Sustainable Design Initiatives
The building sector has two options moving forward:
Continue to run business-as-usual regardless of any consequential environmental damage that may result OR become a leader in the global shift towards climate change mitigation and adaptation.
What can you do
Whether you are a homeowner, builder, customer, all of the above, or none of the above, you have the potential to be a pioneer in the sustainability movement. Remain ahead of the game by learning more about the innovative initiatives taking place in an effort to transform sustainable dreams to a reality.
Sustainable Design Initiatives: Build Smart. Build Green.
Department of Energy’s Building America: Bringing Building Innovations to Market
The Building America Program conducts innovative research, development & deployment projects in residential buildings in order to improve industry standards and building codes. Through a collaboration of DOE national laboratories, building science teams and leading industry players, Building America is able to develop and demonstrate technical solutions while overcoming market barriers. Since 1995, households across the nation saved up to $54 billion and avoided the emissions of 500 million tons of carbon dioxide.
For optimal success based on historical data and current market needs, Building America focuses on the following three housing technology areas:
High Performance Moisture Managed Envelope Solutions
Optimal Comfort Systems for Low-Load Homes
Optimal Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality Solutions
The following are examples of innovative solutions achieved by Building America:
Increased insulation in homes by 50% through alternative construction techniques
Improved the efficiency of home heating and cooling systems by up to 30%
Improved the indoor air quality of homes
High R-value walls
Developed solutions for insulating and sealing attics and basement crawl spaces
““Building America focuses on available savings opportunities by going beyond equipment efficiency and addressing other key aspects of homes and their systems (e.g., thermal integrity, heating and cooling systems).””
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Rmax is proud to support Habitat for Humanity in hopes of building a better future, one house at a time.
Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in approximately 70 countries around the world to support people and families in need of a decent and affordable home.
Habitat is committed to sustainable – or “green” – building, which they define as designing and constructing houses that are efficient and durable, that use fewer resources, are healthy to live in and are affordable.
Not only does Habitat considers walls fundamental to the ability for a building envelope to effectively insulate, seal air and control moisture, but it also finds foam sheathing to be superior in terms of energy and cost savings, ease of installation and protection against condensation.
““Habitat defines sustainable building or Green building as providing housing for people with methods and processes that create healthy homes and communities that are less expensive to operate, more durable, and that conserve resources throughout construction and after.” ”