Buy Local Building Products for Economic and Environmental Advantages

When it comes to purchasing building materials, buying locally manufactured products is an easy choice for those who want to make a conscious decision to support their local economy while also reducing the footprint left on the environment. Builders who are more concerned with simply getting the job done cheaply might want to take this into consideration because even if buying local is not an important consideration for them…it is possibly a significant consideration for their customers.

CNBC reported last year that U.S. consumers are interested in buying locally made products, and since their purchasing power holds influence, builders, contractors and manufacturers are taking notice. Even retail giant, Walmart announced that it will boost sourcing of U.S. products by $50 billion during the next 10 years. GE is investing $1 billion through 2014 to revitalize its U.S. appliances business which is expected to create more than 1,500 U.S. jobs. These are just a couple of examples to demonstrate consumer purchasing power directing the marketplace towards more sustainable options.

Residential Building Products magazine reported that more than 80% of building products sold in the U.S. are made in the U.S.  Besides the ability to have a local point of contact for any product support or warranty issues, the advantages of buying locally manufactured products are especially advantageous for those residential projects seeking environmental certification, such as LEED credits for Homes.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system is a voluntary and continually evolving national standard for developing high performance sustainable buildings.   They offer LEED credits for materials and products that are harvested within 500 miles of a project and with roofing products that help reduce atmospheric heat build-up (See Duradek Techtalk #146a). Duradek products qualify for LEED points and are an excellent choice to support sustainability.

For a product to be considered ‘green’, it is no longer simply a product's ability to be recycled or to be manufactured from recycled material. Duradek is the Greener choice for many reasons.

• Manufactured in the U.S.
• One time installation and longevity of useful lifetime compares favorably against multiple application and re-application requirements of liquid systems, saving energy consumption for job site visits.
• There is a weight savings benefitting the structural requirements and energy consumption to transport as compared to an EPDM membrane with concrete pavers.
• Compared to pressure treated wood, there are no harmful chemicals leaching into the environment; and PVC membranes over untreated plywood can likely expect double the life expectancy.

If you are interested in ensuring your projects use locally made products, supported by a local manufacturer with low environmental impact and support your local economy, choose a reliable North American made product like Duradek.

Duradek has proven many times over its 40 year history that it is made to last, and doing it right the first time is one of the simplest ways to make an environmentally conscious choice that is also cost-effective for your budget.





Choose Duradek as a sustainable building product choice for your deck.



If you would like to consider the Duradek for your decking projects, look for us at one of the national building industry Trade Shows, or contact a Duradek trained and authorized installer near you.