Nov 8, 2010 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, LEED Certification
I am now beginning the eighth and final section of the LEED for Homes Reference Manual. Whew – this has been a long process! Here, the USGBC addresses an ongoing theme of my commentary: that while LEED focuses on the design and construction of new homes,...
Nov 4, 2010 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Healthy Home
The intent of this credit is to reduce exposure to indoor pollutants originating from an adjacent garage. Our architect initially drew our garage as detached — he likes the scale and proportion of a house better without a garage. Having a detached garage, or...
Nov 3, 2010 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Healthy Home
<Radon….that scary, silent, odorless gas that, according the EPA, is the number-one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in the US, and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall. LEED for Homes takes the precautionary route by requiring...
Nov 2, 2010 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Healthy Home
We get one point if the home is flushed with fresh air before we move in. But there are specific requirements: It has to occur after all phases of construction are completed, for all areas of the home, for 48 hours, by keeping all windows open while running the HVAC...
Nov 1, 2010 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Healthy Home
EQ 8.2 Indoor Contaminant Control rewards points for ensuring that occupants and guests take off their shoes upon entering our house. (Hear that, Mom? And Larry David?) We can get one point each, up to two points, for doing the following: Design and install...
Oct 29, 2010 | Energy, Green Home Building/Remodeling
View the video of our solar panels installed. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv5k5Eqz0y4] They were “turned on,” or “grid connected” on October 28, 2010!
Oct 28, 2010 | Energy, Green Home Building/Remodeling
It is t-minus two days until the utility’s electrical inspector comes over and gives us approval to turn ON our solar panels. Just in time for the end of one month of pure sun and a future of short, cloudy days. Do I sound cynical? Burned out might be a...
Oct 28, 2010 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Healthy Home
Intent: Reduce occupants’ and construction workers’ exposure to indoor airb orne contaminants through source control and removal. This is a great credit, because (a) it is important for a healthy home, and (b) it gives concrete reasons that people should...
Oct 27, 2010 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Healthy Home
Good, better, or best? This credit has a prerequisite for “good” air filters, offers one point for “better” filters, or two points for “best” filters. The intent is clearly to filter the air — but from what? They call it...
Oct 25, 2010 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Healthy Home
How many times have you complained about how one room is your home is too toasty warm, while another is too cold? If you have just one thermostat, what do you do? This credit attempts to help builders properly distribute heating and cooling throughout the spaces in...
Oct 21, 2010 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Healthy Home
Similar to the Outdoor Ventilation requirement, this credit focuses on indoor air quality. The difference is that EQ 5 targets moisture and indoor pollutants in our kitchen and bathrooms — two rooms that produce much more moisture and odors than any other room...
Oct 20, 2010 | Green Home Building/Remodeling, Healthy Home
This credit helps ensure that our exposure to indoor air pollutants is reduced by ventilating with outdoor air — definitely a cornerstone of a healthy home. It’s a tradeoff with energy efficiency, though, because most of those credits made sure that...
