So, with the new energy code looming, that basically makes new homes and major renovations more air tight than ever, people are asking us if houses need to breathe.  The answer is yes, and it is more important now than ever. Houses need a mechanism in place to allow warm moist air to move out of the house in a controlled and predicatable fashion. There are only two ways to do that, first is to have bath fans run continously when people are in the house.  The second is with a heat recovery ventilator, that brings fresh air into a house, and evacuates air at a set rate.  Our experience has been that the heat recovery ventilator, although more expensive than the bath fan solution, is a much better way of controlling fresh air exchange in a home.

Here is an article on the subject from housingzone.com : http://www.housingzone.com/green-energy-efficiency/building-science-do-houses-need-breathe

     Custom Builders are constantly asked questions about green construction, and sustainable or environmentally friendly products.  There are two distinct sides of the green construction concept.  Firste ther are green products, which are generally from renewable or sustainable resources, and also products that are healthy for the indoor environment.  Second is green building technology which consists of advanced insulation and waterproofing techniques, and high efficiency, or sustainable heating, cooling, and power generation systems.

      Our experience over the last several years has taught us that despite the innovative technology used in developing many of these products, many of these products and techniques are still unproven. The Green Building movement is still in its infancy, and there have been several problems with moisture, mold, and building envelope failures over even a short period of time.  At REEF, we have taken the time to assess and evaluate many of the current and future green building concepts, and we have found proven, yet highly efficient and safe products that work. Our team of experts prides themselves in staying current on Green trends and techniques.

     There are several Green Building concepts that we really like.  As a matter of fact, 3 years ago, REEF invested in photovoltaic solar panels on our own office building here on Cape Cod, and the results have been fantastic! 

Here is an interesting article from Risk Magazine that highlights some of the current problems with green building products.

http://www.natlawreview.com/article/inexperience-and-unproven-products-risks-sustainable-construction

So this is one of my favorite times of the year, when everyone comes out with their predictions and evaluations on the best products, trends, and ideas in our business.  Here is the 2011 product review by Architectural Record: hhttp://archrecord.construction.com/products/productreports/2011.asp  Now some of these products are not directly related to the residential construction, remodeling and renovation business. However, you will see these ideas translated into residential styles and trends over the next few years.

Given the green construction trends, and building codes requiring higher energy efficiency, many customers consider a complete heating system upgrade as part of a major renovation or remodeling project.  The Energy Star program provides a lot of good information and tips to improve your existing system, without a substantial cost... Click here to find out more. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_hvac

We are always asked if green construction or green home improvements are worth it.  Check out this return on investment chart from Green and Save.com

http://www.greenandsave.com/master_roi_table.html