| What is a Green building? |
| •"A green building is one where the qualities of both the indoor and outdoor environments have been considered and protected during its design, construction, maintenance and use.“ Goal=reduce homes total lifetime impact |
| |
| What are some of basic tenets of a built green home? |
| •Have improved energy efficiency |
| •Conserve water |
| •Have improved indoor air quality |
| •Are more durable and more comfortable, and |
| •Reduce pollution and save natural resources |
| •Another basic principle of green building is to build as little as necessary. Not only does new construction demand more resources, it can also contribute to urban sprawl. Green building encourages home purchases of existing structures which are convenient to public transportation, work, shopping, and other services. It also encourages expansion of an existing home rather than building a new home and downsizing new construction. |
| |
| Why downsize new construction? |
| •A smaller house uses fewer materials and costs less to construct, is easier and more economical to maintain and heat, and typically leaves more yard space outside to enjoy. Designs should use less material and create less waste. Material and disposal costs can be reduced by including waste reduction specifications and plans. |
| •Examples of this include using standard sizes of lumber, centralizing cutting operations, safely increasing the spacing of joists and studs, and carefully calculating the quantities of materials needed at the outset of projects. |
| •Specifications that call for environmentally preferable materials and construction practices can be added to a remodeling or home construction contract. |
| |
| Why buy locally produced building materials? |
| •Buying regional products reduces transportation costs and energy, and keeps dollars in the local economy. A major tenet of sustainability is making use of resources from the immediate region. Local beetle kill Pine, for example, are preferable to tropical woods. |
| •What part do reused and recycled building materials play in green building? |
| •Purchasing materials that contain recycled content helps to support recycling efforts in the community, state, region, and nation. These products also reduce solid waste problems, cut energy consumption in manufacturing, and save natural resources. Some examples include materials with recycle content include cellulose insulation, Thermo-ply, floor tile made from ground glass, and recycled plastic lumber. Salvaged building materials which are incorporated should be safe (test for lead paint and asbestos) and should not sacrifice energy or water efficiency. |
|
| What exactly is Green Building? |
| Green Building is a whole house approach to build homes that are more environmentally sustainable. Building Science has a key role because it provides an understanding of the “whole house” that goes beyond seeing a home as just a summation of its individual parts. It is the interaction of all of the parts of a home; its systems and equipment, its occupants and the structure itself that defines a whole house |
