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Green Building Build “Green”, that is the buzzword. Everyone has heard it, but what does it mean? Green building - also known as sustainable or high performance building - is the practice of incorporating environmental considerations into every phase of the building process. A green home uses less energy, water and natural resources; creates less waste and is healthier for people living inside. Green Building also means a more resource efficient building process. There is reduced exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins, reduced waste streams, conservation and restoration of natural resources along with enhancing and protecting ecosystems. In addition, there are the economical benefits like lower operating cost, enhanced durability, less maintenance and optimized life cycle economic performance. Green offers healthier living and greater resale potential. At Athena Custom Homes, we employ the green building processes and materials to build your energy efficient, comfortable, and environmentally responsible home. Why is green building important? According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, buildings account for 39.4 percent of the total US consumption of energy. When we think of carbon dioxide, we think of cars, but 38.1 percent of our nation’s carbon dioxide emissions come from buildings. These, along with other statistics, illustrate the importance of responsible “green” building practices. There are many shades of green building; which refers to the various levels of achievement in adopting resource efficiency in a home. Homes with one or two green measures are considered light green, while homes with several green measures are called dark green. There are several programs that attempt to quantify the level of greenness. The NAHB’s Green Building program has three tiers Bronze, Silver and Gold. When you build with Athena Custom Homes, your house will automatically include numerous green features. Building a home using modular construction is a very effective way to make the best use of materials, manufacturing efficiencies and protects the framing process from the elements. Keeping all materials dry and away from the elements helps to reduce the chance of mold and other toxins from later contaminating the indoor air quality. Local communities are looking for ways to minimize the impact of construction on local infrastructure at the building site. By building with modular construction you can reduce the traffic to a building site by delivering a house that is 80% complete in one day as opposed to having trucks delivering materials day after day. Modular construction minimizes the disturbance at the site and will reduce neighborhood traffic.
What Makes Our Homes Green? We utilize numerous green building practices and sustainable products in our homes. Your high performance home will include all of these standard features without making upgrades or changes. Listed below are just some of the features we include to make your home truly sustainable! Energy Efficiency Foam insulation at windows Insulated headers & stairwells Caulked outlets and sheetrock openings Glued sheetrock and sheathing Caulked sheathing Insulated corners and interior/exterior wall intersections Energy Star rated windows Energy Star exhaust fans in every bath ducted outside Energy efficient light fixtures Whole house fan with insulated louvers
Resource Efficiency Advanced framing techniques and factory construction minimize scrap Drywall manufactured with recycled materials Reduced job site waste due to modular construction
Water Efficiency Indoor Air Quality Carpet, carpet pad, and floor covering adhesives hold "Green Label" Low VOC caulk and glue Moisture resistant backer board under tiled surfaces MDF and hardwood plywood is low formaldehyde emission certified
A recent analysis by Epoch identifies numerous NAHB green specifications already met by our homes. Our modular system received points for Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environment Quality, and Global Impact. Without making any changes, a typical custom designed Epoch Home achieves over 200 points, qualifying at the Bronze level. With a few additional Green design choices, it is easy to reach even higher levels! What are the NAHB’s Green Home Building Guidelines?
The exploding market for sustainable, environmentally friendly and recycled building products, along with the greater availability of educational opportunities for builders, has accelerated green building’s acceptance rate.
NAHB's voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines are designed to be a tool kit for the individual builder looking to engage in green building practices and home builder associations (HBAs) looking to launch their own local green building programs. Since their debut in 2005, the Guidelines have helped move environmentally friendly home building concepts further into the mainstream marketplace.
Currently, there are approximately 50 locally grown green building programs across the country, many of which are run by the local home builders' association (HBA). Eleven of these programs are voluntary, HBA-driven efforts, based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidlelines; and approximately ten additional Guidelines-based programs are under development.
The Guidelines contain six primary sections:
Lot Preparation and Design - Even before the foundation is poured, careful planning can reduce the home’s impact on natural features such as vegetation and soil; and enhance the home's long-term performance. Such preparation can provide significant value to the homeowner, the environment, and the community. Included for the end user, especially developers, is a Site Planning Appendix that closely mirrors this section and provides additional guidance.
Resource Efficiency – Advanced framing techniques and home designs can effectively optimize the use of building materials. This section also details how careful material selection can reduce the amount of time and money needed for home maintenance; and demonstrates equally important construction waste management concepts.
