Choosing Green

Description

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.

Subjects

• Books
• Loisirs et hobbies
• DIY
• Sustainability
• Home insurance
• Sustainable living

Informations

• Published by: New Society Publishers
• Published: 01 May 2008
• Reads: 0
• EAN13: 9781550923612
• Language: English
• Document size: 3 MB

Exrait

Advance praise for

Jerry Yudelson’s many years at the heart of the green building movement have led to his developing an excellent document on sustainable housing. is will be a valuable guide not only for homebuyers and consumers, but also for designers and builders. e greenest home we can build is not to build one at all; this book pro- vides good advice on the next best thing. — S W, FAIA, Steven Winter Associates, Inc., Chairman, USGBC LEED for Homes Committee

Choosing Greenprovides the consumer with an up-to-the-minute, very thorough overview of green residential building in America. It’s a guide to green construc- tion practices, as well as a navigation system for purchasing a truly green house. Any buyer who attempts to do so without this information must beware! — M B, Davis Energy Group

Jerry Yudelson, one of the foremost experts in the green building industry, has sys- tematically gathered in-depth, hard to nd information and coalesced his decades of experience into this tremendously valuable tool.Choosing Greenprovides clear guidance to navigate the complexity of the green building marketplace and its ex- tensive resources. — C G, Founder & President, West Coast Green

Today, much is being written about green housing and the myriad of related certi- cation standards.Choosing Greenis an excellent book by an extremely knowledge- able author, and should be a “must-read” for anyone contemplating the purchase of an “environmentally green” home. is book will help prospective green home purchasers gain a much better understanding of what constitutes a “green home” and how to make a wise purchase. — M G, Adjunct Faculty, Centre for Sustainable Community Development, Simon Fraser University

Jerry Yudelson epitomizes the best of green building theory, design principles and construction practices. His work inspires and contributes to the industry’s trans- formation and this book is no exception — it will serve any homebuyer seeking quality, ecient and healthy living very well. — Y K, Pima County, Arizona, Chief Building Ocial

Jéy Yûéŝô ŝ à àé I  é çéàŝy çôûŝ wô ô éé û ŝçéŝŝ, ôçy àéŝ, ôûç àûàçûéŝ, à àééŝ. é ŝ à jàç ô à àéŝ wô ŝ àé ô ŝyéŝzé é ôŝ ŝàé éŝ, ŝŝûéŝ, à ŝàééŝ ôw ô é ôŝ çôé à ûŝéû ôŝ.Coosîng Greenŝ à éà çôûô ô é çôŝûé ôô ô véŝ wŝéy à àé à ôŝvé àç. — Rob BenneTT, à éà vôçé ô éé ûŝ  é ûç ŝéçô

W çôŝûé éà ô éé v ôw ày,Coosîng Greenŝ à véy éy éŝôûçé ô éw ôéûyéŝ wô wà ô àé ŝà éçŝôŝ àôû ôé ô é àéŝ véŝéŝ. Yûéŝô’ŝ ôô ŝ ô çôééŝvé à àççà, àçôwé éé ŝ ô “ôé ŝzé Iŝ à” ŝôûô. By ôv ôéûyéŝ w é  ŝé ô ôôŝ éy w é éé éàé ô àé ûçàŝé éçŝôŝ à éŝ I é éé ôéŝ, àvààé ôôŝ à éŝyéŝ. — Rebecca . lora, Exéçûvé Déçô, Géé Bû Aàçé

Aŝ à àçéç w à ôôô ô éé ôéŝ, ï çà àéŝ ô é éôà ô ôw- ô ôôŝ ô éé û, ôŝ ô wç àé éàé ôwàŝ é “ôvàôŝ” à “éày ààéŝ”  é éŝ à çôŝûçô ûŝy. Wà àéŝCoos- îng Greenŝéçà ŝ à  ŝ wé ô é ôŝéçvé ôéûyé, à éŝôé  é évôûô ô ŝûŝààé éŝ! — NaThan Good, AïA, NààGôôAçéç.çô

