Read Scott Flynn's green article that appeared in Saturday's Builder Showcase of the Idaho Statesman.
By Scott M. Flynn, Owner of Flynner Homes Scott is a Certified Green Professional with the National Association of Home Builders and a Registered Master Builder with the Idaho Building Contractors Association.
Certified green homes use a holistic approach to the construction process, which incorporates environmental considerations into every phase of the building procedure. This means that during the design, construction, and operation of a home that the energy and water efficiency, lot development, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality, homeowner maintenance, and the home’s overall impact on the environment are all taken into account.
To truly have a green home it must be constructed under a certified national or local green building program. Certified green programs require all green homes be inspected and certified by a credited third-party green verifier to insure accurate results. There are about 28 green home programs throughout the country with The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Green Model Home Program being one of the most recognized. NAHB’s green program is based on a points system; the more points the greener the home. There are three different levels of green construction a home can achieve – Bronze, Silver or Gold. At all levels, there are a minimum number of points required to assure that all aspects of green building are addressed and that the balanced, “Whole Systems” approach to green building is satisfied.
The following topics discuss the Guiding Principles of the NAHB National Green Home Program and the benefits and costs of building a certified green home.
NAHB’s National Green Home program incorporates 7 areas of environmental concern, known as Guiding Principles, into each home. Under these 7 Guideline Principals are a variety of distinct line items that a builder and homeowner can select from in creating a green home. The 7 Guideline Principals are:
- Lot Design, Preparation, and Development – Resource-efficient design and development practices help reduce the environmental impacts and improve the energy performance of the home.
- Resource Efficiency – Creating resource-efficient designs and using resource-efficient materials can maximize function while optimizing the use of natural resources. This includes reused, recycled and renewable materials.
- Energy Efficiency - This is a “Whole Systems” approach, which incorporates, HVAC systems, foundations, insulation, windows, appliances, duct sealing, tankless water heaters and much much more.
- Water Efficiency – Green homes focus on water conservation both indoors and out by using such items as duel-flush toilets, Energy Star appliances and moisture sensing sprinkler systems.
- Indoor Environmental Quality – Green homes reduce the amount of indoor toxins buy eliminating the materials that emit harmful vaporous contaminants.
- Operation Maintenance and Homeowner Education – Improper or inadequate maintenance can defeat the builder’s best efforts to create a resource efficient home.
- Global Impact – This mainly focuses on the elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in paints, caulks and adhesives.
Green building is much more than just reducing a homes environmental footprint. It is also about the financial, healthful and peace-of-mind benefits. Here is a list of the most common benefits of green certified homes:
- A guaranteed more durable, comfortable, healthier and efficient home
- Significantly lower utility, maintenance, and operating costs
- Superior performance, as promised
- Reduced environmental impact
- Combats ever increasing energy costs
- Higher re-sale value
- Increased homeowner satisfaction
- Mortgage incentives, tax credits and decreased insurance premiums.
The overall goal of building green is to reduce the homes carbon impact on both the environment and the homeowner, and save money doing it. The additional costs to build green are negated by the lower monthly utility, maintenance and operating costs of constructing a home in this fashion. As a basis, a Bronze certified green home under the NAHB program has a 2% up-charge cost. The cost to achieve the Silver or Gold levels is all based on the extent of the homeowner’s creativity and innovation criteria.
Flynner Homes is currently in the process of building NAHB green certified homes. For more information regarding how you could build a green certified home with Flynner Homes please feel free to call me direct at 208-867-4587 or visit us at
www.flynnerhomes.com
Cheers,
Scott Flynn, CGP, RMB
Flynner Homes