Showing posts with label energy efficient home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label energy efficient home. Show all posts
Interior Design
One of our latest designs is a Lake Sunapee home for an older couple, their children, and grandchildren. The cottage style home fits in nicely with the architecture around the lake.
Goals of the home are energy efficiency, one floor living for the parents, and well-designed common and private areas for each family.
The project is in the design development stage, where we determine spatial requirements and accurate dimensions for rooms and areas, as well as outdoor space for entertaining. Broad material choices are being made in this stage of the home design. One or more meetings will be dedicated solely to the kitchen design to choose appliances and their location, cabinets, flooring, counters, and special requirements for the owners.interior decoratinghouse construction
Interior Design
Any home three stories or less can earn the ENERGY STAR label if it has been verified to meet EPA's guidelines. Energy Star Homes are typically 20-30% more energy efficient than standard homes – why? Energy Star homes incorporate these eco friendly features:
1. Effective Insulation
2. High-Performance Windows
3. Tight Construction and Ducts
4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
5. Efficient Products
6. Third-Party Verification
The benefits of building an energy efficient home are plenty:
LOWER OWNERSHIP COST
Compared with standard homes, ENERGY STAR homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating-delivering $200 to $400 in annual savings.
Over the average 7 to 8 years you may live in your home, this adds up to thousands of dollars saved on utility bills. Additional savings on maintenance can also be substantial. Financing your home purchase using an energy efficient mortgage can also lead to savings.
BETTER PERFORMANCE
Properly installed energy-efficient improvements deliver better protection against cold, heat, drafts, moisture, pollution, and noise. An energy-efficient home helps ensure consistent temperatures between and across rooms, improved indoor air quality, and greater durability.
SMART INVESTMENT
To date, more than 8,500 home builders have partnered with EPA to construct more than 1 million ENERGY STAR qualified homes. The trend is clear. By choosing a home with the ENERGY STAR label, you can be confident that it will have an increasingly valued feature when the time comes to sell.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Did you know that your home can be a greater source of pollution than your car? In fact, 16 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the energy used in houses nationwide.
Energy used in our homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and global warming. Simply put, the less energy we use in our homes, the less air pollution we generate.
Source: energystar.govinterior decoratinghouse construction
Interior Design
Our next event will be held at a spectacular custom home near Lake Sunapee, NH. If you are looking for land in the Sunapee / New London area, or already have property and are planning to build a new home, this event is for you!Open House at a Lake Sunapee Custom Home
~ Talk with the Green Building Experts ~
Green Architect Jeremy Bonin, Bonin Architects
Green Builder Everett Pollard, Northcape Design Build
Lake Sunapee Realtor Dan O'Halloran, Colby Real Estate
Here's your opportunity to get your questions answered about building a new home or addition or remodelling your existing home. Q&A based on audience discussion! Ask about Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act guidelines (CSPA), budgeting and costs, green home design, working with an architect, custom home costs, green building materials, and more!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Registration is required. Directions will be given to registrants only.
To register call Bonin Architects & Associates, New London, NH
603-504-6009
603-504-6009
Relaxing atmosphere - Refreshments
Interior Design
One of our architectural design clients is building an ocean view home in Middletown RI, overlooking Third Beach, Sachuest Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.
The 2400 SF ocean view home is in the preliminary design phase. With the garage in the basement, this plan makes efficient use of space.
The first floor features an open floor plan, with a lower level conservatory to capture views of the ocean in four seasons. The dining area is open to the kitchen and living room. Exterior decks are designed to maximize outdoor living space and to enjoy the beauty of the coastal architecture and surroundings.
Two bedrooms and two baths are located on the second floor. Multiple windows take advantage of gorgeous ocean views and allow for ventilation to capture the crisp salty breeze.
The exterior stone, window grille pattern, conservatory, and covered porch are all consistent with New England coastal architecture.
