Imagine you're preparing for a special trip. Call it the adventure of a
lifetime: a safari in Africa, a trek in the Himalayas, a weeklong rafting excursion
through Grand Canyon National Park with your friends and family. Maybe you'd
prefer a visit to historic sites in an old-world city like Rome, Italy. Or perhaps
your ideal adventure is just a relaxing week spent on a beach someplace.
No matter your preference, you would likely make your choice based on some
personal priorities—the things that are most important to you. Priorities might
include ensuring that your adventure enhances your sense of well-being, that you
have the financial means to enjoy yourself while you're on your trip and that you
have experiences rich enough to create lasting memories—stories that you can
share with others.
We'd like you to think of greening your home as a similar type of adventure.
Like travel, you get to shape your own experience. Greening involves planning
and is often a multistep process—it takes time. Rome wasn't built in a day and
you don't green a home overnight. Your green home improvement journey will
be full of options. Some are more important than others, and some are more
demanding. Not everyone wants to green every aspect of a home, just as not
everyone wants to encounter lions in the wild while on vacation. Some prefer
ease and comfort and will work with a team, some might favor a challenge and
are willing to get their hands a little dirty, and others might go all out with a I'm
game for whatever it takes mentality. You get to decide what's best for you.
FEARS AND FACTS ABOUT GOING GREEN
So, what does "green" mean to you? Does the thought of a greener home
and a greener lifestyle make you excited, apprehensive, or maybe a little of both?
Let's start by taking a look at some of the common fears and facts about what it
means to go green. Like us, you may be surprised.
Five Fears about Going Green
1. Green is just a bunch of hype.
2. Green is too expensive a lifestyle change.
3. Green is too difficult a lifestyle change.
4. Green will not benefit me personally.
5. Green will not really make a difference.
Fear #1: Green is just a bunch of hype.
Fact #1: True "green" is anything but hype. Sure, there are plenty of confusing
messages out there. So let's quickly cut through the information about what green is
and what it's not. At its heart, green is real, green is common sense, and green is
likely already a part of your life, whether you know it or not. Your decision to go green is about a commitment to having better choices, now and in the future. Greener choices can help you save money and enable you to lead a healthier life, while conserving energy and natural resources. Is there something wrong with the idea of living more in tune with the natural world? Not at all. In fact, it's the best possible way to live.
Fear #2: Green is too expensive a lifestyle change.
Fact #2: Green can save you money over time.
Some view green homes and green lifestyles as the exclusive domain of the
wealthy. Actually, this is the realm of the financially smart and the healthy.
Why? Because most of the simple green actions you can take cost nothing,
whether you do them at home or in your day-to-day behaviors. Think of
reducing, reusing, and recycling—the basic language of going green. Instead
of shrinking your bank account, going green can actually help you save money.
And if you choose not to spend a dime on new materials like solar panels or new
windows, it will only cost you a little thought and effort to reuse materials and
reduce your energy and water consumption habits.
For example, take a shorter daily shower and keep your thermostat set a few
degrees higher in the summer and lower in the winter. Small changes like these
can actually save you hundreds of dollars each year. Try them out and then
compare your energy bills after a year. Should you choose to spend money on
home-efficiency systems upgrades, then there's often a local, state, provincial,
or federal tax incentive or rebate program available from your utility provider.
In some locales, you can even take advantage of dual rebates. These add up to
immediate savings and meaningful money over the long haul as energy prices rise.
Being money smart is also about being healthy. Think about it: If the changes
you make to your home make it less toxic, logic tells us that over time, you'll be
making fewer sick visits to the doctor. That's saving more than just money.
Fear #3: Green is too difficult a lifestyle change.
Fact #3: Green is about ease and simplicity.
