Designing and developing a green home can seem like a daunting project, but creating a living space that’s easy on the environment is simpler than you might think. There are several easy adjustments that you can make in your building and design project that will have a significant impact on how green your final house is. Pursuing a green home offers a wealth of benefits for your family as well as the planet.
A green home is a dwelling that’s designed in an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient manner. Green homes produce less waste, use fewer resources, and are easier on the earth. You can construct a green building from the ground up, or you can upgrade an existing structure with fixtures and features that make it greener at a later date.
The American National Standards Institute has approved the National Green Building Standard as an efficiency rating system for single-family homes and multifamily apartment buildings. To achieve an NGBS rating, a home must maintain high-efficiency standards in six key areas:
The NGBS has four certification levels, so builders can customize their projects to meet the budgets and needs of different customers. Homes are rated Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Emerald. To move up to a new certification level, the home must meet higher standards across all six categories.
In addition to the NGBS, there are several other organizations that rate green home development. You may seek certification from or compliance with the standards set forth by one of these institutes as a measure of your successful green home development. Our consultants can help you understand key standards for environmentally friendly homes and inspect your property to determine how you stand. Our staff members are certified by all of the following.
We have inspected and rated more than 60,000 homes over our lifespan, so we bring extensive knowledge and experience to the table when it comes to green home development. We know exactly what to look for to build an eco-friendly dwelling.
If you’re interested in designing a green home, there are several factors that you need to take into consideration. Your commitment to environmentally friendly practices can begin in the very earliest stages of the design process, from selecting a location that’s conducive to green living to selecting finishing touches, like light and plumbing fixtures.
Some key things that you should incorporate into your green home design include:
Consult with your contractor, builder, or other industry professionals for custom recommendations on how to construct a green home for your family. Our consultants consider a wide range of factors when assessing a home. We look at the insulation, air leakage, HERS score, and more. As a third-party contractor, we can provide an unbiased opinion on your home’s development as well as knowledgeable recommendations that meet your needs for efficiency and affordability.
There are many compelling reasons to consider going green with your home development. The most obvious is your impact on the environment. When you choose to pursue eco-friendly building materials and strategies, you create a home that has less impact on the environment. You will use fewer precious resources and enjoy a smaller carbon footprint.
A green home can also pay you back for your investment in several ways:
If you’re interested in designing and constructing a green home, our consultants can help. We can assist with REScheck reports, blower and duct testing, Manual J, D, and S inspections, and energy-efficient home tax credits. Contact us now to learn more.