Energy Efficient

by | Sep 10, 2015 | Construction & Design, Home Design | 0 comments

It makes sense to build smart! What we build for you will give you a return on your investment with significantly lower utility bills, as well as transferable discounts on your power bills for the life of the home. This example of building smart represents ultimate value for our clients and is why we have partnered with Energy Star to make every home certified. Enjoy the posts below to see our promises turn into action.

Superior Walls: Instant Gratification

Superior walls are efficient because they are pre-manufactured and pre-engineered. Install time is a fraction of a typical foundation. Also, they are pre-studded on the inside so they are ready to be finished out whenever. They are energy efficient because they are insulated panels.  This foundation was set in 3 hours, using Superior Walls.

Superior WallsSuperior Walls

 

Understanding HERS (Home Energy Rating System)

The RESNET HERS Index is the industry standard by which a home's energy efficiency is measured. The HERS or Home Energy Rating System was developed by RESNET and is the nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home's energy performance. Certified...

Local Contractor, K-Wall, Provides Custom Garage Floor Coatings!

Professional Grade Floor Coating's are Beautiful & Clean and easy to maintain. All concrete surfaces are mechanically prepared to achieve the strongest bond possible. We offer a wide variety of color choices. Our in house designer Patty will help customize a color...

Reducing Winter Energy Costs

As temperatures drop during the winter, home fueling costs often increase for home owners. Fuel options for home owners largely depend on the region — in the Northeast, fuel oil or electricity are most prominent while in rural areas, propane and wood are often the main choices. But whatever your heating fuel options are, you have options to reduce your costs.

Reducing fuel costs can involve both short-term and long-term solutions and range from simple, inexpensive changes to major home modifications. Here are some ways that you can keep the cold out and the costs down this winter:Reduce-Your-Energy-Consumption

Reduce Air Leaks 

By caulking and sealing air leaks in a home, an average household can cut 10 percent of their monthly energy bill. Use caulk to seal any cracks or small openings on non-moving surfaces such as where window frames meet the house structure. Make sure your weather stripping in exterior door frames hasn’t deteriorated and cracked, if it has, replace it.

Sealing windows and doors will help, but the worst culprits are usually utility cut-throughs for pipes (plumping penetrations), gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets. You can buy material that expands to fill the gaps and keep air from flowing through.

Use Energy Wisely

Why It Can Be More Expensive to Build In The Mountains

A question that is asked of builders in our area very often is why it costs more to build in the mountains than “back at home”. There are a number of reasons for the higher costs and since the foundation of our new home is finished and framing has begun I can illustrate many of them. Our dream home was built by Living Stone Construction.

The Skylar – semi-custom plan

The Skylar – semi-custom plan

All of semi-custom plans are fully customizable to create your ONE OF A KIND home.
Price: Starting on your lot at $497,000
Contact: Sean Sullivan 828.669.4343

Features: Energy Star Certified, NC Green Built Home, Universally Designed plan

The Skylar is a universally designed home that not only boasts a quaint craftsman architectural feel, but also incredibly energy efficient construction.  This floor plan works well for families of all size and ages. Click “read more” to see more photos, floor plans and more!

The Alexandra Cottage – semi-custom plan

The Alexandra Cottage – semi-custom plan

All of our semi-custom plans are fully customizable to create your ONE OF A KIND home.
Price:Starting on your lot for $502,000
Contact: Sean Sullivan 828.669.4343

Features: Energy Star Certified, NC Green Built Home, Universally Designed plan

The Alexandra cottage is a universally designed home that not only boasts a quaint craftsman architectural feel, but also incredibly energy efficient construction.  This floor plan works well for families of all size and ages. Click “read more” to see more photos, floor plans and more!

The Ava Simone – semi-custom plan

The Ava Simone – semi-custom plan

All of semi-custom plans are fully customizable to create your ONE OF A KIND home.
Price: Starting on your lot at $519,000
Contact: Sean Sullivan 828.669.4343

Features: Energy Star Certified, NC Green Built Home, Universally Designed plan

The Ava Simone is an alternate to the popular Alexandra model which affords a little extra entertainment area with one less bedroom. This home has a similar “feel” to our popular Rockcliff plan but in the Alexandra price point. This universally designed home that not only boasts a quaint craftsman architectural feel, but also incredibly energy efficient construction. This floor plan works well for families of all size and ages. Click “read more” to see more photos, floor plans and more!

What It Takes to Be a Green Home Builder

Today’s new homes reflect changing market preferences and integrate elaborate designs and consumer desires into the floor plans and construction of the homes. And successful home builders have the knowledge, organizational skills and drive to build them.

But what does it really take to build a house?

Like a CEO, a home builder relies on a number of workers to get the job done right. A home builder guides dozens of skilled artisans and professionals, including carpenters, architects, engineers, plumbers, electricians, painters and landscapers. The builder must understand all of the home’s complex systems and know enough about each contractor’s trade in order to coordinate this skilled team to build and sell a quality product.

Some home builders develop the land on which the homes are built. In this capacity, they act as the land surveyor. They look at a piece of land to determine whether it complies with zoning regulations, local planning laws and environmental restrictions, and whether it is suitable for development. The home builder studies the lot’s topography, searching for rock outcroppings, shallow depth bedrock, shallow groundwater, natural drainage sources and dense vegetation. Landscaping options and erosion control also have to be considered. Once a builder determines that a site is suitable for construction, they must navigate the permitting process.

The Skylar Grande – semi-custom plan

The Skylar Grande – semi-custom plan

All of our semi-custom plans are fully customizable to create your ONE OF A KIND home.
Price: Starting on your lot at $535,000
Contact: Sean Sullivan 828.669.4343

Features: Energy Star Certified, NC Green Built Home, Universally designed plan

Click here to see a 360 degree virtual tour!

The Skylar Grande is an upgrade to our popular Skylar model that adds a screen porch, formal dining room, and a stone chimney. It is a universally designed home that not only boasts a quaint craftsman architectural feel, but also incredibly energy efficient construction. This floor plan works well for families of all size and ages. Since it has two bedrooms with two full baths on the main level, it works great for families with younger children, but since it also has two bedrooms upstairs, it also works well for the next generation to accommodate guests or a home office. Click “read more” to see more photos, floor plans and more!

About the Author, Sean Sullivan

About the Author, Sean Sullivan

Sean got his start in the construction business in 1994. Today, he’s the President of Living Stone Design + Build, and is an Accredited Master Builder, Certified Green Professional, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, and author of Building a Quality Custom Home: What you Need to Know. He also teaches continuing education courses for builders and accreditations through the NC Builders Institute. Sean loves western North Carolina and the Asheville community, and lives in Black Mountain with his wife, Laura Sullivan.