Best House Floor Plans

This time of year, many homeowners find themselves exploring new home floor plans and making considerations for an aesthetic renovation. Prior to embarking upon any beautification project, green building architects emphasize the importance of updating the water system, electricity, home’s heat and air conditioning system. Since building green saves money over the life of a home, it makes for an astute investment.

Although it’s true that new home floor plans have a way of breathing new life into a home’s architecture, many heating and cooling contractors advise that homeowners start with an energy efficiency update, as in the whole-house system’s approach.

The whole-house systems approach affords a bevy of advantages. Primarily, these energy efficiency components are devised precisely to curtail both maintenance and utility costs. Even more appealing are the health, safety, home floor plan durability and comfortable living characteristics that the whole-house systems approach affords. In other words, these element play an critical role in building green.

Green building evaluates everything from how the occupants interact in the space, the climate to other  other home floor plan components, including:

• Insulation and air sealing
• Entrances, Doors, skylights, and windows, doors
• Water heating
• Natural light and lighting
• Space heating and cooling
• Energy efficient appliances and home electronics

As a result, the efficacy of using the whole house system’s approach to determine the design strategy for the new house floor plan is vital.  Consider the following green building elements to help select the right home floor plan:

• Earth-sheltered
• Energy Homes
• Log Homes
• Manufactured Homes
• Solar House Plans
• Straw Bale Homes

Be sure to bookmark Best House Floor Plans and More as we will be reviewing the aforementioned floor plans upcoming weeks.

If you’re planning to have your home architected using green building processes, the proceeding questions and answers illustrate the basics for green building and provide a few detail about building a new house plan.  

What is LEED?

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System used to be a commercial construction option.  Growing in popularity among homeowners, the green building construction process requires certification to meet various green building benchmarks.

Which organization has oversight over Leadership in Energy an Environmental Design?

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) oversees and helps set the  standards for building homes and buildings in accordance  LEED® building. The USGBC developed benchmarks, which are nationally accepted. LEED® ratings evaluate green building based on three rudimentary criteria: design, construction and the reduction of carbon emission via high-performance environmentally sound buildings.

Which types of home energy construction potentially qualify for LEED® construction?

Geothermal energy and solar energy projects are generally applicable for LEED. Both work to decrease fossil fuels consumption. Since, geothermal energy is a derivative of the earth, it is practically unlimited, requiring minimal energy.

On the other hand, solar energy is quite versatile. With numerous mounting options, roof, shingles, walls, ceilings, and windows, the multi-purposed systems heat water, warm and cool the home.

Are there specific grading systems for LEED?

Yes, the USGBC developed a Green Building Rating System for LEED®, which includes the following rating levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Certified. Rating levels are determined by certified contractors.

Aside from building a home that is better for the environment, what are the benefits of green building?

The other advantages and incentives for LEED green building  include the following:

• Architect a healthier place to live
• Conserve on water and energy
• Minimize carbon emissions, which are detrimental to the planet’s eco-system
• Take advantage of various zoning allowances and tax credits
• Lower operational costs, which increase the property’s asset value
• Decrease the amount of waste, which ends up in landfills

Click on LEED Green Building to read about putting your constructing your new house plan into action.

There are several misconceptions about the design and green qualities of the modular home. In this installment of Best House Floor Plans, we’re evaluating five common fallacies associated with the home built off-site:

Fallacy #1: Modular homes require almost a year to build.
On the contrary and depending on the size of the modular home, the factory built domicile has an assembly time of three to five days. Once the modular home is transported to the construction site, it requires only two to three months of construction time, compared to the conventional home, which requires nine months to a year for completion.

Fallacy#2: Modular homes are more expensive to build.
According to national averages reported by architects, modular homes are 10 to 20 percent more cost effective than the standard built home.

Fallacy #3: Since, modular homes have to be transported from point “A” to its final site location, the factory built home is not green.Actually, many factory built homes are developed in accordance to a rating system, mandated by the U.S. Green Building Council. An example is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). These pre-constructed homes are by far more energy efficient to live in.

Fallacy#4: The home built by module has only one insipid home style.
Contrary to popular belief, modular homes are architected into a myriad of style options:

Colonial
Contemporary
Contemporary
Dutch colonial
Georgian
Mediterranean
Victorian

Fallacy #5: The building green concept is a marketing ploy used to promote the modular home building industry.
Several years before going green or being eco-friendly was popularized, modular manufactures analyzed the amount of waste and its effect on the environment. The findings showed that significantly more building materials end up in landfills during standard home builds than the pre-fabricated home.

Moreover, the home floor plan, erected by module is green because it offers three redeeming qualities:

-    It is environmentally conducive for the occupant, as well as the planet
-    Decreases homeowner’s operational costs on energy
-    Has a substantially smaller carbon footprint

In summation, modular homes are not only eco-friendly, but exude highly stylized characteristics, often indistinguishable to the traditional constructed home.

Read more on Modular Home Design.

Related Articles:

What is a Modular home?

How Modular Homes and Manufactured Homes Differ

Building a Modular Home

Why Build Modular?

Prefab homes sprout green designs, improve affordability

Prefab Homes Green and Energy Efficient

With the green home movement continuing to gain steam, earth homes are continuing to gain popularity. Earth homes are known for their natural materials. They are known for being comfortable, affordable, and energy efficient. They can help homeowners cut down on fuel costs and increase natural lighting.

 House Plans and More’s resource center features several articles on living green, green building, and building materials. Get the facts on going green before building your new home. A great design can help decrease costs and let the sun shine in.

 The Rundown

Check out the Down to Earth Homes article on at MotherEarthNews.com to get more facts.

GulfBreezeNews.com has a great article on designing your Earth Style home.