Green Jump Start

Once you're going, building green is easy

A builder could break the bank trying to incorporate every green technology and product on the market today. But it's possible to build a healthy green home with some simple adjustments to what you already do, every day. At its core, green building is a holistic approach that emphasizes solid practices; the best use of resources; energy efficiency; and an understanding that houses are a system, not a collection of components.

This approach need not be expensive. "We preach a smarter way," says Joshua Duckwall, operations manager for the EarthCraft House green building program of the Southface Energy Institute in Atlanta, Ga. "Builders make a bigger difference by proper practice than by spending money on expensive equipment or materials. When you look at payback, the most valuable thing you can do is proper installation and practice."

If builders have to make a choice between one green practice, such as buying products locally, and another, such as better insulation, it makes sense to choose the practice that will have the most long-term benefits.

Take air sealing, for example. You're going to pay to have it done anyway. With a more detailed process that includes sealing ductwork and HVAC systems, you can stop air leaks, reduce how much energy it takes to heat and cool the house, and improve the indoor air quality. "A tube of caulk or a can of foam is probably the biggest building block for doing something green," says Duckwall.

Insulation is another area where you can add green without using different materials. Any insulation is great, as long as it's installed correctly. If it were his own house, Duckwall says he'd use spray-in Icynene, an expansive foam that doubles as an air sealer and insulation in the cavity between the interior and exterior walls. "It's one of the cheaper more-advanced things you can do," he says.

All the emphasis on air sealing and insulation is to help homeowners reduce their peak demand for energy every day they live in the house. For example, putting ductwork in the conditioned space of the home — rather than in an unconditioned attic, garage or crawlspace, where temperatures can vary to extremes — can drastically reduce energy requirements. In fact, this practice can save the homeowner 15 percent to 20 percent on their heating and cooling costs, says Christian Wagley, environmental program manager for Alys Beach, a sustainable community on the Gulf Coast in the Florida Panhandle.

"The big environmental impact is on the operation of the home over its life," he says. "With insulation, we've got one chance to do it right, so it should be high-priority. For example, insulating hot water lines should be basic plumbing 101, and the savings usually pay for the cost of the insulation within a year. If you're not doing that, you shouldn't even think about doing something like solar panels." Most plumbers don't insulate pipes unless it's called for in the specs. If that's the case, you should have your crews do it.

Missoula, Mont.-based builder John Freer, president of Riverworks, Inc., points out that some green building practices can actually lower costs, such as creating a detailed materials list "so you're not sending excess material to the job site to be wasted." He creates framing plans that lay out windows and doors for peak efficiency and minimal waste. "We're not changing any products, but we're using them as efficiently and effectively as possible — and it saves lumber."

Getting these savings requires that the contractor spend a little time educating trade partners about the goal of building a house that's energy- and resource-efficient. "Every home we do starts with a pre-construction site meeting. [During that meeting] we post instructions on the site about recycling and where to put certain materials, and review the plans for things our trades might see," says Freer.

The ultimate goal is to build a house that will help your buyers reduce their consumption of resources. You'll make much more impact by addressing the house's major systems than by fixating on cabinet glazes and whether the tile grout is made from recycled materials.

"We always go back to basics," says Duckwall. "Reducing consumption is always green. Seal things up and put your money toward the HVAC and water conservation. Then if you have money at the end to do recycled products and bamboo flooring, that's great."


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