Green is not a complex undertaking. Green begins in our minds, and it requires
us to slow down and focus our awareness a bit differently. It starts with
our habitsand extends throughout our homes. For many, leading a greener
life might be a matter of recycling more regularly, using less water and
energy at home, walking more and driving less. Are these dramatic, impossible
lifestyle changes? Not at all. Keep in mind that green as a process is only as
difficult a s you decide to make it. You don't have to give up your car, your
clothes, or your lattes and go live in the forest to be green. You can do it
in more practical ways. There are different shades of green, from those
who are a deeply committed dark green to the more moderately minded
light green. You define your level of commitment and your
vision. This article will help you identify the few green changes that can help you
achieve whatever shade of green you aspire to become.
Fear #4: Green will not benefit me personally.
Fact #4: Green benefits you directly (and your neighbors too).
First and foremost, going green will make you feel good as you contribute tovision. This article will help you identify the few green changes that can help you
achieve whatever shade of green you aspire to become.
Fear #4: Green will not benefit me personally.
Fact #4: Green benefits you directly (and your neighbors too).
the well-being of the whole world. That's not just perception, that's reality. Do
good, do right, and live well; enjoy the positive effect you have on others. If
you're still not convinced, then let's consider what you stand to gain personally.
If you can save money by consuming fewer resources and using less energy and
water, is that not a material gain? If you can improve the air quality that you,
your family, and your guests breathe inside your home, is that not a health gain?
If you're acting as a steward of the planet for yourself and your family, imagine
the millions of people in the future applauding you for your forward-thinking
approach. And beyond the stewardship argument, going green is an educational
and inspirational experience. Green can be a creative endeavor that's rewarding
and most certainly worth doing.
Fear #5: Green will not really make a difference.
Fact #5: You alone can make all the difference in the world.
What you may perceive as impossible is actually very doable. You just need to
consider where and how to begin. As an individual, every contribution you make
can change the world for the better. As part of a family of billions of people,
your example and influence can make a huge difference. Just by reading this
book, you're already taking the first step. The point is, you can do as Mohandas
Gandhi did and "be the change you wish to see in the world." Just think and act
wisely. You can make a difference in your life, for your children, and for theirs.
THE GREEN YOUR HOME MODEL
These are often abstract priorities, like living healthily, being money smart, or acting more sustainably. But how do we make these ideas more concrete? We can best do this through applying a three-stage model , which will help you understand your priorities, focus on the tangible elements and take key actions in areas of your home that matter most. We call these areas our "three green home zones," and we've organized this article around taking on specific green improvement projects in each. It's important to note that our model is based on extensive research of what works—the tried-and-true practices of many green-minded homeowners, including our personal green experiences. We've also taken recommendations from green-building experts and green real estate professionals from throughout the industry.
Stage One: Three Green Priorities
People choose to go green for different reasons. And it helps to recognize that every green decision we make is based upon three shared priorities in our lives: improving our health, saving money and reducing our impact on the environment. So if you're asking, "How do we know these are the top priorities?", you should know—you told us so! We looked at data from the National Association of Home Builders and McGraw-Hill Construction.* Sure enough, health concerns consistently top the list along with saving money on utilities and making sustainable choices to conserve resources and protect the planet. The simplest way to address our green priorities is to ask: "Is it healthy?", "Is it money smart?", and "Is it sustainable?" Let these questions guide you when it comes to making green home improvement decisions. Are they the only considerations? No. But most homeowners agree they are what matter most.
Stage Two: Three Green Elements
In stage two, we take a look at what we've identified as the three elements of a green home: air, energy, and water. Simply put, these are the resources that we need and use every day. They're the ones that actually make life possible—and they're resources that we sometimes take for granted. While our three priorities help us understand why we go green, the three elements that support these priorities are essential to our understanding of what green is about, from a very basic resource perspective. What's useful about these elements is that each one relates to our three priorities. How? The most important element of a healthy home is the air inside because it's what we breathe into our bodies and bloodstream. The most important element of a money-smart home is the energy that flows through it because we have to pay for it. And the most important element of a sustainable home is its water because it's a precious, dwindling resource. Thinking about the three elements—air, energy, and water—should help you to look at your home as a dynamic place that supports the life you live.
