Design For Durability

The Green Roundtable(copyright © Green Roundtable 2007)

The Green Roundtable

Design for DurabilityPaul Marquis – 4-24-08

[email protected]

and


Green Roundtable

Consulting, education, trainingand strategic planning

to create healthy environments byintegrating principles of

sustainability into mainstreamplanning, design and construction.


Objectives

- What are the key design principles in creatingdurable structures

- What are some specific strategies we can employ?

- What are the economics of creating durablestructures?

- How does durable design integrate with other designstrategies

Answer the following questions:

- Why are durable structures greener?


Why build green?

• Reduces the ecological footprint of the building

• Creates a safer and healthier indoor environment

• May improve property resale value

• Saves on utility expenses

• May increase affordability

• Typically results in a more durable,maintenance-free structure

• Reduces our dependence on foreign oil

Building green:

• Provides security/ passive survivability


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• Economics- Reducing energy cost/ protecting thebottom line

• Health- Maintaining a safe and healthy environmentfor one’s family & oneself

• Personal impact- Addressing the greater good-minimizing environmental footprint

The three prime movers (in order):


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Defining green building:

The effective and responsible integrationof the built environment into the naturalworld to protect natural resources andensure healthy and comfortable indoor

environments


What makes it green?

• Low embodied energy (entire lifecycle)

• Minimizes impact on wildlife habitat, green space,waterways, etc

• Minimizes depletion of natural resources

• Poses minimal harm to humans during itsmanufacture, transport, installation, end-use ordisposal


Underlying all:

ScaleScaleScale


The average size of a U.S. single-familyhouse has increased by 33% since 1975. At

the same time average family size hasdecreased.

Consider this:


The quantity of energy required to manufacture, andsupply to the point of use including:

• Extraction• Transportation• Manufacturing

• Assembly• Installation• Some definitions also include:

Disassembly & Removal

What is embodied energy?


Water Efficiency

Sustainable Sites

Energy & Atmosphere

Materials & Resources

Indoor Environmental Quality

Innovation & Design Process

The LEED Credit Categories


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Cornerstones of green building (structure itself)

Site Site

Site Site


How green is it?

• The “no-build” option is always the greenest way

• Smaller is greener

• More efficient material resources use is better

• The more durable (in use) & maintenance free thebetter


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• Incorporate energy efficient design details

• Create a high-performance building envelope

• Employ water conservation strategies

• Employ natural daylighting techniques

• Use energy-efficient lighting, equipment & appliances

General strategies:

• Create comfortable & healthy indoor environments

• Minimize impact on building sites/ area


Keys to success

• Careful design

• Using a team approach between owners,design professionals and code officials, andbringing everybody together early in theprocess

• Early planning

• Using a systems approach- viewing thestructure and all elements as integrated system


Economic realities

Up front costs or first-costs of green buildingare often greater than conventional building

That doesn’t need to be the case!


Justifying increased up-front costs

Making the case for reduced Life-Cycle Cost or TotalCost of Ownership (TCO):

• Green buildings usually use less energy to operatethan their conventional counterparts

• Green buildings are typically more durable &maintenance-free due to the application of soundprinciples of building science

• There are typically additional benefits that help towarrant the increased cost


Take advantage of marginal cost of installing higherquality materials- e.g. adding more durable

materials/ systems

Managing costs- Labor vs. materials


Consequences of ignoring durability

• Reduced indoor environmental quality

• Reduced resale value

• Aesthetic issues

• Early failure of systems

• Increased cost of ownership

• More intensive maintenance routines


Why is durable design greener?

• Fewer replacement cycles

• Simplified maintenance routines

• Healthier indoor environments


Design for Durability- Key principles

• Create a weather-resistant shell

• Choose durable materials

• Simplify maintenance

• Respect site & local climate

• Manage interior moisture

• Direct water away from the structure


Design for Durability- strategies

• Employ double-shell or rain-screen designs

• Avoid complicated designs w/ many intersecting planes

• Reduce envelope penetrations, esp. in roof

• Use good flashing details

• Use adequate roof overhangs

• Avoid siting structures at bottom of hills, in low-lying orflood-prone areas, or generally, areas w/ poor drainagecharacteristics

• Design for local wind & seismic conditions


Design for Durability- strategies, cont.

