ENERGY

Check back to this site often as we will be building a dynamic and interactive site that will provide great information, share and collaborate on viable solutions and links to the latest solutions involving energy efficient homes and green home technology. Our Broker Greg Scott just received the CG-REP designation, the Certified Green Real Estate Professional designation from Energy Upgrade California. Come back soon!! New information will be added weekly!!!

O.K. so let's start at the beginning.................. like anything else a gauge is needed to measure where we're at first in order to see what lies ahead. With Energy and green home technology that means measuring how much energy we're using in total, and then measuring the specific areas where energy is used, and then where changes can be made and savings generated. So let's get started with the Basics first............

How much Electricity do I use???? Click here. Very interesting stuff.

Getting Started in Green Building — A Primer for Beginners

Unclear on what it means to build green?

Green building means building houses that are energy efficient, durable, and won't make people sick after they move in. It also means using less materials and making better use of the ones you buy. We can do this by designing and building houses...

Efficiently
To last a long time
To use less water and energy
That are healthy to live in

In short, we can build green by building even better houses than we've been building—we take the next step in quality. How do we do that?

What is Green Building?

Green building is the next step in quality.

Green building is an approach to construction that can be applied to public and commercial buildings as well as the houses we live in. It guides every step of design and construction, from choosing a building site to installing a heating system. Green building is alternately described as “sustainable” building, and ultimately this may be a more accurate way of looking at it.
Green building designs are based on three broad principles:
Energy efficiency. The house uses as little energy as possible.Conservation of natural resources. This broad objective recognizes that resources are finite. Excellent indoor air quality. Green homes are designed to be healthy houses. A green home shouldn't have moisture, mold, or radon.

Why Is Green Building Suddenly Such a Big Deal?

There are a lot of reasons why green building is suddenly a big deal

Sustainable building isn’t exactly a new phenomenon, but it has certainly taken root in a way that earlier efforts to change residential construction did not. Chalk it up to the coalescence of many things.

Energy costs are one key. Global climate change is another factor. We know more about how houses work than we used to. Building scientists who study the mechanics of why houses behave the way they do have helped promote designs that are more durable, more comfortable and healthier than conventional houses. This increased technical prowess has made it possible to apply sensible building practices to all kinds of architectural styles.

Finally, the time was right for a shift in thinking. The fact that green-built houses last longer, have fewer problems, are cheaper to live in and keep their owners more comfortable doesn’t hurt.

Do Green Houses Cost More to Build Than Regular Houses?

Green is often less expensive when all things are considered

Sustainable building often seems more expensive than conventional building. Many of the building materials that make houses more durable and easier to heat and cool aren’t cheap.

Green building isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition. As long as the basics are there, the house can be upgraded over time. If solar panels are an intriguing long-term option but not in the cards right now, for instance, pre-plumb for the panels and install them when the budget allows.