How Green are We?
You Decide
We could pay people with measuring sticks and quality
meters to come check our houses, but we’d rather spend that money adding
something of value. Like Healthier
Choice Green carpet pad. Or a 90%
efficient gas furnace. Below are some of the
things we’ve incorporated into each Overlook home to make it earth-friendly,
while keeping it people-affordable.
Grab your paper and pencil.
Let us know how we measure up!
Heating & Cooling
-
Each house features a 90% efficient gas furnace.
While it’s cool to be green, it’s also cool to be warm.
-
Most windows are operable, providing good ventilation
when the weather warms up.
Insulation
-
You can’t see it, but behind those walls is
formaldehyde-free insulation.
While not everyone has a reaction to formaldehyde, why test your immune
system?
-
We’ve also added closed cell insulation beneath the
rooftop decks. This type of
insulation helps prevent moisture build up that can occur when you have to
insulate a tight area.
Lighting
-
Each home boasts 50% fluorescent lighting.
-
We’ve increased the size and number of windows to bring
in as much natural light as possible.
Even on a gloomy day, your house will be bright and cheery!
-
Exterior lights are on a photocell.
You don’t have to remember to turn them off—the rising sun will do it
for you.
Exterior
Shell
-
Did we mention our windows are Low-E?
This helps reflect direct sunlight during hot days.
A side benefit: your furniture
doesn’t fade as easily.
-
We use
James Hardie
siding. We like it for a number
of reasons:
1.
It lasts a long time.
2.
It paints well.
3.
It looks good.
4.
It’s recyclable.
-
We’re using a roofing product on your home called
IB
Traditions. The company
touts it as “The Best Roof You’ll Ever Own!”
We call it simply wonderful.
It’s designed to resist strong winds, wind-driven rain, algae, mold, and
ultraviolet rays. It’s also
EnergyStar listed and comes with a Lifetime Material Warranty.
Interiors
-
We’ve used
low VOC paint both inside and out.
Take a deep breath and you’ll notice the difference.
-
Our carpet is green and so is the pad.
We’re using sustainable bamboo wood floors.
And that unfamiliar floor in your utility room and main bath?
It’s
Armstrong’s Marmorette linoleum—a sustainable product you can feel good
about.
-
We’ve sealed your heat ducts during construction to keep
dust and debris out of them. After
you move in, you shouldn’t be reaching for the dust cloth quite as often.
Cabinetry
-
Our cabinetry comes from Pacific Crest Industries in
Sumner. They’re local—which means
your cabinets didn’t make a cross-country trek in the back of a tractor
trailer—and Pacific Crest Industries has received the Environmental
Stewardship
Program seal of certification.
You can learn more about the company that made your cabinets by visiting
www.pacificcrestindustries.com.
We think you’ll be impressed. We
were.
-
As far as cabinetry goes, we’re doing our part, too:
we’ve made sure every kitchen has a built-in recycling center.
Appliances
-
Each home is outfitted with a full complement of
appliances. Your washing machine,
dishwasher and refrigerator are all EnergyStar.
-
You also have a 63% efficient gas hot water tank.
Landscaping
-
We’ve gotten rid of the lawn.
It’s not a traditional Northwest look, but we’re thinking you might
be a little non-traditional yourself.
Right-Sizing
-
We sat down with a local architect to create designs that
maximize openness while reducing actual square footage.
Floorplans range from about 1800 to 2300 square feet.
But you’d be hard-pressed to tell.
Look around—not much has been sacrificed.
Adequate number of bedrooms.
Check. Ample storage.
Check. Roomy Kitchen.
Check. Full-sized master
suite….you get the idea.
-
The smaller size helps lower the cost of running your
home, not to mention the time you spend running your vacuum cleaner.
-
Right-sizing means finding a home that has the square
footage and configuration that works for your lifestyle.
Here’s hoping you have a Goldilocks moment and one of our homes feels
just right.