Efficient Floor Plans

Not every stock home plan comes with Green features and Energy Saving workings.
But you can easily add to the plans and make it Green and efficient.
For example, the first thing you would consider would be the intelligent “Siting” of your new home location. On every conceivable lot, there are bearings to face the house for improved energy performance and for increased comfort.
The primary objective would be to plan the site in regard the path of the sun. A lesser consideration would be prevailing winds.
The next thing you would consider would be changing the exterior wall thickness from 2x4 studs to 2x6 framing. While the additional strength of the thicker wall would be a plus, the big benefit for your family will be the extra insulation, and the reduced energy use for the life of the home.
You might even want to change your house plan to specify Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) in the construction of your outside walls. The energy performance of these products is miles ahead of stud framing of any kind and should be a “green” change to be considered.
So the simplest and most effective measures you can undertake to Green up your house plans: Site the house smart in relation to the sun, and revamp your exterior walls to either SIPs or 2x6 construction so that additional r-values are part of your home’s future.
We’ll talk more soon about these ideas and more…

Selecting a Green Lot

So you're ready to build that efficient and environmentally friendly home. First things first… Do you have a lot to build on? If not, I suggest you get one first. It's best to purchase a lot before you commit to a specific house plan. In most cases you can modify any house plan to fit your lot, but, it's much more difficult to find a lot that will always accommodate a specific house plan. Think about your lifestyle when choosing your lot. Do you have children? Do you have a green thumb? How much yard are you willing to maintain? How important is it to be close to schools, grocery stores, and work? These are important questions to ask yourself, as the old saying goes ... location location location.
Now lets look at the lot. How is the land situated? When choosing a lot with "green" objectives, you will want to take the path of the sun, the corridors of the wind and the slope of the land into your primary factors. Considering how the sun rises and sets on your lot will help you decide on which side of the house you want certain rooms to be, such as a sunroom or screened porch.
Many experts will agree that a gently sloping lot, with a south-facing slope, would be ideal. If your house was located midway between the top and the bottom of that slope, it would be all the better, as you would avoid winter’s cold blast from the north. If you can determine the direction of the winter and summer winds (they usually come from different directions), you can incorporate that into your selection process; since you will want a lot where you can divert or block the winter chill, but channel and exploit the summer breezes. Save as many existing tree's as possible. Trees provide shade in the summer months, but help block cold winds in the winter. Knowing what kind of views you have will also help you select a house plan that will take advantage of the natural setting of the lot. So, Choose a house plan that will best compliment the natural surroundings of the land.