Suggestions for Green Renovation from Florida Green Building Coalition
Living Green
The Florida Green Building Coalition is working toward the creation of a Florida Green Home Standard to award Green Home certificates to residential and business properties that meet high standards of sustainability and conservation. To qualify as a Green Home, homeowners must have their home inspected by a certified inspector who uses a checklist of several hundred items and awards points based on how well the home complies with the checklist standards. If a home is awarded 100 points or more, it qualifies for certification as a Green Home – a highly energy efficient home that meets or exceeds state standards for energy use, health, water conservation and disaster proofing.
Even if you are not interested in having your home meet certificate standards, you’ll find a lot of great information in the FGBC’s reference document that goes along with the checklist. You’ll find more information about Florida Green Home Standards at
Floridagreenbuilding.org. These suggestions are taken from the Florida Green Home Standards Reference Guide for home owners. Following just a few of them when you’re renovating can add a great deal of value to your home, and pay for themselves in just a few years. If you’re doing the renovations anyway, you’ll find that the difference between the green alternative and the traditional one is not that big.
Additions and Major Redesigns
If your renovation project includes major architectural redesign, there are a number of ways that you can reduce your impact on the environment – and save money at the same time.
Plan for ventilation. Consider the location of doors and windows both in the new addition and in the existing home. By planning for cross ventilation, you’ll reduce your energy costs. Add ceiling fans to your rooms, and you’ll reduce those costs even further – a fan uses just a fraction of the electricity that is used by an air conditioner.
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Consider sustainable materials. Sit down with a contractor to discuss the advantages of using sustainable materials and reclaimed materials in your building. Floors made from reclaimed wood can be stunningly beautiful – at a fraction of the cost of new wood. In addition, it will prevent the reclaimed wood from ending up in a landfill and save the trees that would be cut if you used new. Other sustainable materials for building include bamboo for floors and walls.
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Choose windows and doors with high energy ratings. Look for the Energy Star on all your purchases. While most people are familiar with Energy Star for appliances, the Star is granted to over 50 product categories, including doors, windows and other building materials and components. Insulated windows, good seals and low E glass all combine to save you money on your cooling and heating bills in a surprisingly short amount of time.
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Keep things light. In color, that is. Choose light colors with high reflective surfaces for both interior and exterior walls, floors and roofs. Lighter colors reflect the sun’s heat instead of absorbing it, and can reduce your energy use for cooling by as much as 50%.
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Prep for solar heating. If you’re not already using solar heating, consider how your new addition can bring you closer to that goal. A south facing roof with at least 75 feet of space will get you points in the Green Home standard because it’s the perfect base for a solar heating unit. While you’re at it, install the plumbing for a solar hot water heater even if you’re not ready to make the switch. It will be that much easier and cheaper when you are ready.
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Add a roofed porch. A roofed porch that is open or screened on at least three sides adds a comfortable outdoor space that will help reduce your reliance on air conditioning and cooling. The screen and shade help reduce the amount of heat in the house, and the area itself offers a comfortable place to enjoy the cooler months.
Updating Appliances and Fixtures
Are you updating the look of your house with new appliances and fixtures? Choose fixtures and appliances that have received an Energy Star and you’ll know that you’re staying green. Some suggestions about other green considerations when you’re updating:
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Clothes Dryers. Clothes dryers are the second biggest users of electricity in most homes. Choose a dryer with a low energy factor (determined by the pounds of clothing it can dry per kilowatt hours of electricity). Also look for a dryer with a moisture sensor that turns the dryer off when the clothes are dry.
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Washing machines. Again, look for the Energy Star on your washing machine. Front loading machines use less energy than top loaders, but there are quite a few top loaders on the market that are Energy Star compliant as well.
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Oven and stove. Gas appliances that have an electric pilotless ignition cost about half as much to operate as electric ovens. If you must have electric, choose ovens that have features like halogen elements or induction elements, which heat up more quickly than traditional electric coils. Be sure that your fan hood is vented to the outside to avoid re-circulating cooking fumes.
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Water Heaters. Solar water heaters and tankless water heaters are among the most energy efficient heaters on the market. The upfront cost is greater than a standard water heater, both for purchase and for installation, but there are a number of ways that you can recoup part of your investment through tax credits, rebates and energy rebates from your utility company.
There’s no better time to make big changes in the way you use energy than when you’re ready to renovate or remodel. Take advantage of rebates and tax credits to reduce the overall cost, and you can realize big savings in utility costs as well as add value to your home when you’re ready to sell.
Date: 2007-10-29 20:43:57
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