» green

Water savings is in the Flush

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:29:59 +0000

According to certain estimations, the average person flushes 35 gallons of water down the toilet, everyday. Considering you’re a family of four or more, you can safely presume that nothing less than 300 gallons of water are being used just to flush toilets, other uses of water notwithstanding. Although water is not really expensive in the US (so far) it’s only a matter of time before we begin to feel the pinch. And the ironic part is: despite the fact that it is as cheap as it is, no amount of money can buy or create water, when it’s gone, it’s gone.
So what can we do to prevent this bleak situation? Get new toilets. Conventional toilets use about 5 gallons of water per flush, significantly more than the new toilets, which use about 1.6 gallons. Going by that estimate, you can save phenomenal amounts of water, anywhere between 8000 to 20000 gallons a year, depending on your current usage. This translates into some nifty savings on cash too, upto $100 per year.
The 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) limit is the newest upper limit enforced by the EPA for toilets, which means there are also toilets that use lesser amount of water, some even lesser than 1 gpf. Many homeowners worry that such ‘low-flow’ toilets will also be low on efficiency. However the latest generation of toilets are high on efficiency while being low on water consumption. Watersense labeled toilets are some of the best you can find today in this category.
Cost is another factor that bothers many homeowners when we suggest low-flow high efficiency toilets. Although these toilets are expensive than normal toilets, the annual savings on water bills pretty much offset the initial costs. In fact, according to certain estimations, the ROI on water efficient toilets is about 50%. Altogether, this makes water efficient toilets a very sensible option if you’re going to remodel your bathroom.

Heating with Geothermal Heat Pumps

admin — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:14:45 +0000

When trying to conserve energy and your wallet, one of the important factors many people overlook is weather. There is a certain ‘optimal’ HVAC system for every kind of weather, and by designing with that in mind helps to makes sure that your budget remains optimal too. Not every house needs air conditioning or furnace heaters. For instance, if you usually have moderate weather throughout the year, like we have in the Pacific Northwest, you could actually replace conventional heaters and A/Cs with heat pumps. And we generally advice our clients to go in for geothermal heat pumps. (GHP)
A heat pump works by moving heat from a warm area to a cool area. It operates on electricity and generally moves heat from the warm air outside to your cold interiors or warm air indoors to cool exteriors. Heat pumps that exchange heat in this manner are called air-source heat pumps. Overall pumps have high efficiency, in fact the highest, since they use very little energy and don’t really create heat, only move it. A geothermal pump works in a similar fashion, only, it exchanges heat with the earth, instead of air. Geothermal heat pumps move the earth’s heat through ducts into a cool house, and vice versa. Because the lower layer of the earth remains more or less at the same temperature, and is warm, GHP work in almost every kind of weather and are favored largely in extreme temperatures.
Geo Thermal Heat pumps are generally more expensive than conventional heating systems. However, the success of an installation depends on the weather, soil quality and certain other factors. Yet, over the long term, the operating costs of heat pump, especially geothermal heat pumps cost very little to operate and provide up to 300% efficiency.

Heating with Mini Splits

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:36:19 +0000

We will all agree, that when it comes to home operating costs and maintenance, little else burns as large a hole in our pockets as heating and cooling. HVAC is one place where homes lose a lot of greenery – in terms of money, and in terms of the carbon footprint they add. Therefore, when we remodel homes, a lot of homeowners want to know how to restructure their HVAC systems, to make their homes (and their pockets) greener. Our answer to them – mini split systems.
Most homes run on centralized HVAC systems that use ducts and sometimes pipes to control temperatures indoors. While these systems are quite alright, they are not always feasible when you are attempting a remodel, especially if you are adding an extra floor or room space or making major design changes. Restructuring the entire duct and pipe system adds considerably to the cost. Mini split systems make it easy to manage indoor temperatures without any major construction or uprooting.
Mini split systems are also called ductless systems and are available for heating and air conditioning purposes. These systems come with three parts, which can be very simply explained as: one part which is mounted indoors to maintain air and temperature, one part outside which handles the condensing and compressing and a third part linking both parts with suction wires, electrical wires, drain and refrigerant tubing. This entire system can be fitted with minimal inconvenience and construction and works efficiently to heat/cool/condition as per your requirements.
The amazing thing about them is their efficiency. Bonneville Power administration just did a study that found that mini splits can be as high as 450 % efficient. For every $1.00 you spend you get $4.50 worth of heat. Nothing else on the market even comes close. Back that up with a supper insulated house and your heating bill will become a non issue.

