When the green contractor’s work is completed, most professional contractors will give you a written invoice that details the completed work. This invoice usually includes:

The green contractor’s name, physical address, and license number

A list of all services performed

The total cost of the green contractor construction project, including the amount due for labor

Any applicable guarantees or warranties provided by the green contractor and/or manufacturer

It’s wise to compare the completed work against the invoice. Make sure that the green construction project was completed to your satisfaction. If you have questions about the work that was done, this is the time to ask.

Before the green contractor leaves, confirm any warranties offered by the green contractor and/or manufacturers in Contra Costa County. The written warranty document must detail the following:

The green contractor’s name and physical address in Contra Costa County.

Your responsibility in the case of a problem with the green remodel or building project and what you need to do in order to redeem the warranty.

If the green building or remodel warranty is transferrable to the new owner in the event that you sell the structure the contractor has remodeled or built.

The length of time as well as limitations should be covered. Warranties should cover materials and workmanship, and names and addresses of the warrantor. This may include the contractor, manufacturer, and distributor.

The following are some of the green building industry’s most cost-efficient, popular remodel and building requests.

Water Efficiency Toilet & Showerhead Installation
This is the installation of energy efficient toilets and showerheads. By upgrading your toilet to a low flow model and installing low flow showerheads, you can save water and energy.

Energy Efficiency Windows
The installation of energy efficient windows can lower household energy bills by 7-15 percent. Energy efficiency windows also lower energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

Insulating Water Heater
Though water heaters are insulated, they can waste energy by losing heat if they are designed with minimal insulation. By adding more insulation, you can save money. Insulating a water heater can stop up to 97% of radiant heat loss.

Walls & Attic Insulation
Adding insulation to walls and attics provides your primary defense against heat loss. It can save you up to 25% of your heating costs.

Nontoxic Paints
Paints and finishes are among the leading causes for polluted indoor air which is a hazard to human health. Regular paints and finishes release low level toxic emissions into the air for years after their application. The application of nontoxic paint provides many benefits to your home or building. Nontoxic paint reduces toxins. It also reduces landfill, groundwater and ozone depleting contaminants. Nontoxic paints are easy to clean with soap and water and do not emit hazardous fumes during application.

Programmable Thermostats
Because of their energy saving benefits and convenience, programmable thermostats have become hugely popular. They save energy and money on utility bills by allowing you to set home temperatures based on various factors. They have a higher accuracy when compared with manual thermostats. Programmable thermostats contain no mercury and are eco-friendly.

Roof Insulation
Adding insulation to your roof makes your home energy efficient, comfortable and more resistant to outside noise.

Moldy Carpet Removal
Because mold can be a dangerous indoor air contaminant, it is important to have it removed immediately. When mold grows on damp surfaces, it releases spores into the air. When inhaled, these spores cause sneezing, congestion, runny or itchy nose and throat irritation. It may even cause more serious symptoms such as asthma attacks, pneumonia-like illnesses, allergy attacks, and even infections. The young and the elderly are especially sensitive to mold. Some molds may even be toxic.

Photovoltaic (Solar) Panels
Installing photovoltaic panels on your home or building allows you to take advantage of solar energy. Because solar energy is a completely renewable resource, you can rely on it as a constant and consistent power source. Photovoltaic panels require very little maintenance and last a good long time. Solar energy does not create pollution. Though they are expensive initially, in the long run you will save yourself a lot of money as it costs nothing to harness the power of the sun.

Solar Water Heaters
Installing solar water heaters saves on energy, water heating costs, and the environment. A solar water heater uses the sun’s free energy to create hot water. This can reduce your hot water energy consumption by 50% to 90% which saves you money year after year.

Below are key green building terms used by ecofriendly remodeling companies.

air cleaning
This indoor-air quality-control strategy removes various airborne particulates and/or gases from the air.

Also known as: air clean systems, air cleaning equipment, air duct cleaning, home air cleaning, home air purifiers, heap air purifier, room air purifiers, room air cleaners

alternative energy
This is energy from a source other than the conventional fossil-fuel sources of oil, natural gas and coal such as wind, running water, and the sun.

