Green Building: Our Methods

What makes our building methods “green”? Is it the materials we use? Is it the way we construct our homes or the location we choose? Is there really an easy answer?

The short answer is no. There’s not one method or product or choice that can make a home truly green. Instead, it’s a combination of decisions, such as reusing scrap lumber or reducing energy consumption, that allow the builder and the homeowner to lower the impact of the home’s carbon footprint.

Our founder, Rich Moriarty, explained it this way:

“We are using recycled materials, saving trees, reducing our energy and water consumption, all the while saving money. Green building is the assembly of multiple systems, products, and improved building practices that create a longer lasting, less energy consuming, and healthier home.”

To help you understand how we, Integrity Remodeling & Custom Homes, accomplish this sometimes daunting task, we’ve listed some of the main systems that truly impact a home’s carbon footprint. We focus on these systems to accomplish some of the green building practices that are going to make on impact on your home.

High efficiency HVAC system

About half of your home’s energy goes to heating and cooling. Using a high efficiency HVAC system saves money, provides better heating and cooling, and lasts longer than older systems. If you’re planning on selling your house in the future, a high efficiency HVAC system can raise the value of your home and may even help it sell faster. They use one-third less fuel than older models, which helps conserve natural resources, and creates fewer damaging emissions.

Insulation

There are two types of spray foam insulation that can help your home be more energy efficient. While both have advantages and disadvantages, these insulations perform consistently well and can help prevent air and heat from escaping through holes and openings in your home. We’ve included this comparison chart to the right to help you understand the differences between closed cell and open cell spray foam.

Efficient windows and doors

Using energy efficient windows and doors can lower your lighting, heating, and cooling bills and save the energy that would be lost otherwise. As with most green decisions, there are several options for efficient windows and doors. One option is to use windows and doors that have argon-insulated glass. Another is to use glass coated with a transparent metallic oxide coating, which prevents heat from transferring through the glass. Aluminum-clad wood also prevents hot outside air from entering the home and consuming more energy.

Recycled materials

Recycled materials are being used in building homes and are superior to conventional lumber, which significantly  impacts our environment. By using materials such as Trex decking (recycled plastic used to make boards and railings in lieu of traditional lumber) and framing materials made from scrap lumber that would normally be discarded, we are using engineering to manage our resources better.

Contact us today to discuss ways we can help you to utilize energy efficient systems and incorporate green building practices in your home.