With the rising cost of energy and the
concern with the environment Chuck Neel took the first steps in making a difference. The
new home will be an ENERGY STAR home as well as a Certified Green Home through the Florida
Green Building Coalition.
To
qualify the home as ENERGY STAR, Neel incorporated high performance windows, a 14 SEER heat
pump, effective wall and ceiling insulation and ENERGY STAR qualified lighting and
appliances. At the time of completion the home will undergo onsite testing to verify the
home’s efficiency measures, as well as the air tightness and duct sealing details. An
ENERGY STAR home is at least 15 percent more energy efficient than a standard home and this
home will include additional energy-saving features that will boost its saving to 19% more
than a standard home.
By choosing to build the home to GREEN
standards, the burden on the environment has been lessened and it will also add value to the
home and increase its sustainability. Some of the features that are incorporated into the
home are low-flow shower heads, low/zero VOC paints, stains and finishes, user-friendly
clothes waster water shutoff, central vacuum system, properly sized HVAC, ENERGY STAR
advanced lighting package, Eco friendly trim, minimized carpet use, non-cypress mulch,
plants and turf 2’ feet from foundation, and no invasive exotic plant species.
For additional information on the
ENERGY STAR program or building GREEN, click on the links to the right. |
