Green Building For Homes – An Overview
The footprint of the built environment where people live has tremendous impact on our natural systems including air quality, water quality , water supply, greenhouse gas emissions, stormwater impacts, use of natural resources and accumulation and disposal of waste. When we apply the principles of green building and sustainability to the way we build and live in our houses we can reduce those impacts significantly and bring many benefits to individuals, communities and the health of the natural world. Benefits to high performance green homes include:
- Save energy
- Save water and protect streamflow
- Save on use of resource materials
- Reduce air and water pollution
- Improve indoor environmental quality
- Increase durability and comfort
- Reduce waste at home and in landfills
- Reduce impact to natural ecosystems
SEE: Look for these Logos to signify meeting strict certification standards for green home program:
Look for these tell-tale signs of high performance green building such as high efficiency windows, CFL or LED lighting fixtures, Energy Star and WaterSense appliances and fixtures, recycled content and Low VOC interior materials; solar panels, high efficiency HVAC unit, or geothermal heating and cooling. Other green building features are hidden inside the walls, attics or crawl spaces such as superior spray foam insulation, sealed and insulated crawl spaces, and excellent sealing against air infiltration.
LEARN: A Few Facts That Are Good to Know!
Green building requires a whole house systems approach to design and construction
Green building programs require third party inspection and verification to assure standards are met
Achieving a green building standard of Energy Star or WaterSense or above can increase energy efficiency 15-30% and water efficiency 15% above typical building code compliant house. Builders and contractors are required to take special training to achieve certified home construction.
Up to 40% of our landfill materials are made up of construction waste. This could be avoided since 80-90% of construction materials can be recycled, as is often done for green building programs.
Green technology is only the start – using sustainable behaviors in the home is just as important.
For details on requirements and to find experienced architects, builders and contractors:
Energy Star / WaterSense Homes www.energystar.com and www.epa.gov/watersense
EarthCraft House – www.earthcraft.org
NAHBGreen – www.nahbgreen.org
LEED for Homes – www.usgbc.org
Find information on financial incentives, rebates and tax breaks at xxx.com
ACT!!
- If buying a home, seek out a certified EcoBroker and look for green certified homes
- If renovating, seek out a trained architect, builder or contractor with green building experience
- Have an energy and water audit and upgrade your home to increase its efficiency performance
- Request an educational program on green building from the tour organizers
- Support home building codes that require high performance green building standards
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