Aô é çé çàééŝ ô ûy à éé ôé, ô éé é ôé yôû àvé, àŝ éé éày àççéŝŝ ô ôô ôàô.Coosîng Green ŝ à àûôàvé éŝôŝé:  w é yôû àŝ é  qûéŝôŝ, àvô ééwàŝ, à çéàé à éàé, ôé ŝûŝààé éŝyé ô yôûŝé à yôû ày. — Mîchelle Moore, Séô Vçé Péŝé, U.S. Géé Bû Côûç

Wŝ yôû à à ûŝé é à çôû éxà wà ŝ ôà (à ô) àôû çôôŝ à éé ôé? Hé Jéy Yûéŝô ŝ yôû éw éŝ ûy! W- é w é ôéûyé  ,Coosîng Greençûŝ ôû é éé ô w éà àéçôéŝ à çàŝé ŝûéŝ — ŝôw wà àéŝ à ûy éé ôé, wô ŝ û é, wéé yôû çà é ôé. — Walker Wells, Géé Bû Pôà Déçô, Gôà Géé USA

ày! A çôééŝvé ûé ô àyôé ééŝé  éé ôéŝ. Hŝ ôô ŝ é éŝ éŝôûçé ï àvé ŝéé ô ûéŝà éé ôéŝ, à  ŝ éŝéé  à éàŝy ô ûéŝà ôà. — Phîlîp Beere, Géé Séé Dévéôé, Pôéx, Azôà

Coosîng Greenŝ à ûŝ éà àûà ô éôé ôô ô àé ôô évô- éà éçŝôŝ ô é ôéŝ à é àéŝ. ï ŝ çéà, ŝû, ôà- vé, çûé à éy; û ô ŝà ŝéŝ à éé éé ôôûéŝ. — auren YarmuTh, YRG Côŝûàŝ, Néw Yô Cy

New Society Publishers

C  P D: A catalog record for this publication is available from the National Library of Canada.

Copyright ©  by Jerry Yudelson. All rights reserved.

Cover design by Diane McIntosh. Leaf image: iStock Le bottom: Courtesy of SunPower Le middle photo: Photography by John Baker, courtesy of Homewise, Inc. Top photo: Photography by Loren Heyns, courtesy of Green Street Properties Right bottom: Photography by Bill Timmerman, courtesy of Modus Development Printed in Canada. First printing April . Paperback ISBN: ----

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To order directly from the publishers, please call toll-free (North America) ---, or order online at www.newsociety.com

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New Society Publishers’ mission is to publish books that contribute in fundamental ways to building an ecologically sustainable and just society, and to do so with the least possible impact on the environment, in a manner that models this vision. We are committed to doing this not just through education, but through action. is book is one step toward ending global deforestation and climate change. It is printed on Forest Stewardship Council-certied acid-free paper that is post- consumer recycled( old growth forest-free), processed chlorine free, and printed with vegetable-based, low-VOC inks, with covers produced using FSC-certiedstock. Additionally, New Society purchases carbon osets based on an annual audit, operating with a carbon- neutral footprint. For further information, or to browse our full list of books and purchase securely, visit our website at: www.newsociety.com

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For everyone who wants to live a more sustainable and less impactful lifestyle, and for all those who want to help them do so, this book is for you.

Contents

 Preace                               Foreword                               The Green Home Revoutîon                 Wy Côôŝé Géé? ôéôwéŝ Sàé Hé Réàŝôŝ . . Hé Gôà Wà Càéé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eéy Uŝé  é ôé à Càé Càé . . . . . . . . Evôéà ïàçŝ ô ôéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Géé ôé Bûéŝ à Bûyéŝ Réŝô ô Càé Càé. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  What ïs a Green Home?                    Kéy éàûéŝ ô à Géé ôé. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bû Sçéçé Bàŝçŝ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wà’ŝ Wô w yçà Néw ôéŝ? . . . . . . . . . .

