Local builders share 10 tips for constructing a green home

By Nora Firestone
Correspondent

Today’s educated consumers are aware of the impact of their decisions on future lifestyle.

For those exploring myriad options in building a new home, local “green” builders share strategies that can improve quality of life for homeowners while conserving our planet’s valuable resources.

A tour by EarthCraft-certified builders Guy Sorensen, a partner at Meadow Green Builders Inc., and David Luke, president of Luke Construction LLC, of a Virginia Beach home under construction by Luke shed light on important elements to building green.

The practice, the men said, pertains largely to energy efficiency but also to indoor air quality and conscientious materials use and building practices.
First select a good design-build team, advised Sorensen, who is vice chairman of Tidewater Builders Association’s Green Building Council and an accredited professional in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED.

“Get to know the contractor,” he recommended, as well as his credentials and how active he is in the field. “You don’t want to be on somebody’s learning curve.”
Now, Sorensen’s and Luke’s 10 tips for building a green home, from location to fueling it:

Site selection

Some sites are more sustainable than others. Building near mass transit lines, shopping centers, schools, work, bicycle paths and amenities enables a reduction in automobile fuel consumption, Sorensen explained. Also, consider the home's exposure to the elements.

Placement

Much of how a home interacts with its environment depends on how it's situated on the lot, according to John Porter of Norfolk-based Green Build It, the small development company that built Hampton Roads' first LEED-certified single family house in 2009.

Consider placement of the home and windows for best use of passive solar energy and potential active solar applications.

Typically, southern exposure is ideal within the northern hemisphere. A solar study by a trained architectural designer can determine best placement of windows and shading devices to block or harness direct sunlight throughout the year for temperature and light control. Inside, mirrored light shelves below windows near ceilings and light-colored paint can further distribute sunlight, Porter said.

Low-waste building

Re-purpose usable items, Sorensen and Luke suggested. After the original house on the Virginia Beach site had been disassembled, elements of value were reclaimed by others or donated to charity, keeping good materials out of landfills for another cycle of use.

Have the new home's foundation sized correctly by an engineer to avoid wasting concrete, Sorensen advised.

Green Build It's simple framing efficiencies reduce labor and wasted resources. These include building to even dimensions within a modular design for fewer cut-aways to lumber, blocks and other materials.

Thermal envelope

Good insulation's key to building green, Sorensen said. Construct a tight thermal envelope - the protective barrier of perimeter walls, crawl space and roof area.

The Virginia Beach home contained insulating concrete form walls, which Sorensen recommends for their strength, hurricane and fire resistance and high R-value.

The process adds about 3 to 8 percent of the cost of the entire project, he estimated, but results in drastic cuts to heating and cooling needs.

If insulating concrete form walls don't fit the budget, strategic framing, including construction of California corners and Ladder T-walls, can prevent excess energy loss by reducing thermal bridging and allowing extra space for insulation, Sorensen and Porter said.

Insulating walls and rafters with spray foam adds structural integrity and prevents air migration - a major source of energy loss which can also lead to moisture problems, Sorensen said.

To conserve costs, combine spray foam with cellulose or batt insulation. Insulate headers, caulk joints and condition the crawl space, Luke recommended.

Indoor air quality

A tight thermal envelope increases indoor air quality by keeping moisture and outdoor pollutants at bay, but a well-sealed home can also trap them indoors.

Mitigate that by adding air exchangers to the heating and cooling system, Sorensen suggested.

Choose paints, adhesives, coatings and flooring that contain low to no volatile organic compounds when possible.

Heating and cooling

Central air systems should have a high seasonal energy efficiency ratio, or SEER, rating, "but the most important thing is having your structure sized" to balance the load, Sorensen said.

Have a professional determine the correct size of the system according to Manual J and Manual D calculations per guidelines published by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America. Consult a knowledgeable landscape architect about shade and natural heat-reducing techniques.

Windows

Choose the most efficient windows the wallet affords, Porter advised. The lower the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient and U-factor, the better. He recommends a U-factor of .30 or less and coefficient of .33 or less.

Plumbing

"The No. 1 rule is to create a compact plumbing design," Porter said.

Less piping means reductions in failure, wasted water and radiant heat loss.

Create a compact plumbing core, around which plumbed rooms are located, for short pipe runs. Combine it with a central manifold distribution system, with single-purpose supply lines which call water only to where it's needed and narrower pipes for fixtures which can handle reduced flow. High-efficiency hot water heater options include hybrid electric and gas tankless. Insulate all hot water pipes; choose dual-flush toilets and low-flow shower heads.

Solar and wind

Explore solar and wind options for hot water, heating, cooling and electricity. Costs and return on investment vary, but an ideal hot-water system can handle 80 percent of hot water needs, which represent about 30 percent of an average home's total energy costs, said Richard Hahn of SunRise Solar and Wind in Norfolk.

SunRise provides complete solar systems, via rooftop and awning applications, and electricity-generating wind turbines. Tax rebates and incentives make the options more affordable.

Sustainable/renewable

Choose low-maintenance, long-lasting exterior surfaces and roofing. Consider interior surfaces, including counter tops and flooring, made from re-purposed and sustainable materials.

Mohawk offers carpeting made of corn sugar and recycled bottles and hardwood floors of reclaimed building materials. Also, consider cork, wheat grass and linoleum, and removable carpet tiles, replaceable by the piece when necessary. Patronize regional manufacturers if concerned about "embodied energy."

The additional cost of building green varies according to design complexity, technology selection and appliance and materials choices, but much can be done at a "negligible" cost with the right knowledge, Porter said.

"In my opinion, energy efficient building is a team effort," Luke added. "That's the importance of building relationships" within the industry.

Nora Firestone, nfirestone@verizon.net