Stage Three: Three Green Home Zones
We're clear on our three priorities, and we understand how to think about our
three supportive elements. Now comes the fun part. In stage three, we put this
knowledge to use. This is the application stage, where the rubber meets the
road. To be successful, we'll need to focus on the three "green home zones"
listed below:
1. The Inside Zone
2. The Systems Zone
3. The Outside Zone
In each home zone, you will establish your green priorities and identify actions that will positively impact your home's air quality, energy usage, water consumption—or all three!
1. The Inside Zone
Our inside zone refers to our home's interior living spaces, such as the rooms
and nonpermanent fixtures that we can see, touch, interact with, or experience.
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, we typically spend more than 80 percent of nonworking or commuting hours inside our homes. We sleep, eat, do household chores, care for others, and take on various leisure activities.
Because we spend so much of our time inside our homes, it's important we
address the inside zone first and foremost. It's also important to keep in mind
that while we only have twenty-four hours in a day, these days add up to a
lifetime. To live long lives, our health becomes our priority. Because we spend
so much of our lives inside, it only makes sense that we make a healthy inside
zone our first priority. Of the three zones, the inside one is where we go to
recharge and relax with our family and friends. It's our refuge.
2. The Systems Zone
The systems zone refers to the hard-working mechanical, electrical, and
plumbing components that we generally can't see inside our walls, like the ducts,
wiring, and pipes that make our home life easier and more comfortable, as
well as the items that are bolted in place—like our central heating, ventilation,
and air conditioning (HVAC) units. The systems zone is about operations and
efficiency. You may compare it to the cockpit of an airplane: When you get on
a plane, you know it's there, but you don't mess with it. You also rely on the
captain and flight crew to know what they're doing to meet your expectations
for the flight. They control the temperature levels, ventilation, and can make
adjustments as needed to ensure a favorable overall experience. The same is true
of the systems zone in your home, where you're in the captain's chair. When
your systems zone isn't running optimally, your in-home experience isn't as
good as it could be and your dollars are not being well spent. You want comfort
and reliability and low maintenance at a low cost. That's being money smart,
which is the top priority in the systems zone. So, it's important to look at this
home zone next, as it impacts your utility bills and your pocketbook the most.
And not only that, the systems zone also bridges the inside and outside zones.
So it makes sense to think of it as the middle zone in the Green Your Home
sequence, the zone that powers and ensures performance in your home.
3. The Outside Zone
Finally, the outside zone refers to the exterior areas of the home—features like
our lawns, shade trees, flower beds, and gardens—and items attached to exterior
surfaces, like gutters or awnings, or even a patio on the ground. It is the final
zone when it comes to greening a home. This zone is the last one we discuss
because not every homeowner has or wants an outside zone. But it's still hugely
important for this Green Your Home adventure. If you have a yard or a garden
or even just a balcony, it's likely you spend time there. And what you do there,
like watering and planting, matters from a standpoint of sustainability.
Three priorities and three supportive elements shape your green path. Yet the
bulk of your green home-improvement journey resides within each of the three
home zones: your inside zone, your systems zone, and your outside zone. It's
where you can select specific improvements that make sense to you and make a
difference in our world—one project at a time.
Apply the 80/20 Principle when greening your home zones.
To help you put the three priorities, three elements and three zones from our
model into action, here's a final point to keep in mind. You may have heard of
Pareto's Principle, which is also known as the 80/20 Principle. It states that 20
percent of your efforts determine 80 percent of your results. The 20 percent
is your priority. It's what you focus on most to produce a successful outcome.
This concept can be applied to every aspect of our lives, from our jobs to our
relationships and even our home-improvement projects.
So, what does it mean when it comes to greening our homes? It means that
20 percent of our green improvements—those practical projects we focus on
most in this article—will lead to the most successful green results. We can't take
on every project at the same time. Instead, we're best served by picking one
project and sticking to it until it's done. It's like drawing u p a list of five goals
you'd like to accomplish and then picking the one that is most important. This is
what you do to decide on your 20 percent.
