 Add Green to Your Home—and
Your Pocketbook—by Remodeling
It’s nearly impossible these days to
open the newspaper and not see a story about the rapid growth
of green building, where new homes are built using materials that
conserve energy and environmental resources. In fact, a recent survey
of home builders by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
and McGraw Hill Construction found that by 2010 one of every ten homes
built will be “green”.
Homeowners of green homes said in
another survey that they were happier 85 percent of the time with
their new green home than with their previous, more traditionally
built ones, due in part to the lower operating and maintenance costs
that come with energy- and resource-efficient homes.
But for the 120 million existing homes
in the United States, remodeling is the only way for homeowners to
incorporate green. NAHB Remodelers offers the following suggestions to
homeowners who want to increase their home’s efficiency, decrease
costs, and take advantage of the other benefits that green offers.
Install maximum
insulation in the area to be remodeled
Forty percent of the energy consumed in a typical house goes to
heating and cooling. Adding insulation is an easy way to increase
efficiency. Insulation is rated by its ability to resist heat flow,
commonly known as “R-value.” The higher the R-value, the better its
ability to resist heat flow. Adding insulation will help save energy
costs, increase comfort by better controlling temperature, and improve
indoor air quality by eliminating many gaps through which dirt, dust,
and other impurities can enter.
Install high-efficiency
windows instead of those that just meet the energy code
Ordinary window glass transmits ultraviolet heat rays from
the sun, which can increase your air conditioning bill dramatically.
ENERGY STAR windows can help control this effect. These windows may
have two or more panes of glass, warm-edge spacers between the panes,
improved framing materials, and microscopically thin metal or metallic
oxide layers deposited on windows to reduce radiative heat flow.
Seal all exterior penetrations
in the area being remodeled
You can reduce cold air drafts and heat loss by inspecting
your home from the inside and outside and plugging cracks or openings.
Be sure to check the areas where window frames meet the structure or
siding of the house. Use caulking to seal all small cracks on
non-moving surfaces and weatherstripping on windows, doors and other
movable parts of the home.
Purchase only ENERGY
STAR-rated appliances
ENERGY STAR -rated appliances, ranging from dishwashers and
refrigerators to;computers and televisions, meet strict energy
efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy.
Qualified refrigerators, dishwashers and vent fans incorporate
advanced technologies that use 10-50 percent less energy and water
than standard models, more than making up for the slightly higher
costs of these products.
Install low-flow water
plumbing fixtures
In the average home, flushing toilets accounts for some 30
percent of water usage. By using low-flow plumbing fixtures such as
toilets, faucet aerators and showerheads, you can save up to 25
percent of that water compared to conventional fixtures while
providing the same utility.
Upgrade to an ENERGY STAR
-rated or tankless water heater
Tankless water heaters provide hot water on demand at a
preset temperature rather than storing it. Replacing an electric water
heater with a solar model can reduce costs by up to 80 percent a year.
Over its 20-year lifespan a solar heater will prevent more than 50
tons of carbon dioxide emissions. A low-cost option is to wrap
insulation around your heater, which can reduce standby heat losses 25
to 45 percent.
Purchase the highest
efficiency HVAC system you can afford
Over a ten year period, the average home owner spends more
than $10,000 for heating and cooling. Installing high efficiency
ENERGY STAR HVAC equipment can reduce utilities costs on average by
ten to 30 percent over minimum efficiency equipment. It also can
improve home comfort with more heating and cooling and a quieter
operation, and often features higher quality components that result in
longer equipment life.
For more information on green
remodeling or ‘May is Remodeling Month’, visit
www.nahb.org/remodel. To
subscribe to NAHB’s free consumer e-newsletter on all things home,
visit www.nahb.org/housekeys.
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