Posts Tagged ‘BUILDING GREEN IN CONIFER COLORADO’

GREEN SHOULD NOT BE AN EXOTIC COLOR ON EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

GREEN SHOULD NOT BE AN EXOTIC COLOR ON EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE

 

The main problem that MARK ENGLISH CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS has with building “GREEN” is that everyone wants to stress the exotic, the expensive, the cutting edge instead of the basic, the easy, the reasonable, the economical. We all immediately jump into a discussion of a 30 to 35 thousand dollar geothermal system, or 10 to 15 thousand dollars of solar panels instead of weighing the costs against the benefits.

 

For years we have used 2 X 6 construction, 93% to 96% high efficiency furnaces, basement slab insulation, R-38 insulation in ceilings, high efficient appliances, low flush toilets, high efficient hot water tanks, hot water pipe insulation, natural gas, low-E insulated windows and patio doors, placement of the home to take advantage of solar heat, natural low water grass and shrubs, and on and on. All these features, although they add some cost are certainly within the budget of most homeowners and spec builders.

 

All these features will pay for themselves quickly, all are easy to maintain and easy to sustain, all protest the environment, all are stingy with the energy costs, and all are thoroughly do-able in any home from the basic starter to the high end executive mansion.

 

Please give us a call; we are concerned about You and Your needs. Give MARK ENGLISH CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS a call; we will educate You so that You will have the advantage. We are the one stop shop for all your Real Estate needs in the Rocky Mountains. Whether a home of Your own, a retirement investment, an EVERGREEN COLORADO HOME LOAN or an EVERGREEN COLORADO MORTGAGE REFINANCE call us at 303-674-0148, Email us at markenglishrealestate@msn.com, or visit us on the web at www.evergreencoloradoliving.com. Don’t forget to register for Your FREE INCENTIVES on our web site.

INSULATING MECHANICALS FOR GREEN BUILD ON EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

INSULATING MECHANICALS FOR GREEN BUILD ON EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE

 

We are continuing our look at the new “Green” building code updates to the IECC an IRC universal building codes. Today’s update has to do with mechanical piping. Any piping carrying fluids above 105 degrees F or below 55 degrees F must be insulated to a minimum of R-3.

 

This requirement is not only for your hot water piping but also for heating and cooling pipes for glycol or fluids for your hot water heating. This is really nothing new since insulating heating piping and duct works has been in the code for years but it does increase the mandate to insulate in all zones and under all conditions – no exceptions.

 

We are MARK ENGLISH REAL ESTATE and DISCOUNT MORTGAGES SERVICES and are Your one stop shop for all Your EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE and CONIFER COLORADO REAL ESTATE. We are also an EVERGREEN COLORADO CUSTOM HOME BUILDER and are looking forward to serving You with all Your Real Estate needs. Please, give us a call at 303-674-0148, Email us at markenglishrealestate@msn.com or visit us on the web at www.evergreencoloradoliving.com . Don’t forget to register for Your FREE BUYER INCENTIVES.

THE NEW BUILDING CODE FOR GREEN BUILDING AND EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

THE NEW BUILDING CODE FOR GREEN BUILDING AND EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE

 

Another new standard for the Green Building Code is that you must increase the insulation in a Mass Wall. The code defines a Mass Wall as an above grade wall made of concrete blocks, concrete, insulated concrete forms, masonry cavities, brick, earth, adobe, compressed earth, solid timber logs.

 

The reason for the change is to over come what is know as thermal lag. This slows down the time it takes for cold or hot temperatures to transfer from the outside to the inside of the structure. Building materials like concrete and logs have notoriously poor insulating value and this code requirement is meant to compensate for this. This will mandate more insulation so the cost will rise. This is a good improvement since materials like logs, although most people think that they are good insulators, really are not.

 

We have 40 years experience in building custom homes. We are an EVERGREEN COLORADO CUSTOM HOME BUILDER and would be happy to talk to you about Your dream home. We have three different construction programs for you to choose from. We will show you how to take your project from conception, through land selection and financing to final move in. Please, give us a call at 303-674-0148, Email us at markenglishbuilder@msn.com or visit us on the web at www.evergreencoloradoliving.com  

THE LEED PROGRAM AND EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

THE LEED PROGRAM AND EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE

 

The new anagram in the building business is the LEED program. The LEED program is the child of the U.S, Green Building Council (USGBC) and is one of the national programs which defines “Green Building.” The LEED program itself stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

 

It is a system that codities, informs, and guides the green builder as they begin the green journey and it also provides a regimented rating system to the final product which can be a new selling feature to the enviornmentally conscience buyer. Builders who want to make the change can become LEED-certified and their homes can be rated for both energy efficiency and enviornmental impact.

 

There has been much controversy over exactly what building green means and there are other programs which attenpt to define the process. In our next article we will introduce you to another system.

