Green Housing Checklist
This is a really hot topic in my part of Texas, and I thought many of you might enjoy this great list of how to help make your home more energy efficient. It’s great to have when you’re house hunting or preparing to remodel your new home. Hope you enjoy it!!
The Energy Audit requirement for the City of Austin is a great way to evaluate your new home choices. But there is always room for improvement, so use this Green Home Checklist to help you make a more informed choice about
your home. Review your home or a home you are interested in with this checklist in hand.
The Right Site – A site with smart landscaping is important to help make your
home comfortable, affordable and attractive.
• Water-efficient Bermuda or buffalo grass is planted in sunny areas.
• Plants, shrubs and trees that grow successfully in Central Texas are chosen.
Use the City of Austin Preferred Plant List as a guideline. The Native Plant
Search is another great tool.
• Gutters and downspouts direct water away from house. An irrigation system
conserves water by using devices such as manual flow-control valves, a rain
shut-off, and a timer with multiple start times.
The Right Design – Comfort and economy are possible when a house is designed for its site and climate.
Minimal Solar Heat Gain:
• Longest walls face north and south.
• Most windows face north and south.
• Most windows are shaded on the outside by overhangs, covered porches,
awnings, trees, trellises, or pergolas.
• Garage & least-used rooms are positioned on west side as buffers from west sun.
Maximum Ventilation:
• Most windows are operable and positioned for cross breezes.
• Most rooms have windows on two walls.
• High, centrally-located, operable windows enable hot air to move up and
vent to the outside.
The Right Exterior
Cool Shell and Attic:
• Light colored paint, siding, and roofing are used.
• A continuous vent strip runs underneath roof overhang to let air into the attic.
• Roof ridge has a continuous strip of venting or several passive vents close to
the ridge.
• Attic insulation does not block air flow path between roof overhang vents and ridge vents.
• Attic has a radiant barrier below the roof decking or between the rafters (looks like aluminum foil). Radiant barrier is especially effective when duct work is in the attic.
Maximum Insulation:
• Insulation is at least 10 inches deep & evenly distributed. (Attic insulation is far more important in the Central Texas climate than wall insulation.)
• Wall insulation fills every space, such as wet-blown cellulose.
Maintenance:
• Exterior wall material is low maintenance (brick, stone, stucco, cement board).
• Decks are made of materials that have at least a 10-year life (not solid wood).
• Roof has forty-year life (metal or tile).
Optimal Windows:
• Unshaded windows have solar screens or low-e glass
• No skylights except solar tubes. (Solar tubes are okay.)
• Window frames are wood, vinyl or fiberglass.
The Right Interior – The right materials can improve indoor air quality & increase comfort. Choosing energy efficient appliances will save money.
Healthy Materials:
• Flooring is mostly hard surface, such as concrete, tile or wood.
• Other flooring materials are natural wool, jute, sea grass, cork or true linoleum.
• No vinyl wallpaper is used in the home.
• Bath has exhaust fan vented to outside.
• Cook top has exhaust fan vented to outside.
• Laundry/utility room has exhaust fan vented to outside.
Efficient Appliances and Lights:
• Water heating has a 10-year warranty.
• An Energy Guide Label that indicates the appliance is in the top 25% of the
efficiency scale.
• Exterior lights have light and motion detectors to conserve energy.
Efficient Heating and Cooling
Effective Cooling Equipment:
• Ceiling fans in all major rooms.
• Home has a whole-house fan to exhaust heat.
• Home has a programmable thermostat.
• Home has an A/C with a cooling efficiency is 12.0 SEER or higher.
• Cooling system is “the right size” for the house. As a rule, if there are fewer than 600 sq. ft. of living space per ton of cooling, the unit is too big or the house is not designed for this climate. Ask a trained technician about a Manual J analysis, based on actual design and specifications.
Well-sealed Ducts:
• Ducts have been pressure-tested for leaks by a qualified technician. Remember, most houses lose about 25% of conditioned air due to leaky ducts.
Leaks cause air quality and safety problems, too.
• With AC running, no cold air drafts at the duct joints and other connections.
Air Filters:
• The filter is accessible and easy to change.
• The system has a 6″ wide filter cabinet with pleated-media or electronic filter (not electrostatic).
The Right Economy
• Using local businesses and products keeps the local economy healthy, while reducing the affects of transportation on Austin’s air quality.
• Regional materials such as mesquite, native cedar, pecan wood, local brick, limestone, and granite are used.
• Services of local artists and artisans are used for items such as cabinetry, wall murals, and decorative metal work.
The Right Lifestyle
The right location of your home improves your quality of life.
• The home is conveniently located for activities such as work, school, entertainment, recreation, and public transportation.
• Traffic allows safe walking and biking.
• The home has a front porch big enough to use.
All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed
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