There’s a great deal of hype and information (some misinformation) about “green building”. Cardinal Building embraces the practical side of “green building” and can help in figuring out what it really means to you and your home. Our explanation involves conservation of natural resources, consuming as little energy as possible, and maintaining clean air quality in your home. There are also incentives and savings that make “green building” worthwhile.
Conservation of natural resources when building a home reduces the impact on the environment. Americans make up 5% of the world’s population but use 25% of the world’s resources. By reducing the amount of wood, water, and fossil fuels wasted when building a home, you can make a difference. By using sustainable materials and planning ahead, you can incorporate quality materials into a smart design that suites your lifestyle. Things like flow reducers on faucets and shower heads and using high-efficiency toilets, or incorporating various sizes of rain barrels to catch water and reuse it for irrigation, conserves water. Using innovative building materials such as Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) can help keep the house tight, while reducing wasted materials on the jobsite.
Energy efficiency becomes more important each day with the rising energy costs. Things as easy as site planning can help to position your house properly and take advantage of natural light. By installing ENERGY STAR rated: appliances, properly sized heating and cooling equipment, efficient windows and doors, and many other ENERGY STAR rated products available, you can reduce your energy costs and live more efficiently. ENERGY STAR is the government-backed program that helps save money and protects the environment with energy-efficient products and practices. Find out more about ENERGY STAR at www.energystar.gov.
Clean air quality in your home is also extremely important since you tend to spend a majority of your time there. Many people have allergies caused by mold or mildew or other airborne allergens. Designing a heating and cooling system that incorporates energy recovery ventilation is essential in obtaining high indoor air quality. Not only will the clean air be good for your everyday living, it will “feel comfortable”. The exchange of clean air within the system will introduce the optimal level of moisture into the home.
Incentives and rebates are offered through governmental and state programs as well as utility companies to support energy efficiency. There is a 30% Federal energy rebate when installing energy efficient windows, doors, insulation, roofing, and HVAC. That credit has a cap of $1500, but is valid for any installations before the end of 2010. There is also a 30% Federal tax credit for installing solar and geothermal systems in your home and it does not have a cap in place. North Carolina offers a 35% tax credit on some renewable energy investments up to $10,500. Duke Energy has a Smart Saver Program that gives up to a $300 rebate when installing a qualified heat pump. Duke and Progress Energy also discount utility bills for an ENERGY STAR rated home.
Cardinal Building has built ENERGY STAR homes over the last five years and we are dedicated to build 100% of our homes to that standard going forward. We are also a NC Healthy Built Home builder, which is a state program that certifies high building performance and promotes “green living”. More information can be found at www.healthybuilthomes.org.
Cardinal Building encourages “green building” and the advantages it offers the homeowners and to the environment. For more information, please contact us at 828-862-8796.