Also known as: alternative energy companies, alternative energy funds, alternative energy stocks, alternative energy facts, solar energy facts, alternative energy resources, alternative energy home resources, alternative energy pros and cons, solar energy pros and cons

biological contamination
This is contamination of a building environment caused by bacteria, molds and their spores, pollen, viruses, and other biological materials. It is often linked to poorly designed and maintained HVAC systems. People exposed to biologically contaminated environments may display allergic-type responses or physical symptoms such as coughing, muscle aches and respiratory congestion.

carbon dioxide monitoring
This is a method for determining indoor air quality by using the concentration of carbon dioxide as an indicator. Although the level of CO2 is a good indicator of air quality, it is dependent on the presence of certain conditions and must be applied accordingly.

Also known as: carbon monoxide monitor, carbon monoxide detector, carbon dioxide meter, measuring carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide measurement, carbon dioxide sensor, carbon dioxide alarm, natural gas detector, methane gas dector

certified lumber
This is a general shorthand term for lumber that has been certified sustainable harvest by an independent certification authority.

Also known as: fsc certified, fsc wood, fsc certified lumber, certified lumber, certified wood, certified forests, certified forest products, timber companies, timber products, wholesale timber

compact fluorescent lights
This is small fluorescent lamps that are used as an efficient alternative to incandescent lighting.

Also known as: fluorescent lights, compact fluorescent, compact fluorescent light bulbs, compact fluorescent lights, dimmable fluorescent, compact fluorescent grow lights, energy efficient lighting, energy efficient lights, compact fluorescent lamps, fluorescent lamps

construction and demolition waste
This is waste from building materials, dredging materials, tree stumps, and rubble resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, and demolition of homes, commercial buildings and other structures and pavements.

Also known as: construction demolition, construction and demolition debris, construction and demolition waste management, c&d recycling, c&d debris, hazardous waste disposal, construction debris, construction debris landfull, solid waste, solid waste management, waste recycling, recycling waste, hazardous waste

daylighting
This uses natural light in an interior space to substitute for artificial light. Daylighting is considered a sustainable building strategy because it reduces reliance on artificial light and reduce energy use in the process. When well designed, it contributes to comfort and performance.

deconstruction
Rather than demolishing a building and placing the remains in a landfill, this is the careful disassembly of the building into its component parts, which allows many of those parts to be reused or recycled.

demand hot water system
These are hot water heaters designed to conserve energy by providing instantaneous hot water, rather than storing preheated hot water in a tank. Such devices can serve an entire home or serve an individual water use.

Also known as: hot water recirculation system, instant hot water systems, hot water heat, hot water heating, water heating systems, hot water tank prices, solar hot water systems, solar hot water system, hot water circulator, hot water circulating system

dual-flush toilet
This toilet conserves water by the use of two-different settings. One setting uses less water for liquid waste removal, and another uses more water for solid waste removal.

Also known as: dual flush toilets, efficient toilets, water efficient toilets, wall hung toilet, wall hung toilets, wall mounted toilets, dual toilets, toto toilets, dual toilet, dual flish, dual flash toilets, one piece toilets

durability
This is the factor that affects the life cycle performance of a material. The more durable item is environmentally preferable, as it means less frequent replacement. However, durability is irrelevant if the material is replaced for aesthetic reasons prior to it actually wearing out.

energy management system
This is a control system capable of monitoring environmental and system loads and adjusting HVAC operations accordingly for the purpose of conserving energy while maintaining comfort.

Also known as: energy management systems, energy management control system, building energy management system, energy management consultants, home energy management system, energy management software, free energy, energy management solutions, energy saving, energy monitoring, energy monitor, home energy management

envelope
This is the boundary that separates a building’s conditioned and unconditioned spaces. The term is typically used when referring to heat and air transfer, such as through walls, windows, and the roof. All of these are part of the building’s envelope.

geothermal energy
This is hot water or steam extracted from reservoirs beneath the Earth’s surface. It can be used for heat pumps, water heating, or electricity generation.

Also known as: advantages of geothermal energy, cost of geothermal energy, geothermal energy costs, geothermal energy facts, geothermal energy pros and cons

gray water
This is domestic wastewater composed of wash water from bathroom, kitchen, and laundry sinks, tubs, and washers.

Also known as: gray water irrigation, gray water collection, greywater, greywater system, greywater recycling, gray water system, gray water recycling, recycle water, recycling gray water, grey water systems, gray water tanks, gray water tank

green building
This is a the practice of increasing the efficiency in which buildings and their sites use and harvest water, energy, and materials. This reduces the negative impacts on human health and the environment. Green building includes consideration for the entire building life cycle such as siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance and removal.

