The Top 13 Green Home Building Techniques
Savvy home buyers want it all: beauty, comfort, efficiency and sustainability. Green options for housing, such as renewable energy and materials, have come a long way. No longer considered just an alternative energy solution, today’s sustainable home building practices are planted firmly in the mainstream. Many of the options available to home buyers in Denver and throughout Colorado improve the quality of the home, reduce energy costs and have a decreased environmental impact. The costs of building a green home have gone down significantly as well.
If you’re planning to build a new home, here are some green home building ideas you may want to consider:
1. Pick the Right Location
Maximizing your green footprint begins with careful consideration of the location before choosing a home or property. Is the home in an environmentally sensitive area, such as a flood plain? Which direction will the home face? Southern exposure offers year-round passive solar benefits, while northern exposure tends to be cold in winter, and western exposure can generate excessive heat in the summer. Other factors to consider are the proximity of grocery stores and other amenities and the accessibility and convenience of mass transit.
2. Build Smaller
Tiny homes have attracted a lot of interest in the last few years, but building smaller doesn’t have to be extreme to be effective. More square footage means more area to build, heat, cool, clean and maintain, so it pays to be thoughtful when planning the size of your home. Your home builder can help you design a home that fits your lifestyle without wasting space, energy and money in areas you won’t use.
3. Go Solar
As a clean, natural and renewable energy source, solar power offers many benefits to both the planet and to you. Incorporating a solar energy source in new construction offers the advantage of planning to maximize the amount of power your system will generate. Solar power saves money by lowering energy costs, and can result in even greater savings when selling any excess energy back to the utility company. Solar panels may be a big investment up front, however, energy savings–as well as government grants, incentives and tax breaks can make solar energy an attractive and wise investment.
4. Use Geothermal Power
Geothermal power uses the heat naturally generated by the earth to heat your home. In the summer, the loop system works in reverse, moving the heat from your home back into the ground. While it requires a substantial up-front investment, it provides an essentially limitless source of energy and eliminates the use of combustion.
5. Install Energy Efficient HVAC Equipment
Start with a high efficiency, Energy Star-rated HVAC system, then have it professionally designed and installed to insure optimal operation. This includes proper sizing and installation of the air ducts to prevent leakage. Ducts should be short, straight and air-tight.
6. Make Sure Your Home is Insulated Properly
Air leaks around windows, doors and air ducts are wasteful and costly. Heating and cooling account for 50% of your energy consumption. Why pay for wasted energy? Properly sealing these areas and making sure you have sufficient insulation results in greater comfort in your home and lower energy bills.
7. Use Sustainable Materials
Select building materials wisely in order to reduce the impact of construction on the environment. Choose vendors who source and produce their products sustainably. Materials are available that are renewable, contribute to the energy efficiency of your home, and are recyclable at the end of their useful life.
8. Work with Your Land
Use the natural terrain and landscaping of the property to its best advantage in order to limit the need for watering and expensive lawn care. If you do plant trees, shrubs or flowers, choose native, non-invasive species which also require less maintenance and water, and protect both the environment and wildlife.
9. Make Your Landscaping Efficient
Plant trees that lose their leaves in winter along the southern and western sides of your home. In summer, the shade will naturally help your home stay cool. In winter, when the leaves are gone, the sun will come through to help your home stay warm.
10. Use LED Lighting
LED lighting lasts longer and uses less energy. These bulbs cost more to purchase, but are much cheaper over time. Also, you can help keep the night sky visible by positioning outdoor lighting to prevent light pollution.
11. Install Water Conserving Fixtures
Low-flow faucet aerators, tankless water heaters and Energy Star-rated washing machines and dishwashers are simple ways to conserve water.
12. Use Energy Efficient Windows (EnergyStar)
Energy Star-rated windows are now available. These highly efficient windows perform even better than newer double-pane windows, saving energy, boosting your comfort and increasing the value of your home.
13. Use a Programmable Thermostat
This simple device takes your already efficient HVAC system and makes it even better by allowing you to control the energy consumption in your home throughout the day. Simply set the thermostat to lower the temperature in winter or raise it in summer when you are sleeping or not at home so energy (and money) isn’t wasted during those times.
Sheffield Homes can help you find the green solutions to make your new home everything you’ve dreamed of and protect the environment as well. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
