Green Building is Simply A Way of Life For Us
We know that green building is about stewardship: of resources, of finances, and of the environment. At Degnan Design-Build-Remodel, the principles of stewardship are part of our core values, so green building is a natural part of our process. We approach green building in three ways: through our Business Practices, through the decision making process with our clients, and in our personal decisions.
Business Practices
- Cardboard Recycling and proper debris disposal
- Job site toilet provision if facilities are not available
- Erosion control and tracking prevention from the site
- Building code compliance
- Inclusion of landscaping in most contracts
- Helping clients to weigh the costs
- We build with Focus on Energy’s New Homes Program, and implement Home Performance with ENERGY STAR consultations into remodeling. We verify and quantify our performance with pre- and post-testing.
- We recommend high efficiency furnaces and air conditioners that are over and above codes, using ECM furnace blowers, 14 SEER air conditioners, or even super-efficient heat pumps.
- We recommend future-proofing by including solar energy and renewable-ready measures in your project as the budget allows.
- We work with professional resources to capture subsidies and tax credits when available.
- We design homes efficiently with an emphasis on efficient use of space, energy, and of resource for a lower total cost of operation.
- We help you choose locally produced or sustainably harvested building materials that require less shipping and have less impact on the envirionment.
Personal Decisions
- We work with written Trade Contractor Agreements and Scopes of Work to ensure that quality, recycling and other performance standards are met.
- We choose geographically local jobs when possible, and local trade contractors when appropriate.
- We choose vehicles that are appropriate to our business and family needs while taking efficiency into account.
Our Recommendations Results In Homes The Have the Following;
- Mold Growth Prevention - This is accomplished with our intelligent wall system, exterior foundation insulation, and under-slab insulation for basement floors.
- Proper Mechanical Ventilation - Fresh air make-up, air-to-air exchangers, whole house dehumidification, and ultra-quiet bathroom ventilation fans. We say “Build tight, ventilate right.
- Dust Control - Central vacuum systems make dust removal easy because your vacuum is always at hand. We use the BuildClean Dust Control System during construction.
- High Efficiency Air Filtration - We spec the best filtration systems for furnaces and air conditioning systems.
- ECM Brushless Blowers - An Electronically Commutated Motor variable speed blower on your furnace can run continuously, slowly, and quietly to filter air and reduce dust in your home.