What is "true" Sustainability?

HOW SUSTAINABLE IS BUILDING INNOVATION OR THE “NEW BUILDING” YOU WANT TO PUT UP? ARE YOU EVEN THINKING SUSTAINABILITY? - GREEN? - EARTH FRIENDLY? ENERGY EFFICIENT?

IF NOT — MAYBE YOU SHOULD. AS IN WHAT ARE WE GOING TO LEAVE BEHIND FOR OUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN?

AND IF YOU ARE … YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK OF SUSTAINABILITY IN LONGER TERM EFFECTS AS WELL…

Because, if you really think about - allot of the things we call GREEN - SUSTAINABLE - EARTH FRIENDLY… are only such for the SHORT TERM. Oh sure, their performance can have long term affects - and that is important too! But what happens when they wear out? When their performance is no longer “good enough”??? Then what? Ever think of that?

Often times - the so called Green Products we use eventually “die” and then what? Are they able to be recirculated? Recycled? Re-used? Re-stored? Revamped? Allot of time - the answer is NO! They end up in trash dumps, land fills - or worse, hidden or pushed aside to become clutter or POLLUTION in one form or another… Do we ever think of “life after death” for “things”??

The sustainability of any “product” is actually linked to the sustainability of its outcomes and to what happens after it is no longer usable! Sustainable products - or in this case “BUILDINGS” must be cognizant of how they are packaged together - for efficiency, compatibility, use and then post use… considering the energy and resources they use to construct and maintain, the wastes they produce and then how they will be disposed of. One would be surprised how much of our “products” end up in landfills because there is just nothing else that can be sustainably done with them!!! Ever think about that?

We must be sustainably innovative, not only with product performance - but with the product ITSELF! Instead of simply focusing on “energy use/consumption/saving”, true sustainable construction must view and evaluate the total package… from supply, through installation, through use/maintenance, to life cycle end use/disposal. If we don’t do that - the loop of waste does not close to ZERO and we just defer the potential problems to another generation…
Using steel where steel is needed (in super structure) - adds to a longer shelf life of your building just for starters. And when the time is up - you can take all the steel and RECYCLE it all! Of course going totally ALL -STEEL has it’s drawbacks - including being limited to shell/envelope materials… so by using a stand alone designed framework like that offered by PERKA BUILDING FRAMES, designed for easy assembly and finish friendly, you can then add on ANY other green, truly sustainable materials that are not only closed loop but ALSO appealing to look at and comfortable to work, play and live in.

After all - how we HUMANS feel as we LIVE out our LIVES - is as much about sustainable innovation as anything else. If we are happy, high spirited and filled with GOOD feelings, we not only live happier, better - but we will die happier, better too…. and leaving a healthy body, still filled with sustainable vital organs, could be the greatest gift of a closed loop system we could offer to our children’s children… don’t you think?

How’s that for closing a loop on building sustainably!!??

Let’s BUILD for CHANGE!

Cheers

"Alone we may travel quicker, but together we travel further"... author unknown

Photo taken from http://www.wholesysteminnovation.com/blog/ClosedLoopMetabolicDevelopmentSystem3.php

Time is NOW for affordable carbon zero/sustainable living

It seems changes/choices/opportunities are coming at us faster and faster every day as more and more folks are having to face the realities of an economy that just isn’t working! Layoffs, business closings, cut backs, shorter work weeks - less disposable income… What has brought us to this? Some experts are pointing to very simply: WASTE!

We have just bought, consumed, acquired and or still have, more than we need! And alot of that was done on BORROWED monies, that can no longer be paid back, which only causes our whole situation to get even worse!!!

I don’t mean to sound negative or hope less - God knows my Dad would cringe if that is what I was doing… NO, this is POSITIVE! If it weren’t for this major wake up call, would I even be writing about this now? Would so many people be talking and debating about what are we going to do???

YES THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL PEOPLE! We must stop WASTING! If we don’t NEED it, don’t get it। If we don’t use it - pass it on - share it - sell it - give it to someone who will. If you can’t PAY for it now - don’t buy it now. We all know the banking system and lending policies is a big cause of what has brought many of us to our proverbial knees - begging each other to hang with us - while we figure things out and get things moving again. Unless you still have some reserves, you’re probably not going to last very long playing the old game… and if you do - let’s realize now there are many great opportunities now to collaberate and actually HELP correct things along the way. Bottom line though is - we can’t fix any of it by going back to same old ways… Things have to change - systems have to change - our habits have to change … including the way we build things!!

TEAM PERKA is fervent about being part of the solution. Our open web structural steel trusses and frames are soundly and soulfully crafted with the highest grade recycled materials… While it may not exactly bring you a ZERO carbon print - it is nonetheless GREATLY reduced. MORE IMPORTANTLY, by being a material of such structurally sound integrity, we choose to design these trusses and frames as independent free standing units. SOVEREIGN. Unlike most wood buildings and MANY steel building (RIGID FRAME, LIGHT GAUGE STEEL) producers - our designers do not incorporate the shell or envelope components into the design of the truss/frame… Our system allows the structure to stand alone - to allow you Mr./Ms. contractor or you Mr./Ms. do-it-yourselfer to be able to put up, on and around the structure ANY material you want — and preferably Earth Friendly! So even if the envelope you choose does not have structural integrities per se, PERKA’s steel frames will accomodate this।

This opens the doors to all kinds of permutations of styles, shapes, sizes and combinations of building options - and, at same time, keeping a strong, durable, reliable skeleton frame system on which to apply your individual artful sustainable materials।

While maybe a bit extreme for most yet, below is a link to an example of an almost pure carbon zero/sustainable building… but as it says - it is still quite labor intensive and somewhat limiting to the useable space and structurally sound framing options… We propose PERKA BUILDING FRAMES as your answer to building affordably, building strong, building sound and building with an answer to being a solution to some of today’s world wide concerns.
See http://www.earthship.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=557:earthship-village-ecologies&catid=44:communities&Itemid=37.

DID YOU KNOW?? Another way of putting things!!

Greetings,

Perka Buildings manufactures stand alone sovereign steel frames that are specially designed for EZ install for Do-It-Yourselfers. We are also very conscious of our product and overall business carbon footprint, and choose to incorporate features into our system to save on materials, time and effort not only for assembly, but to insulate, maintain and finish. The Perka Frame is versatile and flexible enough to be able to accept virtually ANY earth friendly material for it’s envelope, thus not only facilitating the “organic home”, “eco building” or ”Greening” ideals, but also provides a still very important concern for strength and integrity for structure and content safety, including a longer lifespan which is also consistent with a closed loop sustainable construct.