Everyone is more aware of the environment these days, and the good news is you don’t have to sacrifice quality of life in order to save the planet – and some Green homebuilding choices can even save you some money! Here are a few ways you can make your new Signature Home more environmentally friendly:

• When you choose your building site, look for one that will allow either the front or the back of your home to face the South. This will allow for lots of natural light and heat, letting you keep the electric lights turned off for most of the day. It will also let you leave the heater off later into the Fall, without sacrificing comfort. Be sure to plan plenty of windows on the South side of the house to take advantage of all that sunlight.
   
• Choose Energy Star windows with a low-E coating. These windows have double panes (some have triple panes!) with inert gas trapped between the panes, providing extra insulation. This prevents heated or cooled air from leaking out of your home.
   
• Choose Energy Star appliances for your new home. Energy Star rated appliances use between 10-50% less energy than standard appliances, without a drop in quality.
   
• Talk to your Signature Homes designer about using high efficiency heating and cooling equipment.
   
• Be sure to ask your builder what specifically they do to ensure a tight building envelop. At Signature Homes we use a house wrap with taped joints and flashings at windows, all penetrations are caulked or foamed, and advanced framing techniques including “California corners” as well as installing insulation and house wrap in areas that are inaccessible after framing are used.

With some planning there are several options you can do to increase the comfort and efficiency of your home. A Signature Homes designer will be able to guide you to the Green options that fit your lifestyle, your budget, and your desire to reduce your impact on the environment.