What is a Green Home?

January 3, 2010

There is no exact definition for a green home, but the U.S. Green Building Council has defined it as: “A green home uses less energy, water, and natural resources; creates less waste; and is healthier for the people living inside.”

There are some key characteristics that make a green home very appealing.

A high-performance home:

1. Uses building materials efficiently - according to the EPA, U.S. buildings account for 160 million tons per year in building related construction and demolition debris. Wood provides one of the greatest opportunities to improve the efficient use of building materials. Green builders use advanced framing and other OVE (optimum value engineering) techniques to only use what is necessary to cause less waste.

2. Conserves energy - the EPA estimates that U.S. accounted for 72% of electricity consumption in 2006, 51% of this was for residential sector and 49% for commercial. It is not a surprise to hear complaints from Texas homeowners living in a 2,000 square foot house and paying energy bills as high as $400 to $500 per month during the Texas summer months. Green building construction and sealing techniques coupled with energy-efficient equipment makes a high-performance home perform very efficiently.

3. Conserves water - the EPA estimates that about 200 gallons per day are wasted from leaky toilets! Local municipalities are encouraging, and some even offer incentives, for homeowners to replace older toilets. Green homes include plumbing fixtures that use less water.

4. Offers greater indoor air quality - this is a huge plus of homes that are built right! Homeowners of high-performance homes enjoy a less dusty house and cleaner indoor air that results in health benefits for its occupants.

5. Provides greater comfort levels - this is what one of my customers for whom I built their home comments: “We understood the benefits of the foam insulation and the theory of creating an airtight house envelope. What we are enjoying most, beyond our expectations, is the quietness and temperature stability of our home.”

6. Requires Lower maintenance - a high-performance home requires less maintenance. They are more durable because the products used to build it are mold, water and rot-resistant.

7. Is less stressful on the environment - because it produces less greenhouse emissions into the atmosphere.

8. Feels different - all homeowners of high-performance homes comment how comfortable, homey, and natural these kinds of homes feel. They seem to cause some type of spiritual and emotional connection with nature.

Let me know how this helped you! Your comments are welcome.

How to Find Your Eco-Builder

December 2, 2009

Home buyers in Texas are increasingly growing interested in a green-built  home.

If you are looking for an eco-builder, here are some tips to guide you in your search.

1. Get educated - by learning what green building is, what is a green-built home, what are some of the green building practices for your climate zone. Once you have done a bit of research, it will make your search for an educated eco-builder much easier.

2. Communicate clearly -by expressing to your builder what is important to you so that you both determine if you are a good match for each other. Don’t forget to follow your gut-feelings when selecting your builder. Because building your home is a journey of several months, you want to work with people whom you feel comfortable with.

3. Ask questions -and more questions! A professional builder will provide clarifications to technical terms. It is important to understand what these terms mean and ask if you don’t. The only silly question is the one that is not asked. A knowledgeable eco-builder will provide you the answers you need to know. And he will tell you what will work and not work in the climate zone he/she builds.

4. Find an organized builder - who provides his/her clients with homeowner education prior, during and post-c0nstruction. A green home is built differently based on building science principles and climate zone considerations to create a comfortable space for its occupants year-round. A high-performance home requires lower maintenance, and you need to know exactly what you need to do and when. An organized builder will have a system in place to provide homeowner education.

5. Define what is important to you - and focus on the value that you are looking for. You may find that re-directing the additional expense of upgraded granite tops for your kitchen to improve the home’s insulation adds more value to your investment in the long run. Certain luxuries can wait. Ripping out sheetrock walls to install a better insulation in the future can be a huge expense. It is recommended to focus on the structure, its durability, efficiency and comfort that it can bring while giving up a little luxury at the beginning. Pricey luxuries over comfort is a choice that homeowners need to make. Luxuries can always be added with creative cost-effective ways in later years.

6. Search the websites - of potential builders you’re considering. Great builders provide content-rich websites that clearly state what they do and why they do it.

7. Find your match - in a builder who builds to your ideas and style. Builders have specific customer markets. Find a the builders that resonate with your ideas, your style and your particular energy-efficiency requirements.

8. How to get started? -

• First, make a list of your needs, wants, must-have’s; i.e., comfort, energy savings, utilities savings, low-voc everything.

