Trends: Green Building

Suddenly, green is in, chic and hip. And, Kermit the Frog’s musical lament notwithstanding, it is indeed easy to be green—if you do a little homework.

Of course, there are shades of green when it comes to home construction. And the term “green building” is tossed around so much that many buyers find themselves confused—understandably—about what it really means.

An apt analogy is the labeling of food. “Low fat” used to be a pretty nebulous term until the federal government adopted uniform standards and mandated specific criteria. As of today, there are no universally agreed-upon standards for labeling a home “green,” although such standards may eventually emerge.

However, building associations, academic institutions, utilities companies and others are increasingly refining definitions, forming alliances and comparing notes. So if you’re in the market for a new home and you want to go green, there are some things you’ll need to know.

Why Go Green?

Well, for starters, it’s the right thing to do. Homes account for 22 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S., 74 percent of the water and more than 20 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted—about 60 million tons annually.

Plus, every year Americans use 67 million pounds of pesticides on their lawns. The runoff can pollute lakes and rivers and impact the supply of drinking water.

Speaking of water, 73 percent of what we use is flushed down the toilet or run down the drain. A dripping faucet can waste 20 gallons of water a day, a leaking toilet 200 gallons.

Within the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) alone, the average person uses 6.5 gallons of publicly supplied water per hour.

In fact, almost all the water Floridians consume comes from underground sources.? If it’s used faster than it’s replenished, sinkholes occur, filling in the aquifer so it can never be reformed.

Homes generally agreed upon as being green use an average of 30 percent less energy, 30-50 percent less water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent.? Resources are conserved, waste is minimized and the strain on local infrastructure is reduced.

In addition to the conservation factor, there are economic benefits to going green.? Energy costs are reduced and, according to recent studies from the University of Florida, resale value is increased.?

Through the end of 2007, there’s a federal income tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of installing a solar water heating system up to $2,000.? The State of Florida will supplement the tax credit with a rebate of $500.

But probably the most compelling reasons to go green have more to do with personal well-being than with dollars and cents. Eliminating harmful emissions in fabrics, paints, adhesives and flooring improves indoor air quality and enhances health.

In any case, the argument that building green costs more than regular construction no longer holds true. Breakthroughs in building design and technology have negated most differences that once existed.

Who Decides What’s Green?

Several agencies and organizations oversee green building programs and offer certifications of one kind or another. Here are a few to look for:
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The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a non-profit association of more than 10,500 building industry organizations and businesses.? It developed the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, which emphasizes state-of-the-art methods of site preparation, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor air quality.?

The USGBC also holds the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, the largest expo of its kind in the world, and certifies projects as complying with LEED guidelines.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) certify homes, through third-party inspectors, as meeting Energy Star guidelines.

To earn Energy Star designation, a home must use 15 percent less energy than a home built to state-mandated codes. Products in more than 50 categories—from appliances to computers—are also eligible for Energy Star certification.

The DOE also sponsors the public-private Building America partnership. Its projects include producing homes using 30-90 percent less energy by integrating onsite power sources.

The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC), a consortium of developers, environmentalists, manufacturers and academicians, also provides a statewide green-building certification program.

To qualify, homes must be evaluated by a certifying agent, who evaluates such factors as disaster resistance, indoor air quality, incorporation of resource-efficient materials, implementation of water conservation measures and use of native plants for landscaping.

Since January 2006, the SJRWMD has offered Water Star certification, which focuses specifically on water conservation in new-home construction.? The program does not yet address retrofitting of older homes, but may be expanded in the future to do so.

Also last year, the JEA and the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) launched the Green Built Homes of Florida program. The program incorporates the guidelines from the Energy Star, Water Star and FGBC programs.

Manufacturers are also getting into the act.? The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s Environmental Stewardship Program encourages sound environmental practices and sustainability among cabinetmakers.?

Certified brands must meet 18 criteria in categories including air quality, product resource management, process resource management, environmental stewardship and community relations.
Meanwhile the Atlanta-based Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI), a nonprofit organization not affiliated with the building industry, certifies building materials, furnishings and finishes by evaluating their impact on indoor air quality.

