Green Building

u Alternative Energy u Masonry Fireplaces u Outdoor Bread Ovens u Plans u

u Protection of Vegetation during Construction u

There is a lot of talk about green building these days. 

Is it just 

"green wash"? 

It seems that people are all excited about the "new" green products, but are they really green? Is bamboo flooring, that is shipped thousands of miles, grown in converted jungle and glued together really as green as locally grown solid hardwood flooring? Is geo-thermal (a heat pump similar to a air conditioner compressor) with all the pumps, gasses and antifreeze solution truly a better way to heat your home than a very efficient masonry heater that uses local scrap wood for fuel and works without electricity?

It's not easy being green

At Eco-Building & Forestry, LLC. we can help guide you through the maze of choices in environmental building.We are constantly searching out better ways to do things. In many cases the products and services we created and began using ten years ago are just now becoming popular. Eco-Building & Forestry, LLC. was one of the first businesses in Wisconsin to:

• Insulate under concrete slabs
• Install cement siding
• Build masonry heaters
• Use engineered wood products
• Design sunrooms that heat homes
• Install and regularly use a wood-fired brick oven
• Install a wind generator
• Design exterior LED light fixtures
• Install large rain harvesting systems
• Build a simple composting toilet
• Replace pressure treated lumber with local rot resistant hardwoods
• Experiment with edible plants for home and roof shading
• Build and install drip irrigation kits  to more rapidly establish vegetation on disturbed building sites

We Promote Aesthetics
A major complaint we hear about green design by others is that it looks ugly. While many green industry pioneers are working on function alone with little or no regard for aesthetic appeal, it doesn't have to be that way! We create designs that integrate all of the property components to create a seamless, aesthetic and functional design.

We Combine Reliable Methods with Cutting Edge Technologies
One of the most alarming things we see in the alternate energy community is the complete lack of care and knowledge about the environment outside the building itself. This narrow mindedness can leave people with very expensive alternate energy equipment that doesn’t reach it’s potential.Our philosophy is to use as much tried and true "old technology" with modern innovation to capture the first 80% of efficiencies and energy savings in our projects. This saves property owners tremendous amounts of money now and significantly reduces the maintenance hassle in the future. What are some of the "old reliables"? Suitable style of structures for your climate and environment, proper siting of buildings to take advantage of the environment, comfortable passive solar systems, clean & efficient wood heating, low tech cooling & food storage, use of existing vegetation for warming and cooling homes and integration of outdoor areas with the building structures.

We offer Job Coordination & Customer Advocacy Services
Another area of concern is that property owners are not represented by the people doing the actual building and this causes miscommunications and problems during the job cycle. Our experience is that builders like to build, excavators like to excavate and plumbers like to plumb, but no one is the advocate for the property owner. Eco-Building & Forestry’s job is to be the advocate for our customer and provide the much needed continuity for their job.

We Offer Planning Services
Whether your project is a new build or a retrofit, you’ll need a plan. The first place to start your green build project is with an Eco-Plan. Our Eco-Plan even takes into account the affect that your project will have on your property taxes and how to minimize that affect; an important consideration in Wisconsin. An Eco-Plan has the following benefits:The short and long-term costs are known in advance  of the entire project. Fewer mistakes. Do the job once and do it right. Cost savings by doing all of the same sort of things at one time. Energy efficiencies by using all of the property  resources to your benefit. Time savings by making early decisions on  maintenance and functionality. Increased comfort derived from applied science design. Improved health and wellness by integrating design  into a healthy lifestyle. Enhancement to the existing environment instead of damage to it. Legal and accounting issues are properly handled during the project.

We Offer Construction Services
Once planning is complete, Eco-Building & Forestry, LLC. will be your team leader in getting your project started, overseeing actual construction and working with you until completion.We assist our customers in selecting the products and the contractors responsible to do the work. If you have a particular contractor you enjoy working with, but who doesn't have all of the green products you desire we can help. Eco-Building & Forestry and our extensive network of green builders can assist your contractor in installations.

How to Get Started
If you are interested in green building for your next project then a visit to the home of Kathy and Tom Girolamo is in order. Eco-Building & Forestry, LLC. offers a complimentary consultation at our location. Come and see how our established projects are doing and what new and exciting things we are working on in green building and sustainable landscaping! Call for an appointment during our regular business hours.