Because Doing the Right Thing is the Smart Thing
A green home can do more that help the environment. It can increase your home's comfort and durability. It can help you save money through energy-saving features that can add up over time. And, it can even provide you with potentially greater resale value.
An Environments For Living® home can increase your home’s comfort and durability. EFL can help you save money through energy-saving features that can add up over time, and can even provide you with potentially greater resale value!
The Environments For Living program provides a rigorous set of requirements for home builders who’ve made a commitment to go the extra mile. It is a cutting edge program based on “building science.” It treats the home as a “system of systems” that work together, and it backs this science with limited guarantees* on comfort and heating/cooling energy use.
It’s all designed to give you a home you can be proud of in more ways than one.
* See the Energy Guarantee for complete details and limitations.
Energy Efficiency
Tight Construction: Special framing techniques such as a continuous air barrier and sealing of penetrations help reduce internal leaks and drafts.
Improved Thermal Systems: Enhanced insulation techniques help to minimize voids and gaps, and higher thermal properties (R-value) add to energy efficiency.
Right-Sized HVAC: "Right-sized" heating and cooling systems and sealed air ducts help equipment work efficiently. ("Right-sized" refers to the process of determining which HVAC system should be used in any particular structure.)
Guaranteed Performance: Written guarantees* are issued to homeowners on the amount of energy used for heating and cooling, and comfort.
Low-E Windows: Low "emmisivity" windows have protective coatings to help keep heat in during winter and our during summer.
Durability
Internal Moisture Management: Vents, pressure balancing, fresh air ventilation, and "right-sized" HVAC equipment work to reduce moisture in multiple ways.
Tight Construction: Air barrier continuity and air tightness reduce the potential for moisture to enter the building envelope.
Improved Thermal Systems: Program requirements such as Low-E windows and insulation installed in contact with the air barrier reduce the potential for moisture build-up.
Indoor Environmental Quality
Fresh Air Ventilation: Fresh air ventilation systems deliver filtered fresh air to help reduce dust, odors, and indoor contaminants for improved indoor air quality.
Internal Moisture Management: Vents, pressure balancing, fresh air ventilation, and "right-sized" HVAC equipment work to reduce moisture in multiple ways.
Air Pressure Balancing: Balanced air pressure throughout the home results in more even temperatures and reduces the potential for condensation build-up.
Combustion Safety: Combustion appliances in conditioned spaces are sealed or power-vented to help avoid build-up of carbon monoxide, and vent-free fireplaces are not allowed. CO detectors are required in all homes.
Putting Science on Your Side
A Smart System for a Smart Buyer
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