Aspects of Greenness
The FGBC has identified eight key components of a green home.? The goal for builders is to adopt an integrated process that incorporates design, construction and operation of the home.? Here are the components:

1. Energy Efficiency. The building envelope should be designed and built to minimize heat and air transfer from outdoors to indoors.? Joints between windows, doors and outlets in walls should be sealed.?

New technologies such as Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) walls can provide both higher insulation value and better wind resistance.

Sprayed Icynene foam insulation is healthy and effectively seals the home by completely encasing the underside of the roof and exterior walls, providing both thermal and moisture protection.

Another alternative to traditional fiberglass batting is sprayed-in cellulose insulation.? Its boron treatment makes it bug-resistant and a good fire suppressor as well as an excellent insulator.

Windows should be double-paned, argon-filled and composite-framed for maximum insulation. Glass coating materials can now appear invisible while filtering out harmful rays from the sun. Use a light color on the home’s roof to minimize heat absorption.

And speaking of roofs, why not try a roof garden? It will lower cooling costs in summer, filter dust and smog from the air, reduce stormwater runoff and muffle noise. Plus, you gain extra space for recreation or entertainment.

2. Mechanical Systems.? Use a programmable thermostat set at 78 degrees or higher in summer and 62 degrees or lower in winter to save about $100 a year on heating and cooling bills.? A properly sized and installed geothermal heating and cooling system can save 30-75 percent on power bills.

Energy-efficient appliances and lighting can also make a big difference. Choose appliances that are Energy Star rated to save $50 and up per appliance per year—more if your appliances are more than 10 years old.

Induction cooktops actually use 90 percent of all the heat energy they produce instead of releasing it into the room. Convection ovens can save up to 20 percent on energy use and quality insulation in self-cleaning ovens improves their energy efficiency.

Changing only five of your most-frequently used regular light bulbs to compact fluorescents or LED lighting can save $100 per year. Use timers on lights to increase both energy-efficiency and security.

Florida has an ideal environment for solar energy. A two-kilowatt photovoltaic system installed in a home in Northeast Florida would generate seven kilowatt-hours per day of electricity. And don’t forget about the tax incentives available for installing solar systems.

3. Water Efficiency. Fancy turf grass lawns can cost $100 or more per year to keep watered. A native, drought-tolerant landscape reduces the need for watering and conserves resources.

Add an aerator to your sink faucets and use a low-flow showerhead to reduce water consumption without reducing water pressure. That can save up to five gallons of water per minute, or $175 per year.???

Front-loading washing machines use 40 percent less water and half the energy of top-loading washers.

And consider using a cistern to collect rainwater from roof runoff for use in flushing toilets or watering plants. Newer, low-flow toilets are considerably improved over earlier designs and still save about four gallons per flush versus conventional toilets.?

Tankless water heaters are one of the latest methods of reducing water use and saving electricity. Such units provide instant hot water at a pre-set temperature instead of storing and reheating it in a tank.

If you have a geothermal heating and cooling system, it can also heat your water when the air conditioning is running—which in our area is most of the year.

4. Passive Design. The home’s placement on the property is important.? Positioning structure to take advantage of prevailing breezes for cross-ventilation and the shade of existing large landscape trees can reduce the need for heating and cooling.?

Large south-facing windows maximize natural light while providing extra heat in the winter. Likewise, large overhangs and porches provide shade to reduce solar heat-gain on windows. And a covered entryway enhances curb appeal while preventing water intrusion.

Clerestory windows provide solar lighting without direct sunlight while newer-design skylights come with coated glass that admit light while blocking damaging UV and infrared rays.

5. Construction. Contractors should recycle construction waste.? If demolition is taking place prior to building, proper deconstruction procedures can recover many of the previous home’s materials for recycling or reuse.

Runoff from paved areas should be minimized.? The number one threat to U.S. waterways is runoff from driveways, streets and parking lots. Indeed, 60,000 square miles of the nation’s pavement is impermeable to water.?

Choosing water-permeable paving material improves the quality of waterways and replenishes groundwater supplies by allowing rainwater to seep into the ground instead of overloading stormwater systems.?

Using swales, basins and bio-vegetative filters also minimizes stormwater runoff.

