What is green building?
Homebuyers across the country are increasingly interested in green building. But what exactly makes a home green?
The Environmental Protection Agency defines green building as a means of improving the way that homes and homebuilding sites use energy, water, and materials to reduce impacts on human health and the environment. Building a green home means making environmentally-preferable and sustainable decisions throughout the building process-decisions that will minimize the environmental impact of the home while it is being built and over the many years it will be lived in.
In Vermont the first step in any green home building project is to make the home energy efficient and earning an ENERGY STAR® label.
Typical features to look for in ENERGY STAR qualified homes include:
- An Efficient Home Envelope, with effective levels of wall, floor and attic insulation properly installed, comprehensive air barrier details, and high-performance windows;
- Efficient Air Distribution, where ducts are installed with minimum air leakage and are inside the thermal envelope. Efficient Equipment for heating and cooling.
- Efficient Lighting, including ENERGY STAR light bulbs and fixtures and
- Efficient Appliances, including ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers, refrigerators, and clothes washers.
These energy efficiency improvements save homeowners money on utility bills. More importantly, As a result, the cost-effectiveness of ENERGY STAR improvements can help offset additional costs associated with other green home features.
To learn more about green home building in Vermont, visit the Vermont Green Home Alliance web site.