 

When shopping for a house You need a PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE BROKER who can advise, and educate you about what the house offers and what it does not. You need to examine the property and estimate the cost of bringing the home into the 21st century. We here at MARK ENGLISH REAL ESTATE are also an EVERGREEN COLORADO CUSTOM HOME BUILDER and we can tell you what it will take to update, and we can draft an offer on the property that will reflect the changes needed. We can also budget the costs and arrange for the financing. Helping people with all their EVRERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE needs is what we do. We are MARK ENGLISH REAL ESTATE, MARK ENGLISH CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS, and DISCOUNT MORTGAGE SERVICES (www.aloan2own.com) and Your one stop shop for all Your Realty needs. Please give us a call at 303-674-0148, Email us at markenglishrealestate@msn.com or visit us on the web at www.evergreencoloradoliving.com . Don’t forget to register for Your FREE BUYER INCENTIVES.

THE SAD HISTORY OF THE FEDERAL BANKING SYSTEM FOR EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

THE SAD HISTORY OF THE FEDERAL BANKING SYSTEM FOR EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE

 

President Andrew Jackson fought hard throughout his presidency to eliminate the federal banking system. This was a great victory for the common man and the working man and women. Now the Hugh money interests would have to work for their wealth just as every other citizen instead of gaining wealth on the backs of the workers, entrepreneurs and tax payers. Although this large economic monopoly was down it was not totally defeated and returned again in 1916 when president Wilson and the greedy politicians in power again sold out America to a central banking system called the Federal Reserve.

                        

The Federal Reserve is neither Federal nor does it have any substantial Reserves. It is a private bank owned by private companies. It is not listed in the phone book under the Federal Government. The stated purpose of the bank was to satisfy the credit and currency needs of the country. In short, their mandate was to supply money by creating it. The Government is the only constitutionally legitimate creator of the currency. The right to create money is much too powerful a right to delegate to any private entity. The results were inevitable; the Federal Reserve, serving its own private interests, has caused every major and minor economic recession and depression since their inception.

 

The Fed has again caused the current credit crunch we are experiencing. Along with the right to create money out of thin air the Fed was also given the mandate to regulate the banks. The failure of the derivatives and the swaps that caused the meltdown were enthusiastically embraced by the Federal Reserve. Now they are in charge of the clean up – a job they are totally incapable of performing.

 

How can a small investor compete in such a corrupt system? They can not. Whether you are a liberal, a conservative, and young or old you need to understand the basics to personally profit. We can help. Please give us a call. We are MARK ENGLISH REAL ESTATE and we are PROFESSIONAL EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE BROKERS. We have the experience and know how to protect You and Your financial assets. We are also an EVERGREEN COLORADO CUSTOME HOME BUILDER and can represent you in every transaction from land purchase to complete home. Contact us at 303-674-0148, Email us at markenglishrealestate@msn.com or visit us on the web at www.evergreencoloradoliving.com . We are now offering FREE BUYER INCENTIVES for all our Real Estate and Mortgage customers, so please register on our web site.

BUILDING GREEN IN EVERGREEN COLORADO

Thursday, May 7th, 2009

BUILDING GREEN IN EVERGREEN COLORADO

 

One of the most effective things we can do to save energy is to install a Geothermal system to heat and cool our new home. Geothermal uses the temperature in the ground to heat and cool the house. The ground temperature is a constant 55 degrees, and with a heat pump designed for a geothermal system, we can heat the home up to 70 degrees without a problem. In the summer months we reverse the process and cool the house by extracting the heat out of the air.

 

The process begins with burying pipes 7 to 9 feet in the ground (you can also drill a well type hole) and laying in the pipe so that it will move either warm liquid to the house in the winter, and from the house in the summer. Once the heat pump is installed you will need to run hot water pipes throughout the home. Radiant floor heat works well with this kind of system but wall heaters are OK. For the air conditioning you will also have to run cooling ducts.

 

The cost is high but you should expect to save 70% on your heating bill in the winter and your cooling bills in the summer. There are some credits and rebates available from state and federal agencies, and some utility companies will also provide incentives. The payback will be somewhere around 5 to 6 years out at current energy costs.

 

There are other systems that you can use to help save on you hot water, and cooking costs. Please, give us a call and we will show you how to build Green. We have 40 years experience in building custom homes. We are an EVERGREEN COLORADO CUSTOM HOME BUILDER and would be happy to talk to you about Your dream home. We have three different construction programs for you to choose from. We will show you how to take your project from conception, through land selection and financing to final move in. Please, give us a call at 303-674-0148, Email us at markenglishbuilder@msn.com or visit us on the web at www.evergreencoloradoliving.com  

EVERGREEN COLORADO CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS

Sunday, March 22nd, 2009

FENESTRATION THE KEY TO ENERGY EFFICENCY

 

Fenestration is the design and placement of the windows in a building. If You want to build an energy efficient home, Your use of natural sunlight is key; and window and the window placement is crucial. This is why it is so important to hire a professional who understands building energy efficient homes when you shop for Your land. The house placement on the land and the solar exposure must be considered when buying the land. But why are the windows so important?

 

First of all, the windows will leverage the solar energy of the sun. The windows will need to be purchased anyway, and the energy extracted from the passive solar fuel cost nothing. All the high tech systems from panels, to geothermal, to high density sprayed insulation will cost much more that in conventional construction, but the passive solar costs you nothing – so let’s maximize its potential.

