How "Green" is Your Mansion?

The average US household spends approximately $1,700/year on energy in the home. How is this divided? Approximately 1/3 covers heating, 1/3 relates to lighting and appliances (not counting refrigerators), and the final third on air conditioning, water heating, and refrigeration. Thus, the first place energy-efficiency experts check is a home’s “envelope;” that is, how tightly the house is sealed. A “leaky” house costs many dollars in lost energy consumption.
With bows to Kermit the frog, going green at home is more likely these days, and one doesn’t have to wear tie-dye, either! Below are several different elements of the “green” revolution that homeowners are considering. Perhaps one or more of them would work for you!

1) Insulation – Common escape points of heating and cooling occur at openings for plumbing, wiring, and recessed lighting, as well as basement cracks, attic vents, and plumbing stacks. Duct leaks alone have been found to reduce household energy efficiency by as much as 20 percent. Step one in becoming more energy efficient is to reduce escape points by optimizing the home’s envelope.

2) Lighting – Compact fluorescent light bulbs are all the rage in some areas. Their benefits? They last 8-15 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use 2/3 less energy and save approximately 2,000 times their own weight in greenhouse gasses. Are they worth it? Absolutely! Some homeowners have switched completely to these CFL bulbs; others are gradually replacing incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs as the former burn out. Whatever your choice, the more CFL bulbs in place, the lower each homeowner’s contribution to global warming from greenhouse gas emissions.

3) Know the R- and U-value of your windows. R-value measures how much heat a window retains; U-value indicates how much heat passes through. To cut cooling energy needs, low-E (emissivity) windows have a special coating that lets in light but reduces heat transfer. In cooler climates, gas-filled and vinyl windows will cut heating costs.

4) Recycle – Use a local recycling drop-off center if your trash service does not already include recycling pickup. You can reduce the amount of material to be recycled by reducing your consumption of packaging materials, containers, magazines, and newspapers. Also important: know where to safely dispose of chemical waste (used car oils), old televisions, computers, fax machines, batteries and similar materials.

5) Roofing – using roofing materials that reflect solar radiation and thus reduce the absorbance of heat will cut a home’s cooling energy needs 10-30 percent. Not only does this help the individual homeowner; it can also reduce the “urban heat island” that is the result of densely-populated areas whose neighborhood roofs absorb heat and then reflect it into the atmosphere. Cool roofs cost about the same (or only a bit more) than the “uncool” competition; thus, homeowners can quickly recoup any cost differences in energy bill savings.

6) Solar power— Whether it is active or passive, this is the “green” form of that has been around the longest. Some people go passive, meaning they place the windows in the home to take advantage of the heating potential as sunlight warms brick walls, tile floors, and the like. Using active solar can be more costly, although local, state, and federal tax credits can substantially cut the upfront costs. Most active solar projects involve solar roof panels. Flat ones are rarely seen from the street, but are more costly than those that are installed at a slant. Persons with active solar systems may actually make money by selling their excess power back to the local power company. Tax credits up to 30 percent, capped at $2,000, are available for qualified photovoltaic systems, fuel cells, and solar water heating systems. Such credits are not possible for solar heating systems for hot tubs or swimming pools.

7) Square footage – Although the average size of a single-family home has increased steadily in the past 20 years to about 2,400 square feet, more homeowners are now rethinking the overall cost of “mini-mansions” in light of their purchase price and their heating and cooling costs. Superior design is linked to a home’s character, functionality, details, and improving how people experience their homes. Newer homes that are well-designed to maximize light and space are gaining in popularity—for families of all sizes, not just down-sizers.

8) Water – Use a tankless water heater; it heats the water as it is needed. Such a unit costs between $500-$1000 and saves $100-400/year in heating energy, thus enabling the homeowner to recoup the upfront costs in a relatively short time. Another option might be a solar water heater. Water-saving showerheads also are reduce water usage. Close to two-thirds of a home’s water-heating energy goes to showers.

9) Wood – Some is sustainable and eco-friendly. Look for the fsc.org logo for the Forest Stewardship Council logo. Wood products with this logo were obtained from forests that meet standards for responsible management. Some wood has been recycled or salvaged; many green builders are now using recycled or reclaimed wood for floors, furniture and many things in between!