Built Green Colorado is a voluntary program that uses buyer demand, market
education and builder training to encourage builders to build homes that:
This is the list of green building features from which builders choose
their building options. There are over 205 separate features in 22 categories
covering energy efficiency, materials, health and safety, and resource
conservation. Builders must choose a minimum number of points from the
Checklist.
Buying regional products reduces transportation costs and energy, and keeps
dollars in the local economy. A major tenet of sustainability is making use of
resources from the immediate region; an indirect result of this activity is a
greater understanding of the region, its characteristics and resources, and
the community's impact on that region.
Engineered wood products use smaller, younger trees, and parts of the tree
that were not previously used, to reach the same or better structural
characteristics of solid dimensional lumber. This makes better use of the
resource and avoids the use of larger, older trees. The use of engineered wood
products also eliminates the waste associated with warped, twisted or
otherwise unusable lumber.
Recycled plastic or composite "lumber"?
A number of recycled-content and composite material deck products are
currently on the market. An attractive alternative to chemically treated wood
and valuable naturally-durable woods like redwood and cedar, recycled-content
and composite material decks are very low-maintenance and highly durable.
These products are made either entirely or partially from recycled plastic,
which helps close the recycling loop by finding useful end products for
recycled materials.
Fiber-cement siding and other exterior finish alternatives?
Fiber-cement siding is highly durable; it doesn't split, holds paint longer
and is more moisture-resistant than typical hardwood siding. Other green
building siding options include recycled-content hardboard, natural or
synthetic stucco and locally produced brick and natural or faux stone. Long
lasting, low maintenance exterior finish products reduce replacement
frequency, which means cost savings, reduced landfill impact, and fewer
resources and time devoted to maintenance and replacement.
High-performance windows?
Perhaps more than any other building component, windows have seen a
significant increase in performance resulting from new technologies, including
"low-e" glass coatings, and gas-filled windows. While high performance windows
may cost slightly more, when the rest of the home's heating system is adjusted
accordingly these costs can be offset and the on-going energy savings and
comfort gains will pay back that extra cost quickly.
Water heaters and pipe insulation?
Why do we insulate the water pipes for just the first three feet at the
water heater? The greatest loss of heat from the pipes is close to the water
heater, where the temperature is being maintained at the water heater's set
point. The higher the temperature, the greater the heat loss through
un-insulated pipes. Water heaters with an Energy Factor (EF) of at least 0.62
are most efficient and readily available.
Insulation?
You can choose between several types of insulation, and all of them can
have recycled content. Blown-in products or the installation of batts by
certified installers typically provide a better insulated home, because there
is less opportunity for air leakage. Typical insulation levels are R-15 in the
walls, R-38 in the attic, and R-11 on basement walls. Appropriate insulation
levels in walls, attics and on basement or foundation walls make the home more
resistant to energy loss, lowering energy bills, improving comfort, reducing
pollution related to energy production and saving precious resources.
Energy ratings?
An energy rating from a qualified Home Energy Rating Provider gives you
information on the cost and associated savings of energy improvements in your
home. And Energy Rater also helps builders decide the best energy package for
their homes while giving them an additional tool to highlight their energy
features. With an energy rating of 80 points or more, the home is qualified
for a energy efficient mortgage, which can make the energy features even more
affordable.
Energy heels?
The point at which typical roof rafters connect with the top plate of the
exterior wall leaves little room for the full depth of attic insulation, creating
compressed insulation and reduced performance. A raised heel truss, or "energy
heel," raises the truss at that point (at least 6 inches) to allow the
insulation enough room to produce its full R-value at this critical location.
Air infiltration?
Techniques like blown cellulose insulation, advanced air sealing and sill
plate sealing are effective methods for tightening a home to reduce
unwanted air infiltration and loss of conditioned air. Sealing the home with
an advanced sealing technique (new construction) or with basic sealing from
the inside (existing home) can make a big difference in winter heating bills
and overall comfort, as well as reduce the infiltration of dust and other
outside pollutants, such as pollen.
Leaky ducts?
Your duct system has numerous opportunities to be leaky. Studies have shown
that an unsealed duct system leaks from 20-40% of the heated air that's
supposed to be getting to the rooms of your house. This is bad for your
comfort and energy bill, but it could be worse for your health and safety; a
leaky duct system can create pressure differences in your heating system that
can draw in contaminants like dust, soil gasses or flue gasses. A
well-designed, well-sealed duct system should be a fundamental part of your
otherwise energy-efficient home. The duct system should be entirely
hard-ducted and sealed at all joints and penetrations with brush-on, low-/non-
toxic mastic, not duct tape.
Carpet from pop bottles?
Carpet made from fibers spun from recycled plastic soda bottles is now
commonly available. This carpet performs as good or better than carpet made
from other materials, and costs about the same. The advantages include
excellent stain resistance and durability. This carpet is a useful product
made from material often thrown in the landfill. 500 square yards of carpet
divert about 20,000 pop bottles from landfills. Carpet pad made from recycled
fibers reduces the need for petrochemicals and off-gases less than a typical
foam pad.
VOCs and indoor air quality?
VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds and can be released by human or natural
sources. They can react with the atmosphere to form ground-level ozone, and to
a lesser degree, acid rain. Some VOCs, like the fumes from numerous interior
products (glues, paints, cabinets, carpets and pads, furniture, etc.) are
toxic, and could possibly cause a range of health problems from occasional
headaches to allergic reactions, depending on the concentration and the
sensitivity of the individual. "Least toxic" products are those that contain
levels of VOCs below what the EPA or other credible sources have determined to
be safe levels. In some cases, a "least toxic" product may be preferable to a
"non-toxic" product for performance reasons. Additional indoor air quality
protection can include controlled mechanical ventilation with an air-to-air
heat exchanger or heat recovery ventilator to bring in fresh air without
wasting heat.
Xeriscape™?
Simply put, Xeriscape means the use of native, drought-tolerant plantings
that can survive in our climate without lots of watering, appropriate turf
areas, and using irrigation techniques that optimize the water you do supply.
In general, Xeriscape should be the landscape option of choice. Beautiful
designs abound, and the choices in flowering plants and turf grasses make this
the only reasonable landscaping strategy in this high desert climate. Water is
a precious resource, and shouldn't be wasted on inappropriate landscapes.
Information can be found at city water departments around the state, and on
the Internet. One excellent resource is Denver Water’s website,
www.denverwater.org.
Solar energy?
Good passive solar design will save energy from the day you move in by
taking advantage of the sun's "free" energy to help heat your home. Solar
water heating is already cheaper than using electricity or gas to heat water,
and solar electric (photovoltaics, or PVs) is becoming less expensive.
Efficient appliances?
The refrigerator is always on. The washing machine and dishwasher consume
water as well as the energy to heat that water and to run the appliance. Huge
strides have been made in recent years to improve the efficiency of all home
appliances. Look for appliances qualified under the Department of Energy's
ENERGY STAR® program for the highest performing models.