Interior Decoration
Mold and mildew can not only cause structural problems in a home, they are the cause of many illnesses and allergies – making them one of your home’s worst enemies. Cleaning and getting rid of mold can be a very difficult, expensive, and time consuming project. If you’re building a new energy efficient home, an important consideration in its construction is controlling moisture to prevent mold and mildew buildup.There are two types of moisture that can enter a home: bulk moisture and vapor moisture. Bulk moisture can get into a home around windows, doors, and leaks in the roof, as well as from condensation from pipes and ducts. Vapor moisture forms as a result of cooking, showering (yes, those long, hot showers), laundry, changes to the humidity level in the home, and just general living.
How do green homes manage moisture? A few ways are by having:
- A well-designed floor plan and careful placement and orientation of the home on the lot to take advantage of solar access and shading;
- Energy efficient insulation system to keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer which heps reduce condensation and mold growth;
- Well-sealed, energy efficient windows and doors;
- Good ventilation with heat recovery ventilation (HRV) units and extraction fans in the kitchen and bathrooms.
Moisture control starts with the green home design. Talk to an architect about your plans to build a healthy, energy efficient home for your family and build a new home that manages moisture and prevents mold!
interior decorationInterior Decoration
Building in different localities means addressing issues specific to your site location. Here are some design issues to consider when building a home…
On a mountaintop:Views
Terrain and slope
Solar gain
Prevailing winds
On a lake:
Views
Solar gain
Drainage
Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act or applicable guidelines and restrictions
In the suburbs:
Views
Solar gain and shading
Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act or applicable guidelines and restrictions
In the suburbs:
Views
Solar gain and shading
Slope
Architectural Review Board guidelines and regulations
Architectural Review Board guidelines and regulations
One of our clients is building an energy efficient home on top of a mountain in southwestern New Hampshire (Jaffrey). The 73-acre property faces east and runs from hilltop to the bottom with a fantastic 180-degree view from Mt. Monadnock due north, to Temple, Kidder, and Barrett Mountains to the east, to Mt. Watatic and even Wachusett to the south.
The terrain where the house will be sited is fairly level, which will save money in excavation costs.
The home will be situated with the main living areas (living room and master bedroom) facing east and south. The majority of windows is located on these elevations to take advantage of the fantastic views. Our clients will incorporate solar hot water and geothermal heating systems and are considering using a wind turbine to generate electricity. Click on the link for more photos and the floor plan for this energy efficient one-story house.
Interior Decoration
One of our current projects is designed to be built to earn ENERGY STAR certification. The barn style home design fits in nicely with the architectural style of the surrounding area of Old Lyme, Connecticut.The home will include ENERGY STAR approved insulation (SIP panels), duct system, mechanical ventilation system, windows, heating and cooling units, lighting, and appliances.
At 2864 square feet, this energy efficient home has four bedrooms, three full baths and one half bath. In addition to renderings, Bonin Architects provides traditional elevations. Once the client selects exterior colors, we will prepare a rendering for approval.
When requested, we also provide power/lighting plans for clients and electricians.
ENERGY STAR® is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that provides information, training, and certification of products and practices to help homeowners save money and protect the environment.
If you are building a new home, consider having it designed to meet ENERGY STAR standards, which will save you 20% - 30% in energy costs, create a healthy indoor environment for your family, reduce air pollutants, dust, and drafts, and, as an added bonus, increase the value of your home.
Interior Decoration
Here are green home plans for clients building a vacation home on their lakefront property located in rural New Hampshire. The property has an existing cottage, which will be torn down.
The new energy efficient home will be just shy of 2500 square feet, with 1530 square feet on the first floor and 950 square feet on the second floor. With three bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, the home will have plenty of room for visiting children and grandchildren. The site plan shows the lakefront and proposed location of the home.
One of our clients' requirements was to have a first floor Master Bedroom with view of the lake. Planning to do a lot of entertaining, they also desired a large screened porch for enjoying evenings on the lake with protection from insects. Adding a one-car garage at an angle to the house allows for an extended dining area and nicely houses a walk-in pantry and mudroom / laundry. We're talking about a solar hot water system and possible solar photovoltaic system. All materials will be energy efficient and low maintenance - a must for a vacation / retirement home.