Also known as: green building and design, green building design, green building construction, green building council, green building homes, green home building, green building materials, new green building materials, green building certification institute, green building technologies, green building systems, green building system

green design
This architectural design conforms to environmentally sound principles of building, material and energy use. A green building, for example, might make use of solar panels, skylights and recycled building materials.

Also known as: green building design, green building and design, green home design, green home designs, green homes, green design products, green products, sustainable design, green sustainable design, green design architecture, green architecture design, green building, green building materials

green electricity
This is electricity generated from renewable energy sources, such as solar power, wind power, biomass, and small-scale hydropower.

Also known as: green energy companies, alternative energy companies, renewable energy, alternative energy, solar power, solar power companies, green energy sources, alternative energy sources, green energy electricity, electricity energy

greenhouse effect
This is the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere attributed to a buildup of carbon dioxide or other gases. Eco-friendly building and green remodeling processes help limit greenhouse gasses and lower the greenhouse effect in urban areas.

greenhouse gas
This is a gas, such as carbon dioxide or methane, which contributes to potential climate change. Green building is one way to help lower greenhouse gas emissions in the Bay Area.

ground cover
This is low-growing plants that are often grown to keep soil from eroding and to discourage weeds.

Also known as: shade ground cover, ground cover shade, flowering ground cover plants, flowering ground cover, full sun ground cover, ground cover plants full sun, perennial ground cover, perennial ground covers, vinca minor ground cover, creeping thyme ground cover, thyme ground cover

ground source heat pump
This heat pump has underground coils to transfer heat from the ground to the inside of a building. By using the naturally more stable temperature of the earth as its heat source, it results in substantial energy savings.

Also known as: water source heat pump, water source heat pumps, geothermal heating cost, geothermal heat pump cost, geothermal heating and cooling, geothermal cooling, water source heat pump system, ground source heat pump installation

high efficiency
This is a general term for technologies and processes that require less energy, water, or other inputs to operate. A goal in sustainable building is to achieve high efficiency in resource use when compared to conventional practice.

Also known as: high efficiency water heater, high efficiency water heaters, high efficiency toilets, high efficiency washers, high efficiency gas furnaces, high efficiency top load washers, high efficiency oil furnaces, high efficiency heat pumps

high efficiency toilet
This type of toilet, known as an HET toilet,  provides at least 20% water savings over the federal standard of 1.6 gpf and still meets the most rigorous standards for flush performance. HETs include pressure-assist toilets that use as little as 1.0 gpf, gravity-flush toilets that consume 1.28 gpf, and dual-flush toilets that offer two different flush volumes.

Also known as: high efficiency toilets, efficient toilets, efficient toilet, water efficient toilets, dual flush toilets, low flow toilets, high flow toilets, pressure assisted toilets, wall mount toilets, toto toilets, toto high efficiency toilets

hydronic heating
This space heating system uses water circulated through a radiant floor or baseboard system or a convection or fan coil system.

Also known as: hydronic baseboard heating, electric boilers for hydronic heating, radiant heating panels, hydronic radiant heat panels, hydronic heating supplies, radiant heating supplies, radiant floor heating installation, underfloor heating, hydronic underfloor heating

national green building standard
This is based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and passed through ANSI. This standard can be applied to new homes, remodeling projects, and additions.

Also known as: nahb, nahb green, nahb green building standard, green building standard, green homes, green home builders, building green homes, green building rating systems

natural ventilation
This ventilation design uses existing air currents on a site and natural convection to move and distribute air through a structure or space. Strategies for natural ventilation include placement and operability of windows and doors, thermal chimneys, landscape berms to direct airflow on a site, and operable skylights.

Also known as: natural ventilation design, air vent, roof vents, roof air vents, exhaust fans, ventilation fans, ventilation systems, roof ventilation, stack ventilation

on-site stormwater management
This is building and landscape strategies that control and limit stormwater pollution and runoff. These strategies include vegetated roofs, compost-amended soils, pervious paving, tree planting, drainage swales, and more.

passive solar
These are strategies for using the sun’s energy to heat or cool a space, mass, or liquid. Passive solar strategies use no pumps or controls to function. A window, oriented for solar gain and coupled with massing for thermal storage (e.g., a Trombe wall) is an example of a passive solar technique.

Also known as: passive solar house, passive solar house plans, passive solar water heater, residential solar power, solar panels, passive solar panels, solar heaters, passive solar heaters, passive solar home plans, zero energy homes

porous paving
These paving surfaces are designed to allow stormwater infiltration and reduce runoff.

