Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the environment's
importance to health and quality of life for today and future
generations. Issues such as global warming and rising energy
costs are rarely escaping the headlines. The need for energy
sustainability has becoming paramount especially in light of the
emergence of China and India as great industrial powers and
global competitors for dwindling resources. The media
continually looks to the automobile as one of the leading
culprits of energy waste, and certainly hybrid technology is
proving that we can make great improvement, but what about "gas
guzzling homes"?
There is a new movement in government and among eco-willing
developers called "Sustainable Design" which is creating more
resource efficient models of building construction along with
healthier living environments by combining the latest energy
saving technologies in sort of a "hybrid" home. New home
builders who employ such design techniques are finding a very
positive response from consumers who would like the option of a
more eco-friendly home, if only given the choice.
Hybrid Features of Sustainable Design
Energy StarŪ Compliance: The home must be able to use 30% less
energy than the former government standard, which is called "The
1993 National Model Energy Code." To achieve this reduction in
energy use, a builder may employ the following:
a) Energy Star appliances which use 10-50% less energy as
determined by the federal government.
b) Low-E spectrally selective windows which filter out heat
emission without reduction of sun light.
c) Improved insulation to improve heated and cooled air
retention. Sometimes this is combined with cellulose attic
insulation using eco-friendly materials such as specially
treated recycled newspaper.
d) Tightly sealed ducting which prevents heated or cooled air
from escaping and being wasted.
e) Energy efficient heating and air conditioning systems which
use the greatest amounts of energy in the home.
NOTE: Be sure that the new home was independently verified for
its energy use, comes with an Energy Star certificate and has
the Energy Star emblem placed near the home's voltage box.
Solar Power: Homes equipped with photovoltaic cells can convert
the sun's energy to heat water and generate electricity. When
many homes are unoccupied during the hottest hours of the day,
homeowners can actually reverse the electric meter and sell
excess power back to the utility. A home that has the capacity
to sell as much energy as it uses is called a Zero Energy Home.
Water-Efficient Landscaping: Drought tolerant native plants and
multi-programmable irrigation clocks using a minimal amount of
water are of increasing importance in the warmer climate zones
of the United States.
Water-Efficient Faucets: Water saving fixtures can still provide
a desirable water pressure while saving about half the water
that would otherwise be wasted down the drain.
Tankless Water Heating: Why continually heat 50 gallons of
water? With an on-demand water heating system, you only heat the
water as needed.
Recycled Carpet: You could never tell the difference, yet a
2,000-square-foot home which uses carpet from recycled plastics
prevents approximately 10,000 two-liter bottles from going to
the landfill!
Low VOC Non-Toxic Paint: Volatile Organic Compounds evaporate
from paint into the air and are harmful for the health of the
occupants as well as to the environment. Ask your builder if
they use Low VOC paint.
Central Vacuum: These systems eliminate the re-circulation of
dirty air reducing allergens and dust mites from inside the
living area. Because the electric motors are larger and
concealed in the garage or basement, they are quieter, more
powerful, and can draw more cubic feet of air per minute from
deep within carpet, baseboards, blinds and fabrics.
Eco-friendly developers such as Pardee Homes in southern
California (
http://www.pardeehomes.com/ ) are making sizable gains
in sustainable design and contributing to America's need for
energy and green house gas reduction. For example, for every
2,200 new Energy Star homes built by a willing developer,
roughly 10 million pounds of greenhouse gases are prevented from
entering into the atmosphere. As more builders across the entire
nation become Energy Star partners, the energy savings becomes
tremendous. Home buyers are also saving money over the long run
in lower energy costs and potentially higher home resale value
and gaining a healthier more comfortable living environment.
For a complete list of Federal Energy Star partners visit
energystar.gov under "Builders, Raters, Sponsors, and Lenders of
New Homes."
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