The entrance to the home is designed to have an unobstructed, straight view to the lake, which makes the open floor plan appear even larger than it is, and brings the outdoors into the home. The second floor includes a large home office with a walk-out balcony. Overnight guests have plenty of room with two bedrooms and a large bathroom. A generous storage area next to the stairs will come in handy to store seasonal items.
See more of my current work, including some timber frame homes.
Interior Decoration
Green homes stem from an overall concert for their environment. Their design, materials, and systems set them apart from conventional homes. For example, green homes outperform conventional homes these areas:Environment / Site: Landscaping which focuses on using native plants has a positive effect on the site by reducing irrigation, pesticides, and fertilizers. Tree selection and preservation can reduce energy costs by creating buffers from winter winds and providing shade for summer.
Home Design: Using passive solar design techniques such as maximizing southern exposure and south-facing windows helps keep the home warm in winter and increases natural light. Green homes have a minimal footprint, which keep energy costs low.
Exterior Shell: Energy efficient materials such as SIPs panels (structural insulated panels) and ICF (insulated concrete form) foundations provide a thermal barrier against winter cold and summer heat. Energy efficient windows with low-E coatings reflect infrared light which helps heat the home in winter and cool the home in summer.
Building Materials: Durable, low maintenance, recycled materials for the roof, siding, decks, porches, trim, and fencing reduce replacement costs, save money on installation, protect against water and insects, and provide longer warranties. Purchasing pre-built factory components uses raw materials efficiently, reduces on-site waste, and energy costs to deliver materials to the site.
Heating, Cooling, and Water Systems: Green homes use less energy than conventional homes. Having heating and cooling equipment and water systems correctly sized for the home saves money. Water conservation techniques such as reducing overall consumption by specifying low-flow water fixtures, low-flush or composting toilets, installing aerators on all taps and nozzles and installing grey water systems reduces energy costs and water usage. Solar and geothermal systems heat and cool the space in green homes and provide hot water, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Interior: Green homes include natural interior products such as Marmoleum (made with flax, rosins, and wood fiber), wood, concrete, wool carpet, tile, local slate, and cork. Also, low odor / low VOC (volatile organic compound) paints and environmentally-friendly finishes for wood and stone help create a healthy indoor environment. ENERGY STAR appliances contribute, using an average of 30% less energy over standard appliances.
Green homes are designed to combine systems, materials, and features reduce energy and impact to the surrounding environment. Naturally you have questions. Consult with a green architect to design an energy efficient home you will be able to enjoy for years to come.interior decoration
Interior Decoration
Most Americans planning to build or buy a home are concerned with energy efficiency – and rightly so. In response to this need, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy joined together to develop the ENERGY STAR® program, which works with over 12,000 public and private sector organizations that ensure energy efficient products and practices to help reduce energy bills, improve comfort, and help protect the environment.Recognizing an energy efficient home starts with a good home design, ENERGY STAR recently formed a new partnership with Architects and Home Plan Designers who are qualified to design homes to earn the ENERGY STAR label. Bonin Architects became an ENERGY STAR Architect / Home Plan Designer partner in December.
All ENERGY STAR homes include energy-efficient details and specifications for features such as tight construction and duct systems, properly-installed insulation, high performance windows, efficient heating and cooling equipment, and ENERGY STAR qualified lighting and appliances to reduce energy costs by 20 to 30 percent.
After the home is built, an independent ENERGY STAR Rater calculates and tests the energy efficiency of the home and submits the results to ENERGY STAR for approval, and you enjoy the savings!
Interior Decoration
There is a lot of talk about energy efficient homes and ENERGY STAR®. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that provides information, training, and certification of products and practices to help homeowners save money and protect the environment.By making your green home compliant with ENERGY STAR standards, you will enjoy a savings of at least 20%-30% in energy costs (more if you use structural insulated panels), and create a healthy indoor environment for your family while reducing air pollutants, dust, and drafts, and increasing the value of your home.
