GREEN HOMES FOR ALL IN A CHANGING WORLD.

n the US building standards, codes, and construction practices are now - and have been for decades - based on a set of assumptions that may no longer be be valid. Those assumptions: that energy is and will always be cheap and readily available, that the climate is, on average, stable and predictable, that the hydrologic cycle is, again on average, consistent and that materials to build with will always be inexpensive and easy to get. All these may prove false under the new changing climate and energy realities.

Eventually, existing homes may need significant modifications to adapt to these global changes.

--- Changes in the hydrologic cycle can change the water table. Homes with basements that have been dry for decades may suddenly be wet, for instance.

--- A rise or fall in the water table, as well, may affect foundation footings. Footings on earth that was once considered dry and stable may fail as the historical water table changes. Failed footings can lead to cracked foundations and settlement of the structure.

--- Little needs to be said about buildings situated near sea level in coastal areas. The oceans are set to rise whether global warming is halted or not. (Sea level rise could be slow and linear - a steady rate of climb - or accelerate, with more rise late in the century. No one is predicting yet.)

--- While the equipment used to heat and cool our homes has become steadily more efficient, the balance of the systems - existing ductwork buried in walls or ceilings - is likely as leaky and inefficient as the day it was installed.

--- Despite upgrades to insulation where accessible, such as attics, the insulation in our walls seems inadequate. (The outside walls in my solid masonry 1950’s row home in Baltimore have no insulation to speak of. The walls have about the same insulating value as a pizza oven - but I’m the pizza.)

The modifications needed to adapt older homes to a changing world will be expensive.

But older existing homes are not the only problem. Most new homes built in this country are using nearly the same set of construction standards and codes as homes have for years. Wall insulation is far too thin (It probably needs a doubling in R-value.) Homes are still being built in low lying areas or on areas that could have unstable ground. Our heating and air conditioning systems are still built for low cost, high profit to the builder, not for energy and cost savings for the eventual home owner.

And the materials used in construction? The cost of cement, for instance - made in an energy intensive process - goes up with the cost of energy. Every material that has a petroleum link will see its cost rise along with oil: paints, plastics, composite materials and others. And wood - the most common home building material in the US - is a special case.

True wood naturally sequesters carbon (that’s what trees do) but just planting new trees to replace those logged doesn’t seem like enough. A newly planted sapling doesn’t absorb anywhere near the same CO2 as a decades-old tree.

Further, trees removed to build new homes and developments need to be rethought. Are there saplings planted somewhere to replace those? And are as many saplings planted for the equivalent carbon absorbtion of each large old tree? Probably no on either account.

Fortunately - on their own - some visionary forward thinking homebuilders are taking greener building into their own hands, not waiting for building practices and green building codes to become law.

One of those forward-thinking home builders is PowerHouse Enterprises of Lawrence, Massacusetts.

The company has taken a big picture view of building greener homes.

--- Make them affordable by making them modular. Homes can be built faster indoors than out. Time is money.

--- Use sustainable, recycled, salvaged materials whereever possible.

--- In design use passive and active solar. Let the Sun heat, power and provide hot water for the house.

--- Use high R-value insulation in roof, walls and foundation to save energy.

--- Incorporate highly efficient appliances, lighting and heating cooling and air conditioning equipment.



The company too has a flagship product, its PowerPod, a small, modular, passive/active solar structure that can be used as a cottage, workshop or office and delivered to the site on the bed of a flatbed truck. It can be delivered as a simple structure or ready to move into and relax.

Kinda fun. Very green.

Green homes need to be affordable to all. This company seems to be taking that approach.