“Green” Mansions: Building Green – Part Four
When it comes to “building green,” There are other energy-saving measures that can occur behind the scenes. Proper insulation, including draft blocking to prevent convective loops of cold or warm air within walls and ceilings will reduce heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. I’ve found that in southern climates insulation and building tightness are often not seen as critical issues. This might be because in the north, in the wintertime, we can feel cold drafts indoors and we want to eliminate them. But in the summer, we are not as aware of warm drafts, even though our air conditioner is working very hard and costing us money.
Attic ventilating fans and new products, like reflective faced roof sheathing, do a great job of keeping an attic from overheating, thus reducing the work of the air conditioners. High quality windows and doors, programmable thermostats, lighting that is controlled by dimmers, and compact fluorescent lighting will reduce your energy consumption.
I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.
