How Do You Define Green? - Keidel Bath, Plumbing, Kitchens, Appliances

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click to go to the U.S. Green Council LEED website

A home can be built green, or you can make it green later.

A green makeover can happen all at once, or it can be a gradual process. But what it all comes down to is a new way of thinking ... and a new way of living.

Features of the "Green" Home (*Courtesy of U.S. Green Council)
	Location Size Design "Green" Materials Insulation		Windows & Doors Renewable Energy Water Efficiency Indoor Environmental Quality Landscaping

Location:
New green homes and neighborhoods must not be built on environmentally sensitive sites like prime farmland, wetlands and endangered species habitats. The greenest development sites are "in-fill" properties like former parking lots, rail yards, shopping malls and factories.

Leave your car at home. Choose a compact development where the average housing density is at least six units per acre. Your home should also be within easy walking distance of public transportation , such as bus lines, light rail, and subway systems..

A green home should also be within walking distance of parks, schools, and stores. See how many errands you can carry out on a bicycle. That's healthier for you, your wallet, and the environment.

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Size:
No matter how many green building elements go into your home, a 5,000-square-foot green home still consumes many more natural resources than a 2,000-square-foot green home. The larger home will also require more heating, air conditioning and lighting. If you really want a sustainable home, choose a smaller size.

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Building Design:
The home should be oriented on its site to bring abundant natural daylight into the interior to reduce lighting requirements and to take advantage of any prevailing breezes. Windows, clerestories, skylights, light monitors, light shelves and other strategies should be used to bring daylight to the interior of the house.

The exterior should have shading devices (sunshades, canopies, green screens and of course, trees), particularly on the southern and western facades and over windows and doors, to block hot summer sun. [t4]Dual-glaze windows reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss during cold winter months. The roof should be a light-colored, heat-reflecting ENERGY STAR® roof, or a green (landscaped) roof, to reduce heat absorption.

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Green Building Materials:
A green home will have been constructed or renovated with healthy, non-toxic building materials and furnishings, like low- and zero-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints and sealants and non-toxic materials like strawboard for the sub-flooring.

Wood-based features should come from rapidly renewable sources like bamboo, but if tropical hardwoods are used, they must be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

A green home uses salvaged materials like kitchen tiles and materials with significant recycled content.

Copper roofs. Copper and copper alloys, such as brass and bronze, are showing up on roofs, entryways, facades, gutters, and downspouts. Despite being quite pricey to purchase and install, they're seen as a good long-term investment because they tolerate inclement weather.

A properly installed copper roof will last beyond 100 years versus a composition roof that may last only 30 years. Copper elements are completely recycled, meaning they won't be left on a building site or plowed under a foundation.

Timber framing. Timber framing requires significantly less lumber than the traditional "stick-built" housing and almost always incorporates superior insulating panels (SIPS), which keeps heat and air conditioning from escaping the house.

There's also less waste when large timbers are used, compared with conventional construction that produces sawdust and waste every time a 2-by-4 stud is planed.b Timbers are prefabricated and arrive at the building site ready to be assembled, paring construction waste. Costs vary according to finishes selected, just as they do with conventional, stick-built housing.

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Insulation:
A non-toxic insulation, derived from materials like soybean or cotton, with a high R (heat resistance) factor in a home's walls and roof will help prevent cool air leakage in the summer and warm air leakage in the winter.

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Windows and Doors:
Low-emittance (Low-E) windows, doors, and skylights offer natural light while blocking the sun's UV rays that heat up the inside of a home, sometimes necessitating air conditioning. The special low-E glazing also stops the sun from fading fabrics, wall coverings, and artwork.

When shopping for low-E windows, find out what percentage of rays are blocked by checking the UV label on the glass. Most low-E products block 70% to 90%. Next, examine the glass for clarity.

Windows and exterior doors should have ENERGY STAR® Ratings, and they should seal their openings tightly to avoid heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.

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Energy Efficiency:
A green home has energy-efficient lighting, heating, cooling and water-heating systems. Appliances should have ENERGY STAR®; Labels . Know how to read an Energy Guide Label to find the hidden cost of an appliance.