• Reduce air movement through envelope

• Direct water away from foundation/ structure

• Familiarize occupants w/ proper maintenance routines

• Effectively design/ manage site vegetation

• Provide adequate ventilation


Climate/ topo maps

• http://www.nrel.gov/gis/maps.html- Solar, Windresources

•Topographical maps:http://store.usgs.gov/scripts/wgate/ZWW20/!?~language=en&~theme=GP&OSTORE=USGSGP&~OKCODE=START

• Asst maps: http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/massgis_viewer/index.htm



Durability: Low-hanging fruit

• Minimize roof penetrations

• Maintain proper grading & ground clearances

• Incorporate overhanging roofs

• Keep vegetation away from structure

• Use well-designed wall sections


What kills “stuff”

• Moisture and associated problems (e.g. mold, rot)

• Sunlight (UV)

• Temperature extremes

• Friction

• Mechanical damage

• Exceeding something’s mechanical capacity

• Critters


The prime suspect:

Water


Ways that water moves into a building

• Capillary (wicking) action & surface tension

• Gravity

• Air movement (wind driven moisture)

• Condensing water vapor

• Hydrostatic pressure


Preventing water from entering a building

• Appropriately lap building materials; start at bottom!

• Adequately direct water away from structure(s) infirst place

• Provide capillary breaks like drip channels & air gaps

• “Be the drop of water”

• Adequately seal gaps & penetrations


Roof/ site drainage

• Reduces water infiltration

• Reduces conditions favorable to structural pests

• Reduces frost heaves against foundation

Good drainage



Roof/ site drainage

• Install gutter screens/ hoods

• Provide adequate clearance (6-8” min) betweensiding and grade

• Make sure your downspouts discharge a minimum of4 feet from the foundation (5 – 6 ft ideally)

• Don’t run downspouts (& basement window wells)into foundation drain system!

• Discharge foundation drain pipes ‘to daylight’ wherepossible




Creating a weather-resistant shell

• Minimize roof penetrations

• Minimize intersecting planes

• Provide adequate overhangs

• Choose ‘effective’ roof style

• Understand that outermost roof & wall finishes aretypically only first line of defense

• Provide good drainage planes/ ventilation cavities

• Use good flashing details


An important note about process:

Make shell weather tightASAP!


Design for Durability- Roof structures

• Hip roofs generally better than simple gable roofs





Design for durability – Roof plane integrity

• Minimal roof penetrations- use side venting, runalong sides of house, etc.

• Use AAVs (air admittance valves) instead of stackvents (where permitted by code)

• Use TDDs instead of skylights

• Use direct-venting high-efficiency heating/ hot water


Skylights also more likely to contribute to summeroverheating and winter heat loss.


Sky tube (TDD)



Design for durability – Overhangs

Effective overhangs:

• Protect the walls from precipitation

• Protect wall finishes from UV

• Help to direct water away from the structure

• May facilitate attic ventilation

• May help to minimize ice dams

• Provide summer shade to reduce unwanted solar gains




Design for durability – Effective flashing details

• Provide flashing wherever two or more buildingplanes meet, at margins of roof and around openingsin shell

• Common flashing materials: Aluminum, zinc, copper,galvanized steel, bituminous tape

• Install water/ ice shields at roof margins (better touse on entire roof??)

• Install ‘crickets’ or saddles behind chimneys & otherlarge roof structures

• Use step-flashing where appropriate

• Caulking should not be used as flashing substitute!











Rain-screen wall


Design for durability - Materials

• Use materials and products appropriate to task- e.g.pressure-treated lumber, corrosion-resistant fasteners,UV-resistant finishes, etc.

