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by LAUREN LAWSON
News Reporter
The current economic slump has not deterred new homeowners from doing their homework about the long-term benefits of efficient home building on both the environment and their wallets.
Local builder Larry Norris from Norris Construction completed the first Appalachian State University Energy-Center certified HealthyBuilt home.
Norris said the
homeowner was interested in meeting the criteria for a HealthyBuilt
home after educating himself on the housing industry.
“A
HealthyBuilt home is also a healthier home to live in as well as
creating less of an impact on [the] surrounding environment,” he said.
Appalachian’s
involvement in the green home building movement began over two years
ago as a partnership and cooperation between ASU Energy Center and
local builders grew.
“We have
a good relationship with the High Country’s Builders Association,”
Jeffrey S. Tiller, technical director for ASU Energy Center and
technology professor said.
Appalachian has a building science program for students entering into the construction industry.
Tiller
said the university also offers one-day workshop courses that work with
builders to improve efficiency and look into new ideas in construction.
“The
first part of a construction project is looking at the energy
efficiency side, the air quality and then the sustainability of
features such as water saving, conservation and recyclable materials,”
he said.
To qualify as a HealthyBuilt home, certain minimums must be met on a point system based off different features in the home.
“The project took 10 months to complete, which is not really a significant time difference from other homes,” Norris said.
He said
some of the ways they created an efficient home was through complete
insulation, a geothermal unit for heat, non-toxic paint and a type of
intake for gas appliances.
Materials were also bought locally as often as possible and reclaimed wood was used for flooring.
“Another
major part is considering the cost effectiveness [and] savings each
year needed to help pay the extra initial cost of the build to be
effective,” Tiller said.
The
extra cost in a HealthyBuilt home can initially increase the
construction budget by between 2 percent and 5 percent of the cost of
the house, he said.
“Investing in efficiency initially can save on cost in the long run,” Tiller said.
According
to Healthy Home Plans, a healthy home is one that incorporates healthy
design elements, non-toxic building materials and proper construction
techniques while emitting no toxic gases and being mold resistant.
Tiller said this is not the first HealthyBuilt home in North Carolina, just the first in the northwest area of the state.
“There are currently more HealthyBuilt homes under construction and plans for more in the future,” he said.
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