Design
When designing a home it’s always a good idea to consider how important energy savings is to you. It’s also helpful to have a contractor or designer to guide you through the process; it could result in a greater expense to you to think of energy saving options after the project is complete or underway. Discussions with your designer or architect concerning energy saving options is a good way to start the design process. When selecting a builder its important to find an individual who is familiar with the latest building techniques and options available to date. A builder or designer that follows the National Green Building Standard is a good way to start. The National Green Building Standard is the first ANSI consensus standard of sustainable Green Building for residential construction. Key items to consider in the design of a new home are:
- Lot Design
- Energy Efficiency
- Water Efficiency
- Indoor Environmental Quality
Building a Home that meets the minimum requirements for code, and building a home that preforms at least 60% better than code is entirely different.