Put another way, for the greatest results we should focus most of our efforts
on the top priority in each zone (i.e., air in the inside zone or energy in the
systems zone). This focus becomes the 20 percent that drives success in each of
our home zones. The remainder of our efforts can be divided among the other
two priorities in each zone. This is the most effective way to deliver meaningful
green results.
In the inside zone of your home, the priority of being healthy is your 20 percent. It's
the anchor of your everyday environment, where good air quality and abundant natural
light can help ensure well-being. Focusing on projects that help you achieve this healthy
outcome is what you want to do. When given the choice, who wouldn't want the most
energy-efficient, high performance home that they can have? Comfort at a reasonable
cost is the most desirable way to achieve a lower monthly utility bill. For the systems
zone, the priority of being money smart is your 20 percent. Projects that deliver a cost
savings outcome are what you want to focus on in this zone. And finally, in the outside
zone, the priority of being sustainable is your 20 percent and saving water is your focus.
In caring for your yard in a water-wise way, you also care for the planet and do your part
to ensure water for future generations. It's a great gift and you'll never get a single word
of thanks for it. But that's okay. Projects that help you while they conserve resources for
the future are the best way to improve and enjoy the living landscape you call your outside
zone. Concentrating on the top priority translates to the most success in each zone. In the
inside zone, it's being healthy. The systems zone is all about being money smart. And the
outside zone is mostly a matter of sustainable practices.
SIX THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU BEGIN
The first step in the Green Your Home adventure is to examine the
bigger picture to determine the "big why" behind all your green improvements.
There are six things to think about before you embark, and they will influence
your decision making on the finer details.
Six Things to Consider Before You Begin
1. Focus on resale value.
2. Keep your climate in mind.
3. Get more for less.
4. Embrace the payback principle.
5. Take advantage of potential rebates and incentives.
6. Weigh now vs. later.
1. Focus on resale value
The fact that you're greenovating is a smart preparation for the day you shift from
homeowner to home seller. While some projects may not seem like a big deal, making
improvements like adding low-flow fixtures in the bathrooms will be appreciated
by potential buyers. There are many ways to add value to a home. The best way
to ensure your improvements provide payoff potential is to ask your real estate
agent for advice. Markets vary, so ask which types of green features are in
demand in your market.
2. Keep your climate in mind
North Carolina builder Marcus Renner has a story he likes to tell about the
super-green clients who approached him about building an Earth ship home in
Ashville. An Earth ship home is half-submerged and built of rammed earth and
recycled tires. It's designed to function in harmony with the environment—a
desert environment, that is. In arid climates, like New Mexico, their south facing
windows can absorb the heat of the sun during the day, and the dense,
heavy walls radiate the heat during the cool desert nights—passive heating in
action. It's a brilliant, high-efficiency design for an intended habitat. However,
in damp, forested North Carolina, as Renner quickly ascertained, it's less-than optimal.
But his clients insisted on it, so he moved forward. As Renner predicted, the trouble
began almost immediately. The submerged dwelling hit all sorts of groundwater problems.
So did the flat roof, which wasn't designed to withstand heavy rain or snow. Unglazed
windows leaked much of the heat. Consequently, with the systems in need of frequent
overhauls, it was not a good financial value.
We recommend thinking hard about what features will get the most use in your
climate. A radiant floor heating system doesn't make much sense in Mobile, Alabama, where it will only run a couple months a year. Homeowners in the North may want to skip the super, high-efficiency air conditioner and invest instead in sealing and insulation. No matter where you live, there are few green upgrades for which the payback period, also called a cost-benefit analysis, is the same. So do your homework: Ask experts for help in determining which projects are most appropriate for your climate zone.
3. Get more for less
Rest assured, not every green investment needs to be the newest green product
on the market. In fact, creatively recycled features are some of the most
sustainable options. Did you know that you can purchase decking made out of
plastic grocery bags and carpet derived from old soda bottles?
