Home              About Us              Energy Efficient Construction              Photo Gallery             Contact Us

Efficient Building Design Options A well-designed and constructed building will reduce the amount of natural resources needed for future operating costs as well as the amount of construction material resources. Achieving the goal of an efficient design may include simple or dramatic design statements, standard or highly efficient mechanical systems or changes in standard construction practices, but quite often it is best achieved through a combination of these options completed by all participants in the construction process. These participants include, but are not limited to the architect/designer, the contractor, sub-contractors and owners.   Some options for the participants to consider include:   Architect/Designer: Locate rooms/spaces with little or no HVAC requirements such as garages, breezeways and storage rooms toward the colder areas of the site, if the home is being built in cold climates. Evaluate appropriate window locations and views. Limit the number and size of windows on the north and south sides of the house in cold climates. Limit the size and number of window areas in the home’s service rooms. Locate operable windows in each room to provide cross-ventilation or “free cooling” during spring and fall seasons.   Proper use of daylighting strategies can greatly reduce the amount of artificial lighting required in the future.     Contractors: The successful construction of an efficiently designed home depends largely on the commitment and contributions of the general contractor and all of the sub-contractors and suppliers. Attention to detail and scheduling are essential to the construction of a truly efficient home.   Install air and vapor barriers appropriately for the climate and protect the barriers until they are properly covered. A vapor retarder is a material or structural element that can be used to inhibit the movement of water vapor, while an air retarder can inhibit airflow into and out of the building envelope of a house.   Properly sealing air leaks in the home’s thermal envelope can help reduce future energy costs by up to 50 percent when compared to other houses of similar type and age. Properly sealing a home during initial construction is the most cost effective and efficient approach.     Appliances Home buyers should purchase high-efficiency appliances such as clothes washers, dishwashers, freezers and refrigerators, especially if these appliances will be used frequently. Because all major appliances must have an EnergyGuide label, read the label carefully to make sure you have selected the most efficient appliance.     Light/Electrical Fixtures Energy efficient lighting not only reduces the owner’s cost for operating the fixture, it also helps keep energy bills down by producing less heat, thereby reducing cooling requirements. Fluorescent lighting, both conventional and compact, is generally the most efficient lighting available for home applications.     Plumbing Fixtures Low water use fixtures such as showerheads, faucets and toilets can reduce water use by nearly half.     Colors Installing light colors on exterior building surfaces such as roofing, siding, stucco and face brick helps to reflect the sun’s rays which reduces the amount of heat transferred into the home. This will help reduce cooling costs as well as the damage that can occur when extreme temperatures build-up in attics and wall cavities.   Light interior color selections for wall, ceiling and floor surfaces helps reflect natural light that enters through windows and skylights and helps to reduce the need for artificial lighting.