|
Hard-Surfaced Floors: Carpeting is not
healthy and is expensive to replace.
|
| Large roof overhangs:
These protect your home from sunlight and rainwater. Although you
do not need large overhangs on the north side of the house for
sunlight, you do still need overhangs to protect from rain.
|
| Mature trees on west and southwest:
Trees shade your home from the harsh and hot sunlight of the west
and southwest. Yes, you can plant them but they take time to
mature. In the meantime, you will have some sizable utility bills
unless you can block that sun. Of course, if there is no sun on
those windows in the first place, mature trees make life
beautiful!
|
| Casement windows that open
correctly: Windows open to catch the prevailing breezes. |
| Established
organic yard and flower beds. This will keep you from
having to establish an organic yard. |
| Water-Wise
Landscaping This will keep you from either paying large
water utility bills or having to replace plants with ones that are
less water greedy. |
| Food
production. All forms of production from a small square-foot garden, to
vegetables growing in the "back 40," to nut and fruit
trees are welcome. If it is maintained organically, so much the better. |
| Any source of alternative
energy. |
| Sunlight: Naturally
bright homes have lower utility bills and are more enjoyable than
dark homes. |
| South facing windows:
South windows should be shaded in the spring, summer, and fall. In
the winter, the sun will warm your home. |
| North facing windows:
North Windows allow light without allowing sun after 10 am in the
morning all year. |
|
Few windows on the east
unless shaded after 10 am in the morning: East
sun can be blocked with remodeling.
|
| Low-
or medium-pitched roofs:
High pitched roofs are expensive to cure of the Hot Texas Attic
Syndrome and often do not protect windows from rain. |
| Energy Star or LEED-H
certified.
Unfortunately, an
Energy Star rated home does not make it a green home. It takes more
than energy savings to make a green home. By the same token, LEED
certified buildings apparently exist which are not energy-efficient.
But, yes, either certification is nice to find. |
| Metal Ductwork. |
| Roofing other than asphalt
shingles. |
| A relatively new HVAC system:
Extra points for a high SEER air-conditioner. |
| Ductwork that is in
conditioned space. Much better
than ductwork in the attic, for example. |
| Rainwater harvesting system.
Or even the gutters in place
for a rainwater system to be added.
|
| Porch on south or southeast: Will
catch prevailing warm weather breezes. Being blocked from the
north winds and warmed by the sun will make the porch useable in
cooler weather, too. And you have the beginning of a good outdoor
room. |
| Screened porch on the south
or southeast: A great bug-free room for this area. |