Raleigh Relocation Information Center - Moving To the Triangle?

Green means something different to everyone.  At Stanton Homes, we're making it easier by offering a variety of green home certification and green feature packages. 

A green home will help homeowners:

• Reduce Greenhouse Gas
• Save Money Every Month
• Lower Maintenance
• Increase Comfort
• Have Healthier Indoor Air
• Invest in the Future

What are some of the most popularly requested features? 

Energy Wise Package

Energy Wise Foam Insulation Package

• Foam insulation on all exterior walls with Bayer closed cell foam
• Foam insulate roof and garage ceiling with Icynene open cell foam
• Energy Wise guarantee - written guarantee of 50 to 70% savings for heating and cooling costs, year round
• Engineering services for correct sizing of HVAC units
• Air sealed caulking package

A recently completed 2800+ sq ft home in Chatham County was guaranteed to cost no more than $80 per month for heating and cooling.  This is a written guarantee!   

ENERGY STAR Certification

ENERGY STAR Certification is recommended for every home.  An ENERGY STAR certified home uses about 15% less energy, per the program guidelines.  And in the Raleigh area, an ENERGY STAR certified home also qualifies for a 5% monthly discount on energy costs! 

Tankless (Instant) Hot Water Heaters

A tankless hot water heater can save up to 40% on energy costs for your hot water needs.  Tankless hot water heaters also provide continuous hot water with no fluctuation in temperature - handy if the whole family needs a shower in the morning! 

Solar Hot Water Heaters

Solar hot water heaters can save 50-80% on hot water energy costs.  Solar water heaters are partnered with either a traditional electric or gas tank water heater, or a tankless water heater, for those days when the sun is not sufficient to provide for full hot water needs. 

Sealed Crawl Space

A sealed crawl space can make your home more comfortable, reduce seasonal stresses on flooring, increase indoor air quality, and help reduce energy costs by making sure all ductwork is within conditioned space.

Green Home Certification

A certified green home can have any or all of the above features.  Certified green homes are verified by third party inspectors, and meet requirements for each of seven standard categories.

• Lot Design, Preparation, and Development
• Resource Efficiency
• Energy Efficiency
• Water Efficiency
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Operation, Maintanence, and Education

Common features in a certified green home can include:

• Conservation of natural resources
• Native or regionally appropriate landscaping with water usage in mind
• Rainwater collection
• Well planned, smaller homes with a minimal footprint
• Renewable materials
• Water efficient plumbing fixtures
• ENERGY STAR certification
• Energy efficient lighting
• Dedicated recycle areas

and much more.  We'll work with you to determine the very best green package for your lifestyle, budget, floorplan, and location. 

There is more interest in building green than in any other single type of home, with good reason.

A green home will help homeowners:

• Reduce Greenhouse Gas
• Save Money Every Month
• Lower Maintenance
• Increase Comfort
• Have Healthier Indoor Air
• Invest in the Future

Read through the slide show, and see what kind of impact building green can have.

Raleigh Relocation Information

Surprising Facts About Gas Powered Lawn Mowers

Keep Your Lawn Green and Sustainable with Clean Air Lawn Care

Clean Air Lawn Care

Uses clean and quiet electric equipment powered by renewable energy

Did you know?

Electric mowers emit 3300 times less hydrocarbons than gas mowers.

Electric lawn mowers emit 5,000 times less carbon monoxide than gas lawn mowers.

Electric lawn mowers emit less than half the carbon dioxide of gas lawn mowers.

Clean Air Lawn Care offers a green approach to lawn care: 

•-          Charges its equipment using solar and wind energy.

•-          Runs larger mowers on locally produced biofuels

•-          Purchases wind power and carbon offsets from Carbonfund.org to ensure the entire operation is carbon neutral.

•-          Composts all grass clippings.

•-          Mows at a height that maximizes water conservation and nutrient uptake.

•-          Offers an organic fertilization program.

According to the EPA, in one hour, one gas lawn mower 

•-          Pollutes the same as 40 late model cars

•-          Emits the amount of hydrocarbons of an SUV driven for 23,600 miles

•-          Contributes 93 times more smog-forming emissions than 2006 cars

Gas lawn mowers consume 580 million gallons of gasoline annually

A 1000 sq ft lawn generates 300 pounds of clippings annually - let's keep those clippings out of the landfills.

I got to visit with Michael Andre, the owner of the Chapel Hill Clean Air Lawn Care, during a Chapel Hill Career Fair.  We had fun presenting different green career options to Chapel Hill middle school students, and I got to learn about some other great companies as well! 

Want to learn more?  Give Michael a call at 919-720-6396.

Green Homes Raleigh NC

Triangle Custom Home Builder Stanton Homes Announces

Green Home Q & A Hot Spot

GreenHomesTriangle.com Highlights Green Features and Topics

We're excited about the launch of our newest information hot spot - www.GreenHomesTriangle.com!

This green building website will feature articles and answers to some of the most asked Green Home questions.  Topics include:

Green Home Certification - How Does it Work?