Led’s are much more cost effective than traditional lighting

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 08:00:32 +0000

There are also quite a few other things you should keep in mind when buying an installing LED lighting. Having the services of an experienced electrician at your disposal is very important, as is the knowledge of an interior designer who’s worked with LED lighting. Bear in mind the following points:
1. White LED lighting tends to emit a specific kind of white light, which is different from other kinds of white light. This causes certain colors to be seen differently. Thus, you might find that your interiors don’t look the way they were supposed upon installing LED lighting. It is thus important to get a ‘test’ done, or seek professional opinion to see if your interiors will go with white LED lighting. (However, newer LEDs seem to have conquered this drawback)
2. Many people will opt for LEDs specifically because of their aesthetic appeal. However knowing where to use which LED lighting is another important factor determining the aesthetics of the entire setup. An array of LED lightings could be used to illuminate an entire room, while miniature LEDs are great for lighting up stairways, corridors and external paths to the house. Many will also use miniature LEDs for lighting up kitchen closets from the inside. Using the wrong LEDs in the wrong place could lead to an interior disaster.
3. LEDs are the most expensive option – only in the beginning. Their initial high price is off-set by their efficiency (and thus the lower bills) and their lifetime. However, using them correctly is important to ensure this happens. Another aspect we suggest to all our customers who look at green building – When it comes to making eco-friendly decisions, we need to look at life time costs, rather than one-time costs. In this regard, LED seems to win the race.

Rain Water Harvesting

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:52:14 +0000

An eco-friendly option not many have explored in developed countries is rainwater harvesting. Today this option is not about placing barrels or cisterns on your roof top and no, it’s not uncool. Collecting rainwater for uses apart from drinking severely reduces the load on your water supplier and water supply facilities. It also reduces your water bills. In developing countries that get a good amount of rainfall, rainwater harvesting is implemented on a large scale and used for everything – including drinking, even though water is not a paid-for service. It is done purely as a way to conserve a resource from running dry.
Today, you can buy and install any of the modern and easily available rainwater harvesting systems. These systems collect, filter and then pump rainwater to parts of the house that it can be used. Depending on the amount of rainfall your region receives; and the amount you’d like to harvest, rainwater harvesting systems come in different capacities and with different installations. Systems are also distinguished by where the water will be used. Domestic systems collect and treat rainwater so that it is usable for domestic uses like laundry and cleaning and if purified further even cooking. A garden system on the other hand collects water and pumps it through your garden’s irrigation system. This gives you two benefits – you save on water bills, plus you also save on sewage treatment bills, since the water you use is automatically introduced back into the ground and thus (recycled).
A simple rainwater harvesting system is also quite affordable and makes a lot of economic sense in the long run. An eco-friendly option not many have explored in developed countries is rainwater harvesting. Today this option is not about placing barrels or cisterns on your roof top and no, it’s not uncool. Collecting rainwater for uses apart from drinking severely reduces the load on your water supplier and water supply facilities. It also reduces your water bills. In developing countries that get a good amount of rainfall, rainwater harvesting is implemented on a large scale and used for everything – including drinking, even though water is not a paid-for service. It is done purely as a way to conserve a resource from running dry.
Today, you can buy and install any of the modern and easily available rainwater harvesting systems. These systems collect, filter and then pump rainwater to parts of the house that it can be used. Depending on the amount of rainfall your region receives; and the amount you’d like to harvest, rainwater harvesting systems come in different capacities and with different installations. Systems are also distinguished by where the water will be used. Domestic systems collect and treat rainwater so that it is usable for domestic uses like laundry and cleaning and if purified further even cooking. A garden system on the other hand collects water and pumps it through your garden’s irrigation system. This gives you two benefits – you save on water bills, plus you also save on sewage treatment bills, since the water you use is automatically introduced back into the ground and thus (recycled).
A simple rainwater harvesting system is also quite affordable and makes a lot of economic sense in the long run. An eco-friendly option not many have explored in developed countries is rainwater harvesting. Today this option is not about placing barrels or cisterns on your roof top and no, it’s not uncool. Collecting rainwater for uses apart from drinking severely reduces the load on your water supplier and water supply facilities. It also reduces your water bills. In developing countries that get a good amount of rainfall, rainwater harvesting is implemented on a large scale and used for everything – including drinking, even though water is not a paid-for service. It is done purely as a way to conserve a resource from running dry.
Today, you can buy and install any of the modern and easily available rainwater harvesting systems. These systems collect, filter and then pump rainwater to parts of the house that it can be used. Depending on the amount of rainfall your region receives; and the amount you’d like to harvest, rainwater harvesting systems come in different capacities and with different installations. Systems are also distinguished by where the water will be used. Domestic systems collect and treat rainwater so that it is usable for domestic uses like laundry and cleaning and if purified further even cooking. A garden system on the other hand collects water and pumps it through your garden’s irrigation system. This gives you two benefits – you save on water bills, plus you also save on sewage treatment bills, since the water you use is automatically introduced back into the ground and thus (recycled).
A simple rainwater harvesting system is also quite affordable and makes a lot of economic sense in the long run.

