Archive for the 'Building Green' Category
What “Green” Money is out there for homeowners?
September 13th, 2009 categories: Building Green
In addition to the first-time homebuyer tax credit, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 established a number of tax breaks for current homeowners who improve their home’s energy efficiency.
Energy-efficient improvements to exterior windows, skylights and door and certain metal and asphalt roofs qualify for 30 percent of the project cost, up to $1,500. The credit covers installation costs for HVAC, gas, oil and propane water heaters and biomass stoves.
These improvements qualify for the credit through Dec. 31, 2010. And owners who add geothermal heat pumps, solar energy systems or small wind energy systems will qualify for 30 percent of the entire cost, including installation. This tax credit expires Dec. 31, 2016.
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Do you know your Asheville “Green Building” certifications?
September 17th, 2008 categories: Building Green
 
As awareness grows on the impact we make on this earth and it’s environment, I think many of us are more interested in what we can do to make a difference. The Green Building business is booming, no, exploding! So today I’m going explain what some of the terms mean. A recent wave of certification programs has emerged to prevent greenwashing, and to provide a marketing edge for builders who are willing to make human health and enviroment top priorities.
In Asheville, there are three certification programs for green building:Â Energy Star Homes, North Carolina Healthybuilt Homes and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Homes.
Let’s begin with a name I think most people know, Energy Star. It’s become a very common household name for appliances, but what is an Energy Star Home? Similiar to Energy Star appliances, the standards are created by the Department of Energy and inspected by a third party. Energy Star home go beyond just efficient appliances: Each house is built to be at least 15 percent more energy efficient. Each home is first computer-modeled to determine its energy useage, then inspected by a nationally trained home-energy rater to ensure it will perform as planned. Energy Star homes are more comfortable, durable and energy efficient. A plus for the homeowner, Progress Energy and Duke Energy currently offer utility-rate discounts for certified Energy Star homes.
The N.C. HealthyBuilt Homes Program was created in 2004 through a collaboration between the N.C. State Energy Office, the N.C. Solar Center and building professionals throughout the state. Every HealthyBuilt home is also an Energy Star home. These homes are divided into seven sections: site; water; building envelope; comfor systems; appliances; lighting and renewables; indoor air quality; and materials. Three years since it’s inception, there are approximately 100 HealthyBuilt homes certified, and 492 currently under construction in Western North Carolina.
LEED is a green-building rating system created by the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED Rating System is a nationally recognized standard for green building, but has until recently primarily focused on commercial construction. After years of development, pilot runs and review, LEED for Homes is a voluntary rating system, similar to the statwide N.C. HealthyBuilt Homes program. As of October 2007, 134 homes were certified and 336 were registered across the United States.
For more detailed information about the certification programs:
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