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- Going Green in Jamaica
- Stop the Deceit!
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Nov
13
Going Green in Jamaica
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Jamaica is such a green and fertile land that many of us think that going green in Jamaican construction and home ideas is a joke, it’s not. We need to start thinking about being green and start the process now! In the USA and Europe going green is maybe the biggest factor in construction, food waste, water usage and many other areas of life. Recycling is still one of the best-known words in going green.
THE BENEFITS OF A GREEN HOME
How are we going to achieve our green home and what can the construction industry do about it? A home can be built green, or you can make it green later. A green makeover can happen all at once, or it can be a gradual process. But what it all comes down to is a new way of thinking – and a new way of living. The benefits of a green home becomes more apparent when you think about it and often far more cost-effective than the normal home.SOLAR ENERGY
Remember solar energy that provides hot water for your home, an idea that we take for granted here in Jamaica. I have a friend that gets is hot water from the solar panels located on his roof in St Ann, Jamaica, for the last 8 years he has FREE hot water and the cost of fitting the system was paid for years ago, yet how many of us are using this system!An idea that could be used here in Jamaica is the Solar Oven. Have you seen them yet? We have all this sunshine and yet we are not using it.
SOLAR COOKING
A solar panel cooker can be built in less than an hour from a single cardboard box and some aluminum foil. This very powerful cooker is a true breakthrough. Here in Jamaica a cooker/oven such as this is a true greener solution and is aimed at all Jamaicans and not only the poor. Chopping down trees or burning gas and electric to cook your meals could be a thing of the past if we could all develop these simple ways of going green in our community.
Get the FREE blue-print for this Solar Cooker click folder
WHAT IS GOING GREEN?
A green home uses less energy, water and natural resources, creates less waste and is healthier for the people living inside compared to a standard home. It’s as simple as that! Making your home a greener place is a commitment – to yourself, your family, your community and Jamaica. But more than that, it is a learning process. As exciting new technologies, products and scientific breakthroughs constantly emerge, maintaining a green home is the best way to ensure your efforts are as effective and beneficial as possible.We should consider using wood instead of concrete where possible in our construction. One of the problems we have here in Jamaica is the lack of resources to help us such as Recycling Plants and Governing Bodies that offers incentives for adding eco-friendly elements to your homes. Jamaicans are known for their ideas and positive vibes when it comes to the local environment so a little knowledge and encouragement from the government would be a great help to move us forward.
USEFUL TIPS
- Use compact fluorescent lamps in your lights.
- Wash your clothes in cool rather than hot water.
- Unplug the “secret energy addicts” in your home: TVs, VCRs, DVD players, cable TV boxes, computers and printers, video game consoles, microwave ovens and AC adapters for cell phones, digital cameras and other electronics. Most electronic equipment, including anything that uses a remote control, is designed to consume energy when it is turned off. That “off” setting is actually a “standby” or “idling” mode.
- Use non-toxic, environmentally safe, biodegradable cleaning products, including laundry products, which you can find at any natural grocery and even many mainstream stores. Just read the labels carefully.
- Buy locally produced items, including produce and other goods. It reduces the amount of fossil fuels required to transport the things you buy from other parts of the country. It also reduces the amount of plastic and paper products consumed in the packaging of such far-traveling products. Buying local reduces the consumption of valuable natural resources and encourages local farming and business in the area.
- Instead of using grocery stores’ disposable plastic or paper bags, bring your own reusable shopping bags, which are available for sale at many grocers and other retailers. The bags are sturdier than disposable bags, making the trip home easier, and they don’t waste resources or end up in landfills.
USEFUL GOING GREEN WEBSITES
A 14-point Plan for Healthy House Construction
Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.Nov
6
Stop the Deceit!
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Cheats – somebody who uses deceit or trickery to gain an unfair advantage.
I am still hearing from people all over the world that they are being ripped off and I am still wondering why! Is it the fault of the Project Managers, Contractors, Builders or the Property Owners?
A lot of questions yet we are still not finding the answers to this old problem that is making Jamaican contractors look like a bunch of crooks.
A few days ago I was told of another story that made me put pen to paper, well, word processor, in the hope I can find some answer as to who is causing the problems. The story was that a lady from the States had come down to buy land and build her dream Villa here in Trelawny along the North Coast of Jamaica. She found and bought her land and was ready to build.
WHY USE A CARPENTER?
Now, the builders she used or should I say, the Carpenter she used to build her concrete Villa was a bad choice. Why is she using a Carpenter ? Where was the Architect or Project Manager ? I had to blame this person for her bad choice. The reason is I know the Carpenter in question and I would not have even considered him in the build at all.I will try to explain without upsetting any Carpenter out there.
The Carpenter in question was well known in the area and had trained many of the young Carpenters around, he was said to be very good at his job; that was over five years ago when I first came to Jamaica. He was a furniture maker and his skills were well sought after a few years ago. Then things changed, work was getting less and quality was falling fast and the client did not know, why should she?
As far as she was told this guy was a known person in the area and that was enough to make her mind up to use him. Bad move!
The Carpenter used the wrong builders because he had no idea about building a house; sawing timber was his trade and not supervising people on a construction site, it cost the client a lot of wasted time and a lot of money to put things right, and he paid himself a lot of money for his own mistake, he ripped her off and kept the money. Her fault I have to say and I will say it out loud.
THE CHEAT BOUGHT PROPERTY
In another case the client was robbed so much the Contractor bought land and started to build before he was caught by chance. Where did that money go? Why did the client allow so much money to go missing and what about the workers, were they paid, no, and whom did they blame, the property owner because the Contractor was on hand to lie and the Property Owner just kept sending him money.Use a Project Manager and keep close to him if you are building, ask for pictures at all times and pay for the work completed. Don’t just send money. Your Project Manager will know the work and the workers to make your project work. He will also find the Architect for you to work with and be on your side at all times instructing you about payments to the construction team.
JA Projects created a program just for your needs see the DEMO here:
WE KNOW ARCHITECTS
Acting as your Project Manager we can help you to maintain control of your construction and keep you ahead of the work. You will have the full backing of our program getting pictures to you within hours of the work being carried out. Want to see a close-up of the fittings or any part of the construction and we will place you there. We know Architects, Builders, Carpenters and Plumbers to make the job straight forward as possible saving you the stress and of course a lot of money. We leave ourselves open to our clients and have the right people around us to give the right advice; now in its fourth year JA Projects has proven to be ahead of the game.
Jamaicans do not wish to be called thieves, especially in the Construction industry and the clients are becoming more careful and frightened to spend money here in Jamaica so please lets get it right and we can all benefit from a healthy Construction Industry.
Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.-
Build without always being in Jamaica.
"What a great way to to keep an eye on our new home in Montego Bay. We live in Massachusetts and now we feel we can build without always being there".
It works for me!
"Thank you, what a great way to save time and money, it works for me! Having already constructed the outside of our Villa/Hotel we wanted to fill it with Jamaican furniture.
We posted the style and discuss the arrangement, all through JA Projects, the database did the rest, knowing our discussion and pictures were private. It's a great way to do business!
