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Colorado Horse Barns – Green and Clean

Why not build Colorado horse barns green and clean?  Get inspired by the vision of EcoEquine at Happy Horse Healthy Planet (2/19/14) entitled “Build a Better Barn: My Must Haves for My Model Horse Barn.”  We will brush over the points here but do look up the article for details.  The goal is to build a safe, heathy, and environmentally harmonious home for your horse.

If you are building a new barn, why not go the extra mile and add additional sustainable elements?  Save money over the long run by carefully considering these 10 green factors:

1. Site orientation and materials incorporating weather: By examining the direction and weather patterns on the property, equestrians can take advantage of the sunshine and breezes and avert too much wind, cold, and rain runoff.  Finishes can reflect heat, floors may incorporate bamboo, and insulation must mitigate severe winter weather.
2. Good airflow:  Good air flow is essential for overcoming odors, dust, and stickiness.  Proper window and door placement and quality is essential.  For example, ceiling fans, Dutch doors, and a raised center aisle with windows on each side allows for maximum air flow.
3. Natural lighting:  Skylights, windows, large doors at the ends, and windows in each stall add lots of natural light.  Then there are special lights by EquiLumination that use T-5 and T-8 technology; Tubular Daylighting Devices that use reflective rooftop domes to spread natural light indoors at the ceiling.  Outside lights can be put on timers or motion sensors.  Even the paint can make a difference.  Light colors reflect light.
4. Spacious stalls and aisles:  Wide aisles and 12-foot stalls with wide swinging doors optimize the well- being of horses.
5. Best drainage: Good drainage goes a long way to helping keep the barn fresh and clean.  Dirt floors are difficult to keep drained and clean and occasionally need to be dug up.  Best to use crushed limestone or bluestone, or cement with mats.
6. Recycled rubber mats:  Get ecofriendly mats to line cement floors and stalls in horse barns.
7. Inexpensive water systems:  From rain barrels to Rinnai-Tankless water heaters, there are many ways to save water and energy.
8. Climate controlled tack/feed rooms:  This helps reduce bacteria and mold on equipment and improves the life of the feed.  It also adds comfort for anyone working in the barn.
9. Managing manure:  Haul it away or make compost that will improve your farmland.
10. Solar options:  PV systems used photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity for pumping water, running fans, and operating tools or the electric fence. 

Colorado Barn Builders

Sapphire Construction specializes in architecturally designed Colorado horse barns, automotive shops, and custom outbuildings for residential and commercial uses.  Please contact Sapphire Construction, Inc. in Castle Rock, Colorado at (303) 619-7213.