How to Include Green Building Practices in Your Future Builds

Julie Starr • January 20, 2022



Sustainability and green business practices have grown in importance over the past few years, and this trend is on the rise. This trend is also present in the construction industry. This has led to what’s known as “ green building ”, or environmentally friendly construction. 

Buildings, both residential and commercial, represent a massive proportion of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. This shows that there is still plenty of room for improvement. Aside from LEED buildings, here are some ways that you can use green building practices in your projects. This applies if you run a construction firm, or if you’re planning to build or expand your offices in the future.

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, landfills in the USA store well over 100 million tons of waste every year. A great deal of this waste is generated from businesses, including the construction industry. 

However, you can promote reuse and recycling practices by using alternative materials in your building project. For example, old newspapers and recycled denim can be used as insulation. Some companies have started recycling rubble and even plastic to make building materials. 

Even during the building process, your contractors may create a lot of waste. By making sure that this waste is properly disposed of and reusing it whenever possible, you can do your bit to create a green building. 

Energy and Water

Reducing the amount of energy that your business uses isn’t just a good ecologically sustainable option, it’s also an intelligent financial decision. The energy produced by fossil fuels is unsustainable and increasingly expensive. However, by implementing renewable energy options in your building, you can save money and the environment. 

Many modern residential and commercial buildings include renewable energy sources like windmills or solar panels. These energy sources can produce so much energy that your structure can go off the grid completely, or sell energy back.

Another concern for businesses is water usage. You can ensure that the home or office will be more water-efficient by installing rainwater harvesting systems. As well as installing specialized systems, consider eco-friendly appliances. 

Quality Materials and Appliances

It’s usually worth investing in higher-quality appliances that are more efficient than their cheaper equivalents. Not only will these appliances last much longer, but they will also save on energy and water bills. There’s also the fact that they are better for the environment. 

If you’re running a construction business, then make sure that you or your employees are qualified to install these appliances. Appliance installer exam prep will help you to get the qualifications that you need to safely and effectively install these appliances. 

Another way to make sure that you use less energy and water is to use quality building materials. These materials will need to be replaced less frequently, but they are also better at their jobs. For example, if you use good building materials, then the building will be better at retaining heat. This means that you’ll use less energy to heat the building, as it won’t leech out through the roof or windows. 

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.