The Fundamentals Of Green Home Building
Here are the fundamentals green home building. Site location is a critical decision facing the architect. Site location and issues surrounding it will effect the use of solar and wind energy sources. The basic systems that constitute a house are heating and cooling, electrical systems, and plumbing. Each of these systems must have a philosophy of design that promotes sustainability and keeps the environment clean.
The technologies with the most potential are solar panels and wind power turbines. High efficient variable speed heat pumps must also be put into that category. Provisions of current federal tax law gives tax credits for the installation of alternative energy systems. Using tax credits will lower the total cost of installation making these technologies more cost effective. Home builders must constantly be aware of tax credits and other tax consequences.
For electric supply wind turbine power and photovoltaic solar cell panels are the most promising technologies currently being used. Photovoltaic cells are combined in arrays. They are attached to the house roof. Also mounted on the roof, wind turbines continue to improve in design and function. Both wind and solar systems interface with the electrical grid. Any excess energy produced by your solar and wind systems will be sold back to your utility company. Everyone should get into the habit of only using low energy LED and compact fluorescent lights.
It is important to consume less water. Plumbing systems must minimize water use. Using rainwater is a very simple way of achieving this. Toilets, dish washers, and cloth washers can all run fine with rainwater. It is very easy to collect rainwater. It can save a lot of water. It encourages sustainability. Water heating is an expensive function. Water heating costs can be reduced by using solar panels to heat water. You will use less water in your bath room by installing low flow shower heads, toilets and faucets.
Green building techniques will reduce the total use of wood and simultaneously augment total insulation area. The goal is to have a sealed thermal envelope. A recently developed green home construction material called structured insulated panels helps create a tight seal, promoting fantastic home insulation. Concrete walls must be constructed of poured concrete. Crawl spaces must be tightly insulated and sealed. A sealed thermal envelope will reduce your utility bill. Energy efficient systems and environmentally friendly building techniques are a great financial investment. Over the long run, they will pay for the cost of your investment many times over.
Appropriate roof design is a very important architectural issues. This is because both photovoltaic solar panel equipment and wind turbine equipment will be mounted upon the roof. Due to this fact, the architect must be experienced in the science of modern roof design. Roof design is not a simple matter. There are important structural and engineering issues that must be address in formulating the design of a roof.
As you can see, insulation is a crucial element in attaining the level of energy efficiency you are seeking. The objective is to have the home tightly wrapped in a thermal envelope. Two types of materials are used to obtain the tight seal necessary: structured insulated panels and open cell spray foam. The foam must be sprayed into all open wall cavities. Roof decks and band joists must be filled with foam also. Every tiny gaps and slit left over from framing must be sealed. The other material is structured insulated panels. Structured insulated panels are two pieces of plywood with four to six inches of foam sandwich between. Both materials will render the complete thermal seal for the entire home that you require.
When selecting a builder to construct your new home, choose one who follows these fundamentals of green home building. We all must do what we can to reverse the very real problems of global climate change. Encourage sustainability and energy independence by building a environmentally friendly home.
Thomas Bleier is a professional carpenter and green building enthusiast. In a addition to writing about green home building, Thomas also covers urban gardening, permaculture, and clean energy.
