Defining GREEN

Efficient Equipment> for heating, cooling, and water heating;

Efficient Lighting, including fixtures that earn the ENERGY STAR; and

Efficient Appliances, including ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers, refrigerators, and clothes washers.

Each ENERGY STAR qualified home can keep 4,500 lbs of greenhouse gases out of our air each year.
And because homes have such long life-spans, this environmental benefit lasts for many, many years.

These energy efficiency improvements save homeowners money—about $200 to $400 per year on utility bills. More importantly, monthly energy savings can easily exceed any additional mortgage cost for the energy efficiency improvements, resulting in a positive cash-flow from the first day of home ownership. As a result, the cost-effectiveness of ENERGY STAR improvements can help offset additional costs associated with other green home features.

What comes after energy efficiency? Homebuyers can also look for the ENERGY STAR Indoor Air Package label—a new specification developed by EPA to address the indoor environment component of green building. Homes that achieve this level of excellence are first qualified as ENERGY STAR, and then also incorporate more than 60 additional home design and construction features to control moisture, chemical exposure, radon, pests, ventilation, and filtration. Together, these features help protect qualified homes and their residents from mold, chemicals, combustion gases, and other airborne pollutants.

Completing the green home picture. Through ENERGY STAR qualified homes and the ENERGY STAR Indoor Air Package, homebuyers can address two critical green home elements. Then, look to the wide variety of available green home programs to complete the picture with water-efficient products, renewable energy technologies, waste reduction, recycling, and sustainable land development practices.

National green building programs include the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) Model Green Home Building Guidelines and the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED for Homes program. The Environments for Living Certified Green program assists builders in building homes that, at a minimum, reduce energy use by 20 percent as compared with the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and reduce internal water usage by 20 percent and reduce carbon emissions by at least 20 percent as compared to a conventionally built home.

The following lists key features and benefits of the Environments For Living Certified Green program under the four primary areas: energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and durability.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Tight Construction--Special framing techniques, such as a continuous air barrier, to help reduce leaks and drafts. Framing sets the stage for meeting many of the energy efficiency program's requirements.
Improved Thermal Systems--Enhanced insulation techniques with special attention paid to gaps, voids and compression so as not to reduce the effectiveness or insulating power of the insulation. In addition, the insulation must be in physical contact with the air barrier as a primary means of preventing air movement between conditioned and unconditioned space which can diminish the insulating power. Insulation products must be GREENGUARD© Indoor Air Quality Certified or manufactured from at least 75 percent recycled content.
Right-Sized HVAC--"Right-sizing" a home's heating and cooling system is important because it contributes to the performance and efficiency of the equipment -- and to the comfort of the occupants. when it comes to a tightly constructed, energy efficient home, bigger equipment is not necessarily better. Oversized HVAC equipment operates less efficiently and can cause humidity problems --in addition to being more costly.
Framing and Sheathing--Energy effectiveness requires a continuous air barrier enclosing the conditioned space. This means air barrier continuity must be maintained throughout the entire structure--including knee walls, soffits, garage interfaces and other areas of the home that may need special attention. In addition, rigid exterior sheathings capable of stopping airflow are required. It is recommended as a "best practice" that roof sheathings include a reflective barrier, except when insulation is applied to the underside of the roof deck. These framing and sheathing requirements work together to create a tight building envelope and ultimately an energy efficient home.
Lighting Efficiency--CFL/LED Lighting--At least 60 percent of all hard-wired lights should be compact fluorescent lights (CFL) or light emitting diode (LED) lights, which reduce home energy consumption. Dimmer switches which allow homeowners to reduce watt usage are recommended for non-fluorescent fixtures.
ENERGY STAR Appliances --ENERGY STAR©, a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), promotes energy efficient products and practices. ENERGY STAR qualified appliances meet strict guidelines and incorporate advanced technologies that use 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models.

WATER EFFICIENCY
Low-Flow/High-Efficiency Toilets--Energy efficiency requires toilets that meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSenseTM specifications for efficiency and performance. This includes an effective flush volume of 1.28 gallons, which is 20 percent less than the federal standard, and solid waste removal of 350 grams or greater. According to the EPA,  WaterSenseTM labeled toilets combine high efficiency with high performance, unlike some first generation low-flow toilets, to save water without a trade off in flushing power.
High-Performance Appliances--Clothes washers should be ENERGY STAR qualified and have a water factor (WF) no greater than 6.0. Water factor is a measure of water efficiency, calculated as gallons of water used per cubic foot of capacity. In other words, the lower the water factor, the more efficient the clothes washer according to information from ENERGY STAR. High performance clothes washers that meet its standards use an average of 55 percent less water than standard models and about 31 percent less energy to run the washer and heat the water.
Engineered Plumbing Systems--In order to reduce water wasted during the time it takes hot water to reach the tap one of several options for efficient plumbing design should be followed. These range from central location of the water heater to a demand-controlled hot water recirculation pump. Efficient plumbing design helps to reduce the "wait time" for hot water, thereby conserving water, and also helps reduce the amount of energy used to heat the water.

