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What does "building green" mean?
When you think of building green, think of a high-performance home with increased efficiencies and lower operating costs. Remember, building green...
- Increases the efficiency in which buildings use resources--energy, water, and materials.
- Reduces the building impact on health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and clean-up during the complete building's life cycle.
- Improves public and occupant health due to improved indoor air quality.
- Achieves not only ecological, but aesthetic harmony between a structure and its surrounding natural and built environment.
- Doesn't mean your home will be less distinguishable in style and appearance than of its non-sustainable counterparts.
Why Build GREEN?
- Economically, environmentally, and health-wise, it's the best thing for you and your family.
- A flourishing environment will be here to support your family, as well as its future generations.
- It just makes good sense.
Until recently, buyers selected their new homes without much consideration of operating costs-- generally, location, aesthetics, and investment potential were the primary decision factors. They rarely considered the full environmental impact of a home. However, recent events, including rising energy prices, have forced home buyers to rethink their lifestyles, and the energy conservation choices available to them.
What is LEED?
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council*, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings' performance. After a project's completion, it may be qualified as a LEED Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum level.
*The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation's foremost non-profit coalition of nearly 3,000 companies and organizations from across the building industry that promote high-performance, environmentally responsible, and profitable green buildings that healthy places to live and work.
What qualifies OutaSpace for LEED certification?
- Use of reclaimed wood throughout the house
- All appliances are Energy Star
- Logs are winter-cut, which eliminates sap leakage
- Water is heated by Rinnai tankless heaters
- Toilets use 1.3 gallons of water with each flush (with an option for half- flushes), utilizing 20% less water.
- House is lit partially by energy-saving fluorescent bulbs
- Floors are laid with hardwood instead of carpet.
- Low-VOC paint was used throughout most of the house to ensure that residents air free of harmful chemicals and toxins
- Most materials were bought locally from vendors within a 500-mile radius of the Black Mountain/Asheville area.
- Interior decorations were selected by Black Mountain/Asheville vendors and craftsmen.
- HVAC system is multi-zoned, programmable, and 18-seer for maximum efficiency
- Insulation is 6" closed cell foam
- Windows are two-paned, thermal, reflective, and UVA-A/UVA-B golden
- Landscaping utilizes low-water consumption; Indigenous materials were selected for low maintenance qualities.
Benefits of Independently Verified LEED and HealthyBuilt Homes:
- 30-50% more energy and water efficiency
- More comfortable living environment
- More durable home design and materials
- 100cfm of fresh air every hour
- 50% better air filtration
- Minimum of 30-50% of the building materials are environmentally preferable
- Non-Toxic Pest Management
- Ozone safe refrigerants
- 30-50% less waste to landfill during construction
- 30% less storm water run off
- Higher resale value
LEED-Certified buildings are designed to:
- Lower operating costs and increase asset value
- Reduce waste sent to landfills
- Conserve energy and water
- Be healthier and safer for occupants
- Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions
- Qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities
- Demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility
Western North Carolina Healthy Built Home (HBH) Program
Links
Western North Carolina Green Building Council http://wncgbc.org
US Green Building Council
http://www.usgbc.org"
Energy Star http://www.energystar.gov"
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