Designing a Green Home
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As a well informed and sensible home owner you would be interested in designing
an environmentally friendly building.
If you already own a home, remodeling an existing building to be sustainable can
be more cost-effective than building a new one.
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Designing a green building starts from site selection – select a site that is close
to amenities and facilities you would need to visit often. This will help you save
on fuel costs.
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The main points to be considered while designing a sustainable home is conservation
of water, electrical energy, recycling waste, natural lighting and using recycled
building materials. Green Distribution can help you in designing a home that saves
money operationally as well as in the actual construction stage.
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Be aware of ways and means of reducing your carbon footprint.
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Building green is good for both the economy and the environment. Homebuyers and
home owners increasingly see the added value in a green home. For some, it’s energy
savings and lower utility bills. For others, it’s saving old growth forests. For
still others, it’s knowing that their home is a healthier place for their children.
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- A Green Building is a home that is durable and long lasting.
- A Green Building offers a safe environment for children to live and play.
- A Green Building conserves the natural resources of our planet – by using materials
from sustainable resources.
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- Conserve natural resources
- Increase energy efficiency
- Improve indoor air quality
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Green building is a whole systems approach to the design, construction and operation
of buildings – from the early stages of development through the final finishes in
the home. This approach benefits the homeowners by reducing resource consumption
and improving livability.
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Green buildings consume less energy and water, have better indoor air quality and
use less wood fiber than conventional homes and use recycled-content building materials.
Green homes reduce potentially carcinogenic volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde
from building materials and construction waste is often recycled and remanufactured
into other building products.
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Conventional building practices consume large quantities of wood, plastic, cardboard,
paper, water and other natural resources that lead – unnecessarily – to their depletion.
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Water conservation is another important issue. Wise water usage reduces the strain
on resources while lowering expenses. Today, builders can take advantage of a new
generation of high-efficiency appliances and landscape water management systems.
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Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of any green building project. Electric power
generation and use of energy are major contributors to air pollution and global
climate change. Improving energy efficiency and using renewable energy sources are
effective ways to reduce the potential of energy supply interruptions, improve air
quality, and reduce the impacts of global warming.
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Improving energy efficiency is also an economically effective choice for consumers.
Lowering utility expenses allows homeowners to enjoy the financial benefits year
after year.
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The first steps to increase energy efficiency are to add insulation wherever possible,
install windows that are double glazed with low-e coatings and upgrade to high-efficiency
appliances. Other energy upgrades include installing solar water heaters and photovoltaic
panels.
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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that the air in
new homes can be ten times more polluted than outdoor air. According to the New
England Journal of Medicine, 40% of children will develop respiratory disease, in
part, due to the chemicals in their homes. Poor indoor air quality is caused by
the off-gassing of chemicals found in many building materials as well as mold and
mildew that build up in poorly designed and maintained heating and cooling systems.
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One of the most common indoor pollutants is formaldehyde, a suspected human carcinogen.
Kitchen cabinets, countertops, shelving and furniture are typically made from particleboard
held together by formaldehyde-based adhesives. The formaldehyde is released into
the home for years after these products have been installed. Many paints and floor
finishes also contain unhealthy volatile organic compounds (VOCs). That “new house
smell” is actually the odor of these volatile compounds off-gassing and is a telltale
sign that there are harmful chemicals in the indoor environment.
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The building products industry has responded to these indoor pollution problems
by developing alternative paint, finishes, and adhesive products. For example, solvent-free
adhesives used in flooring and countertops can eliminate many of the suspected and
known human carcinogens. Paints, varnishes, and cleaners that contain less volatile
compounds are now commonly available from most major manufacturers at costs comparable
to conventional products.
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What is more important than the health of our children? The public health community
has identified homes as one of the most significant threats to children’s health.
It is only common sense to reduce the use of products that are known to have health
impacts. Consider using the following in your homes:
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- No-VOC paints
- Natural linoleum in place of vinyl flooring
- Elimination of particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF)
- Water-borne wood finishes
- Clean ducts before occupancy
- Exhaust fan in attached garages
- Range hood vented to outside
- Whole house water filter
- HEPA filter on furnace
- HEPA Air Purifier
- Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV)
- Sealing of particleboard and MDF
- Chlorine filter on showerhead
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Description:
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Passive solar systems provide heat to the structure through south facing windows
in conjunction with thermal mass.
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Application:
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The house must incorporate windows that face within 30 degrees of due south and
have the ability to store excess heat in massive elements such as a slab floor or
stone fireplace.
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Benefit:
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Passive solar design can reduce heating requirements by 30-50%, saving energy and
money.
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Description:
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Properly sized overhangs or awnings on south facing windows are important components
of passive solar heating and natural cooling. Overhangs and awnings help keep the
heat of the sun from entering the home during unwanted times, but allow heat to
enter in the winter. These shade control devices can be oversized roof overhangs,
wood trellises/arbors with deciduous plants, or adjustable or demountable awnings
made of fabric or metal.
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Application:
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The overhang or awning design should keep out summer sun by shading the entire window
during the hottest month(s) of the year. Size overhangs or awnings above south windows
so that winter sunlight is allowed into the space, where it can be absorbed by thermal
mass, and be re-radiated as heat. Also consider shading devices on the west and
east facing windows to protect from morning and afternoon heat, especially in hotter
climates.
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Benefit:
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Overhangs, awnings and trellises are an integral part of making passive solar heating
and natural cooling work. Removable/retractable fabric awnings offer a low cost
solution to reduce heat gain, lower energy bills, and make the home more comfortable
in the summer.
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Description:
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During summer months, the sun shines on the south and west sides of the home causing
the home to heat up which in turn makes air conditioners work their hardest. Trees
offer the best solution for keeping out low-angle sunlight from west and south windows
in summer. The additional cooling demanded by low-angle sun penetration of west
windows in late summer afternoons create the most significant summer peak utility
costs.
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Application:
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Plant shade trees on the west and south sides of the home to provide shade and summer
cooling. The most important areas to shade are windows and paved areas. Keep trees
three feet from the foundation to avoid introduction of pests and root intrusions.
Avoid planting trees too close to the home or utilities.
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Benefit:
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Planting shade trees can reduce summer air-conditioning costs by 25% to 40%. Trees
provide numerous additional benefits to the environment including cleansing the
air, creating habitats for birds and play places for children as well as adding
aesthetic beauty to the neighborhood. Through shade and evapotranspiration, trees
can create a microclimate that is up to 20 degrees cooler than the surrounding area.
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