Easy to exceed the building code

It should be easy to build energy efficient homes that are better than the building code and ENERGY STAR is a great program that helps all of us. Energy efficient homes will add value as well as save energy dollars each month. With the current economic uncertainty an energy efficient homes is a great way to not only save money, you can earn federal tax credits as well. We have many options available when we build energy efficient home and we can exceed the building code at the same time.

One of the easiest ways to conserve energy is to us passive solar day light. When considering where to build your home, consider where you place most of your windows. When you consider windows, make sure you use Low-E glass. Another method of conserving energy is to install the heating / cooling system ductwork inside the home. You should never allow a ductwork jumper or any ductwork in the attic space.

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... Green Builders ... Energy Star ... Green Products

It will give you more information about how we are going GREEN.

ENERGY STAR Partner

All homes are built to exceed both the local code and ENERGY STAR requirements. The homes are more energy efficient and will save homeowners money each month.

You will not have to dread higher heating or cooling cost with an ENERGY STAR home. The increased use of energy saving high quality materials in the construction of homes saves both energy and money in the end.

Some of features that David R. Roberts Builders, Inc. uses in his new homes are as follows:

• Energy efficient structure with proper attic ventilation, new framing techniques, vinyl Silverline windows by Anderson Windows with Low-E glass.

• Blown cellulose by Applegate Insulation in walls R-13, blown cellulose in attic R-52, Tyvek breathable moisture barrier, walls sealed behind tubs to stop air flow, Icynene foam between exterior floor joist, weather stripping around windows and doors and caulked exterior floor line with adhesive caulk.

• Heating and Air Conditioning system by TempStar with a 90 Plus furnace and a 13 seer air conditioner, programmable thermostats and all ductwork in conditioned space.

• Compact florescent lighting, ENERGY STAR electric dishwasher and energy efficient hot water heater

• Energy Star certification with an independent third party tested home. The home will be duct blaster test, door blower test, thermal image tested and will be Certified Energy Efficient by an independent third party.

If you have any questions about building an ENERGY STAR home in SW Michigan, feel free to e-mail or call David R. Roberts Builders, Inc. for more information.

Green Built & ENERGY STAR

Energy Star is just part of a Green Built Home.

There are some major items that you can add to the standard home that will help conserve energy for may years to come. The simple act of changing the windows to Low-E, or adding insulation to the basement, or sealing the exterior floor exterior with foam, or caulking the plate line along the exterior and exterior corner with adhesive drywall caulk. This any many other methods of sealing the building will help lower the energy bill for a home.

We all have been doing some of the things for a long time. In the Michigan area we had a program that was called the MSHDA program for low and moderate income people. We still have the MSHDA program, but the ENERGY STAR program is a higher standard for all homes.

When you think about saving energy, you have to think about the total payment for the home. It is just more than the mortgage payment that makes up the total payment for a home. Energy is just going to cost more and more each year. We need to find ways to conserve and both Green Built Homes and ENERGY STAR will lead all of us to conserve.

Saving energy does add to the bottom line of building. When you can see a lower energy bill for the home, it saves you real dollars each month.

Green Built Homes and the ENERGY STAR programs are winning programs for all of us.

Interesting websites

A few websites to check out from Green Building.

1) FlatWireReady.com . . . how to hang a speaker or flat screen t.v. in thin air . . . they have created a new shift in wiring and interconnect devices for low voltage lighting, audio/loudspeakers, voice/data lines, high performance video, Cat 5, 5e, and 6 data cables, and other low voltage applications.

2) Apricus.com . . . Apricus solar thermal systems are widely used in both residential and commercial applications to provide hot water, space heating, industrial hot water and even air-conditioning.

3) www2.Panasonic.com . . . Fans are designed for multiple-task ventilation. This means that you can ventilate multiple areas or multiple rooms with just one fan.


4) Lyemance.com . . . Lyemance operates from inside your firebox and seals tight every time you close it which eliminating any draft.

5) Foundations.certainteed.com/ . . . Form a drain for total control of moisture and radon

6) Pexinfo.com/ . . . Information on PEX

If you know of other great websites, add them to the list.

Green Building for Professional Builders

When building a home, we inevitably impact the environment. Green Building incorporates green resources into every step of construction. We develop, design, construct and help make many decisions that positively impact the energy efficiency of a new home.

We have all been using many Green methods in our homes, but we need to focus our attention on how we can improve the homes that we are building. The Energy Star program is only part of the method that we need to use. As we all know, there are many ways of building a home, just like there are many ways to make each home Green.

We need to start the process and see what we can do for housing and our customers.