Sustainable Buildings
• People need to be aware of how they can contribute to the environment • Sustainable homes not only lower energy costs, but they help out the environment • Buildings represent 70% of the US consumption of energy • More people need to move to sustainable homes to help lower this percent
4 Things to Improve a Home • • • •
Geothermal Heating Green Roofs Wind Power Solar Power
Geothermal Heating
How it Works • Uses the earth’s temperature to either heat or cool the house • Exchanges heat with the ground instead of the air • The ground temperature stays at a relatively constant temperature
Costs • Normally yields the lowest utility bills of any residential system • Costs between $15,000 and $20,000 • Costs a lot because of all the drilling involved • Uses 40%-70% less energy than conventional systems
Green Roofs
Benefits • • • • •
Protects building from ultraviolet rays Doubles the lifespan of the roof Lowers temperature on the roof Decreases water runoff Improves quality of the air
Costs • Energy savings up to 20% • Cost $1 to $6 more per sq. ft. than regular roofs • The US is trying to catch up with other nations percent of green roofs • The US is increasing their percent
Wind Power
Benefits • Wind power is the world’s fastest growing energy technology • Wind power is only second to natural gas • The US is increasing their percent • Best suited for homes on at least an acre of land • Wind speeds increase with height
Costs • A 10 kilowatt turbine can range from $40,000$50,000 • Many states have incentives • Wind turbines generate power for homes in almost every state
Solar Power
• Homes with solar power are selling twice as fast as homes without • 92% of solar power owners recommend it to their friends • Solar Power systems take awhile to be installed
Costs • Break even point is up to 10 years • Save 20%-30% on electric bills • A typical 2 kilowatt solar home system costs between $14,000 and $20,000