REAL-WORLD GREEN

For years, homeowners who wanted to go green had to find a balance between protecting their wallet and saving the planet.
Now, they don’t have to choose. Builders have found ways to use sustainable materials and energy conservation technology that’s more affordable than ever.
Here’s what some communities and builders are doing in Central Florida to meet increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly construction.
One of the biggest green revolutions is under way at Victoria Park, a master-planned community in DeLand – and the revolution was initiated by the homeowners themselves.
Faced with escalating energy costs, a group of residents recently met with Victoria Park’s developer, Kolter Land Partners, to explore alternative street lighting.
Currently, there are more than 800 gas-fueled streetlamps throughout the community, costing more than $400,000 annually to operate. There are more than 1,000 lamps planned as the community grows.
The resident-developer team recommended a low-voltage distribution system that converted the existing gas lamps to energy efficient, Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, saving more than $360,000 a year.
“The new LED lights will mimic the look of the gas lights while producing brighter and more consistent light levels for the community’s streets and sidewalks,” says Scott Morton, director, land planning and development for the Kolter Group.
Builders and developers are also upping energy efficiency in their new homes. Among the leaders in this effort is KB Home, which recently unveiled the KB Energy Performance Guide for homebuyers.
Similar to the MPG sticker on a car, this guide allows consumers to walk into any KB home and know exactly what they can expect to pay in monthly utility costs.
The savings are indicated with a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) score, which is issued by a third party inspector. The lower the number, the higher cost savings. For example, a typical resale home may receive a rating of 130 while a new home may rate 100.
An average new KB Home rates 63, with an estimated monthly electric and gas bill of just $90.
“For the first time, we can tell buyers exactly what these energy efficiency features mean for them from a cost savings standpoint,” explains Cara Kane, director of corporate communications for KB Home. “That kind of information is what they’re looking for.”
Kane admits that many homebuyers still believe green technology is costly. However, she notes, a new green home actually costs less in the long-term.
In its nine communities around Central Florida, KB homes are all Energy Star qualified. And they’re built using such materials as radiant barriers roofing, double-pane windows and low-VOC (Volatile Organic Comound) carpet.
A VOC is a chemical compound used in the manufacture of some paints, adhesives, petroleum products and refrigerants. When used indoors, VOCs can give off gasses that may cause health problems over time.
Meritage Homes Division President Fred Vandercook believes new homes should be better, not just newer. That’s why all of his company’s new homes include standard E3 (Extreme Energy Efficient) features.
The concept behind Meritage’s E3 program is that the home is a system, so each part of that system – including water, electricity, heating and cooling – must work together to reduce energy costs.
“Our home is a system whose parts function integrally to create maximum performance and value,” says Vandercook. “Offering a la carte options would diminish performance significantly, so we created this program and made it a standard feature.”
As part of the E3 program, spray foam insulation is added to the wall and to the bottom of the roof sheathing, surrounding the entire home to prevent heat or air loss.
Dual-film, low-e windows coupled with vinyl window frames keep cool/warm air inside the home. Meritage homes also come with CFL lighting, a 15-SEER HVAC system, Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Control Systems and dual-flush, low-volume water closets. Low- or no-VOC materials are used.
All of these features can give a Meritage home an impressive HERS score of 57.
Vandercook says adding increased standard energy efficiency options can cut water usage between 30-70 percent and reduce energy usage by 75 percent. For homeowners who want to go even greener, there are options to add PVT Echo photovoltaic solar panels to produce electricity and hot water, thereby lowering the HERS score into the 30s.
Ashton Woods and Beazer Homes also offer systems that work to create a secure home that uses energy more efficiently, reduces costs and minimizes carbon footprints.
Ashton Woods is building in seven Central Florida communities, and each community boasts homes built to standards outlined by PowerHouse Green, a green certification issued through the Masco Environments for Living Program.
Ashton Woods teamed up with Masco back in 2006 and uses the technology in every home. Builders use special framing techniques to ensure tighter construction as well as improved sealed ductwork and low-e vinyl windows.
The company also right-sizes the HVAC system to ensure proper moisture control in the home, installs an additional SEER to the air conditioning unit and air-pressure balances all of the rooms in the home.
“The Environments for Living program was actually started as a comfort and health program,” says Lance Gilmet, vice president of operations with Ashton Woods Homes. “It just turned out that it also creates a more energy efficient house.”
Reducing the carbon footprint when building a home is also a top priority for Ashton Woods. Gilmet says the company often uses local suppliers to help cut transportation costs as well as minimize fuel required for trucking materials across the country.
“We are constantly working with our trade suppliers to identify ways to either use recycled materials or recycle our own materials at the jobsite,” Gilmet adds.
Ashton Woods also employes value engineering, or lean manufacturing, which ensures a home doesn’t consume any more resources than necessary.
“We achieve all of the standards of the home with the right amount of materials,” says Gilmet. “We don’t want to waste wood on additional building. We don’t want more material than is necessary to achieve what we need to achieve.”
Beazer identified energy efficiency and green technology as a hot trend in 2006. Two years later, the company launched the first wave of e-smart homes built around a series of systems designed to enhance energy savings.
The company works with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center in each climate zone around the country to raise its green standards.
“I think people look at the cost not only to get into a home, but the cost to operate that home.” says Kathi James, Beazer’s chief marketing officer.
Another top production builder in Central Florida offering special features to make its homes more energy efficient is Ryland Homes.
Ryland offers its HouseWorks pro-gram, which includes energy-efficient water heaters, water-conserving toilets and showers, low-VOC and low-toxic paints, enhanced air sealing and framing methods and engineered wood products manufactured using renewable and recycled material.
Homeowners have the option of upgrading to the HouseWorks Plus program during construction. The plan further increases energy efficiency with items such as additional insulation in the home’s walls and attic, a manual fresh damper, a media filter and radiant roof reflective barriers.
“Ryland will cater to the homeowner’s needs by continually researching new and innovating products and construction techniques,” says David Maksimovich, the company’s purchasing manager.