 

Second, studies show that we are all happier when we have lots of daylight, rather than artificial light, and artificial light costs while daylight is free. So we want to put in skylights and/or clerestory windows to allow the sun light to penetrate the interior on the home even on overcast days.

 

Third, to minimize heat loss from the windows we need high-performance, argon gas filled glazing, with a low U- factor to save the heat we gained. Please note, great windows do not necessarily equate to high prices – you need to know how to shop for the right product.

 

We need careful window placement for cross ventilation to cool the home in the summer and provide clean fresh air to maintain superior interior air quality.

 

The roof line must be carefully designed to block out the solar heat in the summer time and allow the home the cool summer breezes or to protect any air conditioning.

 

Finally, we must be wise in choosing a heating system that will complement our solar efforts and not thwart them. We are MARK ENGLISH CUSTOM BUILDERS and an EVERGREEN COLORADO CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS and can help you make the right decisions and save You money. These are a few of the important things You should weigh carefully before making a decision. Give us a call at MARK ENGLISH REAL ESTATE at 303-674-0148, Email us at markenglishrealestate@msn.com or visit us on the web at www.EvergreenColoradoLiving.com and let’s go over all the factors involved. Don’t forget to register for Your FREE BUYER INCENTIVES.

HIGH EFFICIENCY VERSUS ENVIORNMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Sunday, March 15th, 2009

HIGH EFFICIENCY VERSUS ENVIORNMENTALLY FRIENDLY

 

Most customers I speak to equate building a high efficiency home to building an environmentally friendly home. Although the two are related they are not the same thing. A high efficiency home will take advantage of any solar energy, or use fossil fuel in a stingy manner, which will save the home owner money once they make an initial increased investment.

 

An environmental friendly home uses methods and materials that will not impact the environment but are not necessarily efficient. For example, You could separate all the waste generated during the construction process and recycle it. This is an added cost of a thousand to two thousand dollars a house which will save you nothing either now or in the future. You could use a composting septic system, which works like an old fashioned out house with a high tech twist, but lacks the luxury and ambiance of a modern bathroom. You could use only biodegradable chemicals for the construction and painting of your new home but you would suffer the durability and quality finish that traditional products afford. You could reseed with native grasses and plants, but will lose that sod like yard so many people enjoy. You could use natural fiber carpet underlayment, rather than synthetic, but You will need to replace the pad every 5-6 years.

 

So, as You can see, You can make a commitment to the environment but it will cost You time, money and convenience. You decide.

 

We are an EVERGREEN COLORADO CUSTOM HOME BUILDER and will be happy to discuss Your building plans with You. So give us a call at 303-674-0148, Email us at markenglishbuilder@msn.com or visit us on the web at www.EvergreenColoradoLiving.com . We are the one stop shop for all Your EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE and CONIFER COLORADO REAL ESTATE needs- from Real Estate; to building to financing we will save You time and money. Don’t forget to register for Your FREE BUYER INCENTIVES.

BUILDING GREEN

Wednesday, March 11th, 2009

DEFINING HIGH EFFICIENCY BY AN EVERGREEN COLORADO CUSTOM HOME BUILDER

 

Before You can begin the process of transforming Your home into a lean mean energy stingy machine; You need to clearly define the jargon used by the industry that describes the features You are shopping for. Only by firmly understanding what You are looking for, will You be able to know when You found it. In short, an educated buyer is the wise buyer. Here are a few terms You need to know:

 

AFUE – Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency – How efficiently Your equipment uses energy – a 98% unit will give You .98 cents worth of heat for every dollar spent.

 

BTU – British Thermal Unit – The unit of measurement for heat – the amount of energy to raise one lb. of water 1 degree.

 

COP – Coefficient of Performance – The ratio of energy input to heating of cooling output – the higher the COP the more energy efficient the system.

 

EER – Energy Efficiency Ratio – The total energy efficiency as it relates to fuel usage – It is the net BTU divided by the wattage. The higher the rating the more energy efficient the unit is.

 

HSFP – Heating Seasonal Performance Factor – Is the heating efficiency of a heat pump. The higher the factor the lower will be the cost to operate the equipment.

 

MERV – Minimum Energy Reporting Value – Measures the efficiency of the air filters – The higher the MERV number the more efficient the filter.

 

SEER – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio – The air conditioning efficiency of an air conditioner or a heat pump. The higher the number the lower will be the cost to operate the unit.

 

I hope this helps You to be a more informed buyer. Please note that the more energy efficient a unit is the more “Green” it is because it is saving energy resources and cutting way back on polluting emissions.

 

If you are thinking of renovating or remodeling, please give us a call. We are an EVERGREEN COLORADO CUSTOM HOME BUILDER and will be happy to discuss Your building plans with You. Please contact us at 303-674-0148, Email us at markenglishbuilder@msn.com , or visit us on the web at www.EvergreenColoradoLiving.com . We are the ONE STOP SHOP for all Your EVERGREEN COLORADO REAL ESTATE and CONIFER COLORADO REAL ESTATE needs- from Real Estate; to building, to financing; we will save You time and money. Don’t forget to register for Your FREE BUYER INCENTIVES.