GREEN HOMES AND BUILDINGS

1
GREEN HOMES AND BUILDINGS
3
2
In This Chapter

• What makes a home or building green?
• Green design principles
• Green construction principles
• Building envelope
• Systems
• Landscaping
• Cost/benefit
• Green vendors

3-1
3
What Makes a Home or Building Green?

• For many consumers, greenness determined by
  whether home or building
• is LEED certified
• is ENERGY STAR qualified
• has a HERS rating

3-2
4
LEED Certification

• Third-party certification program
• Sets design, construction, and operational
  standards for high performance green buildings
• Awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council

3-3
5
LEED Certification

• Available for
• New construction and major renovations
• Existing buildings
• Commercial interiors
• Core and shell
• Schools (K12), retail, healthcare
• Homes
• Neighborhood development

3-4
6
LEED Certification

• Properties qualify by earning points in
• Sustainable sites
• Water efficiency
• Energy and atmosphere
• Materials and resources
• Indoor environment quality
• Innovation and design process

3-5
7
LEED Certification

• Available certifications
• Certified
• Silver
• Gold
• Platinum

3-6
8
Case Study 3.1

• National Association of REALTORS Washington,
  D.C. headquarters
• First newly constructed building in metropolitan
  Washington area to receive LEED silver status
  from USGBC

3-7
9
Case Study 3.1

• Landscaping plan using native plant species
• Efficient HVAC systems and a high-performance
  glass curtain wall
• Zero use of CFC-refrigerants
• High-recycled building materials
• Carbon dioxide monitoring system

3-8
10
LEED Certification

• Time-intensive and complex process
• Detailed documentation required
• Independent verification must be completed by
  LEED AP

3-9
11
ENERGY STAR

• Popular program that helps consumers identify
  energy-efficient products
• Also a qualification awarded to homes and
  buildings

3-10
12
ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes

• 15 more energy efficient
• Available for homes of three stories or less,
  including
• Single
• Attached
• Low-rise multifamily
• Manufactured
• Modular
• Log
• Concrete

3-11
13
ENERGY STAR for Buildings

• Available for commercial, industrial, and
  institutional buildings
• Uses point scale that analyzes energy efficiency
  and indoor environmental quality

3-12
14
Home Energy Rating System

• Energy-evaluation standard maintained by RESNET
• Base line rating is 100, which represents
  standard new home
• Rating of 0 represents a zero-energy home

nose
3-13
15
Different Shades of Greenness?

• Are homes and buildings without a national
  certification less green?
• Depends on who you ask
• Green homes and buildings share
• Integrated into environment
• Achieving sustainability
• Positively impacting human health and comfort

3-14
16
The Green Home or Building
3-15
17
Green Design Principles

• Design choices not made in isolation
• Home or building is interconnected with
  neighborhood, community, and earth

3-16
18
Integrated Design Team

• Interior designer
• Acoustical designer
• Lighting designer
• Property manager
• Maintenance engineer
• Plumber
• Other real estate professionals

• Developer
• Architect
• Contractor
• Landscape architect
• Structural engineer
• Mechanical engineer

3-17
19
General Goals of Design Team

• Reduce exposure to toxic materials
• Conserve energy and resources
• Minimize ecological impact
• Use renewable energy and materials
• Sustainably harvested
• Sustainably manufactured
• Protect and restore ecosystems
• Support alternatives to fossil-fueled vehicles

3-18
Source American Institute of Architects,
www.aia.org
20
Green Design Factors

• Size
• Community impact and relationships
• Climate
• Sun
• Lighting
• Water
• Material selection
• Connection to nature

3-19
21
Aesthetics

• Myth green homes and buildings must look
  unattractive or unappealing
• Appealing aesthetics ensure longevity

ASID USGBC REGREEN Residential Remodeling
Guidelines , Case Study Home Major Addition
Source Reprinted with permission of the American
Society of Interior Designers, Inc. and U.S.
Green Building Council, REGREEN Guidelines
2008, www.regreenprogram.org.
3-20
22
Green Construction Principles

• Careful planning, coordination, and monitoring
• Real estate professional can
• Become familiar with differences between
  conventional and green construction
• Converse with architects, contractors, inspectors
• Ensure proper documentation

3-21
23
Selecting and Using a Site

• Local and regional green goals
• Sustainable orientation of building on site
• Storm water management

3-22
24
Building Materials and Methods

• Advanced framing techniques
• Sourcing of materials
• FSC (see Figure 3.6)
• Green Seal (see Figure 3.7)
• Low-VOC materials
• Low-waste construction

3-23
25
Exercise Reducing Construction Waste
Old growth timber Use in interior walls as noise-deadening materials
Uncontaminated wood Clean and use as high-quality architectural millwork
Structural steel Remix and store for touch-up work
Drywall Return to supplier for reuse or recycling
Cabinet fixtures Donate to nonprofit organization for home remodeling for low-income family
Excess insulation Shred for mulch
Packaging materials De-paper and crush gypsum to use as soil amendment in moderate quantities
Excess paint Recycle
3-
26
Building Envelope

• Separates exterior from interior
• Consists of
• Below-grade systems
• Exterior walls
• Fenestration systems
• Roofs

3-25
27
Environmentally Friendly Materials

• Materials for construction of building envelope
• Formaldehyde-free insulation
• Low- or no-VOC adhesives, caulks, and sealants
• FSC-certified wood
• Wood I-joists (see Figure 3.8)

