Modern Home Design: building a green home

Showing posts with label building a green home. Show all posts

Remodeling Your Home

It really pays off to use an architect to design your home remodel. This design is for one of our clients renovating their home that was damaged by fire.

The fire damaged one wing on the house, so we are replacing it with a new two-story addition. The addition is designed to closely match the existing house while taking advantage of the opportunity to make updates to the floor plan.

The ground floor has an open kitchen and generous pantry, as well as a breakfast nook overlooking a three season porch. A new two-story tower will conveniently house a stairway to the second floor Master Bedroom and a sitting area above the porch below.

Are you planning a home remodel? Here are some topics Bonin Architects will discuss with you:

Spatial changes / additions

Structural improvements and updates for code compliance

System updates (electrical, plumbing, heating)

Insulation and energy savings

Existing site challenges

Permits

We’ll also ask you about any adjustments in living requirements or accessibility issues you may need to accommodate, and discuss at length a list of “green” options you have, including any materials that can be reused or recycled in the project.

Bonin Architects recently won two awards from the American Institute of Architects for a cottage renovation project we completed in New London, NH. We’d love to design your award-winning home!

See why you should use an architect for your remodeling project at http://timberframeblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/home-renovations-hire-architect.html.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011 building a green home, fire damage, remodeling 0 comments

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Construction & Demolition Materials

If you are planning a construction or remodeling project, there are a number of things you can do before you start:

     1. Contact your local builder's association, your county solid waste department, or your state environmental agency. They will provide information on recyclers and waste haulers in your area.

     2. Consider whether deconstruction techniques can be used to prepare your site for renovation or construction. In some communities, deconstruction auctions are being effectively used to move building materials into the reuse market.

     3. Check with local salvagers before purchasing new products. You might be surprised to find that many of them offer cabinets, doors, windows, and flooring that are in good condition for greatly reduced prices.

     4. Reuse, and Recycling of Demolition Waste (PDF). This document can assist users in determining the most feasible methods for reducing C&D debris being disposed of in landfills.

     5. Donate the C&D materials that you are not planning to use to a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity.

6. Consult the Field Guide for Residential Remodelers. This field guide prepared by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center provides remodelers with information on cost-effective and voluntary construction waste management. The Remodeler's Field Guide addresses the unique aspects of remodeling, including differences in waste generation and site and work characteristics.

Introduction (PDF)

Remodeler's Field Guide (PDF)

7. To reduce lead hazards check EPA resources on Remodeling or Renovating a Home with Lead-Based Paint.

Source: www.epa.gov

Monday, August 16, 2010 building a green home, environment, house tear down, recycling 0 comments

ENERGY STAR Home

Any home three stories or less can earn the ENERGY STAR label if it has been verified to meet EPA's guidelines.

Energy Star Homes are typically 20-30% more energy efficient than standard homes – why? Energy Star homes incorporate these eco friendly features:

1. Effective Insulation
2. High-Performance Windows
3. Tight Construction and Ducts
4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
5. Efficient Products
6. Third-Party Verification

The benefits of building an energy efficient home are plenty:

LOWER OWNERSHIP COST
Compared with standard homes, ENERGY STAR homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating-delivering $200 to $400 in annual savings.

Over the average 7 to 8 years you may live in your home, this adds up to thousands of dollars saved on utility bills. Additional savings on maintenance can also be substantial. Financing your home purchase using an energy efficient mortgage can also lead to savings.

BETTER PERFORMANCE
Properly installed energy-efficient improvements deliver better protection against cold, heat, drafts, moisture, pollution, and noise. An energy-efficient home helps ensure consistent temperatures between and across rooms, improved indoor air quality, and greater durability.

SMART INVESTMENT
To date, more than 8,500 home builders have partnered with EPA to construct more than 1 million ENERGY STAR qualified homes. The trend is clear. By choosing a home with the ENERGY STAR label, you can be confident that it will have an increasingly valued feature when the time comes to sell.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Did you know that your home can be a greater source of pollution than your car? In fact, 16 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the energy used in houses nationwide.

Energy used in our homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and global warming. Simply put, the less energy we use in our homes, the less air pollution we generate.

Source: energystar.gov

Tuesday, July 27, 2010 building a green home, energy efficient home, Energy star home 0 comments