Austin Energy Green Building’s™ Green Home Checklist
Austin Energy Green Building’s™ Green Home Checklist
Make Your Home a Greener Place to Live
A green home is an earth and people-friendly home, protecting the health of your family and the environment. It’s a more comfortable, durable, higher quality home. It’s easier and more economical to live in because it’s low-maintenance and energy and water efficient.
Our Green Home Checklist will help you make a more informed choice about your home. Review your home (since there’s always room for improvement) or a home you are interested in with this checklist in hand.
The Right Site
A site with smart landscaping is important to help make your home comfortable, affordable and attractive.
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Water-efficient Bermuda or buffalo grass is planted in sunny areas. |
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Plants, shrubs and trees that grow successfully in Central Texas are chosen. Use the Native Plant Search as a guideline. |
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Gutters and downspouts direct water away from house. |
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An irrigation system conserves water by using devices such as manual flow-control valves, a rain shut-off, and a timer with multiple start times. |
The Right Design
Comfort and economy are possible when a house is designed for its site and climate.
Minimal Solar Heat Gain:
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Longest walls face north and south. |
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Most windows face north and south. |
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Most windows are shaded on the outside by overhangs, covered porches, awnings, trees, trellises, or pergolas. |
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Garage and least-used rooms are positioned on west side as buffers from the west sun. |
Maximum Ventilation:
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Most windows are operable and positioned for cross breezes. |
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Most rooms have windows on two walls. |
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High, centrally-located, operable windows enable hot air to move up and vent to the outside. |
The Right Exterior
Cool Shell and Attic:
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Light colored paint, siding, and roofing are used. |
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A continuous vent strip runs underneath the roof overhang to let air into the attic. |
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Roof ridge has a continuous strip of venting or several passive vents close to the ridge. |
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Attic insulation does not block air flow path between roof overhang vents and ridge vents. |
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Attic has a radiant barrier below the roof decking or between the rafters (looks like aluminum foil). Radiant barrier is especially effective when ductwork is in the attic. |
Minimum Maintenance:
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Exterior wall material is low maintenance (brick, stone, stucco, cement board). |
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Roof has forty-year life (metal or tile). |
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Decks are made of materials that have at least a 10-year life (not solid wood). |
Maximum Insulation:
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Insulation is at least 10 inches deep and evenly distributed. (Attic insulation if far more important in the Central Texas climate than wall insulation.) |
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Wall insulation is a type that fills every nook and cranny, such as wet-blown cellulose. |
Optimal Windows:
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Unshaded windows have solar screens or low-e glass (except on the north side). |
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No skylights except solar tubes. (Solar tubes are okay.) |
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Window frames are wood, vinyl or fiberglass. |
The Right Interior
Using the right materials can improve indoor air quality and increase comfort. Choosing energy efficient appliances will save you money.
Healthy Materials:
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Flooring is mostly hard surface, such as concrete, tile or wood. |
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Other flooring materials are natural wool, jute, sea grass, cork or true linoleum. |
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No vinyl wallpaper is used in the home. |
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Bath has exhaust fan vented to outside. |
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Cook top has exhaust fan vented to outside. |
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Laundry/utility room has exhaust fan vented to outside. |
Efficient Appliances and Lights:
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Water heating has a 10-year warranty. |
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An Energy Guide Label that indicates the appliance is in the top 25% of the efficiency scale. |
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Exterior lights have light and motion detectors to conserve energy. |
Efficient Heating and Cooling
Effective Cooling Equipment:
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Ceiling fans in all major rooms. |
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Home has a whole-house fan to exhaust heat. |
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Home has a programmable thermostat. |
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Home has an A/C with a cooling efficiency is 12.0 SEER or higher. |
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Cooling system is “the right size” for the house. As a rule, if there are fewer than 600 sq. ft. of living space per ton of cooling, the unit is too big or the house is not designed for this climate. Ask a trained technician about a Manual J analysis, based on actual design and specifications. For our climate, oversized equipment does not run long enough to operate efficiently or dehumidify enough comfort. |
Well-sealed Ducts:
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Ducts have been pressure-tested for leaks by a qualified technician. Remember, most houses lose about 25% of conditioned air due to leaky ducts. Leaks cause air quality and safety problems, too. |
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With AC running, no cold air drafts at the duct joints and other connections. |
Air Filters:
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The filter is accessible and easy to change. |
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The system has a 6″ wide filter cabinet with pleated-media or electronic filter (not electrostatic). |
The Right Economy
Using local businesses and products keeps the local economy healthy, while reducing the affects of transportation on Austin’s air quality.
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Regional materials such as mesquite, native cedar, pecan wood, local brick, limestone, and granite are used. |
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Services of local artists and artisans are used for items such as cabinetry, wall murals, and decorative metal work. |
The Right Lifestyle
The right location of your home improves your quality of life.
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The home is conveniently located for activities such as work, school, entertainment, recreation, and public transportation. |
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Traffic allows safe walking and biking. |
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The home has a front porch big enough to use. |