Page 4 - The Homeowner's Handbook 2017

P. 4

EDITOR’S NOTE

By Matt Power
The Inside Scoop Editor-in-Chief

Back to Basics

Don’t let fear make you hasty. Address the fundamentals,

and your home will feel like the safe haven it should be.

HERE’S A CRACKLING TENSION provide most of its own power, and not look
IN THE AIR? Can you feel it? Part like an alien spaceship.
of it, of course, is the the chaotic What I’m talking about is good building
state the world’s climate: from science. The aspects of our homes that most
T superstorms to uncontrollable affect our future selves happen in the planning
wildfires. On top of these shudders from the and construction phase. That’s why I created a
planet is the often racist, childish and violent diagram called “The Green Building Pyramid”
rhetoric from our political leaders. It’s no about 8 years ago. Since then, the pyramid has
wonder that more people are circling the been copied and changed slightly and repub-
wagons, “fortressing” their homes with security lished by many different publications (usually
systems, surveillance cameras and generators. without credit to the original author).
We don’t have to make choices about our The premise of the Pyramid is simple.
homes from a place of fear. If we slow down Focus on the lowest cost/big impact aspects of
a little, take a deep breath, and look at how we construction first. These include WHERE you
live from the ground up, creating a safe, low- build your home, SITING it in relation to the
energy, durable home seems far less daunting. sun, and SIZE of the floorplan. Next, move up
We can’t prevent the Yellowstone volcano from exploding and wip- the pyramid, building a durable, super-efficient shell, one step at a
ing out life on Earth, but we can create a home that you can practi- time. Use the best wall system for your region, the right windows,
cally heat with a candle, that will stand up to the next hurricane, the most durable siding, and so on.
When I first created the Pyramid,
wifi smart home systems were still a
REVISED FOR 2017
luxury amenity. That’s something that
Green Building Pyramid ® KEY: Di culty/Knowledge COMPLETION Renewable energy such as solar panels or wind turbines can
required for implementation.
Note that some of the easiest
changes have the greatest now handle your home’s demand, and may even charge your car. has changed rapidly. So I’ve added
Prices are lower than ever.
green impact.
suggestions of when and where to
Fine tune your home’s performance with connected devices, including smart
locks, smart thermostats, occupancy, air quality and leak sensors—and many more POWER UP LED lighting lasts longer and produces light up to 10X more
from the Internet of Things (IoT). e ciently than incandescent or halogen lamps. Save about 10%
on energy bills by switching to this technology. introduce these bells and whistles
ADD SMART CONTROLS To maximize water savings, install low-ﬂ ow
Emphasize to your contractor that you want to create even more energy showerheads and faucets, dual-ﬂ ush toilets with bidet into the building process. The prem-
than your home uses. Make sure your tight home includes su cient ventilation,
plus easy ways to monitor and tweak energy and water use. seats and graywater with smart irrigation controls for
ise is still the same. Electronics and
any exterior irrigation.
PUSH FOR NETZEROPLUS
Read the label carefully when choosing paints, stains and caulking. Durability is a green characteristic. On the roof, opt other sensitive technology such as
Choose brands with zero or very low levels of volatile organic compounds SPECIFY SUSTAINABILITY HARVESTED/MINED MATERIALS for metal, clay tile, recycled rubber or extended-life
(VOCs) to protect your indoor air quality. (recyclable) asphalt rooﬁ ng. Side with ﬁ ber cement,
cedar, brick veneer or other long-lived products. Build
OPT FOR decks and patios with recycled plastic composites or
LOW or solar panels and inverters become
NOVOC long-lasting wood species.

PAINTS SWITCH TO LED LIGHTING
At a minimum, windows in a new home should include insulated low-E Look for formaldehyde-free wood ﬂ oors, natural vastly more effective if they rest on
glazings. Look for durable window frames made with materials that are carpet ﬁ bers, tile or other low-toxicity materials.
renewable or recyclable, and seal and ﬂ ash them meticulously. Choose countertops with high recycled content.
OPTIMIZE WATER the sturdy base of other choices along
OPTIMIZE WATER
Uninsulated concrete foundations can reduce heating e ciency by HEATING SELECT RATED APPLIANCES LOWER H20 FLOW
30%–50%. Cover concrete with rigid or spray-on foam insulation—or SPECIFY HIGHEST RECYCLED CONTENT MATERIALS Consider alternatives to wood
build foundation walls with insulating concrete forms (ICFs). Consider a framing such as Insulating concrete the building path. Build it right, with
frost-protected shallow foundation or slab-on-grade construction.
forms, structural insulated panels, or
light straw. Each has strength and
resilience for certain geographic regions. performance and self-sufficiency in
For wood-framed walls and ceilings, air inﬁ ltration is a major UPGRADE WINDOWS OPTIMIZE HVAC OPT FOR DURABILITY SPECIFY GREEN SURFACES
SPECIFY GREEN SURFACES
concern. Consider an insulation package that seals walls tightly.
A combination of house wrap with a tight insulator such as spray foam Carefully cover gaps
is one option. If using ﬁ berglass or cellulose, specify. around windows, mind, then add smart thermostats,
doors and pipes with
caulking or adhesive
UPGRADE SHELL
INSULATE FOUNDATION THINK BEYOND WOOD SEAL OPENINGS ﬂ ashing. Tape all smart locks, and every security system
Well-designed site plans take advantage INSULATION seams in house wrap.
of free solar light and energy, and minimize SPECIFY RE-USED/SALVAGED MATERIALS Make it tight.
damage to existing plants and habitats.
you want. Build as small as you can
SITING LOCATION EDUCATION HOUSE SIZE manage, and spend less time manag-
PLANNING PHASE
Doubling a home’s size triples
Shorten commutes and build close to public transit. Include bike storage and Install an If you don’t understand basic green principles, you’re its annual energy use for the life ing, more time living, resilient in the
electric charging station. Anticipate risks from ﬂ oods, wildﬁ re or storms. likely to make decisions you later regret. Reading the of the home. Think small and
Homeowner’s Handbook is a great primer for building it right. clever, not big and boxy.
face of anything the world throws at
Priorities. By working from the ground up, you can arrive at the safe, durable home of your dreams. you over the coming years. GB
2 GREEN BUILDER The Homeowner’s Handbook 2017 www.greenbuildermedia.com
2 GB 1017 Editor's Note.indd 2 11/1/17 11:49 AM

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