Gibson HomeBuilders

My guest today is Julie Laughlin President of Laughlin Home Builders, Inc. and Connie Plebak their Designer. Today's topic is Home design, interior, exterior and positioning of your house on the building site.

Articles are taken from the U. S. Department of Energy Guide.

U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
A Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Whole-House Systems Approach

Designing and constructing an energy-efficient house requires careful planning and attention to details. A whole-house systems approach can help you and your architect develop a successful strategy for incorporating energy efficiency into your home's design.
A whole-house systems approach considers the interaction between you, your building site, your climate, and all of the elements or components of your home.

Appliances and home electronics
Insulation and air sealing
Lighting and day-lighting
Space heating and cooling
Water heating
Windows, Doors, and Skylights.

Builders and designers who use this approach recognize that the features of one component in the house can greatly affect other components, which ultimately affects the overall energy efficiency of the house.
There are some benefits of using a whole-house systems approach and they are:

Reduced utility and maintenance costs
Increased comfort
Reduced noise
A healthier and safer indoor environment
Improved building durability.

You can use the whole-house systems approach with any home design.

Designing and Remodeling a Home

Before you design a new home or remodel an existing one, you should consider investing in its energy efficiency. You'll save energy and money in the long run. It's also a good time to invest in a renewable energy system that will provide your home with electricity, water heating, or space heating and cooling.
If you'd like to design an energy-efficient home, no matter what type of design, you should use what's called the whole-house systems approach. If you're remodeling a home, conduct an energy audit to help you determine what energy efficiency improvements should and can be made to your home.
Learn how to optimize energy efficiency with the following home designs and construction techniques:
Advanced House (Wall) Framing Techniques
Reduce lumber use and waste—improving energy efficiency—in the construction of a traditional wood-framed house. Earth-sheltered Homes
Incorporate earth into their structure and design for durability and energy efficiency. Log Homes
Use wooden logs to provide structure and insulation. Manufactured Homes
Feature energy-efficient options for new homes and improvements for older homes. Passive Solar Homes
Take advantage of climatic conditions, especially the sun, for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. Straw Bale Homes
Use straw bales to provide all or part of their structure and insulation. Zero Energy Homes
Produce more energy than they use.

Appliances and Home Electronics

If you live in a typical U.S. home, your appliances and home electronics are responsible for about 20 percent of your energy bills. These appliances and electronics include the following:

Clothes washers and dryers
Computers
Dishwashers
Home audio equipment
Refrigerator and freezers
Room air conditioners
Televisions, DVD players, and VCRs
Water heaters

Shopping for Energy-Efficient Appliances and Home Electronics
Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use
Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential Appliances
Electronic Power-Controlling Devices for Appliances
When to Turn Off Personal Computers

Insulation and Air Sealing

You can reduce your home's heating and cooling costs through proper insulation and air sealing techniques. These techniques will also make your home more comfortable. Any air sealing efforts will complement your insulation efforts, and vice versa. Proper moisture control and ventilation strategies will improve the effectiveness of air sealing and insulation, and vice versa. Therefore, a home's energy efficiency depends on a balance between all of these elements:

Air sealing
Insulation
Moisture control
Ventilation.

A proper balance between all of these elements will also result in a more comfortable, healthier home environment.

Lighting and Day-lighting

The quantity and quality of light around us determines how well we see, work, and play. Light affects our health, safety, morale, comfort, and productivity. In your home, you can save energy while still maintaining good light quantity and quality.

Lighting
Learn how to reduce artificial lighting energy use while maintaining its quality and quantity.
Day-lighting
Maximize the use of natural daylight in your home to further reduce the need for artificial lighting.

Space Heating and Cooling

Heating and cooling your home accounts for about 56% of the energy use in a typical U.S. home, making it the largest energy expense for most homes. A wide variety of technologies are available for heating and cooling your home, and they achieve a wide range of efficiencies in converting their energy sources into useful heat or cool air for your home. In addition, many heating and cooling systems have certain supporting equipment in common, such as thermostats and ducts, which provide opportunities for saving energy. When looking for ways to save energy in your home, be sure to think about not only improving your existing heating and cooling system, but also consider the energy efficiency of the supporting equipment and the possibility of either adding supplementary sources of heating or cooling or simply replacing your system altogether. Selecting and Replacing Heating and Cooling Systems
When replacing or upgrading an existing heating and cooling system, it's important to first consider the limitations imposed by your current system and available energy sources. When selecting a heating and cooling system for a new house, your options are generally much wider, although your builder or developer may place limitations on your choices.