Solar Water Heaters

Rainwater Collection

Saving Energy

Saving Water

EnergyWise - Guaranteed 50-70% Heating and Cooling Cost Reduction

ENERGY STAR Certified Homes

Green Building Materials

Choosing a "Green" Location to Build Your New Home

Green Home Events

and much more! 

Buying or building a green home helps protect the environment, reduces reliance on natural resources, reduces harmful emissions inside and outside the home, and increases resale value. 

You may also be interested in:

Green Home Building in the Triangle

What is a Green Home?

What Is Geothermal?  Geothermal News and Information

Passive Solar Homes and Ideas

Green Builders Raleigh NC

What Makes a Green Home Different?

Why Should I Buy a Green Home?

There are many different reasons to purchase a green home. 

- Lower energy bills

- Less carbon footprint

- Healthier indoor air

- Reduced warranty claims

- Improved durability and less maintanence

- Better resale

What Exactly Does Green Home Certification Focus On?

In North Carolina, there are five green home certification programs, each with its own point system.  There is one planned specifically for the North Carolina climate, moisture levels, and yearly temperature changes.   If you're considering a green home in the Raleigh area, you'll most likely see certification that involves the Green Home Builders of the Triangle program. 

Each green home must be independently validated and certified by a third party inspection agency.   If you don't see a green home certificate, your home may not be certified green, even if it does contain many green elements. 

The Green Home Builders of the Triangle program offers three basic levels of certification, each of which is attained by collecting points in each of seven different sections.  Green home certification ratings can be Bronze, Silver, or Gold.

What are the Categories for Green Home Certification?

In this Raleigh NC area green home certification program, there are seven different categories.

Section 1 - Lot Design, Preparation, and Development

Resource-efficient site design and development practices help reduce environmental impacts.   Green design principles might include saving trees, constructing onsite storm water retention/infiltration features, and orienting the home for maximum passive solar heating and cooling. 

Section 2 - Resource Efficiency

A successful green home starts at the planning stage.  Materials are selected with consideration of the environment in mind.   Engineered wood products can be more efficient than conventional lumber, because less of the log is wasted.  Job-site waste is carefully monitored.  Building materials are selected with environmental impact in mind - and those materials can vary based on the area.  Bamboo flooring that is shipped from thousands of miles away, and processed with unverified glues may not be as environmentally friendly as a locally harvested oak flooring that is stained on site with low VOC stains. 

Section 3 - Energy Efficiency

Energy consumption has far reaching environmental impacts.  One big step towards building a green home is Energy Star certification, which helps reduce energy waste.  Many other energy saving building practices can also be utilized. 

Section 4 - Water Efficiency & Quality

Households can use an immense amount of water, and the importance of water resources is becoming increasingly recognized.  Green homes help to conserve water inside and out - the amount of water conserved depends on the features selected. 

Section 5 - Indoor Environmental Quality

One of the attractions of a green home in the Raleigh NC area is a healthy indoor air environment.  Initial steps can be the use of Green Label carpeting, low VOC paints, and other low-emitting building materials.  Another step might be planning for a detached garage, which eliminates or reduces Benzyne and carbon dioxide infiltration into the home.

Section 6 - Operation, Maintenance, and Homeowner Education

A green builder will provide the homeowner with a manual that explains proper maintenance and operation, and offers alternatives to toxic cleaning substances, as well as tips for water saving practices.  This helps ensure that the home built so carefully will also be maintained in an environmentally friendly manner. 

Section 7 - Global Impact

The use of low VOC paints can actually fall under the Global Impact category, because the release of VOCs from wet paints can contribute to ground-level ozone pollution.  Other items in this category help the environment on a global level, but may be hard to categorize under another topic.

Interested in Finding out More About Building a Green Home?

With hundreds of "green" options available across seven different categories, you can design and build a green home that incorporates everything most important to you.  Almost any floor plan CAN be built in a certifiably green manner, though there are some floor plans that are more conducive to green building than others. 

You may also be interested in these popular green building topics: 

Green Home Building in the Triangle

What is a Green Home?

What Is Geothermal?  Geothermal News and Information

Passive Solar Homes and Ideas

Green Homes Raleigh NC

Considering Green - What's In a Green Home in the Raleigh, NC Area

If you're considering building or buying a green-built home in the Raleigh, NC area, you probably have some specific ideas about what's involved in a green home.  Or maybe you just know that a green home is better for the environment.

How "Green" is a Green Home?

Each of the five green home certification programs in North Carolina has its own levels and specifications of "greenness". 

If you're considering a green home in the Raleigh area, you'll most likely see certification that involves the Green Home Builders of the Triangle program.  Each green home must be independently validated and certified by a third party inspection agency.   If you don't see a green home certificate, your home may not be certified green, even if it does contain many green elements. 

There are three basic levels of certification, that can be attained by collecting "points" in a variety of building areas, such as:

Bronze Level Green Home Certification

A green home reaches bronze level certification when a total of 257 points have been earned, with the minimum amounts in each category.