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Duct Tightness--Duct connections should be sealed with a UL-listed mastic product, and all supply and return boot-to-house connections sealed with UL-listed class 1 pliable sealant such as mastic or caulk. This technique, combined with specific duct tightness metrics, helps keep attic dust and other contaminants out of the home's ventilation system.
Right-sized HVAC--"Right-sizing" a home's heating and cooling system not only contributes to the efficiency of the equipment, it also helps to manage indoor relative humidity by removing moisture during the cooling season. When systems are over-sized, moisture problems can adversely impact indoor environmental quality, along with affecting occupant comfort.
Combustion Safety--Avoiding the build-up of carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless gas, is important for occupant safety. CO detectors should be hardwired and removable.
Fresh Air and Spot Ventilation--Mechanical fresh air ventilation is required throughout the home, in addition to spot ventilation in the kitchen and bathrooms. Fresh air ventilation means that filtered outside air is brought into the home through the HVAC system equipped with approved filter or approved electronic air cleaner. Spot ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms is important because it helps move moisture from showering and cooking out of the home. Kitchen and bathroom ventilation must be capable of exhausting to the outside a specific volume of air at a specific rate.
Air Pressure Balancing--The Environments for Living Program requires all rooms (except bath and laundry rooms) in the conditioned space to not exceed a pressure differential of +/-3 pascals with respect to the outside when interior doors are closed and the air handler is operating. Returns, transfer grills or jump ducts may be needed to balance each room. This is important because, if equipment does not take in or emit equal amounts of air, positive or negative air pressure imbalance can occur.
Internal Moisture Management--Moisture, whether it is naturally occurring from condensation or created by occupant activities such as cooking and showering, is important to manage for the purpose of indoor environmental quality. The Energy and Environmental Building Association (EEBA) Water Management Guide should be followed so that moisture entering building assemblies has a way to dry, either to the interior, exterior, or both. Tub and shower surrounds must be backed with specific water resistant materials. In hot, humid climates, additional requirements apply, such as not using vinyl wallpaper in kitchens and bathrooms.
Low-VOC Paint--Paints should contain low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCS) that can off-gas from solids or liquids, including paint and coatings. By using low-VOC products, exposure to these compounds is reduced, resulting in better indoor air quality in the home.
Low-VOC Carpets--Carpet products should carry the Carpet Rug and Institute (CRI) Green Label for low-VOC emissions. This results in better indoor environmental quality because it limits substances that can off-gas. In addition, low-VOC tack strips and adhesives are required for carpet installation, and urea formaldehyde wood products are prohibited under carpets. Where carpeting exceeds 70 percent of the floor area in the conditioned space an approved central vacuum is required.
Options to Consider--Sound also contributes to the comfort of a home's occupants. An accoustical package intended to result in a quiet sound transmission coefficient performance of 37 to 39 is recommended. For even greater indoor environmental quality, options such as source elimination, ventilation, cleaning/purification, and monitoring can be considered. Equipment for this option includes a purification system, advanced HEPA filtration, germicidal lamp and other components that vary according to climate.
DURABILITY
Optional Framing -- Optimum Value Engineering--Optimum Value Engineering techniques, also known as advanced framing, reduce lumber requirements while maintaining structural integrity.
Air Barrier--Three primary physical forces adversely affect the durability of building materials -- air, heat, and moisture -- and the physics of how they impact durability often interrelate. The air barrier, thermal barrier, and moisture barrier work together as a system to manage air flow, heat flow, and moisture flow. The air barrier inhibits air from entering and exiting the building envelope, and plays an important role not only in energy efficiency but also in durability, because it is part of the system that controls air, heat and moisture flows. A continuous air barrier and sealing of penetrations is required. Components and finished surface materials such as drywall and sheathing act as air barriers, but regardless of the material, it is important that the air barrier is continuous and that holes are sealed
Thermal Barrier--The thermal barrier, or insulation, is required to be applied in direct physical contact with the continuous air barrier, in order to minimize air flow that can reduce the effectiveness of the insulation. Fiberglass, cellulose and foam insulation materials are all effective thermal barriers, but regardless of the material, it is important that the thermal barrier is in physical contact with the air barrier.
Internal Moisture Management--Moisture, air, and heat can adversely affect the durability of building materials. Whether it is naturally occurring from condensation or created by occupant activities such as cooking and showering, it is important to control moisture. Moisture has to have a way to dry, either to the interior, exterior, or both. Tub and shower surrounds must be backed with specific water resistant materials. In hot, humid climates, additional requirements such as not using vinyl wallpaper in kitchens and bathrooms apply. Follow Energy and Environmental Building Association Water Management Guide.