Outdoor fireplace
As we continue our building project, I wanted to take a minute and go over the things that I know we can do to make the project greener. These ideas are very mainstream and available to anyone who builds or remodels a home.
Conservation is the foundation of the green building approach, but green building is more than just conservation. It is a design process that grows out of a connection with the natural landscape. The immediate goal is to reduce the cost, maintenance, and energy usage of the home. The ultimate goal is to connect people to the land and community around them, and contribute to a safer environment for all of us.
Here are seven ways to build green in Austin:
1. Look for ways to design for passive energy use.
Natural heating and cooling has been practiced by indigenous builders throughout the world. Orienting your home and window placements to take advantage of natural solar energy is a fundamental that should not be ignored. (Surprisingly, it is ignored all the time!) Other devices, such as stone floors, wind blocking walls, breeze catching openings, roof overhangs, and reflective barriers can help to take advantage of free solar and wind energy.
Consider opening up your floorplan. A simple, open space will optimize and spread the effect of passive solar heating or cooling.
Place doors and windows to catch the prevailing breeze and allow cross ventilation. Keep in mind that lower windows for incoming breeze and higher windows for outgoing air will keep air moving. Hot air rises naturally.
Face the long side of the house to the north or south. This will avoid excessive heat gain as the sun rises and drops in the east and west.
Use deep overhangs or solar screens to shield glass areas from direct sun.
Use windows with double paned glass. The air space between the panes reduces heat transfer from indoors to outdoors.
In addition to double pane, consider windows with “low E (emissive) glass,” which has a metal oxide coating to help keep heat or cold from penetrating.
Avoid skylights or greenhouse rooms.
2. Ventilate attic spaces.
Ventilate the attic with vents under the eaves and at roof peaks. As air enters through the eave vents and moves out through the ridge vents, it will cool the attic. Again, the simple principal of heat rising is used.
Choose light colored roof materials that absorb and hold less heat.
Add reflective heat barriers on the underside of the roof deck help to reduce heat gain.
Make sure that the level of insulation is high in attics and exterior walls.
Avoid placing AC ductwork in the attic. Even with ventilation, attic spaces do accumulate heat, and will warm the AC ducts.
3. Test your heat and AC systems.
Check with the City of Austin for free diagnostic testing and rebates for high efficiency AC systems, better insulation, solar screens, and weather-stripping.
Have your home tested for leaks in AC ducts, and around windows, doors, attic stairs, exhaust pipes, recessed lights, and electric outlets. This is a costly and often overlooked way to stop energy loss and waste.
Install the right sized AC system to cool and dehumidify your home. An oversized system will cool too quickly, and leave the room clammy. Smaller systems run long enough reach the desired temperature, and, at the same time, clear the air of humidity. A small system is cheaper, too.
Use programmable thermostats to regulate your energy usage when you are away from home.
Install pleated-media filters in AC return-air grills. This filter will remove particles as small as mold spores from the air, and improve the air quality in your home.
Make sure you have a heat pump system, to extract heat from outside air, if you have an electric furnace.
4. Conserve Water.
Plant native Austin greenery that is well suited to the growing season and rainfall of our area. It is easier to maintain and beautiful. Lady Bird Johnson once said, “I like it when the land speaks its own language in its own regional accent.”
Rather than concrete, consider water pervious materials such as crushed granite or open paving blocks.
Add a gutter and barrel rainwater catchment system to store water that falls from roofs.
Check their water and energy usage before buying appliances. Front loading washing machines use less water; some dishwashers use less water and have no-heat drying.
Reduce water usage in bathrooms with low flow shower heads and toilets.
Don’t forget that re-cycling yard waste for use as mulch will reduce both water and fertilizer needs.
5. Use renewable and recycled materials.
Before building a wood deck, consider using Trex or other brands of waste wood and plastic composite material.
Consider formaldehyde-free medium density fiberboard (MDF) for interior trim and doors.
In place of exterior wood siding and trim, use fiber-cement materials, such as Hardie Board, which are very durable, rot resistant, and fire retardant.
Use locally produced materials when possible. Give materials that are quarried or made near Austin a chance.
Find out about alternative building materials, such as rammed earth, straw bale or insulated concrete panels.
Keep in mind that concrete floors are an excellent green choice. The concrete foundation doubles as a finish floor, saving materials and labor.
Recycle wood floors, doors, windows, and other materials that are salvaged from buildings. They are a very attractive re-use of materials.
Consider any rapidly renewable material as a possibility. For example, bamboo is a grass that can grow several feet per day.
In place of carpet, remember that hard surface floors do not hold dust, molds, and allergens, and are very durable.
Use materials with recycled content, such as cellulose insulation, Thermo-ply, and lumber composites.
Design a place to make household recycling convenient, such as a holding bin in the garage.
6. Take care of your building site.
Before starting your project, consider how trees, vegetation and bird habitat on the site could be protected and saved.
Incorporate native trees, grasses, rock outcroppings and natural drainage into your building and landscaping design.
Look for ways to reduce the impact on your building site as much as possible.
Do not allow paints and solvents to be buried or poured out on your site. Pay attention to how your construction waste is being disposed.
7. Read labels on products.
Choose products that are biodegradable, non toxic, water based, and cold water compatible, when possible.
Avoid products that contain dyes, ozone depleting chemicals, heavy metals, formaldehyde, or known carcinogens.
Don’t buy solvent based finishes, particleboard, adhesives, certain carpets, or products that release volatile chemicals into the air.
Remove old-style pressure treated wood when possible, especially in play structures.
Look for green rated labels on carpets and other products. The internet makes research on products a lot easier than it used to be.
