Benefits of Owning : Greenpopolis home
Greenpopolis home
Greenpopolis aims to follow the USGBC “voluntary initiative which is designed to actively promote the transformation of the mainstream home building industry towards more sustainable practices.”
Energy efficiency
Our homes focus on energy efficiency through the use of passive solar design; thermal mass utilizing enhanced construction methods of ICF and the use of energy efficient appliances and water fixtures. Our open floor plans optimize the passive solar system operation. This focus results in savings through lower utility bills, less water demand in addition to lower maintenance requirements.
Window selection: Our use of energy efficient (Low-E) windows cost more than standard models, but they can cut energy bills significantly and lower construction cost. They also reduce heating and cooling needs enough to permit smaller and cheaper, HVAC equipment and ductwork.
Improved indoor air quality
Improved indoor air quality is essential in the design and construction process of our homes. Traditional paints, adhesives, glues and other building materials used in building a home emit gases which can cause eye and lung irritation as well as other health problems. This is why we ensure throughout our building process low emissive glues and adhesives are used. All paints used in our homes do not emit any odors or volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the air. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ranked “sick buildings” as one of the top five environmental threats to human health. EPA studies have found that indoor air is generally two to five times more contaminated than outdoor air -- in some cases up to 100 times.
Additionally we incorporate radiant heating in our floors, which is an added bonus for homeowners with allergies. Reduced circulation of dust, animal dander, odors, fumes and other irritants are some of the benefits of radiant heating in a home.
Heating & cooling
Our homes are built using construction methods, which results in homes that are virtually airtight and well insulated. This ultimately requires less energy to heat and cool a Greenpopolis home. These methods also ensure you will enjoy a noise free indoor living environment.
Passive solar design
Passive solar design refers to the use of the sun’s energy for the heating and cooling of living spaces. All of our homes are thoughtfully designed so it maximizes solar gain in the winter and minimizes it in the summer.
Green roof/cool roof
Depending on your needs we can incorporate Greenroofs in an effort to control storm-water management, energy demand, urban heat islands and pollution. Another option is to have a cool roof which simply put, is a light-colored commercial roofing system that reflects the sun’s heat and damaging rays and readily emits any absorbed solar heat, thereby lowering the roof and building temperature and protecting the roof from sunlight degradation.
Maximizing water efficiency
Potable (safe-to-drink) water is consumed at a greater rate than what is provided by municipal water systems. We can cut use of potable water by as much as 40 percent with water-efficient or waterless fixtures. Additionally we also help reduce water consumption by using stormwater or recycling gray water from dishwashers, shower, sinks or laundry for other purposes like landscape irrigation.
Use of sustainable materials and products
We exclusively use bamboo flooring and limit the use of wood or wood products wood in Greenpopolis homes. We also establish steps that make use of recycled content and recycle any unused materials. This ensures we do not contribute to our ever-increasing landfills.
Recommended upgrades
Photovoltaic: Using solar power on our homes means sustainable, reliable power that is quiet for you. Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity even under cloud cover. The sun provides 15,000 times more energy than current worldwide demand. Constant advancements in technology have improved our ability to harness some of this energy. Ultimately this means, you can harness the power of the sun and convert that energy into electricity, which can then be used, through your normal electrical outlets. Less consumption of energy from utility Companies equals lower Utility Bills over the life of owning your home. Any excess energy can then be sold back to your utility company or can be used as a credit.
Wind energy: The term wind energy or wind power describes using the kinetic energy contained in the wind to generate mechanical power or electricity. Utilizing wind energy is nothing new to sea lovers who use wind to propel their boats. Today, we can harvest the wind by using wind turbines that convert it into electricity. Wind is essentially a zero-emission producer of electricity and can easily be incorporated into your home.
Our homes offered increased energy efficiency as it is with our design process and modern construction methods. By including these options in our homes you can literally generate all the electricity needed for a Greenpopolis home.