Author: Mary Fifita
If you are (and you should be!) building using tight construction methods, use your design savings on your smaller HVAC system to pay for higher-efficiency equipment and also for fresh air ventilation. Ventilation should not be an afterthought, so make certain that whatever type of HVAC system you are considering has this component included. If your area has adopted the 2012 IECC, it requires mechanical ventilation in all new homes and on any major renovation. You might think that HVAC systems (where the “V” has always stood for ventilation) include this function, but most do not. However, higher-end systems do…
Nothing will kill the efficiency of a system faster than a poor installation. A good mantra to remember is that “You get what you inspect, not what you expect.” This was noted before, but it bears repeating here. There is no way for even a true professional to know if the airflow, total external static pressure or refrigerant charge of an HVAC system is right except by testing and measuring key parameters. If anyone tells you differently, run for the door with your hand on your wallet. Houses are systems; think of them as being like cars. It is easy…
Different types of HVAC systems will carry different designation ratings for energy efficiency. Whether a heating or cooling efficiency rating is most important to you will be determined by whether you live in a predominantly hot or cold climate and based on the severity of your climate. If you live in an area that does not require much summer cooling, focus on the heating system efficiency, and vice-versa for an area with hot summers and warmer winters. If you live in a mixed climate with four true seasons, then you should be considering both heating and cooling efficiency ratings. Cooling…
In most US households, air conditioning and heating systems are the biggest users of energy, so once we have maximized our envelope efficiency, the next big target is an efficient HVAC system sized correctly to match our great envelope. This will give us the most improvement toward our overall energy reduction goals. The important considerations for heating and cooling equipment are quality of installation, correct sizing of the system and, finally, the efficiency ratings of the equipment, in that order. Before building science looked at and started recognizing system-wide equipment efficiencies, it was standard practice in the industry to oversize…
The priority considerations for all interior finish products are durability and impact on indoor air quality. It is worthwhile to select styles that are aesthetically pleasing and classic. It’s much greener to redecorate with a new coat of paint on the walls than to replace cabinetry, flooring or countertops because they are out of style, yet still functionally sound. For impact on indoor air quality, remember it’s not just the product, but also the materials used to construct and install it, including the binders and adhesives. Hard-surface flooring materials have long life expectancy and are easier to keep clean than…
It would be impossible for us to cover all of the building materials on the market in this article. Now that we have described the main considerations for selecting building materials, it is necessary to put that into context for each type of material. We are going to look at the major building component categories and attempt to provide that guidance for each, starting with the outside walls, foundation and roof and work our way in. Remember to focus on the primary function or performance that you need from the product, as well as any concerns from using it. All…
With regard to resource efficiency, we need products that consume fewer high-value natural resources both initially in their manufacture and over the long term. So, we really like products made from rapidly renewable resources, salvage, recycled or waste materials, or that have been otherwise repurposed from existing, not virgin, resources. Or products that serve more than one purpose, like concrete foundations as finished floors, so additional flooring products are not required. And products that are reusable or recyclable at the end of their lives, saving further depletion of our natural resources in the future. Materials that have been reused from…
There are complete books on the market that give detailed descriptions of the vast array of building materials available. As soon as a book is published, though, it is out of date, not only due to the continued invention of new products and innovations in existing ones, but also due to the results of continued research into just how green all of these products are. Additionally, not all products are available, or even appropriate for use, in every market. Your best resource for building materials is through a reputable green architect, homebuilder or building supply outlet that specializes in these…
When you think about design, there are three aspects of a green home that you should remember. In this chapter, we will look at those in more detail and introduce the third strategy: We are not saying that design is everything, but it is your single best opportunity for natural resource efficiency and saving money. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. Really! Designing for Your Site In article Analyzing Your Building Site, we looked at site selection in terms of natural amenities, topography and location. Our site might have other characteristics that influence our design. Desirable views (or objectionable…
Anyone can tell you that building a large house will cost more than a small one. Every additional foot of space in every room takes more labor and materials. More space adds more foundation and roof, and more stone, brick or siding. Larger homes take more structural materials to build, more interior finish products (cabinets, flooring, drywall, paint, windows, doors), larger systems for heating and cooling and more furnishings. Large lots require more landscaping. Whatever your budget, the larger the space the larger the percentage of funds will go to base construction cost, leaving less for high-performance features and amenities.…