You've banned plastic bags from your home, swapped
out the incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescents
and have replaced the shower heads and toilets with low-flow
models.So, what's the next step for homeowners who want
environmentally friendly and energy-efficient "green" homes?
You can be as green as you want, but the goal for all is
the same: to minimize the dent we make each day on the
environment, from driving to work alone or using hardwoods
rapidly lost to clear-cutting in the Amazon jungle.
Still, it's a bit scary to think that the way we've been
living all these years is now suspect. Sustainability - the
concept that materials we use should be renewable and used
for the long term - is a long way from the days of "planned
obsolescence."
"Rest assured, efficient living does not mean radically
changing your lifestyle," believes home designer Alan
Mascord of Portland, Ore. "The key is to know how a product
works for you, where a product comes from, what you will do
with it when you are done and how much it costs for you to
operate."
Mascord's company, Alan Mascord Design Associates Inc.,
has teamed with Whirlpool Corp., a leader in making Energy
Star-rated appliances, to produce a book showing how houses
can be built in the mass market using green principles that
emphasize durable construction techniques and materials.
Complete with floor plans and an interactive CD, the book
is one of the first of its kind. With a foreword by
architect Sarah Susanka, a leader in the "less is more"
movement, it is titled "Mascord Efficient Living: Build a
More Sustainable Lifestyle" and is available at
mascordefficientliving.com or Amazon.com for $14.95.
Beyond its many plans for new houses, the book is a good
primer on elements comprising green homes and gives
homeowners ideas on where to go next to improve the
sustainability of their houses.
THE INS AND OUTS OF GOING GREEN
Using one of Mascord's designs, we've consulted with
greenhousing specialist Stephen L. Kapp, technology manager
for the Center for Sustainable Energy in San Diego, to
suggest what homeowners in a typical tract house should
consider when making the move toward green. It's a choice
that can result in considerable economic benefit and the
knowledge that the Earth will be a bit less bruised.
Here are Kapp's suggestions:
INSIDE
1. Refrigerator. Make sure it's Energy Star rated. If
it's more than 10 years old, chances are it's an energy hog.
Features such as ice makers or door-mounted TVs add more to
the bill. A rebate may be available to haul off your old
one.
2. Electronics. Make sure computers, video games, TVs and
cable boxes are shut off with a power strip when not needed,
as they still draw electricity even if they're not in use.
3. Fans. Make sure fans such as those in the kitchen,
bedrooms and bathrooms are rated for the task needed and use
the least electricity necessary for the job.
4. Light bulbs. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are
available for virtually any fixture, including those
outdoors. However, they might not provide light instantly;
use the older bulbs in areas where light is needed pronto.
Beware: Not all CFLs are Energy Star rated. Consider sensors
that turn lights on and off when rooms are occupied or
vacant.
5. Programmable thermostats. They'll help keep your
heating and air-conditioning bills down if you don't want to
tinker daily with the settings.
6. Shower heads and toilets. Some shower heads are now
super-low-flow, using only 1.5 gallons per minute vs. 2.5
gpm models; for every 10 minutes in the shower, that's 10
gallons saved. Toilets, too, now come in ultra-low-flow
models, with some having an option on how strong a flush is
needed.
7. Washers and dryers. Front-loading washing machines use
less water. Moisture sensors on newer dryers tell when it's
time to shut down automatically.
8. Water heaters. Consider a tankless model, a compact
unit that provides hot water on demand. But check first that
the high cost is worth it, compared with newer,
energy-efficient traditional tank heaters. Simple step: Turn
down the heat setting on your present water heater.
9. Paint. Make sure paints and stains are rated low-VOC
(for Volatile Organic Compound).
OUTSIDE
10. Fencing. Consider fire-resistant, recyclable,
woodlike materials instead of the real thing.
11. Compost bins. Composting organic waste creates rich
soil for plants and keeps it out of landfills; about
one-third of landfills is taken up with material that could
be composted.
12. Landscaping. Drip or underground irrigation systems
allow native plants access to water while minimizing waste.
13. Outdoor solar lighting. Exterior lights can soak up
the sun's rays during the day and illuminate sidewalks or
stairs at night.
14. Recycling bins. Putting recyclables in the recycling
can on trash day may be easy, but visits to the recycler
instead are a quick way to boost the allowances of your
children.
CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS
15. Insulation. Check the insulation to see if it meets
the minimum standard for your climate zone. Upgrade your
insulation with either blown-in material, or batting with a
vapor barrier. If you're tearing apart exterior walls, now
is the time to add insulation and a weather barrier such as
Tyvek.
16. Flooring. For carpeting, check to see if the product
carries a Green Label from the Carpet and Rug Institute
showing it meets criteria for the release of volatile
compounds. Also, consider natural flooring such as stone,
slate, bamboo or cork, or recycled materials. Linoleum is
back, this time as a "green" product.
17. Cabinets and lumber. Check on the origins of the wood
you plan to use in cabinetry, as well as in lumber. Be sure
the wood is certified, showing that it is a sustainable
product as judged by a third party such as the Forest
Stewardship Council.
18. Duct work. Make sure that ducts are sealed
mechanically or with a mastic compound. This is one job
where duct tape won't do.
19. Solar panels. Check on the various systems and any
available rebates and credits. You could be the first on
your block to go into business - selling electricity to the
power company.
20. Roof. Consider a green roof. It can increase the life
span of the underlying roofing materials, while reducing
heating and cooling costs and the amount of storm water
flowing into drainage systems.
21. Windows. Replace single-pane windows with double
pane, Low-E coatings (for low emissivity) that keep heat out
in summer or in during the winter. This can be an expensive
proposition, however. Make sure it pays off. Sealing gaps is
the first place to start.
22. Porous driveways. Driveways designed for percolation
let rainwater soak into the ground instead of storm drains.
LOOK FOR THE LABELS
The three main national certification programs for
green-built houses:
- Energy Star. Most people think Energy Star ratings are
for appliances and electronics, but entire houses can be
Energy Star-rated as well. Home builders must meet
guidelines established by the EPA.
- LEED. The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design program issues rigid
performance standards and grades houses and other
structures.
- National Green Building Standard. Developed by the
National Association of Home Builders, the program brings a
national dimension to already established green programs
formed by local home-builder associations. The criteria
includes use of locally derived materials and recycling of
surplus building materials.
ORIENTATION
To maximize the sun's benefits, a home should be
positioned on an east-west axis with the greatest number of
windows on its south side. To prevent excessive exposure to
the sun in summer, overhangs or other shade elements should
be used. Minimizing the number of windows on the east and
west sides reduces exposure in early morning and late in the
day, when shading is difficult due to the low angle of the
sun.
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