We recently had the privilege to work on an eco-roof, which is a type of living roof that combines a waterproof membrane roof with a lightweight soil mixture on top and that allows you to grow shallow rooted plants on the roof. It has many environmental benefits and is a great way to greenify your home.

In my estimation IPE Hardwood is the best material for deck construction. It is a beautiful wood and it is also incredibly hard and durable. The only draw back to IPE is it’s cost, and that it can be difficult to source from sustainable FSC Certified forests.
Other options that are popular and widely available are composite deck materials, however, I think that IPE ages much more beautifully than composite materials do. The problem is that composite materials tend to get bleached by the sun and fade over time. However, there are a variety of composite deck products available and they are constantly reformulating them. The products can generally be classified by the nature of their petroleum component. Some examples are:
Polyetheylene: Trex, Weatherbest, Timbertech, ChoiceDek
Polypropylene: CorrectDeck
PVC: AZEK / Procell, DeckLok

Update 6/2/08: I just ran across this nice list of environmental ratings for synthetic/composite decking materials.

FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council which is the most well established association that certifies sustainable lumber. FSC certified lumber is sourced from a sustainably managed forest.
I strongly encourage all consumers and constractors to buy FSC lumber whenever possible. When you buy FSC Lumber you can be assured that the lumber was sourced from an accredited organization and from a forest that is managed in a more sustainable manner.
I’ve spoken with a number of industry professionals about the question of sustainable lumber, and the consensus is that FSC certified products are the best option and they are widely available.

When contractors talk about Green Lumber, they are usually referring to lumber that hasn’t been kiln dried or seasoned. This means that the lumber is still wet inside and full of sap from the tree. It is an all too common practice in the Northwest to use green lumber for rough framing due to our proximity to the lumber mills and the fact that it is cheaper than kiln dried lumber. However, the problem with this practice is two-fold.
The first problem is that as wood dries, it changes shape and warps. Depending on the severity of this process, it can cause the entire structure of your home to warp over time, which is one of the common causes of cracking in the drywall or plaster on your walls.
The second problem is that in can take years for green lumber to dry, and over time wet wood is likely to grow mold! The combination of the heat from your house and the moisture trapped in the lumber in the walls creates a friendly environment for a not so friendly fungus.
Now it’s important to note that not all “green” lumber is bad. I say this because some people may refer to lumber that came from sustainable forests as “green” lumber. I will talk about sustainable lumber more in a future article, just make sure that any lumber you get is kiln dried or seasoned before you use it to build or remodel your home.