• Second, draw a simple sketch of your home needs and find a plan that matches close to this. Focus on what is important and consider having rooms that serve multiple purposes. For example, ask yourself if you really need a formal living and a formal dining. Most homes that have these two rooms just take up space and hardly ever get used. Listen to your builders about their concerns for building the style of heme that you want for the lot and climate zone that you’re in. The builder should share with you some alternatives and modifications that would be needed to take advantage of such things as passive solar, avoiding windows in the west wall of the home.
• Third, educate yourself on green building strategies specific to your climate zone.

Let me know how this helped you! Feel free to comment.

Resource

White Paper:  Thinning the Herd – How to pick the best eco-builder

Build Green Workshop for Consumers

October 1, 2009

The Think Green Be Green department of the City of Irving, Texas held its consumer education class on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009 at the Irving City Hall.  Consumers present had lots of questions on how to green existing homes and how to build a new one.  I spoke on the topic of “Assess Your Needs and Coordinate your Team” where consumers were given foundational tips on how to get started as they think of building green.

Jim Sargent, of AndersonSargent, the zero-energy green builder discussed “Basics of Building/Remodeling Green”.  Consumers showed lots of interest in learning the details of how they can live in home that is healthier for them and their families.

Fran Witte who heads the Think Green Build Green shared on green materials and resources avaialable to consumers.  Her presentation included lots of photos to show what’s available and for consumers to easily recognize these products when shopping for green resources.

Vendors included Geavista Group, Nature Maids, New Life Hardwood Floors, Oncor, PDI Green Technology, Sherwin Williams, Skylight Solutions, The Home Depot, Environmental Protection Agency, Waste Mangement.

Vendors displayed their eco-friendly products that help consumers… you guessed it!  save money!

Want to learn more about Irving green’s program? Log onto www.CityofIrving.org/begreen

Do you have green news to share?  Let me know!

Top 6 Secrets of High Performance Homes

August 2, 2009

Key Benefits of Energy-Efficient Homes

Various unique features make high performance homes stand out from the crowd.

Here are some of the fundamental attributes of high performance homes.

1. High Performance Homes Conserve Energy

These homes employ green building practices that enhance the homes’ air tightness.  During construction, there are many holes cut out for all sorts of pipes.  All holes are sealed properly in critical areas to prevent air infiltration.

The heating and air conditioning systems are sized using special software that calculates the tonnage necessary for the home based on certain parameters using ASREA’s Manual J calculations.  These parameters include the home’s orientation, energy values of the windows, type of insulation on the exterior walls, type of insulation in the attic space, use of radiant barrier roof decking.

These homes have high efficiency windows and ENERGY STAR appliances.  The use of windows in the east and west walls of the house are minimized or eliminated completely to prevent the heat from the sun penetrating into the house through the windows.

2. High Performance Homes Conserve Water

The use of low-flow toilets, automatic or low-flow faucets, tank-less water heaters, low-flow showerheads, zoned irrigation system, and rain sensors are examples of water-conserving techniques used in high performance homes.

3. High Performance Homes Are More Durable

Prior to setting the windows and bricks, a house wrap is set on the exterior wall.  This step is very important because the house wrap serves as an air barrier and extends the life of the exterior wood sheathing.

There are other products that are foam-based sheathing, which also serve as a drainage plane, where the water can drain down and away from the house when it penetrates through the exterior cladding, such as brick, stucco or siding.

4. High Performance Homes Are Healthier and More Comfortable

Because these homes are airtight, there is a mechanism embedded into the air distribution system that pulls in fresh air from the outside into the house.  This helps the home dehumidify properly, thus eliminating draftiness and making the home feel comfortable for its occupants.

A constant temperature throughout the home is one of the things that homeowners enjoy most about these types of homes.

5. High Performance Homes are Less Stressful on the Environment

These homes produce less carbon emissions into the atmosphere.  This helps keep the air that we breathe cleaner.

6. High Performance Homes Don’t Have to Be Expensive or Ugly

Green-built homes are affordable and do not have to cost an arm and a leg to build.  A good builder will provide you with various choices to help meet your budget goals while taking advantage of building a quality energy-efficient home.  Eco homes are not ugly or wacky looking.  All sorts of styles of homes can be green-built.

Green-built homes save your health, your money and the planet!