I was also doing some searching to see what products and guides are available to help reduce home energy usage.  There are, in fact, instructions on how you can CREATE your own energy!  Or, use this blueprint to increase home energy efficiency.

The question that arose yesterday was, “Since we’ve already added insulation 2 years ago, what project is next that we can do that is most efficient – HVAC replacement, or window/door replacement?”

This is a hard question to answer over the dinner table.  Why?  We don’t know what the efficiency of the current systems are.   For starters, the government has given this home energy assessment tool on their website.  You will need your energy bills from the past year or so.  After entering your energy usage (electric, oil, fuel, natural gas, propane, etc.) this tool will give you a yardstick rating to see where you are on energy usage, and then some suggestions on how to reduce your usage.

To get a very accurate reading of your home’s energy usage, I would suggest finding a qualified home energy auditor.  I know of at least one in the Indianapolis area, and there are many across the country.  This auditor will perform a “blower-door” test and take readings of the energy escaping from your home.  Couple this information with your current systems, you will know what is the biggest energy waste in your home.

If you are going to improve your home soon, check out the Federal tax credits for home energy improvements you are doing.

Don’t forget, you can get instructions on how you can CREATE your own energy!  Or, increase home energy efficiency.

If you have home energy questions that were not addressed here, you can contact us in the comment box below, or Design Build Solutions on Twitter, or Design Build Solutions on Facebook.

Today, I came across a poignant illustration of why material selection is important.  Consider this from the American Lung Assocation, a graphical guide to possible pollutants in your home.

I’m not trying to give you nightmares at all…just trying to consider, for myself too, the reasons to “go green”.

There are several questions that come to mind. What does Green Building mean? How do you do it? How does Green building give the homeowner an advantage?

Green building can be a very broad scope, and can be achieved in many ways. To consider how green a building is, we need to first consider the areas that a home uses energy and material, as well as the effect and footprint it has on its inhabitants as well as the community.

For this article, we will consider the areas of green building and remodeling, and then, tips and ideas can be discussed.

Green building is a movement that is moving toward causing a smaller effect on our environment, particularly in the way we build and/or remodel homes. Here are some areas that should be considered (not necessarily an all-inclusive list):
• What resources are being used?
• Are these resources from recycled material, or engineered in a manner to prolong its lifespan and reduce maintenance needs?
• What resources can be recycled (for remodeling)?
• Can energy be saved?
• Does the building use natural energy resources?
• Are the materials used healthy for the inhabitants of the building?
• Is there a plan to mitigate other effects of the building?
• Can continuing resources be collected or saved for future reuse?
• Is the craftsmanship such that reduces waste of materials and resources?
• Also consider that there are tax credits for building green! Not a bad idea.

This is just a start to the ideas. To read more about Green building, check the website for the US Green Building Council (USGBC) (www.usgbc.org) or check the Central Indiana NARI website for remodeler members who practice Green Remodeling.

There is a large movement is toward environmental responsibility in the building and remodeling industries. It is only reasonable that everyone do their part toward it.

Keep watching for more on Green Remodeling.