Sustainable Checklist

Whether you are looking at a home built with an Earth Advantage or LEEDs rating or you are interested in existing homes with sustainable features, it is important to understand the varying degrees of “Green-ness”. From the inside-out – air quality, energy efficiency and water usage to construction materials and environmental responsibility – Green can mean a variety of things. Here is a list of features in your home that will help you understand these varying degrees:

 

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

No/low-VOC: paint, sealers, wood finishes, adhesives, carpet, pad

Formaldehyde-free: cabinets, shelving, woodwork, insulation

No vinyl: flooring, baseboards, other surfaces

Ventilation: kitchen fan, bathroom fan, whole-house fan, sealed ducts

Furnace filter: MERV filter rating 8-11 or high-performance filter

Mold, lead paint, asbestos, radon, and carbon monoxide also greatly affect your quality of life. Test for these elements and eliminate safety hazards and health risks.

ENERGY

Energy use: How much electricity, natural gas, and/or oil do you use a month?

Building orientation: Does your home have: good southern exposure, shade trees, windbreak

Insulation: What kind of insulation is in your home: post-1974 construction or pre-1974 construction (current codes: Walls R-21, Ceiling R-38, Basement R-15)

Windows: What kind of windows do you have? single-pane, storm, dual-pane, high-performance

Heating and cooling: 90 % or higher efficiency furnace, insulated ducts, heat pump, radiant floor heating, ceiling fan, energy-efficient air conditioner (SEER 13 or more)

Energy-efficient appliances: refrigerator, dishwasher, clothes washer, water heater

Lighting: daylighting, fluorescent, skylights/tubes, motion detectors

Solar: electric, passive, water heater

WATER

Fixtures and appliances: low-flow toilet (1.6 gpf or less), dual flush, low-flow showerhead (2.5 gpm or less), low-flow faucets (<2.5 gpm), front-loading clothes washer, dishwasher w/water saving settings

Landscape: no/limited lawn, native plants, drip irrigation, rainwater catch

Stormwater: land sloped away from foundation, permeable paving, disconnected downspouts to bio-swales/drywells

CONSTRUCTION: advanced framing, FSC certified lumber, engineered lumber, SIPs/ICFs, metal roof, eco roof, natural building techniques

ADDITIONAL GREEN MATERIALS

Durable: solid wood cabinetry, refinishable flooring, other

Recycled content: carpet, insulation, drywall, paint, tile, plastic lumber, counter tops

Reuse and salvage: wood, cabinetry, doors, kitchen fixtures, bath fixtures

Rapidly renewable: bamboo, cork, wool, other

Locally or regionally produced: cabinetry, tile, lighting, paint

Checklist courtesy of Earth Advantage