THE BENEFIT

By reducing a home’s environmental foot­print a homeowner can lower operating costs. The owner will enjoy increased comfort due to fewer drafts, better humid­ity control and better indoor air quality, and will benefit from enhanced durability and less maintenance based on the longer-lived components and systems utilized.

THERE ARE SIX PRIMARY AREAS OF FOCUS FOR GREEN BUILDING DESIGN

1. Lot Design & Development
This focus deals with such issues as saving trees, storm water retention, and build­ing orientation for passive solar heating and cooling. This is a good illustration of how beginning with the end in mind improves overall success, solar orientation being a prime example.

2. Resource Efficiency
Key areas of focus for resource efficiency include reducing job site waste, recy­cling materials, and understanding the embodied energy which might be best determined by a life-cycle analysis of raw material acquisition, manufacturing process, homebuilding process, its impacts during operation and maintenance, and finally during demolition and reuse.

3. Energy Efficiency
This area deals with the energy consumption during the life of operating the home. Start with a tight building envelope, then maximize the efficiency of all energy consuming appliances as well as possibly using active solar systems. A new initiative calls for all new buildings to use half the fossil-fuel energy they would typically consume, and to be “carbon-neutral” by the year 2030.

4. Water Efficiency
Major concerns for this category include water used for food, cleaning, and land­scape irrigation. Strategies to reduce consumption include recirculating hot water systems, instant (point-of-use) water heaters, Energy Star dishwashers and wash­ing machines, water-efficient showerheads and faucets, ultra-low-flow toilets, drip irrigation, rainwater catchment, and gray water re-use systems.

5. Indoor Environmental Quality
This is where we seek to minimize and manage potential sources of pollutants within the home. Big sources are the mechanical room, the garage, products using formaldehyde, and the plywood and particle board used for the walls and cabinets, as well as any place mold can accumulate.It is wise to seal off the me­chanical room and garage from the interior spaces and avoid using products con­taining formaldehyde. Use cement-based backer board for tile installations and be diligent about keeping water out of the insides of the walls.

6. Operation & Maintenance by Homeowner
This is the crucial final element and a big opportunity for the builder to educate the new owner about alternatives to toxic cleaning substances and lawn and gar­den chemicals and point out water and energy-saving practices. A home owner’s manual full of helpful tips and resources should be left in the home for reference.