Our Green Philosophy
At Guide Construction Solutions we know we’re not perfect, but we are compelled to continuously improve how we guide towards sustainable building solutions.
We have developed a deep respect for the land that we operate in, as we have traveled through it many times. As guide’s in our industry, it is our passion and duty to communicate our values in sustainable building. Guide Construction Solutions has the capability and knowledge to implement the most cutting edge green building technologies and materials into homes, and in a perfect world everyone would be able to build this way. The reality is that sustainable building is more expensive and not always feasible within budgets. We work with our clients to incorporate sustainable means and methods into their homes on any level. Our respect and appreciation for Vermont’s land drives us to think consciously about how our work impacts the environment. Guide Construction Solutions has set standards in how we build and what we build with in order to maximize our own efficiency and minimize the waste we produce as builders. We know we’re on the journey, but we haven’t arrived yet.
Our “Green” Self-Evaluation
Cutting Edge Heating, Cooling, and Ventilation Systems
An efficient home is a green home. At Guide Construction Solutions we are deeply committed to renovating existing homes and building new homes which have the highest levels of insulation, air-sealing and performance characteristics. We aim to create homes which approach and even achieve the point of producing as much energy as they consume. This is a core specialty of Guide Construction Solutions and we consider ourselves very good at doing this in the most cost efficient manner. In 12 years of working with Efficiency Vermont we have improved over 200 homes and helped keep over 4 million lbs of Co2 greenhouse gas emissions from getting into the environment.
Green Materials & Methods
We are deeply committed to the environment, but our approach is somewhat conservative. We feel strongly about not introducing new and “cutting edge” approaches into your home until they are thoroughly tested and proven. At Guide Construction Solutions our happy place is consciously finding ourselves just slightly behind the “cutting edge” of green technology to ensure the most reliable outcomes for you. If we do push into the cutting edge we take great care to know the territory well before we lead you into it.
Waste Management & Recycling
This is perhaps the biggest struggle toward green practices that Guide Construction Solutions faces. We feel we have room to improve here. We tend to choose getting stuff done over managing our waste and recycling. Sure we recycle all the cardboards, and all the untreated wood is used for heating fuel, but there are a lot of other packaging items and treated materials which end up in the waste stream. We know we can do better and are committed to an improvement plan in 2023.
Designing for Smaller Spaces & Smaller Carbon Footprint
We are driven by design which exemplifies simplicity, beauty and efficiency. At Guide Construction Solutions small is a BIG word for us. We find over and over again that people are happier living in smaller, well designed spaces rather than larger spaces. Small spaces cost less, they allow for a lot of fun and innovative living solutions and they are easier to maintain over the long term. We are particularly good at providing surprising designs which celebrate the “just big enough” philosophy. Small Spaces + Smaller Budgets= Nurturing our environment and nurturing people. We are passionate about unlocking creative solutions that make people say “WOW! I had no idea we could accomplish that in this little space.”
Outreach & Education
It is our mission to Guide our clients in every aspect of their design & build journey. It is your journey, and while we care about the environment, we also know that any given family or individual has many goals and many constraints. At Guide Construction Solutions it is our goal to understand the journey you want to take and align it with the journey you can take. We don’t judge. Everyone has a number of goals in a project and we are 100% committed to helping you sort them out in a way that is feasible in the short term and viable in the long-term.
Monitoring & Tracking Results
If you can’t measure it, is it really happening? We have ongoing contact with previous clients regarding the long term savings and durability of their homes. Although we have remote solar array monitoring systems, we follow up with clients about actual cost savings, we are working to better prove the long run green impact of the work we complete.