home design: building a green home

Showing posts with label building a green home. Show all posts

Remodeling Your Home

It really pays off to use an architect to design your home remodel. This design is for one of our clients renovating their home that was damaged by fire.

The fire damaged one wing on the house, so we are replacing it with a new two-story addition. The addition is designed to closely match the existing house while taking advantage of the opportunity to make updates to the floor plan.

The ground floor has an open kitchen and generous pantry, as well as a breakfast nook overlooking a three season porch. A new two-story tower will conveniently house a stairway to the second floor Master Bedroom and a sitting area above the porch below.

Are you planning a home remodel? Here are some topics Bonin Architects will discuss with you:

Spatial changes / additions

Structural improvements and updates for code compliance

System updates (electrical, plumbing, heating)

Insulation and energy savings

Existing site challenges

Permits

We’ll also ask you about any adjustments in living requirements or accessibility issues you may need to accommodate, and discuss at length a list of “green” options you have, including any materials that can be reused or recycled in the project.

Bonin Architects recently won two awards from the American Institute of Architects for a cottage renovation project we completed in New London, NH. We’d love to design your award-winning home!

See why you should use an architect for your remodeling project at http://timberframeblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/home-renovations-hire-architect.html.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Construction & Demolition Materials

If you are planning a construction or remodeling project, there are a number of things you can do before you start:

     1. Contact your local builder's association, your county solid waste department, or your state environmental agency. They will provide information on recyclers and waste haulers in your area.

     2. Consider whether deconstruction techniques can be used to prepare your site for renovation or construction. In some communities, deconstruction auctions are being effectively used to move building materials into the reuse market.

     3. Check with local salvagers before purchasing new products. You might be surprised to find that many of them offer cabinets, doors, windows, and flooring that are in good condition for greatly reduced prices.

     4. Reuse, and Recycling of Demolition Waste (PDF). This document can assist users in determining the most feasible methods for reducing C&D debris being disposed of in landfills.

     5. Donate the C&D materials that you are not planning to use to a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity.

6. Consult the Field Guide for Residential Remodelers. This field guide prepared by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center provides remodelers with information on cost-effective and voluntary construction waste management. The Remodeler's Field Guide addresses the unique aspects of remodeling, including differences in waste generation and site and work characteristics.

Introduction (PDF)

Remodeler's Field Guide (PDF)

7. To reduce lead hazards check EPA resources on Remodeling or Renovating a Home with Lead-Based Paint.

Source: www.epa.gov

ENERGY STAR Home

Any home three stories or less can earn the ENERGY STAR label if it has been verified to meet EPA's guidelines.

Energy Star Homes are typically 20-30% more energy efficient than standard homes – why? Energy Star homes incorporate these eco friendly features:

1. Effective Insulation
2. High-Performance Windows
3. Tight Construction and Ducts
4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
5. Efficient Products
6. Third-Party Verification

The benefits of building an energy efficient home are plenty:

LOWER OWNERSHIP COST
Compared with standard homes, ENERGY STAR homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating-delivering $200 to $400 in annual savings.

Over the average 7 to 8 years you may live in your home, this adds up to thousands of dollars saved on utility bills. Additional savings on maintenance can also be substantial. Financing your home purchase using an energy efficient mortgage can also lead to savings.

BETTER PERFORMANCE
Properly installed energy-efficient improvements deliver better protection against cold, heat, drafts, moisture, pollution, and noise. An energy-efficient home helps ensure consistent temperatures between and across rooms, improved indoor air quality, and greater durability.

SMART INVESTMENT
To date, more than 8,500 home builders have partnered with EPA to construct more than 1 million ENERGY STAR qualified homes. The trend is clear. By choosing a home with the ENERGY STAR label, you can be confident that it will have an increasingly valued feature when the time comes to sell.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Did you know that your home can be a greater source of pollution than your car? In fact, 16 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the energy used in houses nationwide.

Energy used in our homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and global warming. Simply put, the less energy we use in our homes, the less air pollution we generate.

Source: energystar.gov

Checklist for Hiring a Builder or Remodeler

You have a home design you love - now it's time to find a builder. Here is great information from the National Association of Home Builders we want to pass on. If you are building a new home or addition, or remodeling your home, use this checklist to help you select a builder to perform the work.

Does the builder or remodeler have a permanent business location and a good reputation with local banks and suppliers?
How long have they been in the building business? It usually takes three to five years to establish a financially sound business. Will they be around after the construction is complete to service any warranties?
Have you called your local Better Business Bureau? They can alert you to any complaints.
Does the builder/remodeler have sufficient workers compensation and general liability insurance? If not, you may be liable for any construction-related accidents on your premises.
Will the builder/remodeler provide you with names of previous customers? Ask them if they would hire the builder/remodeler again.
Have you seen the builder/remodelers work, both completed and in progress? Check for quality of workmanship and materials.
Are you able to communicate with the builder/remodeler? Remember you will be in close contact with them throughout the construction process and afterward as you live in your new home.
Will the builder/remodeler provide you with a complete and clearly written contract? The contract will benefit both of you. Review it carefully.
Be cautious of unusually low-priced bids. If the builder/remodeler is unable to pay for the materials and labor as the project proceeds, this may indicate a potential problem.

