Breckenridge Real Estate Blog

Some people who live in Breckenridge, Colorado homes in Summit County—like others I the general population—have developed Environmental Illness (EI) from a lifetime of immersion in the pollution of the cities.  Although our Rocky Mountain communities of Keystone CO homes, Dillon, Silverthorne, Frisco, and Breckenridge real estate and others in Park County have been proactive in reducing toxins in the outside air, the inside air also needs attention.

Symptoms of EI emerge or crest when an already sensitized person comes in contact with yet another toxin.  These are usually the first people to try to build a green home free of dust and pollutants.  Another segment of environmentally responsible folks are building green for a different reason and that is to save energy and resources.

Both are in luck.  With new technologies, discoveries, and medical studies pointing towards the benefits of environmentally conscious construction, the choices for Breckenridge homeowners and builders who are developing real estate in Breckenridge have exponentially expanded.  They can find much more efficient sustainable finishing materials and energy efficiency.

Paint and finishing materials are a common source of indoor air pollutants.  Sensitive residents can be miserably affected by off gassing for one to two years.  The most common way for homeowners to take a step to a more pure environment is to choose low and no-VOC paint.  VOC is an acronym for volatile organic compounds.  Newer, more durable paint products are now cost competitive with other high-end paints on the market and come in every color in the rainbow.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, many VOC paints emit 2-5 times the toxins used indoors than they do outdoors.  Many consumers are not aware of this information but a growing number of painters are privy to the health hazards of working with highly toxic substances day in and day out.  They are informing their clients and many are choosing less toxic options.

On the other hand, other established painters refuse.  They’ve tried the less-toxic paints years before they were perfected and keep them at a distance.  It is true that the less toxic paints take a little longer to dry, even today, but painters can schedule around that fact.

As far as structure goes, from straw-bale homes to recycled structures, the industry is improving and promoting energy efficiency while reducing toxicity levels.

The biggest factor involved in increasing the R-value of a home and reducing energy consumption is insulation.  A tight envelope sealing off leaks is imperative.  For new construction, many people are choosing spray-in foam or batts from post-industrial denim waste to insulate.  Designers can adjust the layout to accommodate weather and daylight to maximize the energy savings.  People really wanting to move off of the common energy grid can look into improved geothermal heating systems, solar panels and wind-generated electricity.  Existing homeowners can choose to retro-insulate, especially if they are opening up exterior walls for a remodel.

Whatever steps you take, follow your personal goals, priorities, and ethics for a winning formula.