Green homes with Bronze Level Certification may not have the same features and amenities - for instance, the green home can earn 5 points for minimizing slope disturbance, or 6 points for optimizing the homes location for solar resources by placing the long side of the home within 30 degrees of due south. 

A Bronze Level Green Home does not often have a solar water heater or solar photovoltaic power source, but can be the least expensive type of green home built in the Raleigh NC area, depending on the choices made.

Silver Level Green Home Certification

A green home in the Raleigh NC area reaches silver level certification when a total of 415 points have been earned, with again minimum amounts in each category. 

Thus 61% more points must be earned to reach Silver certification - so some could argue that such a home is 61% greener!  

It depends on the green homeowner or home buyers preferences and priorities - again, the points can be earned in a variety of ways.

A sealed attic is worth 8 points in the Energy Efficiency category, as is a sealed crawlspace and a solar hot water heater.  From the chart above, a Silver Level Green Home requires 62 points in this category, so a combination of many different features are needed.

Gold Level Green Home Certification

To earn a Gold Level Green Home Certification in the Raleigh NC area, the green home must score a total of 549 points, or more than double that of a Bronze Green Home. 

Most Gold Level Green Homes that I have seen in the Raleigh area are in the $700K or higher range.

In Water Efficiency, one can gain 7 points for collecting and reusing rainwater, and 7 points for weather-based irrigation controllers (computerized).

Green Home Building and Buying Options Vary

As you can see, the types of green homes available vary quite a bit, and the combinations of green features can be almost endless. 

With hundreds of "green" options available across seven different categories, you can design and build a green home that incorporates everything most important to you - and Southern Energy Management, a much-awarded local green home certifier, can help you find the combination that best fits your budget. 

Interested in building a Green Home in the Raleigh NC Area?

We'll help you get started!  Contact us, or call 919-278-8070. 

You may also be interested in these popular green building topics:

Green Home Building in the Triangle

What is a Green Home?

What Is Geothermal?  Geothermal News and Information

Passive Solar Homes and Ideas

Green Builders - Green Building Programs

What Different Green Building Programs are Available in NC?

If you're looking into a new custom home that is green-built, you may see certification by any one of the following programs.  These green building programs are similar - each uses a point system to verify the different green aspects of the home, and each is independently verified by a third party inspection agency.

LEED Green Homes - US Green Building Council

The LEED program is a national program, with the same requirements and point system for any home across the nation, no matter what the climate or local conditions. 

As most green home certification programs, "points" must be earned across a number of categories.  For the LEED program, these categories are titled Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation & Design Process. 

Read the 78 page LEED Green Home guidelines here.

National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Home Guidelines

The NAHB Green Home program is also a national program.  The requirements are very similar to the LEED program.  Again, a green home may vary considerably in actual design and features, as different combinations of points can add to a green home certification.

For the NAHB Green Home program, the point categories have slightly different names:  Lot Preparation & Design, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency/Conservation, Occupancy Comfort & Indoor Environmental Quality, and Operation, Maintanence & Education.

Find out more about the NAHB Green Home program here.

Green Home Builders of the Triangle - Green Home Guidelines

The GHBT program is probably most commonly used in the Raleigh, NC area.  This green homes point system is designed specifically for the North Carolina climate - lots of moisture in the air, and plenty of heat during the summer. 

The Green Home Builders of the Triangle program has seven categories, but still covers all the same topics as the LEED and NAHB programs:  Lot Design, Preparation & Development, Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency & Quality, Indoor Environmental Quality, Operation, Maintainence, & Homeowner Education, and Global Impact. 

Earthcraft Homes - Atlanta Based Green Homes Program

While you probably won't see an Earthcraft Home in the Raleigh area, you may see some elsewhere in NC.  The Earthcraft green building program started in Atlanta, GA and has been gradually moving east.  This is just another green building certification program, again with similar standards.

EarthCraft House guidelines include the following categories:  Site Planning, Energy Efficient Building Envelope & Systems, Resource Efficient Design, Resource Efficient Building Materials, Waste Management, Indoor Air Quality, Water Conservation, Homeowner Education, Builder Operations, and Bonus/Innovation Points.

NC Healthy Built Homes

NC Healthy Built Homes is the fifth of the "green building" programs commonly seen in the area.  This program emphasizes air quality (as do the other four programs mentioned), but does not have as strong an emphasis on as many aspects of a green home as the other programs available.

Certification of a Green Home

Each of these five programs is an independently verified green homes program with required third party inspections and verifications of materials and practices used.   If your new home is certified, your builder will be able to provide you documentation of your homes status.  Keep it on hand - if you should ever decide to resell your home, that green home certification will help your home stand out! 

Interested in building a Green Home in the Raleigh NC Area?

We'll help you get started!  Contact us, or call 919-278-8070. 

You may also be interested in these popular green building topics:

Green Home Building in the Triangle

What is a Green Home?

What Is Geothermal?  Geothermal News and Information

Passive Solar Homes and Ideas