An ENERGY STAR home has five major components that a conventional home might not have:
1. High performance insulation: probably the biggest savings in energy costs in your home. We recommend using structural insulated panels, which create a continuous thermal building envelope.
2. Energy efficient windows
3. Tight Building Envelope: sealing heating & cooling duct systems
4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Systems
5. Efficient Products.
Make sure you hire a "green architect" who is knowledgeable in green home design, the Energy star program, and energy efficient products. After the home is built, you will need to have an independent ENERGY STAR qualified Home Energy Rater evaluate your home to be certified as an ENERY STAR home. After approval, the only thing left to do is to enjoy the comfort of your new energy efficient home, marvel at your low energy bills, and admire your ENERGY STAR label on your home’s breaker box!
interior decoration
Interior Decoration
Green is all the rave – everywhere you look you can find information on green materials and building products. Most of the people we meet at home shows are looking to build the most energy efficient home they can afford, but, in their efforts to research energy efficient homes, have been besieged with green systems, green technologies, green materials, and green businesses and services who will install them.Our philosophy is that anything that can be done better and is financially feasible, should be done. In order to encourage and promote green building and sustainable construction practices, technologies, materials and energy conservation, we team with builders and renewable energy experts to host seminars on designing and building green homes.
Our seminars feature specific topics: Green Home Design, SIP panels (structural insulated panels), Timber Frame Homes, and Renewable Energy Systems. We emphasize the fact that a green home starts with a green home design, and so naturally the first topic discusses the aspects of green home design and what it means to be “sustainable”. This presentation includes passive and active design, guiding principles, and the phases of home design.
We recommend using SIP panels to clients, whether or not they are interested in building a timber frame home. SIP panels create a high performance, continuous thermal envelope which keeps the home warm in winter and cold in summer. Timber frames, a specialty green building system, are not only energy efficient but beautiful as well. Hybrid homes (utilizing two or more building systems, i.e. a home with a timber frame main section and SIP panel wings for bedrooms, bathroom, etc.) are very popular, as they create visual interest in specific areas of the home for generally less money.
What have our guests said about our seminars? Here are two comments we received:
“We have been attending home shows, seminars, and visiting log cabin / timber frame manufacturers for the past eight years and have not gotten half as much out of the time as we did from your seminar.”
“Thank you for preparing such a well-organized, informational day. We really enjoyed all of the speakers and learned so much.”
We also have guests tell us they were not going to use an architect for their home design, but the seminar showed them the benefits of working with a design professional:
“Jeremy's presentation was brilliant and made more sense than all the reading and on-line investigating I've been doing. I had not been considering working with an architect before, but am convinced now that I should."
For a list of our upcoming seminars on building a green home, visit our green events page. Together we can make a difference – one green home at a time.
Interior Decoration
Green homes enjoy significant savings over conventional homes – but what makes a home green? Typically, a green home is an energy efficient home that at minimum saves 30% in energy costs versus a conventional new home (and savings can be significantly higher), conserves water, protects the surrounding site environment, uses non-toxic paints and finishes, and thus creates a healthy living space for you and your family.
Most important in building a green home is to hire professionals who are experts in the field. Consider working with an architect who is a LEED accredited professional, even if you are not looking to have your new home LEED certified. A green home starts with a green home design, or "sustainable" design, which addresses the elements of geography, site, water efficiency, energy, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality, and a
A key benefit of working with an architect focused on the sustainable aspects of design & construction is that the home will be designed to maximize spatial requirements as well as energy and water consumption while limiting the negative impact of the building on the immediate environment. Also, a green architect will discuss with you various green technologies, renewable energy systems, green building products, and energy efficient building systems that will match your goals and budget.
Also, you will want to interview builders and visit homes, both completed and under construction. Ask what makes their show house green, as well as specific questions about the systems and materials in the home. An experienced green builder will be able to offer simple explanations and give recommendations as to best products to use.
Throughout the home building process, your architect and builder will educate you on the operation and maintenance of the green materials and systems you selected for your home. The benefits and savings will begin during the construction process and continue for the life of the home.
