Georgia Homeowners Moving to Green Alternatives
Georgia Homeowners Moving to Green Alternatives
The age of corrosive building materials in construction is coming to an end. In the Georgia real estate market, there are a variety of issues worth considering. Used for millennia as a form of building insulation and piping, homes built prior to 1980 may contain asbestos. When purchasing or remodeling property, citizens are adopting green alternatives to asbestos and other hazardous materials. 
Although manufacturers of asbestos knew about the dreadful affects of its product, it was used in millions of homes and buildings throughout the 20th century. Asbestos can be a problem for homeowners due to causing a variety of lung diseases, such as mesothelioma. With no mesothelioma cure, there is limited treatment and poor prognosis for patients. Developed through exposure to asbestos fibers, the number of mesothelioma survivors are unfortunately few, far and between.
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division enforces rules based on Georgia statutes. The GEPD is committed to protecting the public from exposure to asbestos-containing material. Asbestos materials can be legally performed by homeowners, regular contractors, or licensed asbestos abatement contractors. Asbestos removal is an extremely delicate and hazardous operation, so removal in homes, buildings and public workplaces must be performed by an abatement contractor.
Once you are asbestos free, green alternatives should be seriously considered. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC), in a study conducted in 2003, estimated a savings of $50-$65 per square foot for well-constructed green buildings in the U.S. (see table below) during that year. Green options such as Cellulose, Cotton Fiber and Lcynene allow for a clean, healthy home, free of health damaging materials.