Energy Efficiency – This is the most quantifiable aspect of green building. The information in this section will help a builder create a better building envelope and incorporate more energy efficient mechanical systems, appliances, and lighting into a home, yielding long-term utility bill savings and increased comfort for the homeowner.
Water Efficiency/Conservation – Although, the relative importance of water availability and usage varies from region to region, the concern with adequate supply is becoming more widespread geographically. Experience also shows that employing the line items from this section of the Guidelines for indoor and outdoor water use can reduce utility bills, regardless of location.
Occupancy Comfort and Indoor Environmental Quality – Effective management of moisture, ventilation, and other issues can create a more comfortable and healthier indoor living environment. Operation, Maintenance and Education - Given the level of effort that a home builder goes through to create a well thought out home system, it would be a shame not to give the home owner guidance on how to optimally operate and maintain the house. Line items from this section show a builder how best to educate homeowners on the features of their new green home. In summary, the voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines are for the mainstream homebuilder. They will help systematize the green design and construction process and assist the builder toward incorporating more green building features into homes. As NAHB Research Center data indicates that there is a growing number of green homes built annually, it is expected that these voluntary Guidelines will help builders meet the needs of this growing market.
What Are The Levels Of NAHB's Green Building Program?
There are three different levels of green building available for the NAHB program; Bronze, Silver and Gold. All levels have a minimum number of points required for each of the seven guiding principles to assure that all aspects of green building are addressed and that there is a balanced whole systems approach. After reaching the thresholds, an additional 100 points must be achieved by implementing any of the remaining line items.
Bronze Silver Gold
Lot Preparation and Design 8 10 12
Resource Efficiency 44 60 77
Energy Efficiency * 37 62 100
Water Efficiency/Conservation 6 13 19
Occupancy Comfort and Indoor Quality 32 54 72
Operation, Maintenance and Education 7 7 9
Global Impact 3 5 6
Additional points-sections of your choice 100 100 100
Total points for each level 237 311 395
*For homes without ducted heating and cooling – deduct 15 points from Energy Efficiency section. What is LEED for Homes?
LEED for Homes is a green home rating system for ensuring that homes are designed and built to be energy and resource efficient and healthy for occupants. LEED can be applied to single and multi-family homes and is intended for both market-rate and affordable housing. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) originally developed the LEED green building rating system in 2000 for new commercial construction. Following LEED’s success in the commercial sector, USGBC began the pilot test of LEED for homes in August 2005. There are currently over 5,800 homes across the U.S. involved in the LEED for Homes pilot program and more than 150 that have already been LEED certified as a green home. The LEED for Homes pilot test will conclude in spring 2007 and USGBC will publicly launch the LEED for homes rating system in June 2007.
What is Energy Star?
ENERGY STAR qualified homes are at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC). Any home three stories or less can earn the ENERGY STAR label if it has been verified to meet EPA's guidelines for energy efficiency. This includes site-constructed homes, attached or detached homes, single or low-rise multi-family residential buildings, manufactured homes, systems-built (e.g., SIP or modular) and log homes, existing homes, or retrofitted homes. ENERGY STAR qualified homes achieve energy savings through established, reliable building technologies. Builders work with Home Energy Raters to select from a number of features when planning and building homes.
1. Effective Insulation
Properly installed, climate-appropriate insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures even temperatures throughout the house, less energy consumption, and increased comfort.
2. High-Performance Windows
Energy-efficient windows employ advanced technologies, such as protective coatings and improved frame assemblies, to help keep heat in during winter and out during summer. These windows also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that can discolor carpets and furnishings.
3. Tight Construction and Ducts
Sealing holes and cracks in the home’s “envelope” and in duct systems helps reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, and noise. A tightly sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility bills.
4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
In addition to using less energy to operate, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems can be quieter, reduce indoor humidity, and improve the overall comfort of the home. Typically, energy-efficient equipment is also more durable and requires less maintenance than standard models.
5. Lighting and Appliances
ENERGY STAR qualified homes may also be equipped with ENERGY STAR qualified products — lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, ventilation fans, and appliances, such as refrigerators, dish washers, and washing machines. These ENERGY STAR qualified products provide additional energy savings to the owner.
6. Third-Party Verification
With the help of independent Home Energy Raters, ENERGY STAR builder partners choose the most appropriate energy-saving features for their homes. Additionally, raters conduct onsite testing and inspections to verify that the homes qualify as ENERGY STAR.
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