{Re}habitat

Replacing the windows in a home or business is one of the most common remodeling jobs an owner will have done. It can also be one of the most expensive. The owner of a typical two-story home can expect to replace between 15 and 20 windows total. Each window will usually cost between $500 and $700 installed. (Please note that this price is an estimate : prices will vary depending on region, manufacturer, type of window installed, and type of window being replaced). That puts the average total cost of replacing windows for a two-story home at more than $10,000 in most cases. However, if the replacement windows installed are upgraded (such as with low-e glass, triple-pane windows, and argon gas) for appearance and energy efficiency, the total can easily approach $20,000.

Brownfields are properties that are contaminated with hazardous substances and pollutants that may complicate the properties’ expansion, redevelopment, or reuse. Despite this drawback, brownfield development appears to be increasing. According to the Green Building Market and Impact Report 2010 of the GreenBiz Group, LEED resulted in an estimated 8,800 acres of brownfield reclamation in 2010 vs. 4,800 acres in the previous year. Reclaimed brownfield acres are forecast to grow to over 17,000 acres and 27,000 acres by 2020 and 2030, respectively.

In this second addition of “ROI-Driven Products," we take a look at insulation, which is a big part of a building’s envelope. When insulation is installed correctly, it provides the necessary R-value to meet the thermal demands of the region and the comfort demands of the building’s occupants. With energy prices on the rise, building envelopes have come under more and more scrutiny. Homeowners and business owners alike are now seeing the need to improve the building envelope and increase its overall efficiency.

Builders looking for a sustainable, environmentally friendly product may want to consider Accoya^® wood, which matches or exceeds the durability and stability of the very best tropical hardwoods. Accoya, made from fast-growing softwoods, was introduced to the North American market in 2008. The process used to make Accoya is called acetylation, which has been studied for over 80 years. Accsys Technologies, the makers of Accoya wood, built its production facility in 2007.

Faucets account for more than 15% of a home’s indoor water consumption. A low-flow WaterSense-labeled bathroom sink faucet can reduce that consumption by more than 30%. That equates to nearly 500 gallons of water per year. Much like a showerhead, a low-flow faucet will also create an energy savings by reducing demand on the water heater. This savings is small, about $10 per year, but it helps to create a total savings of $15 per year. Because a homeowner is more than capable of changing out a faucet, the total installed price can be less than $100, depending on preference and quality. This allows for a simple payback of under seven years, and an ROI of approximately 15%.

A standard residential showerhead uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute (gpm). However, a low-flow WaterSense-labeled showerhead uses only 2 gpm. That is a reduction of 20%, which can lead to a total household water savings of 2,300 gallons per year. Since this will also ease the demand on water heaters, it can create an energy savings of 300 kilo-watt hours per year as well. Assuming the same $10 per kilo-gallon charge as above, and $0.10 per kilo-watt hour of electricity, a WaterSense-labeled showerhead will create a total savings of more than $50 a year. This relates nicely to an average showerhead’s total installed price of $200, allowing a simple payback of four years with an ROI of 25%. Keep in mind that the ROI will be much higher if the installation is done by the homeowner.

Most people don’t realize that nearly 65% of all urinals in use today exceed the maximum allowable flush standards set by the federal government. This shortfall indicates a tremendous opportunity for building owners and managers to reduce their operating expenses through the implementation of high-performance, low-flow urinals.

Toilets are responsible for nearly 30% of the indoor water consumption in a typical U.S. home. In addition, a toilet made before 1994 can use over three times the water a new toilet uses. This makes the replacement of a home’s existing toilets a high priority when it comes to home and building improvements.