, and resists fire. It is made from agriculturally based materials like soy and doesn't emit toxic vapors. It creates a perfect seal with no gaps in the wall, which keeps heat from leaking out and mold from growing. The materials are fire-resistant, and the air-tight seal keeps out oxygen that could feed a fire.

Natural Lighting – The use of natural lighting such as skylights and large windows can reduce the need for electric lighting in the day time. This saves energy and reduces the risk of something catching on fire near a hot light bulb.

Appliances – Old and poorly-maintained appliances pose a significant fire risk. Appliances that use lots of heat such as stoves, dryers, and microwaves should be in good working order. You may want to consider replacing some of your appliances with Energy Star certified ones, as these will use less energy and pose less of a fire risk.

Carpeting – Normal carpet fibers can quickly ignite from just a dropped cigarette or match. However, wool carpeting is flame retardant, difficult to ignite, and has low heat-release properties. It also emits fewer toxins and is a biodegradable, renewable resource.

Windows – Windows made with heat-reflective glass can significantly reduce the amount of heat that enters the home, which saves energy. They can also reflect up to 90 percent of the heat from a raging wildfire outside the home.

Roofing – Metal roofing made from materials such as aluminum or steel are sustainable and fire-safe. These types of materials are non-combustible and will not support a fire. They will also last a lifetime. Vegetative roof systems, which have a layer of soil and vegetation on the roof, can be fire-resistant if they are watered regularly. However, a roof with dry vegetation will actually increase the fire risk for a home.

Landscaping – Just by establishing a fire-safe landscape around your home, you will create a "green belt" to protect you from outside fires like wildfires. Remove all dead trees, shrubs, and plants at least 30 feet around your home. Eliminate low-hanging branches and shrubs growing under trees. Replace highly flammable plants and trees with fire-resistant ones like succulents, hedging roses and honeysuckles, and hardwood trees. Keep your landscape well-watered, especially during the dry season.

This article was written by Sally Davison. She owns the site Fire Science Degree [update7/11/2013-Good day to you, My name is Mark, and I'm writing as a representative of FireScienceDegree (dot) com. We recently acquired this domain and will, in the near future, begin editing and updating the content. If you look, the most recent blog post is from September 2011. Before we remove everything, I wanted to email as many of the webmasters and bloggers linking to us as possible. You found this information useful once, so I didn't want you caught with missing resources.] Sally is an experienced EMT and loves to write various articles about health and safety.

Guest Post Provided by: Scotts Contracting-St Louis Renewable Energy

CSP Design with Heat Recovery Unit-Designed by Scotts Contracting

UPDATE:  Concentrated Solar Power Design with Added Heat Recovery Unit-

• CSP-CAD Diagram designed by Scotty, Scotts Contracting-St Louis Renewable Energy Nov 1, 2011

Updated Concentrated Solar Power Photovoltaic Design with Added
Automatic Heat Recovery Unit for Dual Energy Savings

This is an update on the CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) design with Heat Recovery Unit for added energy savings.

Design Features:

• Parabolic Trough Focuses the Suns Rays onto the Receiver

• Photovoltaic Receiver creates Electricity and 

• Energy via the Automatic Heat Recovery Unit

Notes: 

• Many of the CSP designs on the Market today "create steam to generate electricity".  This design will create electricity efficiently via Photo-voltaic Cells in the receiver; thus eliminating the need for Steam Engines.  It also generates heat to be used in the Heat Recovery Unit (twice as much usable energy for today's home and business).

• Heat Recovery Unit incorporates a automatic air handler set by thermostat for transferring climatically controlled air movement.

• This design works exceptionally well during the winter time when the suns radiation is at it lowest radiation level-the loss of energy is minimized by the Heat Recovery Unit.   

• Concentrated Solar Power will soon be available for non-desert regions and easily adaptable for any region. 

• System allows for the'Receiver' to easily upgrade to new and developing Photovoltaic Cells for increased electrical output

Seeking Assistance to further Develop this CSP Design2.  Please use the Contact Form> for additional info and Scotty, Scotts Contracting will reply ASAP.