How to Get a Home like the HGTV GREEN Home (and get paid for it too)!
Posted by Jedd Heap on Tue, Sep 01, 2009 @ 01:09 PM
More than 20 million people entered to win this year's HGTV Green Home. The lucky winners, Mike & Kari Coffey from Saginaw, MI, beat the odds June 28. But now the architectural team that designed the LEED Platinum Certified Green Home for HGTV, reveals some simple techniques that will allow everyone to have their very own green home. By following these eco-friendly suggestions homeowners and their families can have a healthier, more energy efficient, earth-friendly lifestyle and put some green back in their wallets.
An existing home can have all the sustainable features presented in the HGTV home and homeowner can take advantage of rebates, credits and other incentives that help make these green improvements more affordable than ever. Depending on what improvements are made and where the home is located, there are state and federal tax credits who improve their homes' energy efficiency. Local utility companies are also offering rebates and incentives for customers to add energy efficient updates to their homes such as Energy Star Appliances, super efficient heating and cooling systems, attic installation and low-flow plumbing fixtures.
"Many-to-most of the sustainable features we incorporated in the HGTV Green Home can be employed to improve any home's efficiency and building owners can begin to generate savings right away in most instances," according to HGTV Green Home Architect Michael Carlson, AIA, LEED AP of Carlson Studio Architecture.
Notable green features of the HGTV Green Home that homeowners can integrate in their homes include:
- Rain Barrels used for plant irrigation. This helps reduce water consumption by recycling rainwater. They are easy DIY projects - find instructions online or check for classes through your local cooperative extension office.
- High Solar Reflecting Metal Roof was used to give the house's cooling system some relief from the Florida sun. Federal tax credits are available for this home improvement.
- A Roof Top Garden was another green element that improves air quality and saves money on the grocery bill by providing fresh veggies and fruits. Homeowners can add a simple garden to their homes in one weekend at a low cost.
- Adding the proper amount of Attic Insulation allows a home to work smarter, not harder. This feature conserves energy consumption and seals possible leaks. Putting extra insulation into an attic is the most cost-effective strategy for improving the energy performance of a home and most local utility companies provide incentives and tax credits.
- Insulated Doors and Windows were added to make the home more energy efficient and block off unwanted heat gain from the home's exterior. There are tax credits and incentives provided for these products. The designers also added exterior Bahama shutters on the outside windows to block out western rays to reduce heat and control cooling. This is also an easy DIY weekend project.
- A High Efficiency Air Heating and Cooling System with an added energy recovery unit that provides climate control is a great sustainable feature that will generate savings for years to come.
- A Solar Hot Water System works with the sun to heat the water instead of using electricity. Tax credits and rebates provide additional incentives for this money-saving feature.
- A Solar Panel A/C System (Photo-Voltaic) creates electricity and offsets utility dependence in the Green HGTV Home - this green feature will actually repay the homeowner and there are numerous rebates and tax credits for installing this system in your home.
- Install Low flow faucets and dual-flush toilets. These fixtures can significantly reduce water bills and also help reduce the overall water usage. Owners can check with their local water company or water management district to see what rebates are available to them.
- Compact Fluorescent Bulbs and Clerestory Windows are two simple features that produce a big impact to a home's overall efficiency. By allowing more natural light into a home, clerestory windows reduce the need for electricity; while CFLs reduce energy consumption.