Your architect can also refer builders in your area and set up interviews to match you with the best builder for can also refer builders in your area and set up interviews to match you with the best builder for your project.

Source: http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=125965

Lake Sunape Area Open House

Our next event will be held at a spectacular custom home near Lake Sunapee, NH. If you are looking for land in the Sunapee / New London area, or already have property and are planning to build a new home, this event is for you!

Open House at a Lake Sunapee Custom Home

~ Talk with the Green Building Experts ~

Green Architect Jeremy Bonin, Bonin Architects

Green Builder Everett Pollard, Northcape Design Build

Lake Sunapee Realtor Dan O'Halloran, Colby Real Estate

Here's your opportunity to get your questions answered about building a new home or addition or remodeling your existing home. Q&A based on audience discussion! Ask about Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act guidelines (CSPA), budgeting and costs, green home design, working with an architect, custom home costs, green building materials, and more!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Registration is required. Directions will be given to registrants only.

To register call Bonin Architects & Associates, New London, NH
603-504-6009

Relaxing atmosphere - Refreshments

Structural Insulated Panels

If you are interested in building an energy efficient home, insulation is your top consideration and probably the most important component of the home. The design of the home, and in particular the kind and amount of insulation specified, can have a dramatic effect on the energy efficiency of a home by reducing or eliminating the need for heating and cooling.

For this reason, our architectural firm prefers to design homes with Structural Insulated Panels (SIP panels). SIPs, sometimes known as stress skin panels, are made of an insulating foam core with OSB (oriented strand board) bonded to either side. There are two popular types of foam cores – EPS (expanded polystyrene - photo, right), XPS (extruded polystyrene) -- ranging in R-Values from 13 to 40 (R-value refers to a materials ability to resist transferring heat), far above what conventional wall construction with fiberglass or cellulose insulation can deliver.

SIP panels address the efficiency of the home and can be used in any climate. The structural insulated panel enclosure system creates an energy efficient building envelope, keeping your home warm in the dead of winter and cool in the hot summer months. (SIPs were even supplied for the International Science Station at the South Pole, where summer temperatures average minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit!)

A SIP building envelope provides high levels of insulation and is extremely airtight, meaning the amount of energy used to heat and cool a home can be cut by up to 50 percent (visit the Structural Insulated Panel Association website at http://www.sips.org/).
Do you have questions about using SIP panels in your project? Let us know!
For information on the importance of ventilation in a SIP panel home, check out these blogs:
Structural Insulated Panel blogs found on the Post and Beam & Timber Frame Blog.

Prevent Mold in Your New Green Home

Mold and mildew can not only cause structural problems in a home, they are the cause of many illnesses and allergies – making them one of your home’s worst enemies. Cleaning and getting rid of mold can be a very difficult, expensive, and time consuming project. If you’re building a new energy efficient home, an important consideration in its construction is controlling moisture to prevent mold and mildew buildup.

There are two types of moisture that can enter a home: bulk moisture and vapor moisture. Bulk moisture can get into a home around windows, doors, and leaks in the roof, as well as from condensation from pipes and ducts. Vapor moisture forms as a result of cooking, showering (yes, those long, hot showers), laundry, changes to the humidity level in the home, and just general living.

How do green homes manage moisture? A few ways are by having:

A well-designed floor plan and careful placement and orientation of the home on the lot to take advantage of solar access and shading;

Energy efficient insulation system to keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer which heps reduce condensation and mold growth;

Well-sealed, energy efficient windows and doors;

Good ventilation with heat recovery ventilation (HRV) units and extraction fans in the kitchen and bathrooms.

Moisture control starts with the green home design. Talk to an architect about your plans to build a healthy, energy efficient home for your family and build a new home that manages moisture and prevents mold!

House Tear Down

With limited land available, especially lakefront properties, many people are purchasing old camps and cottages to tear the house down and rebuild a new, energy efficient home.

Traditionally, a bulldozer or other large piece of equipment levels the house in a matter of minutes and the debris is taken to a landfill. A green alternative would be to tear the house down in stages, carefully preserving the material and selling it at a demolition auction.

What can be salvaged and reused from a tear down?

Building components such as doors, windows, plumbing fixtures, etc.
Glass
Metals
Brick
Wood
Asphalt
Concrete
Gypsum
Plastics
Landscaping, including trees, stumps, and rocks

On the other hand, you might want to check out a demolition auction to find recycled materials if you are building a new home or remodeling your existing home. These types of auctions are held at the house to be torn down, and bidders are allowed to tour the home prior to the auction. You can get everything from fixtures, appliances, flooring, and walls.

Tip: Be prepared to be required to remove the items yourself.