• Always use products in manner intended- e.g. propertemperature range, humidity; don’t overload, etc.


Characteristics of durable exterior finishes

• Moisture resistant

• UV resistant

• Fire resistant

• Decay resistant

• Wind & impact resistant

• Minimal maintenance requirements

• Easy to replace


Some durable siding options

• Fiber cement-HardiPlank-Certainteed WeatherBoard

• Masonry

• Vertical-grain bevel siding

• Eastern white cedar not bad if back-primed

• Stucco



Some durable roofing options

• Clay tile

• Metal

• Faux slate, shakes, etc made from recycled plasticsor rubber

• Slate

• Fiber-cement

• Also, cedar shakes if from sustainable wood source& installed properly


Some roofing examples

• Ecostar- www.ecostarinc.com

• Interlock- www.interlockroofing.com

• Authentic Roof- www.authentic-roof.com

• Naturals- www.naturalsroofing.com

• Note: Some of these given high marks based ondurability more so than recycled content

• Natural slate a fairly sustainable option


Some decking options

• Composite

• Vertical-grain lumber; douglas fir, hemlock, etc.; lookfor FSC ceretified

• Ipe, if from sustainable source

• Pressure treated if maintained properly

• Cedar & redwood not typically sustainable (usuallyfrom old-growth forests)

• Torrefied lumber (see www.purewood.net)


• Always seal or back prime backside of wood siding,trim, etc. (DON’T back prime fiber-cement siding)

• Seal end grain of all exterior wood, even if pressuretreated (w/ boiled linseed oil or paint)

Design for durability – Exterior finishing details

• Use water-shedding design details, such as slopes,bevels, overlaps, etc.

• Maintain adequate ventilation in and aroundexterior trim where appropriate

• Use drip-channels, drip edges & capillary breaks whereappropriate

• Glue shingle tabs at roof edges






Painting/ caulking tips

• Proper prep is critical- clean, sand, remove loosematerial as necessary

• Clean surfaces thoroughly; remove mildew; canpressure wash, but be judicious!

• Never paint if temperature is below 45 deg orabove 85 deg, or there is excess humidity

• Follow manufacturers recommendations forcoverage; latex paints are often applied too thinly

• Use proper brush- generally synthetics for latex,natural bristle for oil paint

• Prime all raw wood before painting or caulking

• Use ‘backer-rod’ where appropriate


Design for durability - Vegetation

• Keep plantings immediately adjacent to the foundationto a minimum; maintain adequate clearance (18 – 24” &allow for additional growth)

• Keep overhanging vegetation to a minimum

• Vegetation like vines attached to trellis-work ratherthan being allowed to grow on structure



Design for durability- Foundations/ Basements

• Favor monolithic construction

• Avoid basements altogether! Favor pier foundations,FPSFs, etc.

• Insulate & waterproof

• Provide adequate foundation drainage

• Ventilating basements & crawl spaces in summermay be a bad idea!

• Never install carpeting or wood floor finishes directlyon top of concrete floors


This usually better…


…than this.


Detail basement insulation correctly


Frost-protected Shallow Foundations

• Improves thermal performance

• Reduce excavating expense

• Reduce site impact

• Reduce material expense

• Implied approval in code: MA CMR 5403.1.4.1

Note: Local code officials may be resistant to approving



• Use engineered joists to minimize deflection

• Use drywall clips to minimize corner cracking

Design for durability- Structural elements

• Engineered I-beam joists have pre-perforatedpunch-outs for plumbing/ mechanicals

• Use construction adhesive:- Increases strength- Minimizes squeaks- Provides additional air sealing

• Use hurricane ties & anchor straps


Laminated-veneer lumber (LVL) – stiffer & stronger



Rafter (“hurricane”) ties


Good Wall Sections/Building Envelope


Building envelope, definition

All of the elements of a building that separate andisolate the unconditioned outdoor environment from

the conditioned indoor environment. This may includewalls and wall finishes, roofs and roof finishes, doors,

windows, skylights and basement floors and walls.