Source Alameda County Waste Management Authority
Source Reduction and Recycling Board, Home
Remodeling Green Guidelines, www.stopwaste.org.
3-26
28
HVAC

• Must be rightsized
• Heating, cooling, and ventilation systems must be
  appropriate for climate and structure
• HVAC must integrate with building envelope

3-27
29
HVAC

• Energy-efficient technologies
• Radiant floor heating (see Figure 3.9)
• Active solar heating
• Evaporative cooler (see Figure 3.10)

Sources The Aldo Leopold Foundation, Leopold
Legacy Center Construction Journal, Report
15.2Mechanical Systems, www.aldoleopold.org.
California Energy Commission, Consumer Energy
Center, www.consumerenergycenter.org.
3-28
30
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

• Serious concern for many consumers
• Poor IAQ results in reduced productivity and
  adverse health effects

3-29
31
Indoor Air Pollutants and Sources
Combustion-related Oil, gas, kerosene, cigarettes, burning wood
Asbestos Certain insulations, shingles, millboards, floor and ceiling tiles
VOCs Paints, lacquers, paint strippers, adhesive removers, carpet, cleaning supplies, pesticides, wood preservatives, furniture, cabinets
Lead Lead-based paint, contaminated soil, dust, and drinking water
Pesticides Insecticides, termiticides, and disinfectants
Radon Earth and rock beneath home, well water, building materials
Mold Outdoor environment
3-30
32
Reducing Off-gassing

• Use
• Low- or no-VOC paints and adhesives
• Low-VOC wallpaper
• Boards certified to low-formaldehyde standards
• Green Lablel carpeting and adhesives

3-31
33
Achieving Good IAQ

• Foundation
• Impermeable to moisture and air
• Radon-resistant
• Inhospitable to pests
• Free or low in VOCs
• Framing
• Insulated with low-formaldehyde emission
  standards
• Constructed with high efficiency windows
• Weatherstripped and air-sealed

3-32
34
Achieving Good IAQ

• HVAC
• Sealed ducts and air handlers
• Duct mastic on duct joints
• Corrosion-resistant coil drain pans
• Dehumidification equipment within thermal
  enclosure
• Insulated ducts, plenums, and trunks
• EPA-certified wood-burning fireplaces
• High efficiency filters
• Make-up air for components such as furnaces
• Solar attic fan
• Whole-house fan

3-33
35
Lighting

• Daylighting
• Reduces energy consumption
• Optimizes livability and productivity
• Decreases need for power generated by
  pollutant-emitting plants
• Other lighting fixtures
• IC-AT recessed lighting fixtures
• CFLs
• LED lamps
• Dimmers, timers, photosensors, motion detectors

3-34
36
Energy Diagnostics

• Energy model
• Energy assessment
• Balometer
• Blower door (Fig. 3.13)
• Coheat test
• Duct blaster (Fig. 3.14)
• Electric moisture meter

• Power meter
• Pressure meter
• Thermal infrared camera

3-35
37
Blower Door Test
Source Reprinted with permission of NAHB
Research Centers Tool Base Services,
www.toolbase.org/PDF/Bestpractices/DiagnosticTools
.pdf
3-36
38
Duct Blaster Test
3-37
39
Thermal Infrared Camera and Imaging
Source Reprinted with permission of NAHB
Research Centers Tool Base Services,
www.toolbase.org/PDF/Bestpractices/DiagnosticTools
.pdf
3-38
40
Water Conservation and Management

• Storm water management
• Landscaping
• Water-conserving toilets
• Flow-reducing showerheads
• Chlorine filter on showerheads
• Insulation on hot and cold water pipes
• Water filtration on faucets

• Dishwashers
• Low-flow aerators on faucets
• Efficient appliances
• Washing machines
• Water heater jacket insulation
• On-demand hot water circulation pump
• Solar water heating
• Greywater reuse

3-39
41
Greywater

• Non-industrial wastewater
• May be used in applications that do not require
  potable water
• Qualified professionals should be consulted

3-40
42
Landscaping

• Use existing site
• Use native plants
• Group plants
• Employ xeriscaping
• Use adequate amounts of mulch

• Mulch with recycled-content or reused materials
• Compost
• Use organic fertilizers
• Incorporate passive solar design
• Install a green roof

3-41
43
Green Roof
Source Reprinted with permission of American
Society of Landscape Architects, www.asla.org.
3-42
44
Waste Management and Recycling

• Convenience of recycling
• Built-in recycling center
• Allows waste to be separated easily

3-37
45
Cost/Benefit

• Usually a cost premium
• Direct, tangible benefits
• Unit and installation costs
• Utility savings
• Indirect, intangible benefits
• Eco-friendliness
• Improved health and comfort

3-44
46
Life-cycle Cost Analysis

• Total cost of a home or building, its materials,
  and its systems
• Initial
• Energy and water
• Operation, maintenance, and repair
• Capital improvement and replacement
• Conversion or disposal
• Other costs
• Example ground-source thermal pump

3-45
47
Cost/Benefit Talking Points

• Specific appliances
• Value perception
• Design and engineering
• Testing
• Rebates and incentives

3-46
48
Remodeling and Retrofitting

• Up-front costs
• Financial incentives and benefits
• Long-term payoffs
• Reduced insurance costs
• Cost segregation
• Green upgrades instead of certification
• Sealing air leaks
• CFLs, occupancy sensors
• Certified green cleaning products

3-47
49
Green Vendors

• Finding green vendors
• USGBC LEED AP Directory
• Professional Associations
• Working with green vendors
• Research thoroughly
• Ask questions

3-48