Lot Design, Preparation, and Development
Resource efficient site design and development practices help reduce environmental impacts and improve the energy performance of new housing. For example, site design principles such as saving trees, constructing onsite storm water retention / infiltration features, and orientating houses to maximize passive solar heating and cooling are the first step in the design and planning of a new home. This step helps reduce pollution and save existing habitats.
Resource Efficiency
This process starts in the planning phase, to design a home to minimize waste and choose efficient materials. Creating resource efficient designs and using resource efficient materials can maximize function while optimizing the use of natural resources. Minimizing waste and recycling scrap are also important steps in creating a green home. Another value of this step is to look at the transportation distance of certain materials from the raw material to the jobsite to help determine the true sustainability of that product.
Energy Efficiency
This step helps us look at the energy consumption of a home during occupation, but also during construction. This step deals with insulation, efficient heating and cooling equipment, and alternative energy. However, of equal importance is window selection, window location, eave dimensions, a tight building envelope, duct sealing, and vapor barriers. The goal is to create a home that is less expensive to operate, and more comfortable to live in.
Water Efficiency
Green homes conserve water both inside and out. Implementing green features can bring the average use of water per day per home from over 64 gallons to less than 45 gallons. That could save more than 7300 gallons a year. This step starts with the installation of more efficient water delivery systems to the point of use, as well as the use of landscaping ideals such as the use of native drought tolerant plants. Also rain water can be harvested for landscaping use, and/or filtered for indoor use.
Indoor Environmental Quality
Better indoor environmental air quality can lead to health benefits for the family residing in a green. As an increase in allergies and respiratory ailments to many Americans is occurring, a green home is a way to help free your family from that concern. This step helps to minimize products that off-gas hazardous chemicals found in many traditionally built homes. There are measures that can be taken to mitigate the effects of potential contaminants including controlling the source, diluting the source, and capturing the source through filtration.
Operation, Maintenance, and Homeowner Education
As stated before, green homes help reduce maintenance needed in a home significantly. As with any product though specific instructions are needed to help sustain that product. Unfortunately, many builders do not offer their homeowners an instruction book for their home. Green building steps require homeowner tutorials before a move in, and a step by step procedures manual for all the systems included in the home. This helps make sure the homeowner knows how to maintain their home, and gives them a resource for any questions they may have. This leads to a peace of mind for green homeowners.
