Building Homes

Why Build Green?

A green building, also known as a sustainable building, is a structure that is designed, built, renovated, operated, or reused in an ecological and resource-efficient manner. Green buildings are designed to meet certain objectives such as protecting health; utilize energy, water, and other resources more efficiently; and reduce the overall impact to the environment.

What Are the Economics of using energy efficient processes?

Building a green property may sometimes cost a little more up front, but saves through lower operating costs over the life of the building. Even with a tight budget, many green building measures can be incorporated with minimal or zero increased up-front costs and they can yield enormous benefits.

Cost savings can only be fully realized when they are incorporated at the project's conceptual design phase with the assistance of an integrated team of professionals. Noble Homes offers integrated systems that ensure that the building or house is designed as one system rather than a collection of stand-alone systems.

What are the benefits?

Efficiency

Most buildings can reach energy efficiency levels far beyond set standards, yet most only strive to meet the standard. It is reasonable to strive for less energy than existing standards. The following strategies contribute to this goal.

Passive design strategies can dramatically affect building energy performance. These measures include property shape and orientation, passive solar design, and the use of natural lighting. 

Install high-efficiency lighting systems with advanced lighting controls. Include motion sensors tied to dimmable lighting controls. Task lighting reduces general overhead light levels.

Use a properly sized and energy-efficient heat/cooling system in conjunction with a thermally efficient building shell. Maximize light colors for roofing and wall finish materials; install high R-value wall and ceiling insulation.

Use recycled construction and demolition materials. For example, using inert demolition materials as a base course for a parking lot keeps materials out of landfills and costs less. 

Require plans for managing materials through deconstruction, demolition, and construction. 

Design with adequate space to facilitate recycling collection and to incorporate a solid waste management program that prevents waste generation.

Design for dual plumbing to use recycled water for toilet flushing or a gray water system that recovers rainwater or other nonpotable water for site irrigation.

Minimize wastewater by using ultra low-flush toilets, low-flow shower heads, and other water conserving fixtures.

Use recirculating systems for centralized hot water distribution.

Health and Safety

Choose construction materials and interior finish products with zero or low emissions to improve indoor air quality. 

Provide adequate ventilation and a high-efficiency, in-duct filtration system. Heating and cooling systems that ensure adequate ventilation and proper filtration can have a dramatic and positive impact on indoor air quality.

Prevent indoor microbial contamination through selection of materials resistant to microbial growth, provide effective drainage from the roof and surrounding landscape, install adequate ventilation in bathrooms, allow proper drainage of air-conditioning coils, and design other building systems to control humidity.

Building and Maintenance

Measures involving green building cannot achieve their goals unless they work as intended. Commissioning a green building includes testing and adjusting the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to ensure that all equipment meets design criteria.

Proper maintenance ensures that a property continues to perform as designed and commissioned.