Cooling Systems

Depending on where you live, cooling your home can be as simple as opening a window or as complex as using a central air conditioning unit. A wide variety of cooling technologies are available.

Heating Systems

Although most U.S. homes use either a furnace or a boiler, other approaches range from wood stoves to active solar heating systems.

Heat Pump Systems

Heat pump systems provide both heating and cooling and offer the benefit of delivering more useful energy than they consume.

Supporting Equipment for Heating and Cooling Systems

Thermostats and ducts provide opportunities for saving energy. Dehumidifying heat pipes allow central air conditioners and heat pumps to deliver drier air. Electric and gas meters allow you to track your energy use closely.

Water Heating

Water heating can account for 14%–25% of the energy consumed in your home. You can reduce your monthly water heating bills by selecting the appropriate water heater for your home or pool and by using some energy-efficient water heating strategies.
Here you'll find the following information:
Selecting a New Water Heater
Find information about choosing a water heating system that will not only provide enough hot water but also that will do so energy efficiently, saving you money.
Energy-Efficient Water Heating
Features strategies to help you decrease water heating costs in your home.
Swimming Pool Heating
Includes information about selecting a pool heating system and ways to improve your pool's energy efficiency.

Windows, Doors, and Skylights

Energy-efficient windows, doors, and skylights—also known as fenestration—can help lower a home's heating, cooling, and lighting costs. Learn about their energy performance ratings and how to maximize their energy efficiency in your home:
Exterior Doors;
Select energy-efficient doors or improve the energy efficiency of existing ones.
Skylights;
Select energy-efficient skylights.
Windows;
Select energy-efficient windows or improve the energy efficiency of existing ones.

Energy Performance Ratings for Windows, Doors, and Skylights

You can use the energy performance ratings of windows, doors, and skylights to tell you their potential for gaining and losing heat, as well as transmitting sunlight into your home.

Heat Gain and Loss

Windows, doors, skylights can gain and lose heat in the following ways:
Direct conduction through the glass or glazing, frame, and/or door
The radiation of heat into a house (typically from the sun) and out of a house from room-temperature objects, such as people, furniture, and interior walls
Air leakage through and around them.
These properties can be measured and rated according to the following energy performance characteristics:
U-factor
The rate at which a window, door, or skylight conducts non-solar heat flow. It's usually expressed in units of Btu/hr-ft2-ºF. For windows, skylights, and glass doors, a U-factor may refer to just the glass or glazing alone. But National Fenestration Rating Council U-factor ratings represent the entire window performance, including frame and spacer material. The lower the U-factor, the more energy-efficient the window, door, or skylight.
Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC)
A fraction of solar radiation admitted through a window, door, or skylight—either transmitted directly and/or absorbed, and subsequently released as heat inside a home. The lower the SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits and the greater its shading ability. A product with a high SHGC rating is more effective at collecting solar heat gain during the winter. A product with a low SHGC rating is more effective at reducing cooling loads during the summer by blocking heat gained from the sun. Therefore, what SHGC you need for a window, door, or skylight should be determined by such factors as your climate, orientation, and external shading. For more information about SHGC and windows, see passive solar window design.
Air leakage
The rate of air infiltration around a window, door, or skylight in the presence of a specific pressure difference across it. It's expressed in units of cubic feet per minute per square foot of frame area (cfm/ft2). A product with a low air leakage rating is tighter than one with a high air leakage rating.
Sunlight Transmittance
A window's, door's, or skylight's ability to transmit sunlight into a home can be measured and rated according to the following energy performance characteristics:
Visible transmittance (VT)
A fraction of the visible spectrum of sunlight (380 to 720 nanometers), weighted by the sensitivity of the human eye, that is transmitted through a window's, door's, or skylight's glazing. A product with a higher VT transmits more visible light. VT is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The VT you need for a window, door, or skylight should be determined by your home's day-lighting requirements and/or whether you need to reduce interior glare in a space.
Light-to-solar gain (LSG)
The ratio between the SHGC and VT. It provides a gauge of the relative efficiency of different glass or glazing types in transmitting daylight while blocking heat gains. The higher the number, the more light transmitted without adding excessive amounts of heat. This energy performance rating isn't always provided.
Energy Performance Testing, Certification and Labeling
The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) operates a voluntary program that tests, certifies, and labels windows, doors, and skylights based on their energy performance ratings. The NFRC label provides a reliable way to determine a window's energy properties and to compare products.
The NFRC label can be found on all ENERGY STAR qualified window, door, and skylight products, but ENERGY STAR bases its qualification only on U-factor and SHGC ratings.

