At VC Design & Build, green building is about making smart, cost effective choices that protect our environment while helping our clients save money. We call our common sense approach Green Green as in more Green in your wallet. Improving energy efficiency is the most tangible goal of Green Green construction. Through simple, cost effective measures, the amount of energy consumed over the life of your home or building can be dramatically reduced, which saves you money. Additionally, the common sense techniques described below are best practices and result in an indoor environment that is more comfortable for living. 

A properly sealed building envelope is critical to energy efficiency as it helps control the transfer of air and moisture between conditioned and unconditioned areas. Following the techniques described below will result in reduced capacity requirements for HVAC units and create a more stable temperature balance inside the home.

• House wrap - The installation of house wrap is a standard construction process and for most builders that is where the process starts and ends. However, properly installed house wrap includes the sealing of all seams with house wrap tape. This inexpensive and often omitted process will improve energy efficiency.
  
  


• Sealing penetrations - Throughout the construction process many exterior wall and roof penetrations as well as ceiling penetrations will be made. All exterior penetrations should be properly flashed and sealed with expanding foam to control the flow of air and the infiltration of moisture. Additionally all penetrations for duct work and electrical outlets should be sealed to reduce the loss of conditioned air.
  
  


• Insulation – Insulation is the best-known energy efficient measure.  The effectiveness of insulation is measured by a factor known as R-value. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulating properties.  The most commonly used insulation in standard 2x4 construction results in an R-13 rating in walls and an R-38 rating for attic spaces. Increasing the thickness of attic insulation to achieve R-50 rating is a sure fire way to increase the efficiency of your home and results in a strong and timely payback.  Additionally, for a marginal added expense the rating of exterior walls can be increased to R-15. It is important to note the effective R-Value will be somewhat less than the advertised R-value.  This is due in part to the fact that insulation is installed between wooden studs and wood is a very poor insulator. Through the use of enhanced framing techniques to reduce the number of required studs and connecting interior walls to exterior walls and in turning corners on exterior walls, more space can be created in the wall cavity for insulation. These cost effective framing techniques improve the effective R-value while also saving on lumber costs.

Windows are one of the most critical factors in building for efficiency. In today’s market most window manufacturers offer competitive products featuring double or triple paned glass with low-e coatings.

• Selection - When comparing windows it is important to understand the information shown on the label. In many cases it is possible to find a high performing, lesser-known product that will save you money both over the short and long-term. The energy efficiency of windows is indicated through the U-Factor.  A lower the U-Factor indicates a greater ability for the product protect against heat loss through the panes. The solar heat gain coefficient indicates how well a window blocks heat from the sun.  The lower the measurement the more efficient the window. Understanding these measures is critical in making the proper window choices.
  
  


• Installation - It is important to keep in mind that regardless of the window quality, a poorly installed window will act like a big hole in the wall allowing for the transfer of air. It is critical to ensure the window is properly wrapped, flashed, and caulked to eliminate inherent inefficiencies. Poor installation will make even the best window perform poorly.

A well-designed and properly installed HVAC unit is critical to maintaining comfort and minimizing operational expense for your home over the long term.

• Sizing – A properly sized unit is critical to long-term operational efficiency. Bigger is not always better. In fact, an oversized HVAC system will not only result in unnecessary upfront expense, but also cost more to operate over the long-term as it goes through a process called short-cycling. The repeated on/off of the unit results in increased energy usage.  Undersized units are also inefficient as they result in extended cycle times and increased power usage.
  
  


• Proper balance and airflow – Forced air systems push air into rooms throughout the dwelling.  This forced air creates an imbalance in the home that must be equalized.  In a home without proper allowances for cold air returns (unbalanced) this air will escape outside the building envelope resulting in a loss of conditioned air. Balance may be achieved in several ways including the use of Jump ducts that facilitate the flow of air back to the main cold air return. Jump ducts are a very cost effective and often overlooked measure that increases HVAC efficiency.
  
  


• Efficiency – All heat pumps have an efficiency rating known as SEER.  Ultra efficient products on the market today range from 16 Seer to 20 SEER. In general, a 20 SEER unit is not needed to efficiently condition a properly built and insulated home.  However, many manufacturers offer extended warranties (up to 12 years) on these ultra efficient units that may make the added costs worthwhile.

Efficient use of water is a win/win for everyone involved and is a sure way to save money over the long-term. For homes on the public sewage system, water savings is crucial as the cost for publicly provided sewage is directly related to the amount of water consumed. Today’s low flow fixtures, including toilets and faucets, perform very well and are cost effective to install. 

Energy Star rated appliances and lighting are important considerations to saving energy. In most homes the dishwasher, refrigerator, and clothes dryer are the largest consumers of power.  It is very important that each of these units be Energy Star rated. Hot water heaters are also large users of power. Technology is evolving quickly in this area so items that are not cost effective today may be tomorrow. Regardless, it is important to properly size hot water heating units by choosing the most efficient device that works within your budget. 

Information is power and Energy monitoring is a very effective way to provide you with the information you need to reduce your power usage. How does energy monitoring work?  If you have ever driven in a hybrid car you have seen energy monitoring devices at work. By providing instantaneous feedback to drivers on fuel usage the driver alters behavior to increase fuel efficiency. Home energy monitors work in much the same way.  A simple wall mounted wireless device receives and displays information regarding power consumption. The information provided enables occupants to see the impact of simple changes on energy usage, such as turning off lights or reducing dryer cycle times. 

By making smart, strategic choices, you can maximize the energy efficiency of your building project and realize significant cost savings. With VC Design & Build and our Green Green approach, we can help you invest wisely in energy efficiency so you enjoy a more comfortable home that costs you less to operate over the long-term.