Key Principle- Saving home energy

As a general rule, for the average home/homeowner, the greatest energy savings will beachieved through managing the demand side of

the equation, rather than the supply side.

In other words, you’ll get better bang for your buckthrough energy conservation measures, like insulating

& minimizing air infiltration, than incorporatingexpensive renewable energy systems such as wind

and solar.


Building envelope, functions

• Protect structural elements and interior of structurefrom weather, esp. moisture

• Help to maintain proper thermal regime withinstructure

• Help to maintain proper humidity regime withinstructure

• Prevent infiltration of outside air and contaminants

• Acoustically isolate interior of structure from outsidenoise

• In essence, act as ‘membrane’ for the structure


Building envelope failure

• External water leaks leading to:-Damaged structural elements-Damaged interior finishes-Insulation failure-Damaged interior furnishings and appliances-Mold problems

• Air leaks leading to:-Infiltration of unconditioned air/ Drafts-Direct escape of conditioned air to outside-Infiltration of outdoor contaminants

• Excessive accumulation of interior moisture in wallcavities causing structural/ insulation failure & mold

• Excessive heat transfer from inside to outside


Effective wall section design

Good wall sections:

• Reduce air infiltration

• Are breathable

• Provide drying to the outside, inside, or both

• Reduce passage of potentially moisture-ladeninterior air into wall cavities

• Reduce possibility of cavity temperature to dropbelow dew point temperature

• Provide good thermal (& acoustic) insulation


Building envelope components

• Exterior finish- wood siding, vinyl siding, brick, etc.

• Weather membrane/ air barrier/ drainage plane-building paper, Tyvek, Typar, etc.

• Exterior sheathing- usually plywood or OSB

• Wall/ ceiling cavities (inc. structural members &insulation)

• Vapor retarders/ barriers

• Interior wall finish

• Doors & windows


Codes and standards

• Sixth edition of MA building code was officiallysuperseded by 7th edition as of January 1st, 2008

• New MA energy code based on 2006 InternationalEnergy Conservation Code; more stringent

• Better to follow Energy Star Homes or HERSguidelines for maximum energy efficiency and codecompliance (see resources slide)


Housewrap tominimize airinfiltration &protect frommoisture


Minimizing air infiltration(sealing building envelope)

• Min .35 Air changes per hour (ACH) for goodventilation; max .50 for energy efficiency (EnergyStar)

• Openings to attic spaces are some of worst offenders

• Seal obvious openings- pipe penetrations, atticscuttles, electrical receptacles, recessed lights, etc.

• Any place where two building planes meet is goodcandidate for air sealing

• For additions/ new construction, use exterior airbarrier to minimize infiltration


Some important points about insulation

• Effectively used, can reduce condensation in wallcavities (e.g thick foamboard sheathing)

• Open-cell foam types (e.g. Icynene) are not aseffective at reducing infiltration, and are not asmoisture-resistant as closed-cell types

• Even open-cell types can help to reduce cavitycondensation by minimizing air leakage throughinterior wall finishes

• Moisture in wall cavities can permanently destroysome insulation’s effectiveness (e.g. fiberglass batts)

• Some insulating materials can provide air sealing

• Some closed-cell foams can marginally increasestructural integrity


Blower doortest tomeasure airleakage


Air leakage pathways


Air leakage proportion through various pathways


Attic hatches/ scuttles are a major leakage pathway


A commercial solution for attic openings

See also www.efi.org


Insulate header/ rim joists w/ rigid foam & expanding foam


Seal joints between intersecting planes w/ expanding foam




Air sealing, online product sources

• efi.org

• conservationtechnology.com


Minimizing interior air leakage

Why minimize air leakage through interior wallfinishes?