Items to be considered when planning to stay in your home for the long term, retiring there and being there for the rest of your life. Suggestions are taken from the University of Iowa.

SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPING
ESSENTIALS:

• Main floor at ground level, ideally with no steps or ramps needed to enter. At a minimum, one entrance should be at ground level.
• Maintenance-free exterior and trim.
• Level walkways with little or no slope. Any slope should be very gradual – no more than 1 inch of rise per 20 inches of walkway.
• Trees, shrubs, and plants that require little maintenance (raking, pruning, watering, mowing).
• All walkways at least 36 inches wide.
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Passive or active solar heating. Example: Plenty of south-facing windows to capture sunlight in winter with overhangs to shade in the summer.
• Garden planters at convenient heights, and raised beds for flowers and vegetables.
• South-facing walkways (and ramps, if any) to encourage snow melt in northern climates.

GENERAL FLOOR PLAN

ESSENTIALS:

• Kitchen, bath, laundry, and at least one sleeping room (no smaller than 12 feet by 12 feet) on the main floor. The sleeping room can be used for different purposes at different times: den, office, playroom, etc.
• Open floor plan (avoid long, narrow hallways; consider larger open areas without sharp boundaries between rooms, such as a kitchen/dining/ family room area).
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Weight of the building resting on external walls of the home, avoiding "load-bearing" inside walls. This allows walls between rooms to be moved
  much more easily and inexpensively to change the layout.

• Closets "stacked" over each other in a multi-story home, to allow for future installation of an elevator or lift (allow at least 60 inches by 60 inches for installation).
• Door at least 36 inches wide, to allow for a 34-inch clear opening when the door is open at a right angle.
• No split-level entry.
• Porch floor, stoop, or landing at the same level as the floor inside the home (no step up or step down to enter home).
• Door locks that are easy to operate, such as keyless locks with a remote control or keypad.
• Lever-style door handles (not round doorknobs).
• Peepholes at heights for adults, children, and people using a wheelchair; or sidelights (tall, narrow window along one or both sides of the door).
• Good lighting both inside and outside the entrance.
• No raised threshold – much easier for strollers, wheelchairs, rolling luggage, etc., and reduces the risk of tripping.
• A roof, canopy, or awning to protect the entrance from rain and snow (essential when you have no raised threshold under the door).
• Ample landing space both outside and inside the entry door (5 feet by
  5 feet for the outside landing). The outside landing should be set off to the side (on the handle edge of the door) to be out of the way of the door swing.
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Lighted doorbell.
• Intercom system (can be connected to your regular telephone or to a special speaker).
• Handy shelf outside the door (such as on the porch railing) to set down items while you open the door.
• House number in large, simple, color-contrast lettering easily visible from the sidewalk and street.
• Push-button power door (works great when your hands are full).

KITCHEN

ESSENTIALS:

• Enough clear counter space to set down dishes next to all appliances and cupboards.
• Plenty of open floor space to maneuver around the kitchen.
• Anti-scald faucet with a single lever (not two knobs or two handles to turn on and off).
• Counters and other work surfaces at two or more different heights.
• Rounded corners, not sharp edges, on counters.
• Open space under the sink to allow for a seated user (be sure to insulate pipes to avoid burns), with flooring material laid all the way to the wall under the sink.
• Raised platform under dishwasher to reduce bending and kneeling. Storage can be incorporated in the platform. Dishwasher height should be determined by the comfort levels of those who use it most, and by what makes sense in the kitchen work flow.
• Appliance controls that are easy to read, easy to reach, and can be operated by touch as well as sight.
• Easy access to kitchen storage (pull-out shelves, lazy Susans in corner cupboards, adjustable-height cupboards).
• Good task lighting over sink, stove, and other work areas.
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Pullout work boards in strategic locations, such as near the oven, refrigerator, and microwave.
• Pantry-type closet with rollout shelving.
• Sink with the drain placed toward the back, rather than in the middle, so that the pipes below the sink are less in the way for storage or for a seated user.
• Some electrical switches and outlets placed at front edge of lower cabinets (just under counter) for easier access. (Be sure to use childproof outlets.)
• Stove or cook-top with controls in the front.
• Extra outlets for small appliances, electronics, etc.

