What is Green Building and how does Alchemy Construction accomplish this ?

Green building, simply put, is building with quality in mind and placing an emphasis on a systems approach to the built environment. At Alchemy Construction we offer energy-efficient, high performance buildings that are comfortable to live and work in.

Green Building Concrete and radiant floor in Humboldt We follow these three principles in our sustainable building practices:
  1. Resource Conservation
  2. Indoor Air Quality
  3. Energy Efficiency

Resource Conservation:
All recyclable materials from all job sites are separated and taken to our local Humboldt County recycling centers in Eureka and Arcata. This includes Concrete, green (wood) waste, & copper scraps to name a few. We also work with local Architects in the design phase to help in specifications of resourceful materials for a given project. This can include advanced framing techniques and Engineered and or FSC lumber, concrete tilt-up walls, or Insulated Concrete Forms allowing the resourceful use of building materials.  In addition we consider Life Cycle costs of specific materials and how far these materials must travel to minimize their carbon footprint. Alchemy Construction received the Humboldt County waste management award for our green remodel of Arcata Muffler into Café Brio in 2007.

Indoor Air Quality:
According to the US Environmental Protection agency, People spend on average, 90% or more of their time indoors. We feel as though Comfort and Indoor Air quality are paramount to a successful Alchemy Structure. We have been installing radiant heating systems for over 10 years and feel as though this is the best suited heating system for Humboldt County. We also specialize in Architectural Concrete floors. By mixing concrete and in floor heat we can eliminate the use of other materials such as carpet, wood, and tile, which saves money and promotes a locally produced flooring material with quite a long lifespan.

Energy Usage:
Alchemy Construction takes energy usage seriously. We were one of the first contracting firms in Humboldt County to adopt modulating condensing boilers in all of our radiant systems. We utilize solar thermal and solar electric systems and have 2 radiant heating systems running off of Geothermal heat sources. We were featured in the Radiant Heating Report for 2008 for our commitment to green building practices utilizing solar thermal and radiant heating. Our homes are tightly insulated with blown in cellulose and/or spay in foam. Water conservation is a priority and duel flush toilets and energy star appliances are utilized throughout our structures.