How to Save Energy in the Building Industry
Autumn E. Sabo

In these difficult economic times, many home buyers and owners are seeking extra ways to save energy and cash. Businesses in the building sector are trying to save money and energy too, while attracting customers and helping the environment by being “green.” Veridian Homes, Weather Shield, and INOV8 International are three Wisconsin companies in the building industry taking measures to be Earth-friendly.

Veridian Homes, Inc.
All Veridian-built homes (http://www.veridianhomes.com/) are Energy Star (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_homes.hm_index) and Green Built certified (http://wi-ei.org/greenbuilt/index.php?category_id=3981), which means that they meet various energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and erosion control standards. According to Gary Zajicek, Veridian’s Vice President of Construction, “Not all customers understand what an Energy Star and/or Green Built home is. What is interesting, though, is when we visit our customers after closing. They are very happy… because of the energy savings they are incurring...” And it doesn’t necessarily cost more for a greener house that is built with certified sustainable wood, low VOC coatings, and reused and recycled materials. Veridian combines these items with basic building techniques, correctly done, to yield a high performance finished product. Their green practices are not just to please their customers though, “the lakes and rivers that make up the City of Madison and surround Dane County, we have an opportunity to help clean them up with our actions,” says Zajicek.

Weather Shield Manufacturing, Inc.
Veridian Homes buys from Weather Shield Manufacturing, Inc. because they have “a great reputation for producing high quality energy efficient windows,” according to Zajicek. While Weather Shield, based out of Medford, WI, has many green products and practices, their Corporate Environmental Manager, Richard Harding, is most proud of their recent shift to rail transport. Since 2004, they have reduced the need for 1,660 truck loads and associated road deterioration and traffic, saved 183,150 gallons of fuel, and reduced tailpipe emissions including 4 million pounds of carbon dioxide (the primary greenhouse gas responsible for climate change). “If you handle bulk goods, look at developing a rail transport system,” advises Harding. If companies can allow for one to two weeks of lead time with shipments, using rail is extremely cost effective and can result in significant reductions in air pollution. For guidance, go to http://www2.uwsuper.edu/trans/ under Resources and Research Reports to download a Rail Study - Toolkit. Harding says that Weather Shield’s environmentally-friendly changes have “helped to keep the company solvent” and have been supported by its owners because “if we don’t get on board [with the green revolution] we will be left behind.” View information about Weather Shield’s other Going Green initiatives at http://www.weathershield.com/.

INOV8 International, Inc.
Environmental stewardship is the core principle of INOV8’s philosophy (http://www.inov8-intl.com/). Founder Harry Foust tells us that “INOV8 products are designed to utilize wastes that are difficult and expensive to dispose of as fuel. Using waste oil on-site for energy recovery saves the consumption of new fuels.” INOV8 manufactures furnaces, boilers, and burners for homes and businesses worldwide that run safely on standard fuels as well as alternative and used fuels including bio-diesel, jet fuel, mineral sprits, glycerin, and crankcase, transmission, and vegetable oils. “Renewable energy fuels, such as seed crops grown by our farmers...could greatly reduce our dependence [on fossil fuels] while reducing carbon emissions. Each year in the U.S. restaurants generate over two billion gallons of waste oil that could be used as fuel onsite…” says Foust. He believes that “most folks inherently desire to be responsible citizens and just need to be shown how.”

If you are interested in exploring ways to reduce energy usage and air emissions in your buildings, please contact Ed Jepsen at edward.jepsen@wisconsin.gov or 608-266-3538.