6. Indoor Environmental Quality. Clean filters in heating and cooling systems monthly. This will also save money by helping the units to operate more efficiently.???

Much of a home’s lighting can be provided by “daylighting,” using natural sunlight with properly placed and coated windows and skylights.? At night, using compact fluorescent bulbs provides light comparable to incandescent light at a fraction of the cost—and with much longer bulb life.

Thermal comfort can be achieved most efficiently with a geothermal system. Such systems generally pay for themselves after about five years.? In addition, geothermal systems help control moisture inside the home.

7. Site and Landscaping. Native landscaping, or Xeriscaping, requires little to no maintenance, fertilizer, pesticides or watering.?

Trees reduce energy needs by shading the home in summer and providing wind protection in winter.? They also make the air cleaner-one tree can remove 60 pounds of pollution from the air every year.

Protecting natural vegetation creates a habitat for wildlife such as birds, ladybugs, bats and butterflies. Natural pest control is achieved by providing sources of food and shelter to these native species.?

Proper grading and landscaping also provide erosion and sedimentation control.

8. Materials. Durable materials with low maintenance requirements could include metal for roofs, which can also facilitate rainwater collection, and stained concrete floors.

Environmentally friendly materials—those that are recycled, renewable, or sustainable—include other popular flooring choices such as linoleum, bamboo, cork, eucalyptus and recycled-content tile.? Bamboo also comes in plywood form.?

Marmoleum, made from linseed oil, wood flour, rosin, jute and limestone, has natural antibacterial properties. And recycled rubber is being made into flooring and wallcovering that resembles leather.?

The newest countertop materials include natural quartz, concrete and a recycled glass product.
Look for wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as being from sustainably managed forests.? Kirei (“Kee-ray”) board, for example, is a natural material made from renewable, non-toxic sorghum stalks and is appropriate for flooring, walls, cabinetry or tabletops.

Wheatboard or strawboard is made from agricultural waste and has uses similar to particleboard.?

Oriented strand board, used in the walls of 75 percent of new homes built today, is engineered from smaller pieces of wood once considered waste.

For decks, porches and fencing, use materials made from recycled plastic and wood composites to improve both durability and safety.? Naturally resistant to rot and insects, these materials reduce reliance on chemicals such as chromated copper arsenate, which can leach toxins into the soil at levels harmful to humans.

Minimize the emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) by choosing low- or non-VOC paint, carpet and cleaning products.? Natural fibers such as hemp and sisal are good choices. For floor adhesives, choose low-formaldehyde options that are water-based and solvent-free.

Finally, something as simple as using products that are locally sourced reduces carbon emissions from transporting them long distances. Factory-built components such as roof trusses, structural insulated panels and pre-hung doors minimize waste at the construction site.

Local Green Communities

There are many green communities with homes already available or under construction in Northeast Florida.

ICI is using green building practices in its Bella Terra community in Palencia. The homes in Bella Terra are Energy Star-certified.? Beazer Homes’ developments in Summerlin Terrace at Bartram Park, Durbin Crossing North and Villages of Westport are also Energy Star-certified.?

BESTCON Homes is using Water Star and Energy Star guidelines for its Paradise Key project in Jacksonville Beach.

The St. John by Hines will be northeast Florida’s first LEED-registered high-rise. The building’s glass exterior walls maximize interior use of natural light while their low-E glass will reduce solar heat gain by 59 percent and UV light transmission by 80 percent.?

A Xeriscaped green-roof system will reduce rainwater runoff while minimizing needs for irrigation and fertilizers.

Other homebuilders and remodelers using green building practices include D.S. Killian, H.K. Heneise Contractors, Hovis Custom Builders, Hyde Park Construction & Development, J.P.

McClellan, Morales Construction, Morrison Homes, Northwest Jacksonville Community Development Corp., Park Home Enterprises, Partnership Custom Homes, Premium Panel Homes Corp., SRG Homes & Neighborhoods, 2TA Inc., Truly Custom Homes and Ryland Homes.

Clearly, you won’t solve all the world’s problems with green building and living practices, but you can have an impact—all while enjoying lower energy bills and better indoor air quality.?

As Floridians discover the benefits of owning a green home, demand for these sustainable practices is increasing. So, just how green do you want to be??