Interior Decoration
This year, Earth Day, April 22, 2009, will mark the beginning of the "Green Generation Campaign", a two-year initiative to encourage action and civic participation in a sustainable future by supporting the campaign’s principles: Where do we fit in? Certainly we all participate on a personal level, but moreover, Bonin Architects is committed to participate by using sustainable design practices and incorporating green and/or energy efficient materials and systems into our home designs. With an increased awareness of renewable energy systems such as solar energy, wind power, and geothermal heating systems, many of our clients come to us with a formulated sustainable philosophy and know which systems they would like to include in their design, how much they cost, and what they can expect for a return on their investment. Others, perhaps overwhelmed with the amount of information disseminated on green technology and renewable energy, have ideas and are open to possibilities, but have no clear objectives outlined for their home design.
Whatever their background and exposure to sustainability, we guide homeowners through the process of designing and building a comfortable, healthy, energy efficient home that reduces their negative impact on the environment, and their carbon footprint, in many ways by:
Certainly April 22, 2009 will be a memorable Earth Day, as people around the globe make a concerted effort to become a "Green Generation". How will you participate?
interior decoration
Interior Decoration
Water is one of our most precious resources. While the surface of the earth is composed of 97% water, less than 1% suitable for human consumption. Right now, over 40% of our seas are damaged and global warming, over usage, and pollution continue to make the problem worse. Building a new home presents a unique opportunity to reduce energy consumption which, in turn, can save water. Many times we think of energy only as heating and cooling systems or providing electricity to our homes for televisions and other appliances. We fail to understand how much energy it takes to deliver and treat the water we use every day in our homes. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the amount of energy it takes to treat and supply the water we use every day is equivalent to the electricity needed to power more than 5 million homes for a year!
Two money and energy-saving strategies which can be easily incorporated into an energy efficient home design are:
1. Reduce overall water usage in the home by specifying low-flow water fixtures, low-flush or composting toilets, installing aerators on all taps, and installing low-flow showerhead nozzles.
2. Specify a plumbing system that reuses grey water (wastewater from domestic usage such as dish washing, laundry and bathing) for flushing toilets, watering lawns, etc. (note: some grey water systems require approval by most local building jurisdictions, your architect will verify this prior to design).
By implementing a few simple actions to use water more efficiently, the average homeowner can reduce their water and sewer bills by one third, a significant savings! According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, "If all U.S. households installed water-efficient appliances, the country would save more than 3 trillion gallons of water and more than $18 billion dollars per year."
It’s easy to incorporate energy efficiency in your home design. Start by talking to a green architect about your goals and ask questions about what strategies will work for your climate, budget, and home design.
Interior Decoration
Here’s a plan for our clients, Pat & Andy, who are building a vacation / retirement home in northern Maine. Wanting a home that was both energy efficient and comfortable in all seasons, Pat and Andy met with us to talk about their ideas and budget last fall. They own an existing cabin, which will remain on the property as guest quarters. The new home will be located down the road on the lake. The home design is 1100 square feet of efficiency and will be built right on the lake to take advantage of the gorgeous seasonal views and abundant wildlife. The program includes energy efficiency, conscientiousness, durability, and security, solar access, and building orientation. Lake views are prominent to the east, south, and west, which coincides nicely with passive solar design considerations and give an excellent opportunity for a continuous porch on these elevations. The cold north elevation has a minimal amount of windows to help keep the home warm while allowing for a planned future addition on this side. The entry and kitchen are located on the south-east side of the building, granting easy access to the driveway and unloading of groceries.
To keep the building energy efficient, a second floor takes advantage of views from the higher elevation and also to keep the home’s footprint to a minimum, controlling costs and site impact. This divided the program into two floors – the first floor being the public space and the second floor serving as personal space for Andy and Pat.
With permits in place, we just moved into the construction phase of the design. We’ve talked about SIP panels (structural insulated panels) and windows and will make decisions on energy efficient building materials soon. Things will be moving along quickly so they can break ground this spring. Look for updates soon!
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