Building a Green House, Part Deux
Yesterday we started talking about how building a green house begins in the initial planning stages - you shouldn’t just decide all willy-nilly that it’s going to be “green” halfway through the process. It’s important to actually design a floorplan that will allow a cross flow of air when windows are open, one that will measure out perfectly to prevent cutting floor joists and discarding the unused portion, and preserve trees on the land rather than obliterating them. Today, let’s talk about some of the additional work that’s done to make a “green” home, according to The Jones Company of Tennessee.
My favorite effort is placing the occupancy sensors in all secondary walk-in closets, the master bedroom closet, utility room, and walk-in pantry. The motion detector lights can be set to time in 15 seconds to 45 minutes. You see these types of lights a lot in the bathrooms of commercial buildings. What happens when you sit for a few seconds too long and the light goes out, you ask? You flip open your cell phone and use it as a flashlight!
Water Efficiency
A green home tries to reduce the water used in a home both for the environment and for the pocketbook. Clearly, the homes use the 1.6 gallon toilets rather than the banned 3 gallon’ers. There’s a thriving black market for 3 gallon commodes! In addition, dishwashers must be Energy Star approved. Showerheads flow at less than 2.5 gallons per minute and sink faucents at less than 2.2 gallons per minute.
Indoor Environmental Quality
A green builder will locate low- or no- VOC paint (volatile organic compound) for indoors. Porter Paints carries these paints, but a buyer would have to specifically ask to get it. According to the company’s website, “We further manage potential pollutants generated in the home by sealing fireplaces. Plus, we employ the necessary steps to prevent moisture from entering the home through plumbing or heating and cooling systems in the forms of vapor or rainwater.”
Operation, Education, and Homeowner Education
Once a green home is completed, knowing how to operate the features and the maintenance requirements would be necessary to stay green. A complete book of directions and training on the green features would educate the buyers in their role as green homeowners.
However, if a homeowner wants to resell a home as a green home, it would have to be retested to certify it is still green compliant. The green certification does not transfer.
In addition to building GREEN, all homeowners should consider adding carbon monoxide detectors alongside smoke detectors. What have you done to make your home green? If you want to see how well you’re doing, visit the NAHB website that allows you to register and score your home!
