Most folks would say there are two components that produce green construction . The two items people will agree upon that produce a home "green construction" are the design and process and the finishing or "features" of the home.
The thing is, people don't know is that although these homes are green based on conventional building methods the fact remains that most of these homes could be greener than they are.
This is what quite a few people consider green construction.
FSC (Forest Steward Certified) Lumber - This is local timber that is provided from responsibly managed harvesting. Eco friendly paints Energy efficient appliances (Energy Star Rated) Energy efficient heating and air with programmable thermostats (Energy Star Rated) Tankless water heaters 2 x 6 exterior walls which allow for more insulation installation. Capture and reuse of rain and snow melt and gray water. Low flow or dual flush toilets Solar power Renewable resources such as bamboo flooring, blinds Solar tubes Awnings to protect windows and entries from extreme sun exposure Energy efficient windows and doors.
Here are the ways that the architect and general contractor design and build a home to be considered green.
The actual design of the structure to minimize waste of contruction materials. The design of the dwelling to take advantage of space for energy efficiency. Positioning of the house on the property on an east/west axis. Materials used i.e. renewable, green, recycled, improve energy efficiency. Methods of construction that will minimize impact of the land. Methods of building to reduce waste of resources such as power, gas, water, material, and man power. Methods used to reduce waste ending up in the dump such as donating unused construction materials to Habitat For Humanity stores, recycling metal and plastic and recycling wood to mulch operations or bio energy plants.
Yes these methods are green, there is no denying this fact. However, there are two important areas that are being unnoticed. The framing and the insulation are two areas that are being totally unnoticed. The framing and insulation are the two areas that are responsible for up to 80% of the homes heat loss.
The good news is there is a very simple answer for this problem. The first step would be to replace wood framing with steel framing. Instead of using insulation in the wall cavity and blown insulation in the attic you would use a radiant barrier sheathing. Finally, with a continuous ridged exterior insulation you are creating an air tight envelope around the home to prevent air infiltration. These three things combined can reduce utility bills by as much as 60%.
The thing is, people don't know is that although these homes are green based on conventional building methods the fact remains that most of these homes could be greener than they are.
This is what quite a few people consider green construction.
FSC (Forest Steward Certified) Lumber - This is local timber that is provided from responsibly managed harvesting. Eco friendly paints Energy efficient appliances (Energy Star Rated) Energy efficient heating and air with programmable thermostats (Energy Star Rated) Tankless water heaters 2 x 6 exterior walls which allow for more insulation installation. Capture and reuse of rain and snow melt and gray water. Low flow or dual flush toilets Solar power Renewable resources such as bamboo flooring, blinds Solar tubes Awnings to protect windows and entries from extreme sun exposure Energy efficient windows and doors.
Here are the ways that the architect and general contractor design and build a home to be considered green.
The actual design of the structure to minimize waste of contruction materials. The design of the dwelling to take advantage of space for energy efficiency. Positioning of the house on the property on an east/west axis. Materials used i.e. renewable, green, recycled, improve energy efficiency. Methods of construction that will minimize impact of the land. Methods of building to reduce waste of resources such as power, gas, water, material, and man power. Methods used to reduce waste ending up in the dump such as donating unused construction materials to Habitat For Humanity stores, recycling metal and plastic and recycling wood to mulch operations or bio energy plants.
Yes these methods are green, there is no denying this fact. However, there are two important areas that are being unnoticed. The framing and the insulation are two areas that are being totally unnoticed. The framing and insulation are the two areas that are responsible for up to 80% of the homes heat loss.
The good news is there is a very simple answer for this problem. The first step would be to replace wood framing with steel framing. Instead of using insulation in the wall cavity and blown insulation in the attic you would use a radiant barrier sheathing. Finally, with a continuous ridged exterior insulation you are creating an air tight envelope around the home to prevent air infiltration. These three things combined can reduce utility bills by as much as 60%.
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