A "green" home is a home that is highly energy efficient, has excellent indoor environment, and is built to exceed local building code. Considering this, doesn't this mean that a green home costs more to build than a person could save on energy costs? Absolutely not! A green home is affordable to build and can save a homeowner thousands in energy costs annually. And there are thousands in tax incentives to take advantage of.
First, planned right and built well, a green home can be built for no more than regular construction, and has greater market value when it is completed. It is important to have a builder that has built green homes before, not just one that has added green features onto existing construction. The latter has no experience with the type of building techniques that lower building costs. An experienced green home builder will know that getting LEED's engineers involved in the process and restructuring the process of building to reduce waste and energy are key to starting the project off right. In addition, an experienced green home builder will be able to make valuable suggestions to the potential homeowner about trade-offs in costs and energy efficiency and apply his practical experience to estimates of energy savings.
Energy efficiency savings can be substantial. Using the weather and energy costs in Oregon as an example, and comparing an affordable green home to conventional home with forced air heating and central air-conditioning, a green home can save you around 75% on electricity, by using a combination of solar panels, landscaping, and Energy Star rated appliances and water heater and substituting central air with geothermal applications, over 90% on natural gas by using alternative heating methods, and 60% on water/sewer by implementing grey water recapture. Typical annual bills of nearly $3,000 per year could be lowered to $700 or less - a savings of $2,100 per year. Of course, these figures are for illustrative purposes only. Your actual savings depends on your electricity usage, the size of the home, the number of people you live with.
Monday, May 17, 2010
An Insulation Innovation
When it comes to the green home, ratings matter. There are a number of eco certification for home based appliances and white goods. Plus you can get your home professionally assessed for energy efficiency.
Residential homes can be given a rating based on the National House Energy Rating (NatHERS) which is an index of the home's thermal performance. It is done through a professional analysis by a qualified assessor working in conjunction with the builder of the home. NatHERS provides a baseline for assessment software to rate a home's energy efficiency potential. Most homes in currently fall below a 5 star rating, but the current tool has now been adapted to allow for a potential 10 star rating (which would be equivalent to zero conditioning energy). This system is based purely on the home's infrastructure and does not include appliances or hot water systems. Find out more about energy ratings for your home.
Good insulation is a key feature in any energy efficient home. And homeowners are keen to take advantage of an important announcement last week, with funds for ceiling insulation becoming available from the federal government. The Federal Government will be providing eligible homes with free ceiling insulation worth $1600. Landlords and renters can benefit too with rental properties being included in the package.
Residential homes can be given a rating based on the National House Energy Rating (NatHERS) which is an index of the home's thermal performance. It is done through a professional analysis by a qualified assessor working in conjunction with the builder of the home. NatHERS provides a baseline for assessment software to rate a home's energy efficiency potential. Most homes in currently fall below a 5 star rating, but the current tool has now been adapted to allow for a potential 10 star rating (which would be equivalent to zero conditioning energy). This system is based purely on the home's infrastructure and does not include appliances or hot water systems. Find out more about energy ratings for your home.
Good insulation is a key feature in any energy efficient home. And homeowners are keen to take advantage of an important announcement last week, with funds for ceiling insulation becoming available from the federal government. The Federal Government will be providing eligible homes with free ceiling insulation worth $1600. Landlords and renters can benefit too with rental properties being included in the package.
Heating Your Home is Now Green
Autumn is approaching and that means colder days ahead. However, Oregon is blessed with an amazingly moderate climate where even our chilliest days are nothing compared to other regions in the world. This means that our residents can take advantage of all natural low emissions heating in their green home.
As well as insulation and energy efficiency, there are other innovative heating ideas to keep your home toasty warm for the winter.
Seal up draughts - Put snakes under door jambs, get weather stripping for your windows. Heavy curtains also help keep in the heat and keep out the cold. You'll be amazed at how cosy a room can be without any heating at all.
Look beneath your feet - the soil beneath you home acts as a natural insulator, keeping the ground warm all year round. By employing a geothermal heat pump, your home can be take advantage of this natural heat during the colder months. In a geothermal system, liquid is circulated in pupes that run beneath your home. As the liquid gets warmer, it is pumped up to a heat condensor where the heat is released into your central heating system
.
As well as insulation and energy efficiency, there are other innovative heating ideas to keep your home toasty warm for the winter.
Seal up draughts - Put snakes under door jambs, get weather stripping for your windows. Heavy curtains also help keep in the heat and keep out the cold. You'll be amazed at how cosy a room can be without any heating at all.
Look beneath your feet - the soil beneath you home acts as a natural insulator, keeping the ground warm all year round. By employing a geothermal heat pump, your home can be take advantage of this natural heat during the colder months. In a geothermal system, liquid is circulated in pupes that run beneath your home. As the liquid gets warmer, it is pumped up to a heat condensor where the heat is released into your central heating system
.
Energy Efficient Lighting, Whod'a Thought?
Setting up a good green home starts with energy efficiency. Traditional incandescent light globes lose almost 90 per cent of their energy in generating heat - only 10 per cent of the electricity used is actually going into lighting your room. And because of their various filaments and parts, incandescent bulbs generally have a much shorter life span than their more energy efficient counter parts.