BATHROOM

ESSENTIALS:

• Door 36 inches wide, to allow for a 34-inch clear opening when the door is open at a right angle.
• Ample floor space for maneuvering between bathroom fixtures. Allow at least 30 inches by 48 inches of clear floor space among the fixtures; 60 inches by 60 inches is ideal. (If your shower entrance has no raised threshold, the shower floor can provide part of the clear maneuvering space.)
• Walk-in shower with little or no threshold or lip to step over – ideally no more than 1/2 inch, and beveled to provide a tiny "ramp" rather than a tripping obstacle. Slope the shower floor a maximum of 1/8 inch per foot. (Alternatively, design a bathroom closet that can be converted to a walk-in shower, or place the tub in such a way that it can later be replaced with a walk-in shower.)
• Shower size: Minimum 36 by 36 inches; for a roll-in shower, allow 36 inches by 60 inches.
• Adjustable-height, handheld showerhead, with controls that are conveniently placed and easy to operate.
• Properly reinforced grab bars in the bath and shower, and at least reinforced walls to allow for grab bars near the toilet.
• Anti-scald faucet with a single-lever handle, for both the sink and the tub or shower.
• Clearance under the sink to allow for a seated user, with flooring material extended into the open area under the sink. (Be sure to insulate pipes to prevent burns.)
• Rounded corners, not sharp edges, on bathroom counters.
• Toilet seat height appropriate for the household – 17 to 19 inches high for middle age and older people, lower for children.
• Mirror(s) placed for both standing and sitting, such as a full-length or tilting mirror.
• Good quality, non-glare lighting.
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Shower seat or platform, either built in or freestanding (handy for washing feet and shaving legs, as well as for people with limited strength or mobility).
• Pocket (sliding) door to save the "swing space" needed for a hinged door.
• Telephone jack in the bathroom, to call for help in case of a fall.
• Rollout or pullout storage shelves in cabinets, to minimize kneeling and bending.
• Bathroom counters at two different heights or an adjustable-height surface.
• Bathroom sink with a side-mounted faucet that will make it easier for children and many others to reach.
• Adjustable-height "power sink" or two sinks at different heights.
• Sink with the drain placed toward the back, rather than in the middle, so that the pipes
  below the sink are less in the way for storage or for a seated user.

• Heat lamp (for comfort), usually installed in the ceiling.

LAUNDRY

ESSENTIALS:

• Laundry area on main floor, near the bathroom and bedrooms. (If laundry is in the basement initially, make provisions that would allow relocating it to the main floor – an easily adaptable space with electrical and plumbing connections.)
• Good task lighting in the laundry work area.
• Appliance controls that are easy to reach and operate, ideally at the front
  of the appliance.
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Front-loading washer and dryer, placed on raised platforms to reduce bending and kneeling.
• Stacked washer-dryer.
• Portable washer on main floor (can attach to kitchen sink).
• Folding table, attached to the wall that lies flat when not in use.

BEDROOMS

ESSENTIALS:

• Doors 36 inches wide, to allow for a 34-inch clear opening.
• Ample maneuvering space after all furniture is in the room – at least 36 inches on both sides of the bed and ideally 60 inches on one side of the bed.
• Light switches reachable from the bedside and the door, and located about 36 inches to 40 inches above the floor.
• Telephone jack near the bed.
• Extra electrical outlets near the bed (for medical equipment or rechargeable items, for example), placed 18 inches to 24 inches above the floor.
• Closet rods reachable from a seated or standing position, or adjustable- height rods.

LIVING AND DINING AREAS

ESSENTIALS:

• Large enough to accommodate normal furnishings and allow easy maneuvering around them.
• Easy passage from kitchen to dining area.
• Avoid changes in floor levels or floor material (such as vinyl to carpet) to prevent tripping while carrying food and drink.
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Extra electrical outlets to accommodate possible future needs, such as new home technology

CLOSETS AND STORAGE

ESSENTIALS:

• Heights and layout easily accessible for all household members.
• Well-lit, with a switch located outside the storage area.
• Adjustable-height shelving and closet rods.
• Doors and handles that are easy to operate. (Avoid bi-fold or accordion-type doors.)