Open Spaces and Gardens

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:02:02 +0000

One can’t have a green home without actual greenery, can one? Open spaces, gardens and green areas are quite important in a house, not just for aesthetic appeal, but also because they help largely in maintaining fresh air indoors and keeping a steady temperature. If you’re few of the lucky homeowners whose homes have backyards then there’s nothing like it. We strongly suggest that you make use of the backyard to have your own compost pit or recycling plant. This is not difficult or messy. You’ll get helpful tips on how easily you can make compost at http://www.helpfulgardener.com/.

If you don’t have the advantage of a backyard, you can still do a lot. For starters, depending on the kind of walls you have, you could speak to your contractor about having a controlled ivy growing on the outside wall – but do this with a professional gardener’s advice only. If you have a terrace you could go about converting it into a terrace garden. It’s not too technical and it can keep your roof quite cool during summers.

Indoor plants are an excellent idea. A better idea is to create space outside windows by installing racks for keeping potted plants – They’re an excellent way of providing privacy. Many homeowners will also create indoor gardens – complete with waterfalls. Although these are expensive, you could speak to your contractor about the possibilities.

Buying, Installing and Maintaining a Solar Water Heater

admin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:01:47 +0000

Many of our customers want to shift to solar energy, but find the investment in a solar electric system too heavy. For such individuals, we often recommend going for solar water heaters to take care of the water heating requirements. This is relatively cheaper and easier to install, so you can save the environment and some cash too.

There is a basic difference between solar electric systems and a solar water heater. The former use the light energy of the sun and the latter, use heat energy. Thus, solar water heaters come sans the PV modules but with a solar collector which traps heat instead of light. There are 5 types of solar heaters available in the market:
1. Batch systems: For a 1-2 person household, low cost, temperate climate (not very cold winters), simple.
2. Thermosyphon systems: Passive solar system with no moving parts, suitable for temperate climate, less efficient and more expensive than active solar systems but very reliable, obtrusive in appearance. Fit for 3-4 person household.
3. Open-loop Direct Systems: Active solar system, the most simple of systems, heats domestic water directly in a storage tank, works well in temperate climates
4. Pressurized Glycol Systems: Closed loop system which heats up a non-freezing fluid and uses this fluid to heat up the water, suitable for regions with freezing temperatures,
5. Closed Loop Drainback system: Requires minimum maintenance, Works on similar principle as above, distilled water used as the heat transfer fluid.

