Building Extreme Green!

It has become fashionable among builders to claim to be “green builders”.    This is an easy claim to make since most people aren’t sure exactly what green building actually is.  There are levels of green building just like there are levels of play in most sports.  Little League and the World Series are both baseball, but the level of play is certainly different.  With so many businesses of all types claiming to be “green”, how do you tell the Little League from the Major League?

There are standards, standards Paul Allen Homes adheres to.  First is the Energy Star program.  ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.  Visit www.energystar.gov for information.  At a minimum a “green builder” or “green business” should be an Energy Star Partner.  The builder should build all homes using Energy Star appliances and equipment as well as ensure the homes will pass an Energy Star thermal bypass inspection. 

In New Mexico, the second standard is the Build Green New Mexico program.  This is a voluntary program that establishes standards in several categories including, global impact, energy efficiency, water use and living conditions in the home, to name a few.  Depending on the level of commitment by the builder, the home can fall into four categories of “green”.  A home can be emerald, gold, silver or bronze.  These ratings mean the same thing that they mean in the Olympics.  Good, better and best.  A “green builder” in New Mexico should be participating in this program.  Paul Allen Homes participates in the Build Green NM program. Please visit  www.buildgreennm.com for more information.

Paul Allen Homes knows it takes a lot to be a green builder. It is more than a builder just calling themselves green.  You can call a brick a basketball, but it will still sink if you throw it in the lake. 

At Paul Allen Homes, “green” means building environmentally sensitive, eco friendly homes that exceed the Energy Star guidelines, exceed the Build Green NM “gold” guidelines and meet or exceed the energy efficiency guidelines established by the State of New Mexico.   Building environmentally sensitive homes is more than just recycling some construction trash, installing water faucets that restrict water flow and putting a lot of insulation into a home.  This is a total process that starts months before construction and should continue as long as you own your home.

A home must be engineered and designed to maximize the thermal envelope. That includes major attention to wall and roof insulation. The concrete slab and stem walls of the home need to be insulated as well as the hot water lines. Low-E windows will minimize the heat transfer to and from the home as well as keeping harmful U-V rays from penetrating to the home's interior. Air tightness can be increased by individually caulking each piece of sheet-rock before it's hung. Paul Allen Homes not only does all of that, but also uses a special computer program to predetermine where every heating and cooling vent needs to be positioned to assure no cold or hot spots in the home. The company uses only Energy Star refrigerated air units and furnaces as well as Energy Star appliances. The tankless water heaters only need to draw fuel about 650 hours a year compared to a regular energy guzzling water heater that burns fuel 8,800 hours a year. Each EcoQuantum duel flush low flow vacuum pressurized toilets saves about $40 of water a year.

Paul Allen also uses a LEEDS certified green landscape designer. The yards are lush and beautiful with absolute minimum water consumption. The plants are placed to help cool the house in summer and warm the house in winter.  Plant selection is critical to this process for a real green builder.

Paul Allen Homes clearly understands green building. The attention to the total living environment is incredible. Every component of the home works in concert with each other to provide the home owner with the most beautiful, comfortable, economical and eco friendly living experience available today. That's what green building is all about! 

How are the homes “Green” you ask?  Great question, click on the photo below to see just a few of the many things we to make your home not only beautiful but ‘Green”.

 

 

 

Paul Allen Homes a Certified Member of,