Installing energy efficient globes is one of the most cost effective and easiest options available for a good green home. Some companies had even traditionally given out energy and water saving "packs" for people to try out. Nowadays, these energy saving globes are available everywhere - so the question becomes, which light fitting is right for you?
The lowdown on CFL - Compact Fluorescent (CFLs) are the most common energy saving fitting. CFLs use just about 20 percent of the energy required for the same amount of light from an incandescent globe and last 10 times as as long. All in all, a CFL will help reduce the cost of lighting your home by as much as 60 %.
Installing energy efficient globes is one of the most cost effective and easiest options available for a good green home. Some companies had even traditionally given out energy and water saving "packs" for people to try out. Nowadays, these energy saving globes are available everywhere - so the question becomes, which light fitting is right for you?
The lowdown on CFL - Compact Fluorescent (CFLs) are the most common energy saving fitting. CFLs use just about 20 percent of the energy required for the same amount of light from an incandescent globe and last 10 times as as long. All in all, a CFL will help reduce the cost of lighting your home by as much as 60 %.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Getting it Right With Energy Efficiency in Your Home
With gas and oil prices on the rise, many people are talking about energy efficiency and using renewable energy sources in the home. Some people automatically assume that making their home more energy efficient is going to cost a lot of money up front, but in reality that's not the case. The first step in making your home more energy efficient is merely to improve your internal appliances and systems with a bit more thought. We'll give you some simple rules that will make your home more comfortable, your fuel bills lower and your conscience lighter as you use less fossil fuels.Rule # 1: Let There Be Light. We all need electricity but did you know that by using energy efficient LED lights and compact fluorescent bulbs in all of your home fixtures you could cut your energy use exponentially? For instance, one study found that merely by using LED lighting rather than traditional incandescent bulbs you could save 90% of home lighting energy consumption. In many cases, not only do fluorescent, LED and other energy efficient lighting options use less energy, they also last longer and are more durable. Yes, they may cost a little more up front, but you'll see the value when they pay for themselves after a year or so of use and you can scratch light bulbs off your weekly list at the market or hardware store.
Rule # 2: Look at Your Appliances. As you review your electric load (or how much electricity you use to run your home) you should cast a glance at all of your appliances. Any that are very old and out of date, especially washers, dryers and refrigerators could all be costing you far more money than you think and taxing the environment to boot. When you look for appliances, try to find ones that are specifically designed to use less power and be more efficient. Not only will you probably be able to get some spiffy rebates, you'll also be offsetting the cost of your new energy efficient appliance with the savings you'll immediately see on your utility bills.
Rule # 3: Consider Your Climate. This relates not only to where you live and what your environment is like but also to how you regulate the temperatures in your home. First, is your home well insulated? If not, you are allowing in and letting out a lot of energy, heat and cold .Improving your insulation is one of the best and easiest ways to make your home more efficient. How are your windows? What can you do to retain heat in the winter and repel it in the summer? Also, if you have an attic, are you keeping it properly ventilated during the summer months? If it gets too hot up at the top of your house, your whole cooling system will have to work that much harder so you should consider installing a solar powered attic fan that will keep your attic well ventilated and moderate the overall temperature.
A dry and ventilated attic is a happy one. Finally, how are you cooling your home in the summer? If you live in an arid climate and you are still using traditional air conditioning, you do have other options. Environmentally friendly evaporative coolers (or "swamp coolers") are often just as effective and require a third of the power or less.
Improve the Energy Efficiency in Your Home
Building energy efficient homes in Bend and improving energy efficiency in our homes can increase their value.
Over the past few years, there has been a ground swell of Green building interest by home buyers and builders. In response to the growing demand to conserve energy in our homes, there are several new mortgage programs that allow home buyers to finance the cost of energy improvements into their mortgage, to increase their loan-to-value, or improve their qualifying ratios. Some of the more common improvements that are used to make homes more energy efficient include the addition of new windows, high efficiency heating/cooling systems, and improved insulation. All of these contribute to reduced energy use, and also to making homes quieter, more comfortable, and more desirable.
What makes a home energy efficient in Bend?
The cost of heating and cooling a home represents the largest cost of ownership, outside of the home mortgage expense. Everyone wants a home that is comfortable to live in, and yet the costs associated with reaching a comfortable level can be very high. Energy Efficiency can be defined as the use of products or systems that use less energy to do the same or better job as conventional products. In home construction and performance, there are many areas where energy efficiency can be achieved, to allow you to meet those desired comfort levels.
The EPA's ENERGY STAR program has developed a process for evaluating products used in a home, such as appliances, windows, lighting and other products that meet or exceed certain efficiency standards or recommendations. When choosing products for a home, ensure the products meet Energy Star ratings. This can include furnace, air conditioning and water heater performance, replacement of appliances in the home, and installation of energy efficient lighting such as Compact Florescent Lamps (CFL's).
Other construction design aspects can have a significant impact on the energy performance of a home. Insulation levels should be adequate for the environment, and more importantly, proper installation of the insulation is critical in ensuring it is performing to the expected levels. Air infiltration and leakage can be another area where hidden openings in the building shell can cause heat and cooling losses to occur, reducing the efficiency of the home's performance.
