Before the Finishes

Remodeling advice from the pros

By Jessica Pruitt

Illustration: Thomas Cobb

Stephen Aiguier

Green Hammer Inc

With a degree in community development and applied economics from the University of Vermont, Stephen Aiguier realized his love of longevity and durability in construction during a three-year stint in Italy. He founded Green Hammer in the winter of 2002 and has been working toward sustainable business practices ever since.

If you could describe your home in one word, what would it be? Efficient. And I think of the word not just in terms of energy, but also space
and the use of natural resources.

TIP Eliminate air leaks in the home. Mastic glue is a cheap and easy way to do so—it’s messy but doesn’t require a huge amount of skill. “Who would leave their water faucet running all day long in the sink?” Aiguier asks. “The problem is that you can’t hear energy leaking like the drip-drip of a leaky faucet. But if you could, everybody would be crawling around sealing air leaks.”