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Take Note - Affordable Green Home Building Is Possible
Many people will tell you that building a green, energy efficient home is much more costly than a traditionally constructed home. In the past, this would likely have been a true statement, however, some builders are now able to construct green homes that are comparable to or even less expensive than traditional construction.
Many people will tell you that building a green, energy efficient home is much more costly than a traditionally constructed home. In the past, this would likely have been a true statement, however, some builders are now able to construct green homes that are comparable to or even less expensive than traditional construction.
Built by Ferrier Custom Homes, Heather’s Home is an affordable, three bedroom, 2,000+ square foot home located near Ft. Worth, Texas. The home is incredibly energy efficient - Heather’s Home rates in the top one percent of high end Energy Star homes built today. For Heather, that will mean an average monthly heating and cooling bill in the $15 range. And when it comes to summers in Texas, that’s saying a lot.
Heather’s Home was awarded the highest honor, Gold, in the Energy Value Housing Awards by the National Renewable Energy Lab, The U.S. Department of Energy, and the National Association of Home Builders. Other awards include being the first home in Texas to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and the third home in the United States to gain LEED’s Platinum certification. The accolades don’t stop there - it was the first home in the U.S. to be certified under the recently more stringent American Lung Association’s Healthy Home guidelines. Built using the NAHB Green Home Building guidelines, it has been accepted into the Building America Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Some of the green and high performance components and features of the house that really standout are…
Solar Hot Water System
High Efficiency Heating and Cooling System
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS)
Energy Star Doors, Windows, Appliances, Lighting
Metal Roof
Non VOC Interior Finishes
Green Sustainable Products - Trim, Counter tops, Floor Coverings, Finishes, etc.
Non VOC Interior Finishes
Passive Solar Design
Proper Shading of Windows and Doors
Attic Fan for a “Thermo-Siphoning” Effect
Solar Hot Water System
Organic Landscaping
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS)
Passive solar design principles are an integral piece of the overall efficiency of Heather’s Home. For Texas, this means minimizing sunlight exposure in the summer months and maximizing it in winter months. A reversed scenario would be typical of a high performance design for homes built in more northern climates.
Hot water is generated from solar panels on the roof. This feature alone can cut as much as thirty percent off of an electric bill. Although full-fledged solar power systems can be pricey, the cost of a solar hot water system can be as little as $3,000.
Ferrier Custom Homes uses a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) test to ensure quality control. Raters inspect and test the home during and after construction to verify that the home meets EPA’s strict guidelines for energy efficiency. The process includes a blower door test (to test the leakiness of the house), a duct blaster test (to test the leakiness of the duct system), and review of a thermal bypass checklist (inspection of common construction areas where air can flow through or around joints and insulation).
Heather’s Home not only looks great, it’s affordable - proof that a high performance, green, and modern home can be economically pragmatic. Thanks to the innovations of Heather’s Home there is no reason that more builder’s shouldn’t be building green homes for the general population. Shout it from the roof tops - you don’t have to sell the farm to build a green home.