Remember that as the air flows, so too does themoisture that it carries


Ventilation & Vapor Barriers

• Moisture control as it relates to:-Mold potential-Structural failure-Insulation failure-Aesthetic issues

Issues:

• Indoor air quality (IAQ)


Vapor barriers

• Prevent transfer (and accumulation) of internalmoisture into wall/ ceiling cavities

• Required by code; always on winter warm side ofinsulation in cold climates like N.E.

• Asphalt-impregnated kraft paper (as seen onfiberglass batts) is excellent vapor retarder

• In this part of country, vapor retarders are generallybetter than vapor barriers; vapor retarders allow wallto dry from the inside as well as outside

• New ‘smart’ materials like Certainteed’s Membraincreate variable vapor barrier


Vapor barriers, cont.

• Eliminating air leaks in inside wall finishes minimizesvapor transfer into wall cavities

• For retrofit of vapor barrier (w/ blown-in insulation forinstance), consider a vapor barrier paint


Ventilation

• It’s almost impossible to make an old house tootight

• Even in a tight house a bathroom fan is generallyenough to provide adequate ventilation; control w/timer (and/or humidistat)

• Provide dedicated combustion air sources for largecombustion appliances like furnaces & fireplaces

• Control internal sources of excessive moisture

• Proper attic ventilation may extend life of roof andhelp to eliminate ice dams

• Extremely tight houses may need heat-recovery ormulti-port supply or exhaust ventilation systems


Ventilation

• Ventilating basements & crawl spaces in summermay be a bad idea!


Make surebathroomfans ventto outside


Other ventilation strategies

• Heat recovery ventilators

• Multi-port supply & exhaust ventilation






Ventilationbaffle for raftercavity insulation


Ductwork

• Otherwise, moisture-laden air passing throughducts can leak into unconditioned spaces andcondense (affects energy-efficiency too!)

• Insulate ducts in unconditioned spaces; for cooling(A/C) ductwork, make sure insulation has externalvapor barrier to minimize condensation

• When insulating ducts in unconditioned basement,you may make basement too cold; insulatebasement walls instead

• Seal ducts; use duct mastic for this if possible,otherwise make sure duct tape is UL listed


Bridging heat loss

• Eliminate with:-Double wall construction (very expensive!)-Foam skin-Cross-banding attic batt insulation

• Conductive heat loss through structural members


Bridging heat loss- snow melts over roof rafters


Bridging heat loss caused wall-staining over structural members


Thermograph to check heat loss through walls (insulation effectiveness)


NFRC Label


Considerations forChoosing Best-in-Class

(a brief sampling)


What makes it green? (in review)

• Low embodied energy (entire lifecycle)

• Minimizes impact on wildlife habitat, green space,waterways, etc

• Minimizes depletion of natural resources (rapidlyrenewable, recyclable, etc.)

• Poses minimal harm to humans during itsmanufacture, transport, installation, end-use ordisposal

The jumping off point for all product classes:


Selection criteria: Materials

• Efficiently uses energy & resources

• Contains high recycled material content

• Derived from rapidly renewable resources

• Can be reused/ recycled at the end of it’s useful life

• Can be down-cycled at the end of it’s useful life

• Biodegradable


Post-Consumer vs. Pre-Consumeraka Post-Industrial

Recycled Content


Lumber

• From sustainably managed forests

• Sourced locally

• Naturally decay-resistant

• Easy to work with (milling, finishing, etc.)

• Locally salvaged or salvaged from demo phase

• Sawdust & natural volatiles non-toxic

• Resists checking, cracking, warping, etc.


Engineered lumber/ composites

• Made w/ low-VOC, formaldehyde-free adhesives

• Accepts finish well

• Dimensionally stable, warp resistant

• Contain recycled fibers or rapidly renewable fibers(FSC, GreanSeal, SCS, etc.)

