Green Building - Raising the Bar
The Evergreen High Performance, Green Built Home
What is Green Building all about?
As defined by The U.S Environmental Protection Agency: Green Building is a “means to improving the way that homes and homebuilding sites use energy, water, and materials to reduce impacts on human health and the environment. Building a green home means making environmentally-preferable and sustainable decisions throughout the building process--decisions that will minimize the environmental impact of the home while it is being built and over the many years it will be lived in.”
Is Green Building worth the effort?
Yes! And, since 2004, Evergreen Homecrafters LLC has been on the forefront of building green homes within the Richmond area. After paying the mortgage, utility costs to heat, cool, and operate the home represent the second highest monthly expenditure. Our building methods and attention to detail during construction work to minimize these costs…we simply think it is the right thing to do. As a matter of fact, we plan and construct our homes to meet or exceed both EarthCraft and ENERGY STAR standards. To achieve these certifications our homes are inspected and tested by third-party inspectors, so you know your finished home is truly “green built”.
Our passion is to build innovative, energy efficient homes with pride, intelligence, and commitment…our focus is simple: to create a higher standard of home. With each project, Evergreen Homecrafters LLC works to help meet the daily challenges of: high and volatile energy costs, resource conservation, energy independence, and environmental conservation.
What is an EarthCraft House?
The EarthCraft House Program is a voluntary green building program that serves as a blueprint for healthy, comfortable homes that reduce energy costs and protect the environment. Each home is independently tested by a third-party to verify that it meets the standards to be certified as an EarthCraft House.
An EarthCraft certified house looks just like any other house, with all of the features and amenities you desire. Following the guidelines of the EarthCraft House Program, money saving and environmentally friendly elements are built into the home and are typically “behind the walls”.
Value to the Homeowner: As an EarthCraft House Owner, the following benefits can be expected versus a standard built house:
- Less maintenance requirements through the use of more durable and better engineered products
- Reduced annual operating costs for heating and cooling. Compared with standard homes, EarthCraft qualified new homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and hot water heating. Homeowners can save up to 30 – 50% on their utility bills.
- Lower total cost of home ownership
- A more valuable investment that saves money and energy every day
- A more quiet and comfortable home. The energy-efficient features of EarthCraft qualified new homes keep out excessive heat, cold, and noise, and ensure consistent temperatures between and across rooms, making these homes a more comfortable environment in which to live.
- Enhanced indoor air quality for a healthy living environment
In addition to the EarthCraft House Program, we are proud to offer new homes that have earned the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR qualified new homes are substantially more energy efficient than homes built to the minimum code requirements. Our ENERGY STAR qualified new homes are independently verified by a third-party Home Energy Rater to ensure they meet ENERGY STAR energy efficiency guidelines. These homes are better for the environment and better for you.
Features of our ENERGY STAR qualified new homes include:
- Effective Insulation—Properly installed insulation that meets or exceeds national code requirements helps achieve even temperatures throughout the house while using less energy. The result is lower utility costs and a quieter, more comfortable home.
- Conditioned Crawl Spaces – All crawl spaces are insulated and sealed from outside air. Helps to control the temperature and moisture levels in the crawl space.
- High-Performance Windows and Exterior Doors—Advanced Low-E window coatings help keep heat in during winter and out during summer. They also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that can discolor carpets and furniture.
- Tight Construction and Tight HVAC Ducts—Attention to detail by sealing all holes, cracks, and seams in ducts and construction assemblies helps eliminate drafts, moisture, dust, pests, and pollen. This improves comfort and the quality of indoor air, while lowering maintenance costs.
- Energy-Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment—More efficient and properly sized heating and cooling systems use less energy, which reduces utility bills. These systems also turn on and off less frequently, removing more humidity and providing better comfort.
- Learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified new homes at www.energystar.gov.
