GREEN BUILDING

Green Building is more than just a trend; it’s a philosophy that incorporates environmentally friendly and resource-efficient measures across the building lifecycle. These concepts aim to minimize a building’s negative impact and maximize its positive impact on its natural environment and occupants. They encompass various strategies and techniques to improve energy efficiency, water conservation, and indoor air quality.

Key Features of Green Homes

Whole House Systems Approach
Constructing a new energy-efficient home or retrofitting an existing one demands meticulous planning and attention to detail. A comprehensive, whole-house systems approach views a home as an interconnected energy system where each component influences the overall performance.

To maximize the benefits of a whole-house systems approach, it’s essential to collaborate with experienced design and construction professionals. From the outset of the design process, they should employ a holistic approach that considers all aspects of the building, including:

To maximize the benefits of a whole-house systems approach, it’s essential to collaborate with experienced design and construction professionals. From the outset of the design process, they should employ a holistic approach that considers all aspects of the building, including:

• Site Conditions: Topography, orientation, and microclimate
• Local Climate: Temperature extremes, humidity levels, and solar radiation
• Building Envelope: Insulation, air sealing, and window performance
• HVAC Systems: Heating, cooling, and ventilation equipment
• Water Heating: Efficiency and renewable energy integration
• Lighting and Daylighting: Efficient fixtures and natural light utilization
• Appliances and Electronics: Energy-efficient models and usage patterns

Energy Efficiency
Green homes are designed to use significantly less energy than traditional homes. This is achieved through features like:

• Building Envelope: The primary barrier between a building’s inside and outside environments, the building envelope controls the exchange of heat, air, water, and condensation. It plays a crucial role in determining comfort levels, ventilation, and the amount of energy required to heat and cool the building. The components that separate the interior of a building from the exterior include the foundation, roof, walls, windows, doors, and floors.
• Cool Roof and Radiant Barrier Sheeting to keep heat from penetrating the structure.
• Thick Insulation helps to keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer.
• Efficient Mechanical Systems: energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) and appliances reduce energy consumption.
• Lighting: energy-efficient lighting with smart controls.
• Solar Panels: can generate renewable energy for the home.
• Geothermal systems: use the earth’s stable underground temperature to heat and cool homes and buildings.

Water Conservation
Green homes use water efficiently through:

• Low-Flow Fixtures: toilets, faucets, and showerheads that use less water.
• Rainwater Harvesting: collecting rainwater for use in landscaping or flushing toilets.
• Graywater Systems: recycling wastewater for non-potable uses like irrigation.
• Landscaping: eliminating turf areas, installing drought-tolerant plants, and optimizing its irrigation system

Indoor Air Quality
Green homes prioritize indoor air quality by:

• Using Low-VOC Materials: avoid materials that release harmful volatile organic compounds.
• Proper Ventilation: ensures adequate airflow to remove pollutants
• Plants: adding plants can help improve air quality.

Sustainable Materials
Green homes often incorporate sustainable materials like:

• Recycled Materials: Using recycled materials can reduce waste.
• Renewable Materials: Materials derived from renewable resources, such as bamboo or cork, but only if they are not shipped from far away; for example, it is better ecologically to refinish an existing hardwood floor than to replace it with bamboo.
• Locally Sourced Materials: Reducing transportation emissions by sourcing materials locally, but only if they are not shipped from far away; for example, it is better ecologically to refinish an existing hardwood floor than to replace it with bamboo.
• Durable: Longer-lasting components that require less maintenance.

Benefits of Green Building

• Reduced energy costs: lower utility bills and maintenance expenses
• Enhanced comfort: for optimal indoor temperature and humidity control
• Improved indoor air quality: healthier living environment
• Reduced noise pollution: quieter and more peaceful spaces
• Increased durability: longer-lasting building materials and systems
• Increased Property Value: green homes often have higher resale values

Green Building Resources, Rebates
and Tax Credit Programs

California offers rebates and incentives for green building projects, including:

Tax Credits

The Residential Clean Energy Credit provides a 30% tax credit for new, qualified clean energy property installed in homes between 2022 and 2033. The Home Energy Tax Credit provides tax credits for a portion of qualifying energy improvements to homes. To claim the credit, file Form 5695 with your tax return for the tax year when the property was installed.  Tax Credits

Energy Rebates

California offers rebates for businesses that install energy-efficient appliances, lighting, insulation, solar panels, and other renewable energy systems. Some notable rebates include the California Solar Initiative (CSI) and the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. Energy Rebates

BUILD Incentives

The BUILD program offers incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and utility costs for building occupants. The incentive is based on the project’s design and estimated greenhouse gas reduction. Build Incentives

Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Residential Energy Rebate Programs

The IRA includes two major home rebate programs: the HOMES Program and the HEEHRA Program. The HOMES Program improves the energy efficiency of an entire home, while the HEEHRA Program offers rebates for electric equipment and appliances for low-to-moderate-income Californians. Energy Rebate Programs

Green Homes California

As part of the U.S. Green Building Council, Green Homes California offers incentives for: 

• EV charging stations 
• Heat pump water heaters 
• Heat pump HVAC equipment 
• Induction cooktops 
• Green technology pilot opportunities 

Visit Green Homes California to find out more.

GoGreen HomeEnergy Financing

Formerly known as the Residential Energy Efficiency Loan program, the GoGreen Home Energy Financing program (GoGreen Home) is designed to help Californians save energy at home by making attractive financing more widely available for home energy improvements. GoGreen Home offers a credit enhancement to mitigate the risk of default, which enables participating lenders to offer lower rates, longer payback terms, and higher loan amounts and to approve a broader base of borrowers for energy upgrade loans. Customers may upgrade a single-family home, townhome, condo, duplex, triplex, fourplex or manufactured home. GoGreen Home Energy Financing

DAC-SASH

Administered by GRID Alternatives, this program provides solar to customers in economically or environmentally disadvantaged communities. DAC-SASH

Database of StateIncentives forRenewables & Efficiency(DSIRE)

See this database for a list of state-by-state energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives.

DSIRE

Energy Star FederalTax Credits

Federal income tax credits are available to homeowners through 2032. These credits will allow up to $3,200 annually to lower the cost of energy-efficient home upgrades by up to 30 percent. 

In addition to the energy efficiency credits, homeowners can also take advantage of the modified and extended Residential Clean Energy credit, which provides a 30 percent income tax credit for clean energy equipment, such as rooftop solar, wind energy, geothermal heat pumps, and battery storage through 2032, stepping down to 22 percent for 2033 and 2034.

Energy Star Federal Tax Credits

Green Building & Remodeling

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Hammerschmidt Design + Build has created A Homeowner’s Guide to Green Building to help homeowners understand more about Green Building and how to incorporate its principles into their homes.