Guidelli & Company is very committed to sustainable design and environmentally friendly construction practices. We endeavor to assist our clients in integrating intelligent and affordable approaches to sustainability in their homes, and can act as consultants to them in assessing the value, and cost structure, of the different conservation strategies that are available.
In practice, we believe the single most cost effective step in environmental design is in the improvement of the building envelope. Efficiency and performance in this area can have positive impacts on all of the systems in the house, and can be achieved with the least incremental cost increase to the client. The envelope can be improved with careful attention to appropriate insulation of each exterior section of the house, foundation walls, slabs, walls, glazing, floors and roofs. In each area, we help the client to choose the best material to effect both energy conservation and environmental concerns.
Additionally, where space permits, we encourage the use of multiple recycling dumpsters to avoid adding building waste to land fills. We purchase FSC materials whenever possible, and encourage the use of low VOC paints and other building products. We regularly donate unused or salvaged materials to the Boston Building Materials Cooperative to see that re-usable items are put in the hands of people who can use them – this also affords a tax break to the client for the charitable donation. Lastly, we have had experience in installing sustainable technologies like ground water driven geo thermal heating, cooling, and irrigation, to further decrease the carbon footprint of our clients’ homes.
