The Value of Green Building
While many clients are at first drawn to Green Building for reasons of principle, they also find that Green Building makes sense economically. A Green home can substantially cut energy and maintained costs while at the same time increasing the comfort and health for those who inhabit it. As a result, Green homes tend to have increased value.
Incorporating green building products and practices in homebuilding and remodeling projects results in quality homes and financial savings for you. Even the smallest effort can make a big difference. The most common reported benefits are:
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Financial savings: Green building construction practices and products make homes more energy efficient through proper, adequate insulation and air sealing. Efficient windows, appliances, lighting and other household equipment also help add to the savings and keep your monthly electricity bills low. Up to 65% lower! And with energy prices rising and non-renewable fuels being depleted, an energy efficient home is asset we can all appreciate for years to come. Water bills are also reduced through low-flow equipment and thoughtful land use. Comfortable with year-round sun exposure, comfortable with ambient temperature and lack of drafts, comfortable with your utility bills – ‘comfortable’ can mean a lot of things. Starting with good energy design, green building helps to ensure that your home is inherently more comfortable. If you’re building new, proper orientation of your home can take advantage of the sun’s radiant energy to provide free natural heat in the cooler months, while avoiding too much sun in the warmer ones, to save on energy costs. Tight construction also helps keep energy costs and drafts down. For everyone, better insulation and energy efficient windows, appliances, and lighting contribute to a comfortable environment while using less energy.
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Healthier Living: Chemicals emitted from building materials can be a potential source of health problems if they are not properly addressed. For example, cabinets, counter tops, and furniture are often made from pressed wood products such as particleboard or medium-density fiberboard (MDF), which are typically manufactured with formaldehyde-based adhesives. This formaldehyde can off gas into your home for years. Unfortunately for your family’s health, formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen according to the World Health Organization; it can also cause watery eyes, headaches, fatigue, and nausea. Paint and floor finishes can also contain formaldehyde and other chemicals that are not healthy to breathe, especially for small children. Green building encourages use of products and materials that reduce or eliminate these sources of indoor pollution. These include a wide range of products such as low-VOC paint, solvent-free adhesives, and water-based wood finishes that not only eliminate many of the suspected and known carcinogens, but often perform better than traditional product. Finally, ventilation is the key to keeping and maintaining indoor air quality for healthier living. Adequate ventilation is especially important in green building as it can reduce the potential for mold growth and buildup of allergens and other particulates.
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Less Maintenance and Higher Durability: Current building codes establish minimum construction standards that protect your safety. Green building supplements building codes by using premium materials that are more durable and construction practices that often exceed building code requirements. Together, these qualities enhance your home’s performance and reduce maintenance and replacement costs, thereby raising its overall value. Examples of such long-lasting materials and their applications include decking made from recycled plastic and wood fibers, durable tile or linoleum for floors, 50-year roofing materials, and fiber-cement siding. These can outperform their traditional counterparts by reducing maintenance and replacement costs.
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Knowing You’re Being Good to the Environment Green building products and practices offer you the assurance that you are following environmentally friendly guidelines that help preserve our natural resources. A socially responsible step worthy of recognition, building green makes a strong statement about your dedication to the community and the environment. Impacting more than your home itself, green building promotes the use of local products and materials that help stimulate local businesses and a diverse economy. This keeps your dollars working in your neighborhood and reduces energy consumption because there are less transportation costs. Materials like engineered wood products are encouraged because they efficiently make use of waste wood pieces, reducing environmental impacts of the wood industry. Recycled-content products productively use materials that would otherwise need to be hauled to landfills, and also reduce costs and impacts of producing products from virgin materials. Green building is not a passing trend. Informing and educating you about the value of green building is just the beginning of our commitment to greening your home and our community.
Extreme Green
If you want a cost effective, greener lifestyle for your family, then Allegiant Homes Ltd. is the new home builder for you! All of our homes are built to exceed local building and energy codes using the most up-to-date and affordable strategies to provide you with quality, comfort and value. By investing in durable, practical, eco-friendly products and practices, we can save money and reduce energy consumption.
Allegiant Homes Ltd. Extreme Green Benefits
Economic
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Lower Costs. Reduced energy consumption actually makes an Allegiant Homes Ltd. less expensive to own.
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Better Performance by using less energy for heating, cooling and water heating-delivery.
Environmental
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The less energy we use in our homes, the less pollution we generate.
Health and Community
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Improve air, thermal and acoustic environment
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Enhanced comfort and health
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Healthier indoor air adds to comfort, health and peace of mind for the family
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Minimize strain on local infrastructure
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Contribute to overall quality of life.
Energy efficiency means comfort and savings for you and less pollution for our world.
From now on, any home that isn’t green might be obsolete.
So what does Allegiant Homes Ltd. do that’s Extreme Green? Just about everything. But here are some big differences…
Energy Star® Certified Builder
Allegiant Homes Ltd. is an Energy Star® Certified Builder. Energy Star® homes are 20-30% more efficient than standard homes. Our homes use less energy, are built environmentally conscience, and save you money.
Radiant Energy Barrier
Our LP TechShield® Radiant Barrier decking used with shingled roofing keeps your attic cooler by deflecting heat from the sun. We use this produce for a variety of homeowner benefits: potential reduction of tonnage of the HVAC system, and it cuts monthly air condition bills up to 17%. The manufacturing process uses wood certified under Sustainable Forestry Initiative® standards.
Zurn PEX Plumbing System
Zurn PEX Plumbing Systems are clean and healthy – no need to worry about harmful substances leaching into your drinking water. Zurn PEX is completely sanitary. It doesn’t amplify sounds like copper systems, and is corrosion resistant to mineral buildup. Unlike copper, Zurn PEX tubing will expand up to 300% of its original size without damage to resist the effects of freezing.
Efficient HVAC Systems
We efficiently engineer HVAC packages for each home, and use York brand to provide homeowners with premium, lasting comfort. York uses R-410A, a chlorine-free, environmentally friendly, next-generation refrigerant. Many refrigerants developed before R-410A contain chlorine, which may be harmful to the ozone layer. By choosing a home with R-410A air conditioning, you’re getting the latest in refrigerant technology – and helping the environment.
Effective Insulation
Insulation is one of the most effective ways to improve the energy efficiency of a home, and provide year-round comfort. Insulation of the building envelope helps keep heat in during the winter, but allows heat out during the summer to improve comfort and save energy. With effective insulation, there’s less need for heating and cooling which saves non-renewable resources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Low-E High Performance Windows
Energy-efficient windows employ advanced technologies, and use protective coatings and improved frames to reduce the air infiltration.
Tight Construction to Prevent Air Infiltration.
A tightly constructed home helps to maintain even temperatures throughout the house and reduces humidity, pests, dust and pollen that can get inside. A tightly built home improves comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility costs and maintenance.
Kitchen Appliances
Yes! Even the Kitchen Appliances are Energy Star products. Our Whirlpool Appliances help lower utility bills by reducing energy consumption and water use. They include quality components surpassing those found in standard appliances. Energy Star appliances outperform standard appliances due to improved design and advanced technologies.
Siding, Soffits and Fascia
This cementitious product eliminates a lot of headache for Homeowners. Best of all, this siding is non-combustible with a limited, transferable warranty for up to 50 years. Because it’s a fiber-cement product, it is more durable and resistant to the elements.