• Good screw-holding characteristics

• Moisture & mold resistant


Paints

• Low or no VOC; low odor

• Good coverage (minimal coats)

• Pose minimal occupational hazard duringmanufacture (meets ISO 14001, OSHA, etc)

• Durable- scrubbable

• Do not pose a disposal hazard

• Easy touch-up (e.g. good color matching w/ old vs.new)


Adhesives/ Sealants

• Low or no VOC

• Easy clean-up

• Freeze-tolerant

• UV resistant

• Flexible (or not, depending upon application!)

• Adequate ‘open time’

• Do not pose a disposal hazard


Carpeting and Flooring

• Formaldehyde-free

• Abrasion, impact & moisture resistant (hard flooring)

• Made from rapidly renewable or recycled materials

• Mold resistant (carpeting)

• Simplified installation (e.g. doesn’t require adhesive)

• Requires minimal maintenance (cleaning,refinishing)

• Stain resistant

• Easy sectional replacement (e.g. carpet tiles)


Exterior Decking


• Requires a minimum of maintenance (sealers, etc.)

• Stable- resistant to checking & warping

• UV & fade resistant

• Naturally decay resistant

• Recyclable (all-plastic vs. composites like Trex)


Insulation

• Formaldehyde free (e.g. binders in fiberglass batts)

• HCFC-free blowing agents (foam board)

• High recycled content (fiberglass, cellulose, denim)

• High thermal insulating characteristics! Goodresistance to air infiltration (these may trump otherfactors if it can reduce embodied energy of structureenough)

• Moisture/ mold resistant

• Low flame-spread/ non-combustible


Kitchen counters


• Abrasion, heat, impact & stain resistant

• Mechanically fastened

• Require minimal maintenance

• Easily resurfaced

• Minimal off-gassing from adhesives/ binders


Exterior Siding


• Weather resistant; UV resistant

• Easy to install/ repair

• Breathable

• Requires fewer paint/ refinishing/ repointing cycles


Roofing


• High-reflectance (improves longevity, minimizes heatisland effect, keeps building cooler in summer)

• Wind & UV resistant; fire-resistant; impact resistant

• Easy to repair

• Low or no maintenance requirements


HVAC & Plumbing Systems

• Use demand pumps in DHW supply system(gothotwater.com); can extend life of water heaters

• Use instantaneous hot water heaters (tankless)- Greater longevity than tank-type- No tank to leak!



Tankless water heaters

• Examples of brands: Rinnai, Noritz, Takagi

• Gas-fired typically more responsive and can provideneeded capacity more effectively

• Cost more than standard water heaters but last longer

• More choices as to location/ placement

• Direct-venting; e.g. can exhaust through wall

• Save energy by eliminating standing heat loss (vs.conventional tank-style water heater); estimated savings24 – 34%

• Look for min. flow rates of 0.3 – 0.5 gal./min.


Plumbing/ piping

• Shut-off valves in supply pipes at every plumbingfixture and in every branch run

• Adequate number and location of clean-outs indrain-waste-vent system

• Stacked bathrooms to keep plumbing to a minimum

• Use structured plumbing

• Use PEX piping


PEX tubing for water supply piping

• Less embodied energy than copper

• More freeze-tolerant

• Facilitates structured plumbing; minimizes piping runs;shallow bends can improve delivery performance

• Less heat loss

• Easier to install; less expensive w/ competent sub-contractor

• Fewer notched joists!


Green Practice:Effective Maintenance Routines


Why good maintenance routines are green

• Prevents premature failure; extends life, whichmeans fewer resources used by avoidingreplacement

• Prevents failure of associated systems

• Reduces possibility of contamination/ toxics release;maintains IEQ

• Enhances or maintains operating efficiency

• Reduces material sent to the waste stream


Additional benefits

• Aesthetics

• Economics


The Maintenance Program

• Create a maintenance plan

• Get to know your home and its systems- perform athorough inspection and get to know whereeverything is: shut-off valves, cut-off switches,breakers, etc. ahead of time

• Perform regularly scheduled follow-up inspections

• Keep and maintain a maintenance log book (3-ringbinder)

• Hire a professional to perform routine inspections/examinations if your are unsure about anything

• Clearly label valves, switches, breakers, etc, andcreate diagrams detailing their locations if necessary


Key Maintenance Principles

• A little attention often goes a long way; don’t put itoff; often things will fail only because they wereignored completely

• Little problems left unattended will often mushroominto much bigger problems, create secondaryproblems, etc

• Time is often critical; that’s why it’s important toknow the locations of valves, switches, etc.

