Approximately 40% of the energy created in the US goes to build and heat our homes. So a house is not simply a house. Our homes are the primary battle ground in the effort to be ‘green’.
Homes of the future require maximum efficiency and minimal energy use. That stringent demand cannot be met using outdated techniques hundreds of years old or building out in the weather with scores of workers for a year or longer. An exceptional, complex product requires minute tolerances and precision controlled factory conditions.
We have to rethink the way we design, build and live in our homes.
Myth 1
Luxury and sustainability don’t mix. To be eco-friendly you have to suffer and sacrifice. Conventional wisdom has told us that in order to be good to the earth we must compromise, living in homes that are small, simple, rustic, oddly-designed, and sacrificing precious amenities that enhance our lifestyle.
Myth 2
Current construction techniques are fine and we can tweak them into the 21st century. We’ve been told that another layer of glass in windows, caulking, weather-stripping, thicker insulation, solar hot water and other minor adaptations can make tired, inefficient construction techniques magically become ‘green’.
Myth 3
You can’t really measure the impact a house has on the environment. Most of the ‘green washing’ that is happening today in the US construction industry is done by well-meaning people who have unfortunately accepted loose standards and vague terminology. But there is a better way to verify results.
So, what is the truth?
Very valuable idea