Over the past few years, there has been a ground swell of Green building interest by home buyers and builders. In response to the growing demand to conserve energy in our homes, there are several new mortgage programs that allow home buyers to finance the cost of energy improvements into their mortgage, to increase their loan-to-value, or improve their qualifying ratios. Some of the more common improvements that are used to make homes more energy efficient include the addition of new windows, high efficiency heating/cooling systems, and improved insulation. All of these contribute to reduced energy use, and also to making homes quieter, more comfortable, and more desirable.
What makes a home energy efficient in Bend?
The cost of heating and cooling a home represents the largest cost of ownership, outside of the home mortgage expense. Everyone wants a home that is comfortable to live in, and yet the costs associated with reaching a comfortable level can be very high. Energy Efficiency can be defined as the use of products or systems that use less energy to do the same or better job as conventional products. In home construction and performance, there are many areas where energy efficiency can be achieved, to allow you to meet those desired comfort levels.
The EPA's ENERGY STAR program has developed a process for evaluating products used in a home, such as appliances, windows, lighting and other products that meet or exceed certain efficiency standards or recommendations. When choosing products for a home, ensure the products meet Energy Star ratings. This can include furnace, air conditioning and water heater performance, replacement of appliances in the home, and installation of energy efficient lighting such as Compact Florescent Lamps (CFL's).
Other construction design aspects can have a significant impact on the energy performance of a home. Insulation levels should be adequate for the environment, and more importantly, proper installation of the insulation is critical in ensuring it is performing to the expected levels. Air infiltration and leakage can be another area where hidden openings in the building shell can cause heat and cooling losses to occur, reducing the efficiency of the home's performance.
Living Greener is Easy!
It's a common misconception that living green in Bend is more expensive than not. But, if you look at it from a different perspective you can see that you can do so with out too much effort of with out spending a lot of money.
I have found 5 simple tips to help contribute to reducing your carbon footprint without lightening your wallet...
1. USE COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS - This is an item that is a little pricey but if you attempt it bit by bit or room by room its not as hard on the wallet. Focus on rooms that get the most use : living room, kitchen, family room or office.
In the beginning, pay attention for a day or two to find which room you spend the most time in and change those blubs. Then try to find the second most used room and when you can afford it change out those bulbs.
Its all about small steps that in time can be very effective. Here are some statistics I gathered from the Energy Star website:
If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb's lifetime. CFL's Produce about 75 percent less heat, so they're safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling.
I have found 5 simple tips to help contribute to reducing your carbon footprint without lightening your wallet...
1. USE COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS - This is an item that is a little pricey but if you attempt it bit by bit or room by room its not as hard on the wallet. Focus on rooms that get the most use : living room, kitchen, family room or office.
In the beginning, pay attention for a day or two to find which room you spend the most time in and change those blubs. Then try to find the second most used room and when you can afford it change out those bulbs.
Its all about small steps that in time can be very effective. Here are some statistics I gathered from the Energy Star website:
If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb's lifetime. CFL's Produce about 75 percent less heat, so they're safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling.
How to Interpret "Living Green"
I think everybody has the same basic concept of what living green is. Basically it’s making the earth healthier so that we, the inhabitants, can live healthier. But beyond that what does it mean to you on a personal level? Are your reasons for living green humanitarian or personal?
What are some of the personal reasons people might choose for living green? Well, finances for one. Gas prices are very high right now and getting higher. Switching to biofuel or another fuel alternative might help cut down on carbon emissions, but it can also keep more money in your pocket. Using those energy efficient compact florescent bulbs may be a part of living green, but they also save you money on your energy bill.
Another personal reason for living green can be health. Followers of living a green life stress giving up or reducing meat consumption. This is also a health issue for someone with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart problems. Green household products are good for the environment, but there also good for health conditions like allergies.
Ego can be a personal reason for living green. Living green is really big and getting bigger so showing people that you have conformed to the green way of life can you some pats on the back. It can be a big boost to the ego when you are being congratulated for something you’re doing.
Living green in Bend is very important in the longevity of this planet. So whatever reason you have chosen to embrace living green, personal or humanitarian, just doing so helps us all.
What are some of the personal reasons people might choose for living green? Well, finances for one. Gas prices are very high right now and getting higher. Switching to biofuel or another fuel alternative might help cut down on carbon emissions, but it can also keep more money in your pocket. Using those energy efficient compact florescent bulbs may be a part of living green, but they also save you money on your energy bill.
Another personal reason for living green can be health. Followers of living a green life stress giving up or reducing meat consumption. This is also a health issue for someone with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart problems. Green household products are good for the environment, but there also good for health conditions like allergies.
Ego can be a personal reason for living green. Living green is really big and getting bigger so showing people that you have conformed to the green way of life can you some pats on the back. It can be a big boost to the ego when you are being congratulated for something you’re doing.
Living green in Bend is very important in the longevity of this planet. So whatever reason you have chosen to embrace living green, personal or humanitarian, just doing so helps us all.
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