Electric Induction cooktops. Unlike traditional cooktops that heat up the cooking surface, the coils of an induction cooktop release their energy directly to the pot or pan and its contents. That means less energy is diffused in the cooking processes. It also means that the cooktop surface remains cool to the touch, making it less likely that cooks or kids will burn themselves. The technology still is more expensive than comparable quality electric and gas appliances, though home owners should see energy bills eventually drop.

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Renewable Energy:
The home should generate some of its own energy with technologies like photovoltaic (solar electric) systems .

Renewable energy effectively uses natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished.

Geothermal heating and cooling. Instead of using a traditional furnace that heats or cools air and emits carbon monoxide during the process, geothermal pumps are filled with water and glycol and rely on the earth as a heat exchanger. In winter, the system sends warm air into rooms; in summer, it brings cool air. Though the initial cost is twice as much as a traditional heating and cooling system, the payback comes five years down the road when you start reaping the benefits of much lower heating and cooling costs.

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Water Efficiency:
A green home has a water-conserving irrigation system and water-efficient kitchen and bathroom fixtures.

Look for the WaterSense™ label to identify high-performance, water-efficient products and professional certification programs that embrace and encourage the use of water-efficient design.

Green toilets. Water-conserving toilets can boost your budget and save 30% - 50% on your annual water bill, while also helping the environment.

New green toilets conserve water in different ways: low-flow toilets use about 20-percent less water per flush, dual-flush toilets with two buttons give home owners the option of flushing with a half or full tank, and pressure-assist toilets reduce water usage by half and yield a powerful whooshing sound. [see Know Before You Buy - Toilets]

Rainwater holding tanks. Capturing rainwater and storm runoff helps reduce the burden on local sewer systems and captures water that can be used in other ways, such as for watering the yard or flushing toilets.

In the National Homebuilder Mainstream GreenHome, a 4,000-square-foot demonstration home in Raleigh, N.C., a rainwater cistern and detention tank system can recycle, reuse, and absorbe 95% percent of stormwater on the site. The rainwater cistern collects water from the roof and gutters, filters it multiple times, and directs it to the indoor plumbing, laundry, and sprinkler system. Overflow from the cistern is funneled into inexpensive detention tanks to be absorbed gradually back into the ground.

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Indoor Environmental Quality:
Natural daylight should reach at least 75% of the home's interior.

Chemical-free lighting. LED lighting (LED stands for light emitting diodes) is a semiconductor that emits light when an electric current is applied. It contains no hazardous chemicals like other lighting does. Compact fluorescents contain mercury and incandescent bulbs have gasses that hurt the ozone layer.

An LED fixture uses 80% less energy than a traditional incandescent light bulb and has the ability to last up to 20 years. LED bulbs also provide quality crisp light that shows colors in a natural palette. The downside is the initial cost. A typical 40-watt LED light will run about $39 while an incandescent light will cost $2 to $5.

Nontoxic paint. To keep indoor air clean and cut down on landfill pollutants, many consumers are using paints that don't contain toxic Volatile Organic Components (VOCs). These paints come in a variety of colors and finishes, and are offered by mainstream paint companies, from Sherwin Williams to Benjamin Moore.

Formaldehyde-free insulation. Building products such as insulation can emit traces of the chemicals they're made with, which pollutes the air inside of homes.

Natural ventilation (via building orientation, operable windows, fans, wind chimneys and other strategies) should bring plentiful fresh air inside the house.

The HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system should filter all incoming air and vent stale air outside. The garage should not have any air handling equipment or return ducts, and it should have an exhaust fan.

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Landscaping:
Vine-covered green screens, large canopy trees and other landscaping should shade exterior walls, the driveway, patios and other "hardscape" areas to minimize heat islands. Yards should be landscaped with drought-tolerant plants rather than water-guzzling plants and grass in most regions.

Use natural water sources (ponds, rain barrels, cisterns, etc.) for irrigation systems to water lawns and gardens.

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See Also:
    Trends - The Green House
    How Do You Define Green?
    Bottom Line - How Much Green Does it Take?
    Choosing Green Fixtures & Appliances

Links to Related Websites:

    153 ways to go green
    Green Remodling
    Building Green

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