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When settlers first came to the Yampa Valley, they built cabins from logs harvested from trees on their own land. Today, between materials that are engineered and those that are imported from the other side of the world, the carbon footprint and ecological cost of construction materials is staggering. Purchasing materials within a 100-mile radius of your home will greatly reduce the carbon footprint of building.

For John Shively, who has been building homes in the Yampa Valley for 35 years, terms like “sustainable” and “green” when applied to building can be misleading. There’s a lot more to consider in the bigger picture and how impactful some of these materials that are billed as sustainable are going to function over the long run in terms of energy efficiency. “In terms of sustainability, the way I look at it is making a product that is low maintenance and uses a low amount of fuel to heat and cool the home in the long run. The best way to achieve that has a lot to do with quality construction and trying to make things as efficient as possible from the outset.”

Shively agrees sourcing local materials is a simple way to cut back on the carbon footprint of building your home. Here’s his list of top materials that can be found right here in the Yampa Valley.

Sustainability, cemented: Aggregate

While it might not be the most glamorous material, aggregate is concrete composed of geological materials such as gravel, sand, and crushed rock. The texture of the aggregate, whether it is coarse or fine, is determined by the size of the particles. The resulting concrete can be used in its natural state or crushed, based on the application. “Most of our aggregate we use in home building comes from right here in the valley,” Shively says. “We use it for foundations, patios, and driveways.”

It’s written in stone: Masonry

For many years, the cornerstone of mountain home design relied on using natural materials like river rock to evoke the surrounding landscape. “We use a lot of river rock from our local area, as well as moss rock from southern Wyoming,” Shively says. River rock is most commonly used for stone veneer on a home exterior.

Where it all began: Wood

Even though we’ve come a long way from those original mountain cabins, wood that is harvested in Colorado can still be the source of beautiful, strong materials. “Beams and posts can be sourced from local wood products,” Shively says. Beetle kill pine is also a great option because the wood is harvested from trees that were diseased and had to be cut down, but the wood has beautiful color and character. “I’ve used quite a bit of beetle kill for interior finishes, trim packages, doors, and ceiling and wall paneling. It’s beautiful wood, and it can be sourced locally.”

Reuse, repurpose, recycle: sourcing salvaged materials.

Another way to cut down on construction waste and to use materials that don’t have to be shipped halfway around the world is to salvage materials that have already been used. There are a few different ways to go about this. Look for fine woods, bricks, and other high quality materials that are often found in home demolitions, particularly in older homes, like the remodels and demolitions that tend to occur in Old Town Steamboat. “If you see a demo site, contact the construction company to inquire about taking away some of the materials that we’d otherwise have to pay to bring to the landfill,” Shively says. Another great resource is reusable materials found at the Habitat for Humanity Restore (there are stores in Silverthorne, Eagle and Glenwood Springs). These stores get a lot of furniture and interior finishes from hotels and other commercial projects that are lightly used and high quality. There are also online sources like woodfinder.com that allow you to research sawmills and other wood products by zip code.

Shively says ultimately the best way to build a truly sustainable home isn’t always about focusing on trending green products, but to make sure the home is well built and solidly built, period. “At the end of the day, it’s about quality work.”//shivelyconstruction.com

 


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