Strategies and results
The “Extreme Makeover” home made use of several unique opportunities to maximize certain green features, and other features is managed despite special challenges. The home received all 10 of the
available Links & Locations points. It also earned two of three Awareness & Education points, with about 1 billion people around the world watching the show and seeing what makes a home green.
The home maintains a sustainable site by being completely devoid of conventional, water-guzzling turf. Some 85% of the lot is permeable, allowing rainwater to filter into the ground rather than polluting the aquifer as runoff. Energy use is reduced by 37% over conventional new homes with a thermal envelope tightly sealed by spray foam. Cooling efficiency is 45% better than a conventional new home, a major coup in muggy Louisiana. Three separate water-heating systems serve three zones of the house to minimize travel distance for hot water. The house is stocked withENERGY STAR®-rated windows and appliances. The home was panelized ahead of time, using 100% renewable energy.
Sustainable Sites (17 points / 22 available)
- No conventional turf.
- Extreme non-toxic pest-control measures, resulting not just in Sustainable Sites points but also Innovation & Design points toward LEED certification. (For more information, read about theLEED credit categories.)
- 85% permeable lot. The crew aimed for 100% permeability, but local code required a paved driveway rather than the gravel driveway crews had planned.
Water Efficiency (8 points / 15 available)
- Rainwater harvesting.
- High-efficiency irrigation tied to the rain-collection system. All irrigation water is rain water.
- High-efficiency plumbing fixtures, dishwasher and clothes washer.
Energy & Atmosphere (24 points / 38 available)
- Extremely well-sealed thermal envelope, utilizing spray foam and close crawlspace construction. All ductwork is within conditioned space.
- HERS score of 63, resulting in 37% less energy use than a typical conventional new home.
- ENERGY STAR®-rated windows.
- Compact plumbing design: Three separate hot-water systems serve three zones of house to minimize travel distance for hot water.
- Solar hot-water system.
- ENERGY STAR®-rated appliances.
- More than 90% fluorescent lighting.
Materials & Resources (8 points / 16 available)
- The home was panelized ahead of time using 100% renewable energy. The Deltec production facility has a 273-panel solar array on its roof, making it one of the largest solar energy producers in North Carolina.
- The prefabrication of the structural shell uses 78% less waste than a typical stick-built home.
- Hurricane-resistant design and construction for enhanced durability, forestalling the need for future repairs and replacements, minimizing waste.
Indoor Environmental Quality (14 points / 21 available)
- Energy-recovery ventilation for optimal delivery of fresh air.
- Careful moisture management within the home, including sealed crawlspace, lumber package treated against mold, and bath fans with automatic timers connected to the bathroom lights.
- Enhanced air filtering.
- No attached garage.
Innovation & Design (5.5 points / 11 available)
- Third-party durability verification.
Awareness & Education (2 points / 3 available)
- "Extreme Makeover" has a worldwide audience of about 1 billion people.
Location & Linkages (10 points / 10 available)
- Perfect score: The home received every credit available in this category.
About Deltec Homes
Deltec Homes has been building energy-efficient homes across the United States for 40 years. It uses 100% renewable energy to produce the structural components of its homes and ships them directly to the job site, where the yare assembled and finished by local labor.
Other key team members
- Partner builder: The EcoBuilders
- LEED consultant, mechanical engineering: Vandemusser Design
- Landscape designer: All About Your Yard
Photography courtesy of Deltec Homes
Awesome!!!!
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