Why should I consider a “green” home?

Health-

Green Certified homes are designed to be healthier than a standard code built home. This is achieved largely through responsible and educated specifications provided by your designer/builder. Features such as HEPA style filtration on HVAC equipment, no volatile organic compounds in paints, sealants, and adhesives, and formaldehyde free building products all contribute to a healthier living environment.

Comfort-

Green certified homes go through intense design critique regarding the mechanical systems used in heating and cooling the home. Great care is taken to ensure that there are no “hot spots” or “chilly rooms” in your home. The HVAC systems are designed by professionals including duct design and layout, system sizing requirements, supply locations, and return air requirements. This results in a very comfortable indoor air environment.

Durability-

Green certified homes are required to be built beyond the code standard in terms of structural design and product performance. The certification process awards designers for achieving a “Fortified Home” standard. In Florida, the goal is of course to build homes capable of weathering a hurricane with little or even no damage. Builders are rewarded for the use of non-combustible building materials on the roof and at the eaves to help prevent a fire from flying embers. The result is a home that should outlast a standard code built home.

Energy Efficiency-

Green Certified Homes are more energy efficient than a standard code built home. Care taken to design a proper HVAC system contributes largely to this. An Energy Rating Specialist is employed to determine the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) index of the home. Compared to a baseline score of 100, builders are awarded points for lower HERS indexes. There are many ways to lower your energy use. Features like sprayed foam insulation, compact fluorescent lights, LED lights, tank-less water heaters, solar PV systems, solar hot water heaters, High SEER HVAC systems, High pressure injected foam wall insulation, and Energy Star appliances all lower energy consumption.

Environmental Responsibility-

Certified Green Homes use less resources, and create less waste. Builders are encouraged to use building materials that contain high quantities of recycled materials for their production. Waste management plans are used to ensure items like steel, concrete, clean wood and cardboard are recycled rather than sent to the landfill.

Water Efficiency-

Green Certified Homes use less water than standard code built homes. There are many fantastic new products that help to achieve this. Products such as dual-flush or low flow toilets, low flow faucets and showers, Energy Star dishwashers and wash machines all help to reduce the water use inside the home. Systems such as HVAC condensate water collection cisterns, rain water collection cisterns, Florida Yard and Neighborhood Landscapes, and drip irrigation systems can virtually eliminate the need for a municipal water supply for irrigation purposes. For homes designed to be independent of a municipal water supply, whole house cisterns with UV purifiers, and gray water recycling systems are used.

Josh Wynne