The Green Wave…what is it?
Everyone has undoubtedly heard about “Green Building” at some point or another. It’s a craze that has swept the building and remodeling industry by storm and means many different things to everyone. So what is it? The term Green refers to different aspects of the building process including but not limited to: 1) Energy efficient products 2) Sustainable building practices 3) Locally sourced products and materials 4) Reduction in construction waste 5) Advanced planning and construction techniques
Many building professionals claim to “build green,” but what a consumer really needs to understand is which Green Building program your builder is following to deliver measureable results. There are many programs available to the construction industry that all strive to achieve the five items mentioned above. Some of these programs include Energy Star, NAHB Green Building Code, LEED and many other local building association adopted plans and city/town energy savings programs. These designations also typically include third party inspections that verify your home and builder have met the requirements to achieve the designation. Some of these inspections can include the following: Energy Rating on the house plans prior to construction (typically referred to as a HERS rating), Blower Door tests to check for air leakage in the home, insulation inspections to verify proper insulation techniques and duct blaster tests to ensure your HVAC system ducts are not leaking air. Another key component to Green Building is what works in some climates and areas may not work in others. The bottom line is visit with you builder before the construction process begins or talk with them during or after to understand what Green Building practices are being followed.
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