GREEN BUILDING SAVINGS QUIZ - ANSWERS

Question: How much can you save on your heat/cool bill by sealing your home?
Answer: You can save up to 20% depending on the number of windows and doors.

Question: Rank the Largest Return on Investment
Answer:

1. Seal Leaky Ducts
According to University of Florida – IFAS research: "Typical duct systems lose up to 40% of your heating or cooling energy. Leaky ducts make your HVAC work much harder—ducts leaking just 20% of the conditioned air passing through them cause your system to work 50% harder. Leaks in your duct system = higher utility bills. Duct leakage can result in mold problems and potential health and safety issues. Sealing leaky ducts can save you well over $300/year."

Plus, if you’re planning to install new heating and cooling equipment, a well-designed and sealed duct system may allow you to downsize to a smaller, less costly heating and cooling system that will provide better dehumidification.

2. Install Ceiling Fan
You can raise the thermostat setting about 4° by running a ceiling fan to augment your air- conditioning, without sacrificing comfort. During the summer (i.e. most of the year in Florida) you cut your cooling costs up to 4 % for every degree you raise your thermostat. A whopping 16% savings! University of Florida researchers say 40% of an average Florida home’s energy costs are attributed to AC use. So, do the math, on a $200 electric bill, $80 is your AC cost. Saving 16% is about $13 a month ($156 a year)

3. Replace Water Heater
If you aren't ready to take the solar plunge, replacing your old water heater is a step in the right direction. New water heater tanks have thicker insulation built into them and their onboard electronics are far more accurate. A new electric powered water heater will save a family of 4 from $60 to $110 a year. Increase savings by setting the temperature at 125° and you save 1% for every degree you lower your water heater thermostat.

If your hot water heater is on a gas service, the new Energy Star ® hot water heaters are what you need to realize the most savings “Water heating is the second largest energy expenditure in a household behind HVAC,” says Richard Karney, program manager for the U.S. Department of Energy of Energy Star. “The water heaters that are now qualified under Energy Star can cut water heating bills anywhere from 7.5 to 55 percent.”

Question: Which keeps blocks more light (or in technical terms, solar heat gain) from entering your space?
Answer: Outside treatments keep out more heat than indoor treatments and save you the most, providing 80% and 90% heat blockage. Remember, you are trying to stop heat from entering your home's thermal envelope. Heat that stays outside the home in the first place doesn't have to be cooled down!

Shutters, awnings, and solar screens are good choices for shading. Solar films range from tints, which reduce light entering the home, to transparent films, which reduce solar radiation while still allowing light to pass through. Currently, window films are not eligible for the ENERGY STAR® label. A solar screen is similar to the familiar insect screen mounted within a window casement. Quality solar screens block the sun's heat and glare while offering good visibility from within the room.

Question: Which flooring is greenest?
Answer: Certified Wood
While this is a matter of opinion, Rising Force recommends FSC certified wood flooring. While most probably chose bamboo, which is fast growing and durable, making it sustainable, the best is very expensive, coming fully mature stalks, the most common inexpensive options are softer and don’t hold up well over time. Now, here’s the big issue, most bamboo products come from China. Using material shipped half way around the world just isn’t green enough.

Cork is becoming main stream and looks great too. Most is made from the byproduct of wine bottle cork production, so it is green for two reasons. Plus it feels great to walk on, comes in lots of colors, it is a great sound insulator too, so what’s the downside? It’s expensive and almost all cork comes from the area around the Mediterranean, the environmental cost of shipping is still high.

FSC Certified wood however, is an American product, which if you choose the right supplier can be grown, harvested, milled and shipped from North Carolina. The Forest Stewardship Council [FSC] is a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable management of forests for the production of wood products from paper to flooring. The USGBC’s (US Green Building Council) LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) program awards points for using FSC Certified wood products in their green certification process for buildings. Wood floors are durable and look great. So for us, the old standard is new again. With all the benefits we know comes with having wood floors, the reduced transportation costs to the environment, that it is an American made product, it for us is the Greenest choice.

Thank you for taking our green quiz. Rising Force Construction can help you with all of these home projects. Call us today and learn more!