The heightened focus on green building practices that we have observed lately is only gaining momentum. The green building movement is in high gear - not only in the U.S but around the world. Given the enormous impact on the environment arising from home construction and home energy and water use over the lifetime of the structure, it is of paramount importance that builders utilize green building practices.
Green building encompasses a wide variety of environmental considerations such as land development, solar heating and cooling, material selections and durability, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and energy efficiency. And of these considerations, energy efficiency is probably of greatest impact to the environment. Even with significant improvements in home energy efficiency over the past several years, there is still much room for improvement! New technologies and building techniques such as spray-foam insulation and Energy Star fixtures and appliances are making significant new improvements possible.
I am committed to obtaining the Energy Star certification on every home that I build. The results are easily quantifiable. My detailed specifications require conformance to Energy Star standards, and I have a third party inspect and test my homes to ensure compliance with those standards. The third party is specially qualified as a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) rater. The HERS rating on the last home I completed earlier this year was a 72. This score means that the home is almost twice the efficiency than that required for Energy Star Certification!
The immediate benefits of increased efficiency (and of green practices in general) are great: significantly lower energy bills, healthier interior environment, increased homeowner comfort, and less maintenance. And the long-term benefits to the environment - and therefore to our children - are priceless.
Green building encompasses a wide variety of environmental considerations such as land development, solar heating and cooling, material selections and durability, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and energy efficiency. And of these considerations, energy efficiency is probably of greatest impact to the environment. Even with significant improvements in home energy efficiency over the past several years, there is still much room for improvement! New technologies and building techniques such as spray-foam insulation and Energy Star fixtures and appliances are making significant new improvements possible.
I am committed to obtaining the Energy Star certification on every home that I build. The results are easily quantifiable. My detailed specifications require conformance to Energy Star standards, and I have a third party inspect and test my homes to ensure compliance with those standards. The third party is specially qualified as a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) rater. The HERS rating on the last home I completed earlier this year was a 72. This score means that the home is almost twice the efficiency than that required for Energy Star Certification!
The immediate benefits of increased efficiency (and of green practices in general) are great: significantly lower energy bills, healthier interior environment, increased homeowner comfort, and less maintenance. And the long-term benefits to the environment - and therefore to our children - are priceless.
This equipment is used by the qualified Energy Star rater to quantify the whole house leakage - a major component of the Energy Star rating. Behind the white disc is a fan that creates a very strong vacuum, and pulls air through places you'd never suspect!
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