Also known as: permeable pavers, permeable pavement, pervious paving, porous pavement, asphalt paving, porous asphalt paving, grass pavers, concrete pavers, concrete paving, driveway paving, patio pavers, paving stones, asphalt driveways

reclaimed materials
These are materials that are no longer needed where they are so they are reused in a new location or for a new purpose. For example, wood and other materials are salvaged from a building under demolition or deconstruction and are used in the construction of a new building.

Also known as: reclaimed building materials, reclaimed wood flooring, used lumber, reclaimed lumber, recycled wood, recycled building materials, salvaged wood, architectural salvage, salvaged flooring, antique hardwood flooring, reclaimed hardwood flooring, used building supplies, used building materials, reclaimed wood beams, reclaimed beams

recycling
This process collects materials that would otherwise become solid waste and separates, process, and returns them to the economic mainstream to be reused in the form of raw materials or finished goods.

Also known as: recycling plastic, recycle plastic, recycling center, paper recycling, recycle facts, recycling glass, recycling bins, recyclable materials

renewable energy
This energy is generated from renewable resources such as sunlight, wind, and agricultural products.

Also known as: renewable energy sources, renewable energy companies, renewable energy, solar renewable energy, renewable energy resources, renewable energy projects

renewable resources
A resource that can be replenished at a rate equal to or greater than its rate of depletion; e.g., solar, wind, geothermal and biomass resources.

Also known as: renewable energy resources, list of renewable resources, renewable water sources

trombe wall
This thermal storage system is used in passive solar design. It is a high-mass wall that stores heat from solar gain during the day and slowly radiates the heat back into the living space at night.

Also known as: trombe walls, trombe wall design, trombe, passive solar energy, passive solar home, passive solar house design, solar home plans, solar for the home, solar heat, home solar heating, solar energy, trombe wall construction, home wall construction

Q: Why choose a Diamond Certified green contractor?
A: Diamond Certified helps you choose a local green contractor with confidence by offering a list of top-rated local companies who have passed the country’s most in-depth rating process. Only green contractors rated Highest in Quality earn the prestigious Diamond Certified award. Most companies can’t pass the ratings. American Ratings Corporation also monitors every Diamond Certified company with ongoing research and ratings. And your purchase is backed by the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee. So you’ll feel confident choosing a Diamond Certified green contractor.

Q: What is “green building”?
A: Green building refers to a combination of design, construction and operational practices that reduce a structure’s negative impact on its occupants and its surrounding environment. Green building practices generally decrease the structure’s toxic output and increase the efficiency with which a structure is able to draw upon the energy, water and materials at its site.

Q: What are the benefits of green building?
A: There are myriad benefits to building green. Environmental benefits include but are not limited to protecting natural spaces, and reducing water and energy use and harmful air emissions; economic benefits include but are not limited to reduced operating costs, mitigated risk (health issues, avoidance of faulty or inappropriate systems or materials), optimized performance over time, tax incentives for energy efficient practices and materials, availability of outside funding sources, and added value to a community; health benefits include but are not limited to better air quality and reduction in toxic emissions from building materials.

Q: Does it cost more to build green?
A: Up front, maybe—but not necessarily! Over time, certainly not! Even small, low key projects can make a big difference in your energy consumption, which of course, leads to savings. Furthermore, research shows that the costs of building green are actually decreasing over time as builders become experienced and sustainable practices and materials become more commonplace.

Q: What are some of the basic features of a green home?
A: Generally speaking, green homes, have increased energy efficiency, conserve water, have improved air quality, and reduce pollution and harmful waste. An array of techniques and materials can be employed that will result in these characteristics for any building—green structures need not be identical.

Q: What part do reused and recycled materials play in green building?
A: Reused and recycled materials reduce solid waste problems, cut energy consumption in manufacturing, and save natural resources. Remember, sustainability is all about minimizing impact, and choosing, for example, to use salvaged lumber from your own project site means you won’t be using fresh lumber and thus potentially contributing to deforestation. Many reused materials also tend to be durable and, increasingly, attractive.

Q: Why use locally produced materials?
A: Materials have to get to your project site somehow. The farther away their origins, the more fuel was expended to get them—so buying locally does make a difference in the overall greenness of your project!

Q: What standards exist for green buildings?
A: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification is as close to an industry standard as exists at the moment. You can read more about LEED at www.usgbc.org.