What is a High Performance Home?
A “Green Home” does not necessarily mean an energy efficient home. A project can be labeled “green” for a number of reasons, including something as basic as recycling waste from a job! That does not mean that you are receiving a true high performance or energy efficient home.
While using recycled building products and taking care to recycle waste on the job site are important and certainly help make a project more “green”, being truly environmentally responsible means owning a home that uses less energy and water each month over the entire life of your home. That is A High Performing Home. We take several steps and offer multiple options to make your dream home not only uniquely yours, but also to make it work efficiently for you.
Home Energy Rating System (HERS)
Today homes are rated on their energy efficiency and assigned a HERS score. A lower HERS score means a home is more energy efficient. Homes that were built to the code standards only five short years ago have an average HERS score of around 130. Homes being built to code standards today have an average HERS score of 100; if those homes are built to Energy Star Standards they will have a minimum HERS scores of 85.
Sterling Brook Custom Home’s standard Platinum Energy Package will have a HERS score of 65 or less. This means your Sterling Brook Custom Home will be at least 20% more efficient than a typical Energy Star Home and 50% more efficient than a home built to standard codes just a few years ago.
Building a quality high-performance home is more than just installing a couple of components. Your home must be built of the right components, installed and working together to achieve the best results. Many builders advertise the use of a few energy components, but few understand proper application and installation. You can trust our experience and expertise to ensure the best outcome for your home.
It is very difficult and expensive to fix an energy wasting home. Take the opportunity now to make your home work for you and the environment.
Energy Efficient / Green Amenities:
- Energy Star and Green Built Texas certified
- Independently tested duct blaster and blower door test
- Upgraded vinyl windows with Low E glass to help reduce unwanted solar heat gain
- Advanced framing using 2×6 exterior walls at 24” o.c. with energy corners and ladder “t” to increase overall wall insulation value
- Comprehensive air sealing package to reduce air infiltration creating better indoor air quality and increased energy efficiency
- Open cell spray foam insulation (R21) completely fills wall cavities for superior insulation effectiveness
- Foam attic encapsulation keeps all A/C units and ducts in conditioned space for reduced loads and longer A/C unit life
- R3 Insulation over structural sheathing to reduce thermal bridging and provide greater overall thermal efficiency
- Dow Weathermate Plus house wrap with integrated window flashing to provide continuous drainage plain for bulk water control
- Sill Seal gasket used under all exterior walls for air seal and under all first floor walls for moisture break
- 16 SEER A/C units with two stage compressors & variable speed fans for greater overall comfort and efficiency
- 4” pleated media filters at the A/C units to provide superior air filtration and reduced dust and allergens
- Tankless gas water heaters to eliminate tanks in the attic, only uses energy when hot water is needed. When combined with a hot water loop, provides quick hot water supply to all faucets to reduce water waste.
- EPA water-wise toilets
- Low-flow faucets and showers
- Drought tolerant, local plants and sod to reduce water requirements