09 Apr Waste Diversion, Lean Construction & Solar for Home Builders

At the fourth installment of the Green Boots seminar (Greater Austin Home Builders Association) three of the five presentations particularly stood out for me. Here are my main take-aways from those three:

Money in the Dumpster by Wayne Jeansonne of Solluna Builders – On average the construction of a house produces about 4 tons of waste! Avoid keeping a dumpster on the construction site which will invite neighbors to dump their unwanted whatevers. Instead have a pen for lumber scraps and sorting bins for other materials. Thankfully there a few deconstruction companies around Austin truly committed to landfill diversion. Companies like DAR and River City Roll-Offs (97% diversion rate).

The Lean Construction Approach by Matt & Ben of Risinger Homes – By incorporating lean concepts like “pull planning,” serious strategic planning and collaborative team focus, these guys completed construction of a high-end, custom home a few weeks ahead of schedule and more than 10% under budget. Beyond the lean strategies themselves, the collaborative dialogue and attention to team dynamics required by a lean approach made a significant difference in meeting quality, schedule and budget constraints. In weekly meetings with subcontractors and tradespeople, they would ask “What potential barriers do you see to keeping this project on track? How can we work with you to overcome them?” See Lean Construction Institute for more on this approach.

Solar for Home Builders by Cathy Redson of Native – Don't miss the opportunity to capture the free energy falling on the roof! Some considerations for designing a solar-ready roof include a south/southwest facing area of roof with enough room for around 30 solar panels (maybe 300+ square-feet) that has no vent stacks, or chimneys. PV electrical conduit rough-in and a couple of spots at the bottom of the electrical panel for PV system breakers also make installation much easier.