Building A More Eco-Friendly Home
- 1. BUILDING A MORE Some things to keep in mind when building a green home ECO-FRIENDLY HOME HOME PLAN & ORIENTATION 1. Orient home to take advantage of the sun for solar energy. 2. Position home to take advantage of natural wind and ventilation. 3. Home footprint: Smaller homes require fewer resources. WATER EFFICIENCY 4. Look for WaterSense label on faucets, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, etc. 5. Drought-tolerant landscape plants: Consider xeriscaping or native plants for water-smart outdoor beauty. 6. Smart irrigation controllers on outdoor irrigation systems. 7. Alternative water sources: Use rain barrels, cisterns, graywater systems. GREEN MATERIALS 8. Recycled aluminum, steel use up to 95 percent less energy than producing from raw material 9. Doors, hardware, renewable lumber and bamboo can be reused. 10. Locally produced materials take less energy to deliver. LIGHTING 11. Position windows and skylights to take advantage of natural light. 12. LED lighting can save more than $6,600 vs. incandescent bulbs BUILDING EXTERIOR 13. Air sealing: Proper weatherization is essential. 14. Insulation: Insulate the roof, wall cavities and foundation. 15. Consider electricity-generating solar panels which help to achieve zero emissions status. 16. Choose ENERGY STAR® -rated window and doors. HVAC 17. High-efficiency HVAC units: ENERGY STAR®-certified furnaces, boilers, air conditioners will pay for themselves over lifetime of unit. 18. Make Ductwork efficient – properly sized, sealed, and leak free. 19. Heat recovery ventilator: Provides fresh air in tightly sealed home. 20. Programmable thermostat: Keeps energy waste to minimum. RENEWABLE ENERGY 21. Solar water heater: Can supply up to 70 percent of hot water needs. 22. Geothermal heat pump can reduce heating/cooling costs by 80 percent. 23. Solar-ready: Build home with solar and/or electric vehicles in mind. 22 1 2 15 9 12 8 23 5 13 17 19 18 21 4 11 6 20 3 10 16 7 14