What do you mean Green?

It touches everything from energy efficiency, to indoor air quality, to use of recycled

materials and durable design with varying combinations and degrees of each.  Throw in

all the possible green building standards to choose from and the term "green home"

could mean many things.  The NAHB green standard is the only ANSI certified standard.

What makes a home Green?

A green home is energy efficient.  Energy Star guidelines are just the baseline for a home

under NAHB standards.

A green home is resource efficient in both operation and construction.  As an example,

every year there is enough unused and scrap lumber put into dumpsters to frame

62,500 homes.  This is equivalent to clear cutting 400,000 acres of trees.  Standard

stick framed homes produce 425% more waste than a panelized wall and

truss built home.

A green home is non-polluting in operation and production.  Greater energy efficiency

produces less CO2 emissions leaving us with clealner air.  It is possible today

to recycle 100% of the waste left during construction of a home greatly reducing the

amount of material going to our landfills. 

A green home is built to be durable.  Materials are chosen to last many years without

the need to replace them.  Brick or Hardie Board as the main exterior veneer creates

a long lasting and attractive home.

A green home is healthy.  Materials with lower emissions of chemicals and volatile

organic compounds are used in construction.  Low or No VOC paints can be applied

with little extra cost.  Using prefinished hardwoods in lieu of woods finished after

they are installed in the home.  And picking cabinets and other finishes with no

formaldehyde used in finishing and preserving.  All of these practices provide the

homeowner with a healthier air quality in the finished home.

A green home should be beautiful and comfortable so it can be enjoyed for many

years without being torn down and replaced.  It is obvious that replacing an entire

house uses many more of our natural resources. 

Why should you be interested?

The world population has grown from 3 billion to 6 billion people in the last forty

years.  It is projected that the population of earth will jump to 9 billion people by

2050.  In addition, developing countries like China and India are using more resources

per capita every year.  Of course with increased demand we face higher prices and

short supplies.  We can make a difference for our children and grandchildren by

taking  just a few steps today to conserve.  And the GREAT NEWS.  You can take

many green steps building your home without spending additional dollars.  There are

other green steps you can take which cost a little more during construction but have

wonderful pay back in savings of energy costs and maintenance.

Call us to discuss building your new green home.