With the most powerful solar energy systems on the planet you can virtually eliminate your electric bill and start saving from day one. Not only do high efficiency solar panels from SunPower work harder for you day after day, they’ll also blend into your roof, thanks to the SunPower® Signature™ black solar panel design.
Integrated Concrete Forms (ICFs) serve as a forming system for poured concrete walls. The ICFs remain in place and become part of the wall structure. Reward forms are made of expanded polystyrene (EPS), a material similar to that in styrofoam ice chests you can buy at the grocery store. The forms consist of two panels of EPS held together by plastic ties which are embedded into the foam to hold the form together.
Built on a modest lot in an Ann Arbor neighborhood, this duplex was the city’s first LEED® Platinum and LEED® Gold homes. Green features include insulated concrete form (ICF) walls and structural insulated panel (SIP) roofs with a geothermal HVAC system. With finished basements and attics the duplex creatively uses vertical space to maximize square footage.
To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.
LEED for Homes is a voluntary rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes, including affordable housing, mass-production homes, custom designs, single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses, suburban and urban apartments and condominiums and lofts in historic buildings.
The RESNET website is a one-stop solution where homeowners can learn about the energy audit and rating processes, and search the RESNET directory to find certified energy auditors and raters and qualified contractors and builders.
Alliance for Environmental Sustainability is a non-profit organization with a mission of providing sustainable building education to the general public and building industry.