Solar water heaters make a lot of financial sense and will drop your electricity bills or heating bills by almost 50%-80%. Add to this tax rebates and credits that you’re entitled to on purchase of a solar heater and the overall cost is reduced by a huge number.

Installing Solar Electric Systems/ PV Systems.

admin — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:20:07 +0000

Installing a PV system is not difficult, however it is best left to experts. At Laupen we install solar electric systems in remodeling and green building projects. Generally the company that provides with solar system will take care of proper installation and get the system up and running. Or, as in the case of Laupen, who follow the design build model, it will be the contractors of your building project.

A solar electric system has many different components that are placed in different locations all over your home and have to be wired together properly. A stand alone/independent grid is the smallest in terms of component parts and a grid inter-tied with battery backup is the largest. The entire set-up will be done by the installers, after taking into account which system will work best for your needs and also fulfill requirements of state law, local building authority and power provider. There are a few things you need to ensure are done by the installers:

1. Checking the site of installation for year round incident sunlight, and more importantly – shading – in order to figure out which spot would provide optimal usage. Installers have their own equipment for doing this. Also, industry norms generally ask that homes in the northern hemisphere install solar panels facing the south or south-east and south-west directions. In some cases even east or west would do.

2. Installation of solar panels such that they are exposed to air, or well ventilated, to keep them from heating up.

Apart from installation, a PV system also needs periodic check ups to ensure efficiency. Ideally, this should be covered by your system provider. The solar panels or PV array is very low maintenance and you only have to inspect it at intervals to remove dust and debris.

PV system: 2 times
Solar electric system: 2 times

What does it mean to be certifed Green Built

admin — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 08:04:25 +0000

‘Green built’ certified is a blanket term used to refer to any building that has been built with the environment and ecology in mind, using environment-friendly materials, and with sustainability and energy efficiency at it’s core. Essential a building or any structure that has been ‘green built’ is built to minimize the impact it has on the environment by taking measures to curb effects known to cause maximum damage to the environment.

In the US, however, ‘green built’ certification is a highly evolved rating system created and dispensed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It’s known as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The LEED rating system developed by the USGBC is a sophisticated system that rates buildings (new and under-construction) on five main criteria that make the most impact on the environment. In order to achieve LEED certification, buildings need to score a minimum of 40+ points out of a possible 100. Depending on the type of building, each of the 5 criteria are given weighted points depending on how much impact they have on the environment, and the system clearly informs individuals on what measure to take to gain points. LEED certification is divided into 4 levels: Certified (40+), Silver (50+), Gold (60+), Platinum (80+). Individuals can do as much, or as little as they’d like.

To making building green easier, the USGBC provides LEED certified and trained construction professionals whose services individuals can solicit to help them understand the rating system, and meet its criteria with ease.

Tax advantages of homes Solar panels (both water and electric)

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:15:10 +0000

US tax advantages of Solar panels (both water and electric)

Here’s another ‘sunny’ incentive to go green: Using solar panels and other solar powered equipment can help you avail of a tax credit of up to 30% of the cost, with no upper limit. The tax credit is available for both – solar water heating systems and for photovoltaic cells that produce electricity. Solar water heating system must create at least 50% of its energy from the sun and must be for use in a residential property. Tax credit cannot be claimed if you’re looking at heating up your swimming pool, Jacuzzi or hot tub, only for simple every day usage within the house. It is important, that your system be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation or the Energy Star.

With photovoltaic cells, you can avail of similar 30% of cost tax credit for residential electricity needs. It is also important that the panels meet the necessary fire and electrical code requirements.

The tax credit is available only for systems ‘placed in service’ before the 31^st of December, 2016. To avail of the tax credit, you will need to file the IRS Form 5695 for the year during which you’re claiming tax credit. Along with this, you will also need a statement of certification from the manufacturer, certifying that his products meet the qualifying criteria for the tax credit.