Green Build Boston Show Review

This week we attended the Build Boston show in Boston MA and got free passes to the Greenbuild Expo which was also held in Boston.  The Green Build Expo had the largest WOW factor of any show that I have ever attended!  From the vendor selection to the layout to even the free beverage stands, the show was a model of what a Green Show should look like.

The Green Build expo’s security did a good job keeping out the random people off the street who just attend events for something to do.  This allowed the vendors to handout all sorts of goodies to people that might actually use their goods and or services.  While the show floor had thousands of people at all times, the venue was so large that we never once felt crowded.  Most of the booths that we visited were staffed by knowledgeable people who could answer all of the questions that we asked of them.  This green show was not staffed by sexy college girls working for $15 an hour without an interest in promoting a product line.

We walked the show floor of the Green Build Expo from about 3pm until it closed at 6pm on both Wednesday and Thursday.  The 6 hours that we spent on the show floor was about really not enough time to meet with all of the vendors that we had an interest in talking to.  If you are planning to attend the show next year, I would suggest being there from when the doors open until they close each day.

Greenbuild Boston Expo Highlights

RECYCLING BINS

If you have ever spent any time on my blog you would know that I have a thing for recycling and recycling bins.  In fact, I love to take pictures of recycling bins and see if people actually used them based on their design, placement and ease of use.  I feel that one of the highlights of this Green Show is the amount of vendors who were selling recycling bins, recycling garbage stations, solar powered recycling stations and recycling products in general.  Another thing of interest was that they actually had staffing at some of the shows recycling stations to educate people on what garbage goes in what bin.  I found out that my coffee cup belonged in the composting bin, I did not even know that coffee cups could be composted!

DRAINING EXTERIOR SURFACES

Gone are the days of rain water run off issues since almost every exterior surface that you could dream of is now being made to drain water.  Several vendors had running water displays to show how their asphalt, stone and other exterior surfaces could drain water.  Some of these displays were several inches thick and they drained water from a garden hose as quick as the water could be applied!

REPLACEMENT WINDOWS

Since I own a replacement window company in Boston I love to learn about all of the new glass technology as it is invented and rolled out into the market place.  When you have several different glass and window companies showing off their new inventions it keeps the whole industry on their toes with new inventions.  The triple pane replacement windows that are in the market place today perform several times better than windows from even 5 years ago!  One of the vendors had windows with built in solar panels, another had a skylight with a built in water heater!

EXPANDING LIVING SPACE WITHOUT ADDITIONS

I’m a big fan of expanding your living space without expanding the foot print of your home (building an addition).  We talked to a vendor of the only green certified basement system on the market.  I never knew that basement systems were in the market place that actually looked attractive unlike ones that look like they belong in mobile homes!  The vendor’s R-17 wall system that has zero potential for mold/mildew issues was so impressive that my company might add it to our product line!

Another impressive system was a system that is used on flat roofs to suspend a decking system above the roof that will not harm the roof.  The system looks like a great way for commercial buildings to add outdoor space without ripping up lawns or disturbing the environment.

In conclusion, I would suggest this show to and Green Building Professional and anyone who has any interest in green products, green vendors or ideas on how to “green up” their home or business.  Over the next few weeks I will update this post or create new posts in order to highlight some of the green products that we found interesting.

As the winter comes to a close, it is a good time to examine your heating bills to see where you can make some money saving changes. One of the major causes of high heating bills are doors and windows that let your warm air escape and the cold air enter. Experts agree that you can save between 20% and 40% on your heating and cooling bills just by replacing your doors and windows.

Replacement Entry Doors

Replacement entry doors include the frame of the door and the door itself. This assembly is generally referred to as a pre-hung door. The biggest benefit of a pre-hung door is that the weather stripping on the frame are perfectly matched to the door. If the door is installed properly it should keep out rain and very strong wind. Another benefit is that steel and fiberglass entry doors are filled with foam insulation that reduces heat loss.

Storm Doors

Storm doors are a great solution if you have drafty entry doors and you can not afford to replace the whole entry door. Adding a storm door prevents or retards wind and rain from hitting your entry door.

Replacement Windows

Replacement windows are the #1 home improvement when it comes to fighting high heating and cooling bills. Most of the new replacement windows have 2 or 3 layers of glass compared to most homes that only have a single layer of glass. These new double or triple pane windows contain Argon or Krypton gas between the panes that act like and insulation to reduce the transfer of heat. The new windows also use a product called Low E which is a film that helps prevent heat transfer and reduces the amount of harmful UV rays that enter your home.

Weather Stripping

If your budget is small and you can’t control the heat loss around your doors and windows, weather stripping is a good short term solution. For around $75.00 you can buy enough materials to weather strip the doors and windows on the average home.

Testing Your Doors and Windows

This is the fun part! Borrow a shop vacuum from a neighbor or use any vacuum with an exhaust hose to blow air towards your windows and doors. Have one person outside with the vacuum while you stand inside and feel for the drafts. You should retest your doors and windows after your repairs to make sure that your repairs worked.