Choosing Green: The Home Buyer's Guide to Good Green Homes

by Jerry Yudelson

Overview

Energy efficient, non-toxic, healthy homes are the hottest trend in the building industry. Homebuilders are constructing green homes in astonishing numbers -- nearly 200,000 in the US alone in 2006.

How does a home buyer who wants a green home know what to look for, what questions to ask a builder, which green home rating systems to trust, and what homes are on the market? Nationally recognized green-building expert Jerry Yudelson provides answers to some common areas of concern, including:

• Energy-efficient home features
• Water conservation fixtures
• Non-toxic finishes
• Green products
• Healthy indoor air

Drawing from the expertise of dozens of homebuilders, government officials and green home experts, Choosing Green deftly takes the reader through these considerations with easy-to-use tables, charts, maps, score sheets and checklists.

The book includes a glossary of green building terms, an extensive resource section and a list of homebuilders, green rating programs and financial incentives. This comprehensive book provides homebuyers with everything they will need to make a successful search for their own green home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781550923612
Publisher:	New Society Publishers
Publication date:	05/01/2008
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Jerry Yudelson is the president of Yudelson Associates, green building consultants. He has trained over 3,000 people in the LEED green building rating system. He chairs Greenbuild, the world's largest green building conference, and has written six books on green building, including Green Building A to Z.

Table of Contents

Preface     xi
Foreword     xv
The Green Home Revolution     1
Why Choose Green? Homeowners Share Their Reasons     3
The Global Warming Challenge     6
Energy Use in the Home and Climate Change     8
Environmental Impacts of Homes     13
Green Home Builders and Buyers Respond to Climate Change     16
What Is a Green Home?     21
Key Features of a Green Home     22
Building Science Basics     29
What's Wrong with Typical New Homes?     35
The Experience of Living in a Green Home     41
What Goes into a Green Home? Green Products, Systems and Technologies     53
Products Used in Green Homes     60
The Building Envelope     61
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)     63
Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)     64
Mechanical Systems     66
Vapor Barriers     67
Plumbing Systems     69
Tankless Water Heaters     70
Lighting Systems     70
ENERGY STAR Appliances     71
Solar Water Heating Systems     71
Solar Electric Systems (Photovoltaics)     73
Interior Finishes     76
How Do I Know It's a Green Home? Green Home Rating Programs     79
HERS Story     79
ENERGY STAR     80
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) National Green Building Program     83
US Green Building Council's LEED for Homes (LEED-H)     87
Local Utility Programs     96
Local Government Programs     98
Green Building Ratings from Local Non-profits     100
Canada ENERGY STAR     104
Environments for Living (GE ecomagination and Masco Contractor Services)     105
American Lung Association Health House Program     108
Bringing It All Together - Building Science and Third-party Certification at Civano     109
Where Can I Find a Green Home? Single-family Home Developments     113
ENERGY STAR Builders     113
NAHB National Green Building Program     115
LEED for Homes     115
Local Certification Programs     116
Pacific Northwest     116
Northern California     120
Southern California     124
Southwest     127
West     131
South and Southeast     136
Eastern Seaboard     139
Midwest      141
Canada     142
A State-by-state Listing of Leading ENERGY STAR Homebuilders     144
Where Can I Find a Green Condominium?     149
Portland, Oregon, South Waterfront Development     150
Seattle, Florera     151
Victoria, British Columbia, Dockside Green     152
Los Angeles, South Park     153
Toronto, L Tower     153
Toronto, Radiance @ Minto Gardens     153
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Silva     154
Boston, Macallen     154
New York City, Riverhouse at Battery Park City     155
New York City, Lucida     155
Minneapolis/Bloomington, Reflections     156
St. Louis, Missouri, Gustine Townhomes     157
Nation's Capitol Region     157
Atlanta, Oakland Park     157
Palo Alto, California, Vantage     158
Green Condo Rating Systems     158
How Can I Pay for a Green Home? Show Me the Money!     161
Credits and Incentives     162
Using Energy Savings to Pay the Mortgage     165
Energy-efficient Mortgages     166
Resale Value     168
Choosing Green: Evaluating Home Builder Offerings     169
Doing Your Homework     170
Testing Your Own Preferences for a Green Home     172
Evaluating Builders' Green Offerings     174
What Does It Take to Become Certified Under LEED for Homes?     175
Financing the Purchase     177
After the Sale: What Can You Do to Make the Home Greener?     179
Saving Water     180
Saving Energy     182
Producing Energy     183
Buying Green Power     184
Downsizing Your Ecological Footprint     185
What You Can Do at Home     185
What You Can Do at Work     186
What's in Store for Green Homes     189
Looking out to 2010     190
Zero-net-energy (Z0NE) Homes     191
Let the Sun Shine In!     195
A Final Word     195
Glossary     197
Resources for Further Study     205
Books     205
Publications     206
Websites     207
Local, Regional and National Green Building Programs     208
Canadian Resources     212
Additional Resources     212
Endnotes     219
Index     229
About the Author     237