GARAGE

ESSENTIALS:

• Ample room for maneuvering strollers, lawn mowers, bicycles, wheelchairs, etc. around the vehicle(s). Provide at least a 3-foot clear path around and between all vehicles.
• Paved driveway.
• Easy pathway from garage to home entrance (no steps to climb, all walkways at least 36 inches wide).
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Garage attached to home with a direct (no-step) entrance to home.
• Garage door tall enough to accommodate higher vehicles (such as a van with a chairlift) – an extra 18 to 24 inches compared to most standard doors.
• Sheltered walkway to the house, protected from rain and snow.

DOORWAYS AND HALLWAYS

ESSENTIALS:

• Wide, spacious hallways and doorways for moving furniture as well as
  for maneuvering a wheelchair or walker.

• Hallways at least 36 inches wide; 42 inches is recommended.
• All doors 36 inches wide to allow for a 34-inch clear opening when the door is open 90 degrees.
• Lever-type door handles (not round doorknobs).
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Pocket (sliding) doors instead of swing doors, wherever possible.
• "Swing-clear" hinges that add a little more maneuvering room by moving the door completely out of the doorway.

FLOORS

ESSENTIALS:

• Single level – no sunken floors or split levels.
• No change of levels between rooms. If there must be a threshold between two different flooring surfaces, make it very low and beveled.
• If there must be a step up or down, mark it well with a highly visible, color-contrast material at the edge.
• Non-slip flooring throughout the house, especially in the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry.
• Carpeting that is sturdy, low-pile, and tightly woven (such as berber style).
• Eliminate throw rugs, to minimize the risk of tripping.
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• For wheelchairs, carpeting should be continuously glued to the floor, ideally with no padding.
• For wheelchairs, highly durable flooring (stone or ceramic tile) holds up best.

WINDOWS

ESSENTIALS:

• Energy-efficient windows that are easy to open, close, and lock, and require little strength to use. (Crank handles are a good choice.)
• Placement at a height that allows people to see outdoors while seated or standing – with the windowsills about 24 inches to 30 inches above the floor.
  WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Tilt-in windows that allow easy cleaning of both sides.
• Screens that are lightweight and simple to remove and replace, ideally from the inside.

STAIRS

ESSENTIALS:

• Sturdy handrails on both sides of all stairways, whether inside or outside
  of the home. For round rails, the usual size is 11/4 to 11/2 inches in diameter.

• Stair treads deep enough for the entire foot – at least 8 inches, but 10 to
  11 inches is better.

• Stair rise no higher than 7 inches from one step to the next; a smaller rise is even better.
• No carpeting on stairs, to reduce the risk of slipping. If carpeting is installed, use a tight weave and no padding.
• No open risers (open spaces between each step)
• Steps with no "nosing" (in other words, the tread
  should not extend out beyond the riser) to minimize the risk
  of tripping.

• All stairways well lit, with a light switch at the top and
  bottom. (Light switches about 36 inches to 40 inches
  above the floor.) Avoid stair treads that stick out beyond
  the riser, causing a trip hazard.

• Anti-slip strips on front edge of steps, in color-contrast
  material.

WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Straight, continuous stairway, with no turns or curves, for cheaper and easier installation of a chairlift if needed later.
• Stairway at least 4 feet wide to allow for a future chairlift.

ELECTRICAL OUTLETS AND CONTROLS

ESSENTIALS:

• Light switches placed about 36 inches to 40 inches above the floor.
• Large rocker-style switches that are easy to turn on and off.
• Electrical outlets placed about 18 inches to 24 inches above the floor, to minimize the need for bending down.
• Thermostat and other controls placed about 48 inches above the floor.
• Thermostat and control panels that are easy to read and simple to operate (check accessible equipment stores or web sites).
• Telephone, cable, and modem jacks placed about 18 inches above the floor.
• Circuit breaker panel on the main floor and easy to access, perhaps in the laundry area.

WORTH CONSIDERING:

• Lighted switches that are visible in the dark.
• Slide plates on outlets, to childproof the outlet when not in use.
• Motion-activated lighting that automatically turns on when someone enters the room.
• Switched outlets so that floor lamps and table lamps can be turned on and off with a wall switch.
• Plenty of electrical outlets for current or future equipment (placed 18 inches to 24 inches above the floor).
• Programmable thermostat to save energy at night or when you are not at home.
• "Zoned" heating and cooling, with separate thermostats for different parts of the house, to conserve energy while keeping the temperature comfortable where you are.
• Visible and audible alarms on smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.