• Use materials and products appropriate to task- e.g.pressure-treated lumber, corrosion-resistant fasteners,UV-resistant finishes, etc.

• Always use products in manner intended- e.g. propertemperature range, humidity; don’t overload, etc.


Design for durability/ Ease of maintenance

• Lights in crawl spaces, attics, etc.

• Access panels where appropriate

• Floor drains in strategic locations (like near waterheater)

• Furnaces and basement appliances kept off floor onconcrete pads

• Permanent ladder tie-off points installed at strategiclocations



Seize opportunities

• Never close off a wall without photographing ordocumenting the cavity spaces

• Never re-install a door on it’s hinges without firstlubricating the hinges or reassemble anything if thereare additional maintenance opportunities

• Never close off a wall without adding access panelsif appropriate

• Never close off a wall before installing anticipatednew services (cable runs, etc.)


Seize opportunities, continued

• Employ ‘batch’ maintenance routines- for example,if you have the oil can out, lubricate everything thatyou can think of that may need lubrication

• When performing maintenance/ repairs to a systemor component, inspect all nearby systems/components


Basic steps in preventive maintenance

• Lubricate it!

• Clean it!

• Seal it!

• Protect it!

• Know it!

• Tighten it!

• (Store it properly)


Good maintenance practices

• Inspect your roof up close and personal at leastonce every season; check chimney too! Clear roof ofmoss and debris

• Keep your gutters clean!!

• Maintain proper grading around foundation

• Keep a regular routine of spot touch-ups of sidingand trim between major paint jobs; replace missing/dried-up caulking too


Good maint practices, cont.

• Re-point brickwork as necessary

• Keep shrubs trimmed away from house

• Fill pavement cracks w/ flexible sealer

• Keep weeds from growing in pavement cracks


Defining green: Design resources

• Building America-http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america/about.html

• Environmental Building News/ Greenspec-http://www.buildinggreen.com)

•http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Green%20Building/Sourcebook/index.htm

• Building Sciences Corporation-http://www.buildingsciences.com


Measuring Green: Rating Systems

• LEED - www.usgbc.org

• Energy Star Homes- www.energystar.gov

• International Energy Conservation Code (IEEC)-http://www.iccsafe.org/

• HERS (http://www.energy.ca.gov/HERS)


GRT: www.greenroundtable.orgBuilding Green: www.buildinggreen.comEnergy Star: www.energystar.govCharles River Watershed: www.crwa.orgUS Green Building Council: www.usgbc.orgRenewable Energy: www.nrel.govUS DOE: www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/EPA: www.epa.gov/ne/greenbuildings

Residential Green Building Guide:A Web Source Book for New Englandwww.epa.gov/ne/greenbuildings

NAHB: Model Green Home Building Guidelines:www.nahb.org

Additional Resources


• Upcoming workshops• Reference library• Samples library• Cyber Lounge• Online resources at nexusboston.com (in the

pipeline)• Local green building community

And don’t forget about NEXUS!


Local Resources


The Green Roundtable, Inc. (GRT) is an independent non-profitorganization whose mission is to mainstream green building andsustainable design and become obsolete. We work toward this goal bypromoting and supporting healthy and environmentally integrated buildingprojects through strategic outreach, education, policy advocacy andtechnical assistance.

[email protected]

617-374-3740

www.nexusboston.com38 Chauncy Street, Boston

Located in downtown Boston, NEXUSwelcomes all to come ask questions,research topics, and attend tours andevents on green building and sustainabledesign innovation.

THANK YOU

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