Green Builder San Antonio -- Imagine Homes

ABOUT "GREEN"
What makes a home "green"?
To achieve our goal of environmentally responsible, energy conscious homes, we use the building science approach to building – the design, materials and systems specified for each home are integrated to provide efficiency and performance. For example, by using advanced framing techniques to eliminate voids in the exterior wall corners and wall intersections, we can install more high efficiency, blown-in wall insulation. Add to this low-e glass in windows, radiant barrier roof decking and duct blaster testing to insure that air conditioning duct leakage is minimized, and the cooling load is reduced, allowing a properly sized air conditioner that will save money in operation cost and improve comfort in the home.

Click the leaves on the cutaway rendering below to find out more about what makes a home "green".

TechShield radiant barrier, oriented strand board (OSB) roof decking reduces up to 97% of the sun’s radiant heat absorbed by the roof. Attic temperature is reduced by up to 30 degrees resulting in savings on your utility bills and less work for your air conditioner. OSB is an engineered wood product is durable and resource efficient since it does not require large trees for its manufacture.

Cellulose insulation, made from recycled paper treated with Borates to make it fire retardant, is blown into walls for a true R-13 around pipes, wires and blocking to create an insulation barrier free of voids, compaction and misalignment that reduce R-value as commonly seen with fiberglass batt insulation. Attics are blown to R-30. Added benefits include reduced sound transmission, pest and air infiltration with increased fire safety. Cellulose insulation used meets ASTM C-739, the industry standard for fungal resistance set by the American Society of Testing and Materials. Download a free report.

Energy-efficient windows incorporating Low-E (emissivity), double pane glass reduce solar heat gain which increases comfort and energy savings plus limits damaging UV sunlight that can fade carpets, draperies and furniture. Our attention to detail is evident in our method of installing windows using silicone caulk, moistop and adhesive flashing tape to provide water intrusion protection and reduced air infiltration. Download a free report.

14 S.E.E.R. (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) Carrier air conditioning condenser with Puron, a non-ozone depleting refrigerant, and gas furnace or heat pump (if natural gas not available in neighborhood) provides 10% increased efficiency and energy savings when compared to a 13 S.E.E.R. system which is the minimum allowed by current building codes. Bigger is not always better. A Manual J design load calculation takes into account factors such as, window size and orientation, insulation, duct leakage, and size of the home to determine the heat gain during warm weather and heat loss during cold weather. This information is used by Imagine Homes to properly size the system which benefits you with improved comfort, better humidity control, increased energy-efficiency and a longer life for the system. A "right sized" system provides comfort, humidity control and energy-efficiency. Find out more.

Have you been in a home where the doors close by themselves when the air conditioner runs? The typical home will have 1 or 2 centrally located return air vents (Figure 1). The system is in balance until the bedroom doors are closed (Figure 2). The central return draws air from the body of the house creating a negative pressure zone (red area) since the only path for air out of the bedrooms is under the door. This also restricts air flow into the bedrooms (blue area) that can cause comfort problems and increases the potential for the negative pressure areas to pull outside air containing moisture, pollens, pesticides or other pollutants into the home or backdraft carbon monoxide from gas appliance flues, fireplace or garage. Imagine Homes places return air vents or transfer grills in each bedroom to provide additional paths for air flow and installs a fresh air vent to provide filtered fresh air to the home (Figure 3). The home is under a small positive pressure to keep hot, humid air from being pulled into the home.

The air conditioning duct system installed in each Imagine Homes is duct blaster tested by a 3rd party energy rater to insure minimal leakage. Duct connections are sealed with mastic to reduce leakage from exposure in hot attics (duct tape does not work). Leakage outside the home results in increased energy use, reduced comfort and increased potential for moisture and indoor air quality issues. Compare this to older homes that may have up to 30% or more duct leakage. Who wants to pay to air condition the attic?

Programmable thermostats save money on utility costs by allowing a schedule of times and temperatures to be set for weekdays and weekend allowing you to return to a comfortable home at the end of the day without spending money to operate your air conditioning system while you are away.

A gas water heater (standard in neighborhoods with natural gas) provides continuous hot water on demand and energy savings by not working to maintain a tank of hot water at all times.

Blower door tests are performed on each Imagine Home to ensure a tight home (infiltration rate no greater than .35 cfm50 per square foot of surface air). A low infiltration rate means less outside air carrying pollutants, pollens and dust into the home, more comfort and less energy use.

The recyled nylon fibers used to make Shaw Anso Nylon carpeting provides exceptional performance, and built-in stain and crush resistance while diverting carpeting that would otherwise end up in the landfill. One step closer to a "cradle to cradle" solution. Additionally, each of the carpet options available for your home carries the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Green Label setting higher standards for indoor air quality.

Carbon monoxide detector installed in each home.

Fiber-cement siding and soffit materials resist termites, will not rot or deteriorate, and provides long-term durability and strength.

Acme Brick provides durable, low-maintenance, long life exterior. Read more about it here (PDF).

Moen plumbing fixture with 1.5 gpm aerators conserve water.

Imagine Homes installs a MERV 8 (minimum efficiency reporting value) pleated air conditioning system filter in each home. MERV rates filter efficiency from lowest (0) to highest (16). Most homes are outfitted with basic HVAC filtration - a standard one-inch filters (MERV 0 – 1) that meet minimum filtration standards and requires frequent replacement. Think of a furnace filter as a net that captures particles that flow through it in the airstream. The bigger and better the net, the more and smaller particles that can be captured. You are sure to notice a difference in the quality of air in your home, since whole-house filters are up to 40% more efficient in capturing airborne pollutants and particles from the air passing through the duct system.

Have you ever had to flee your house for a few days because it was being painted? Low-VOC paint is odor-free and contains less volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Paints and finishes off-gas VOCs, which can diminish the quality of indoor air and be detrimental to your health. Today, manufacturers of products containing VOCs are using alternative manufacturing techniques that dramatically reduce or eliminate the use of these harmful compounds.

Factory-built components and materials, such as pre-hung door units with finger-joint pine jambs or finger-joint studs, allow more efficient use of raw materials, making the most out of every piece of wood, incorporate recycled materials and reduce waste.

Energy Star rated appliances save an average of 30% over standard models.

Caroma Sydney dual flush toilets provide a remarkable 0.8 and 1.6 gallon per flush 2 button system capable of saving water without sacrificing performance. With a full 4" trapway, blockages become a thing of the past.

Energy Star qualified bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, last up to 10 times longer and save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb's lifetime. In addition, they produce about 75 percent less heat, so they're safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling.

Approximately two-thirds of the waste that would normally end up in the landfill is mulched with a portable grinder for use on the jobsite.

Lumber is used for erosion control
Sheetrock (gypsum) is added nutrient to topsoil which can help establish lawns
Brick & shingles are used for base under concrete walks
Cardboard is gathered and sent to recycler

Drought tolerant landscaping does not mean rocks and cactus. Bermuda sod and low-water plants approved by SAWS for landscapes in the San Antonio area are installed in each home. The complete list can be found at www.saws.org/conservation.

With a structured plumbing distribution system, lines are dedicated to individual fixtures so less water is needed to "flush" lines of cool water before hot water is delivered. Less time waiting for hot water means less water wasted and less energy loss. Read this PDF for more information.