  The Experîence o Lîvîng în a Green Home          What Goes înto a Green Home? Green Products, Systems and Technoogîes    Pôûçŝ Uŝé  Géé ôéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hé Bû Evéôé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sûçûà ïŝûàé Pàéŝ (SïPŝ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ïŝûàé Côçéé ôŝ (ïCŝ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Méçàçà Syŝéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vàô Bàéŝ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pû Syŝéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . àéŝŝ Wàé éàéŝ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Syŝéŝ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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choosîng gr een

ENERGY SAR Aàçéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sôà Wàé éà Syŝéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sôà Eéçç Syŝéŝ (Pôôvôàçŝ). . . . . . . . . . . . ïéô ŝéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

71 71 7 76

  How Do ï Know ït’s a Green Home? Green Home Ratîng Programs           ERS Sôy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 ENERGY SAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Nàôà Aŝŝôçàô ô ôé Bûéŝ (NAB) Nàôà Géé Bû Pôà . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 US Géé Bû Côûç’ŝ EED ô ôéŝ (EED-) . 87 ôçà Uy Pôàŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 ôçà Gôvéé Pôàŝ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Géé Bû Ràŝ ô ôçà Nô-ôIŝ . . . . . . . 100 Cààà ENERGY SAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Evôéŝ ô v (GE éçôààô à Màŝçô Côàçô Sévçéŝ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Aéçà û Aŝŝôçàô éà ôûŝé Pôà . . . . 108 B ï A ôéé — Bû Sçéçé à H-ày CéIçàô à Cvàô . . . . . . . . . 109

  Where Can ï Fînd a Green Home? Sînge-amîy Home Deveopments          ENERGY SAR Bûéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 NAB Nàôà Géé Bû Pôà . . . . . . . . . . 115 EED ô ôéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 ôçà CéIçàô Pôàŝ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 PàçIç Nôwéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Nôé Càôà120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sôûé Càôà . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Sôûwéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Wéŝ11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sôû à Sôûéàŝ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Eàŝé Séàôà . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Mwéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Cààà. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 A Sàé-y-ŝàé ŝ ô éà ENERGY SAR ôéûéŝ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Côéŝ

  Where Can ï Fînd a Green Condomînîum?        Pôà, Oéô, Sôû Wàéô Dévéôé . . . . . 150 Séàé, ôéà . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Vçôà, Bŝ Côûà, Dôçŝé Géé . . . . . . . . . 152 ôŝ Aééŝ, Sôû Pà . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 ôôô,  ôwé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 ôôô, Rààçé @ Mô Gàéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Nô Vàçôûvé, Bŝ Côûà, Svà . . . . . . . . . . 15 Bôŝô, Màçàé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Néw Yô Cy, Rvéôûŝé à Bàéy Pà Cy . . . . . . . 155 Néw Yô Cy, ûçà . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Méàôŝ/Bôôô, RéLéçôŝ . . . . . . . . . . . 156 S. ôûŝ, Mŝŝôû, Gûŝé ôwôéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Nàô’ŝ Càô Réô . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Aàà, Oàà Pà . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Pàô Aô, Càôà, Vààé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Géé Côô Rà Syŝéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

  How Can ï Pay or a Green Home? Show Me the Money!                   Céŝ à ïçévéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Uŝ Eéy Sàvŝ ô Pày é Môàé . . . . . . . . . . 165 Eéy-éiçé Môàéŝ166. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Réŝàé Vàûé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

  Choosîng Green: Evauatîng Home Buîder Oferîngs          Dô Yôû ôéwô . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 éŝ Yôû Ow Péééçéŝ ô à Géé ôé . . . . . . 172 Evàûà Bûéŝ’ Géé OFéŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Wà Dôéŝ ï àé ô Béçôé CéIé Ué EED ô ôéŝ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 àç é Pûçàŝé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

 Ater the Sae: What Can You Do to Make the Home Greener?              Sàv Wàé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 Sàv Eéy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Pôûç Eéy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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