Design, Build and Live Green
Green references seem to be popping up everywhere but what is it actually referring to and why is important to you the home owner? Going "green" is a catch all term that encompasses both the practice and product of creating buildings which are better for our health, environment, and economy. This includes the use of renewable resources, energy conservation, comfort and indoor air quality - an environmentally sound home!
Consumerism or the lack there of, is a major factor when building green. Predetermined room sizes will keep your dwellings footprint to an essential size thereby reducing the impact on the ecology of the area. Research products and their origin to ensure they have had minimal environmental impacts while being produced and that once used, they are biodegradable.
On the Green path:
Location, location, location: The first priority on the list is to place your home with the longer sides facing south or north to take advantage of the passive heating/ cooling; reducing your reliance on additional energy sources. To reduce afternoon sun exposure, minimize west-facing windows and maximize those looking south. Plant or preserve existing deciduous trees along the south and east elevations for summer shade and soil erosion prevention. During the fall and winter, once those trees lose their leaves, there will be plenty of sunlight and added warmth. Trees can also act as a natural barrier along the breezier north and west elevations. Also, consider wind patterns to determine if and/or where to position windows for maximum cooling - use the natural breeze to create a siphon that draws heat out.
Seal the deal: Did you know up to 40% of a buildings energy loss is attributed to air leakage. Gasketing is a vital player in the construction of a log structure. Be sure to invest in a high-quality foam gasket that will account for the movement of logs over time. Another way of preventing leakage is Icynene as an insulation method. Icynene is an insulation and air barrier that fills all crevices and forms to any shape while providing an excellent sound barrier as well.
SIP's are becoming another common word in the design & construction industry because of their efficiency and simplicity. SIP's (Structurally Insulated Panels) are pre-made panels which are produced by sandwiching dense foam sheets between plywood or OSB (Orientated Strand Board,) wrapping the home in insulation. Because this system is so efficient (6.5" panel = R-22.3), your home will require a much smaller HVAC unit than a conventionally built home by up to 50%. A unit that is half the size offers the potential for utility bills to be halved.
Bigger is better: Thermal mass is what we're talking about and we want to take full advantage of the principles at hand. The principles of thermal mass are where a material absorbs heat and releases it steadily and evenly. By nature, log walls store and retain heat quite effectively as do masonry features such as stone chimneys and tile flooring. Advantageously, open floor plans assist in the distribution of sun-warmed air very effectively and provide for an attractive and easy to furnish layout.
Now that we understand the principles of thermal mass and advantages, we are able to apply them to our foundation walls through a product called ICF's (Insulated Concrete Forms.) An ICF combines a conventional reinforced concrete wall with modern rigid foam insulation and does so in a way that is labour, material and cost effective. Each block is approximately 2 to 3 inches thick (each side) by 30 to 40 inches long by 12 to 16 inches high. ICF's, simply put are building blocks that create the foundation wall without the use of wooden forming walls and provide 4 essential things: act as the form for the concrete, insulates the wall, forms a vapour barrier for the wall, and acts as an excellent surface for attaching finishes- inside and out.
Breathe deep: HVAC is a term familiar to most, but do we truly understand the importance of this system and the numerous actions it provides? We are all aware of our hot water tank and its domineering size, however; there is a system called "on demand" or "tankless" water heaters that do not store water, making it another energy-saving option.
Something we cannot control is our own humidity: cooking, showering, etc. These activities cause excessive moisture in our homes which is a large problem creating high potential for the growth of mold. This is another system that your HVAC accounts for- ventilation- the removal of air and bringing in fresh to enhance indoor air quality. Indoor relative humidity should be set between 40 and 50 percent to minimize the potential of mold development. To further improve air quality, consider incorporating a high efficiency particulate (HEPA) filter to your HVAC system.
All-star performance: We are all, or all should be, aware of EnergyStar appliances and the benefits they have on our resources and pocket books. This is a crucial step to ensuring our homes respect our earth's assets by consuming on a minimized and essential basis. Another efficient strategy is utilizing compact fluorescent lighting over the incandescent bulbs; besides being more environmentally friendly, they also last much longer than standard bulbs. To improve solar passive heating/ cooling shop for double pane windows with Energy Star rated low-e glass with solar shading.
Ahead of the game: Alternative products add fascination to every article of the home. They reveal your beliefs and inspirations while enticing the audience with an individual story for each material. Some accessible alternative products made from natural materials are: flax, cork, Ipe, bamboo, corian, concrete (countertops, sinks, finished floors, etc.), glass, log & timber vanities and furniture, etc. Many of these reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOC's) found in traditional products and installations.
Additional resources
US Green Building Council - www.usgbc.comCanadian Green Building Council - www.cagbc.org
Energy Star - www.energystar.gov
Washington State Department of Ecology - www.ecy.wa.gov
Energy Alternatives Ltd - www.energyalternatives.ca
National Renewable Energy Laboratory - www.nrel.gov
US department of energy - www.eere.energy.gov