How to design Eco-Friendly Homes in Chicago
Chicago, as an environmentally-conscious city, has many eco-friendly, "green" homes on offer. Apart from the obvious fact that a green home is good for the environment, homebuyers are also cognizant of the potential savings that green homes will get them in the long run, though the initial costs may be slightly high.
A well designed green home can cut down on energy consumption by 30-60%. Owners of green homes also enjoy many state and federal tax breaks under the Energy Policy Act, 2005. The city itself promotes a green future by offering information on services such as Recycling, usage of CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs and energy efficiency through the Chicago Green Home Program.
Guidelines for Green Homes
When you buy a new home, you would be well advised to look for an eco-friendly and energy efficient one because it will save you a lot of money in maintenance and energy costs in the years to come. The hardware costs will typically be recovered within the first five years. When looking for a green home, it is important that you are aware of the various terminologies used and the features of a green building.
A green home may be one that is constructed with energy efficiency as its goal or it may have been built using environment-friendly construction material. There are six guidelines that the National Association of Homebuilders uses for green homes:
1. Design and Preparation of the Lot
Construction causes heavy impact on the soil, wild life and vegetation of the environment surrounding the building site. Evaluating the effects of construction on the environment will enable the builders to figure out how and where the impact can be minimized or eliminated entirely. Building on lots that have already been used for some sort of development previously is an ideal way to minimize construction damage to the environment.
2. Utilize Energy Efficiently
Green home construction integrates techniques that utilize the energy that is available more efficiently. This is also combined with reducing the immediate energy requirements.
3. Use Resources Efficiently
Technological advancements and superior building methods allow for efficient use of building materials and thereby lessen the strain on environment and minimize construction waste production. New homes. construction in chicago is all about reusing or recycling almost all materials such as lumber or concrete. Using bamboo for flooring, instead of the traditional wood, ensures that the material used for construction is easily replenished because bamboo grows much faster than regular woods.
4. Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air is significantly more polluted than the external air, so interior ventilation and moisture management is an important aspect in any green home design.
5. Conservation of Water
A green design will ensure that a plan is in place for effectively managing and using the water that is available. This single aspect can have ramifications on more aspects of energy efficient home design than any other: faucets, gutter downspouts, exterior cisterns and all other interior and exterior plumbing hardware will be affected by the conservation design.
6. Awareness, Maintenance and Operation
The homebuilder invests a considerable amount of time and energy on a green home project. It is up to the homeowner to maintain it, and make the best out of the design by learning everything about the energy saving features and its operation and maintenance.