Reusing materials is another green choice worth exploring. Portland remodeler
Pat Lando is one shining example of someone who knows how to get more out
of less in a home. He carefully re-used virtually all the original components of
the 1961 ranch home he remodeled."All the doors, all the casework are going back
in," he says. "The masonry chimney was ground up for subbase. There's a small
amount of hardwood floors that we couldn't use, but that went to someone else's
home. So basically, only two dumpsters of material left the site, and one of those
was wood being ground up for mulch."In a world of "less is more", Lando clearly
shows that the greenest thing may not be the greenest new thing. It might just be
the thing you already own.
4. Embrace the payback principle
One of the best things about green improvements is that many of them will pay
back through increased energy efficiency. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are a
great example: a $3.50 bulb lasts ten times longer and uses 75 percent less energy
than an incandescent bulb. The net result: The compact fluorescent "pays"
you about $30 over the life of the bulb. This principle can help you prioritize
potential investments.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, about 14 percent of an average home's energy costs go to heating water. That said, an efficient hot water heater, such as an Energy Star model, would start paying you back sooner than, say, a more energy efficient dishwashing machine, which typically accounts for about 2.5 percent of energy, according to the Boston-based Consortium for Energy Efficiency. If you absolutely have to choose between them, upgrade your water heater. In the kitchen, your refrigerator is a much higher priority than a new stove. The U.S. Department of Energy cites the fridge as one of the biggest energy consumer in the home, second only to the HVAC unit.
The payback principle is a smart consideration when you're considering high dollar
investments, such as solar panels or wind turbines. However, there are
many great options that can reduce your utility costs and/or lower your carbon
footprint. We know that the payback principle can be hard to calculate, because
different improvements have different payback lengths, based on factors such
as cost of the feature, price of the utilities, how and when you run the feature,
and so on. Plus, many of your upgrades—sustainably harvested wood floors, for
example—won't pay you any dollars until you sell your home for a premium to
a buyer who can appreciate the value. Here's another way to think about it: If
a green project is really important to you for nonmonetary reasons, then the
payback principle may be less important to you. The true payback might be a
cleaner conscience and a better home environment for you to enjoy.
5. Take advantage of potential rebates and incentives
Many states, provinces, and cities are willing to reward your environmental
responsibility by offering rebates and incentives for replacing inefficient
appliances and fixtures with high-performing new ones.
Depending on where you live, you could get an incentive to do the following:
• Purchase water-conserving appliances and low-flow plumbing fixtures.
• Add solar CPV panels, insulation, or efficient windows and doors.
• Replace grass with drought-tolerant landscaping.
Do your homework early in the planning process so you don't lose your chance for
a great rebate check. Ask your real estate agent for advice. If you live in the United
States, visit www.dsireusa.org, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables
and Efficiency. In Canada, visit www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/incentives.cfm or
http://www.ec.gc.ca for information about energy and efficiency rebates.
6. Weigh now vs. later
Part of the planning process involves considering your long-term plans for
your home. You don't have to make every improvement today. Even if you're
stripping a home down to the studs, there may still be features that don't make
sense—or cents—to add right now. Your professional team can help develop
your game plan. Architect Ron Wickman asks, "Maybe you don't want to add all the bells and whistles today, but can you do things that will make it easier to add bells and whistles four or five years down the road?" When he added a second story to his home, he designed the room with wiring for the solar panels he hopes to one day affix to his roof. Again, this not only saves money, it gets back to one of the fundamental principles of green living, which is designing adaptable spaces that will serve you for a lifetime.
If you have any additional questions about greening your home please feel free to use us a source of information. (623) 536-1111
We are also very familiar with each of the builders in the area and their expertise in "Green" home building. We also have home inspection professionals who specialize in "Green" guidance.
For More information on Greening your home you may want to consider ordering a copy of the "Green your Home" Guide from Keller Williams Realty.
Source: "Green your Home" A Keller Williams Realty Guide: Produced by Keller Inc.
