What Makes a Home Green?

Here are some answers…

• Reducing the amount of electrical energy consumed which lowers our carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
• Using passive solar design (site orientation, shading, natural ventilation, building materials).
• Using renewable energy systems like solar hot water, photovoltaic electricity, geothermal heating and cooling systems.
• Using water saving fixtures and techniques to help conserve water.
• Recycling and reusing materials to reduce the amount of trash and debris going to landfills.
• Making our homes more energy efficient by using energy efficient lights and better insulation.
• Collecting and reusing rain water for our gardens and lawns.

Recycle and Reuse

• The circa 1951 red brick home, which was on the current site of The GreenHouse, was first deconstructed by hand.
• Salvageable bricks were separated and stacked.
• Wood was removed and stacked for reuse.
• Remaining brick and block was crushed for reuse as gravel.
• Asphalt shingles were recycled.
• Windows were donated to Habitat for Humanity.
• As a result, we were able to salvage and recycle 97% of the original house!

Wall and Roof Design

• The Foundation walls are prefabricated and use less concrete and are better insulated than typical walls.
• Tubing was installed in the floor for radiant heat.
• For the walls and roof, we used SIPs panels (Structural Insulated Panels).
• SIPs panels are very well insulated and use less wood.
• A SIPs panel is built with a foam core and wood from fast growing trees.
• The metal roof is made of a material that is recyclable, will last a very long time, and has high solar reflectivity and emissivity values (the ability for material to cool down quickly). This leads to lower cooling loads on the inside of the home and curbs "heat island" effects.

Solar Hot Water Panels

• The GreenHouse uses solar panels to provide hot water for the house.
• Solar panels collect the sun's thermal (heat) energy and use it to make hot water, which reduces the need for electric water heaters.
• Solar heating systems can be classified as passive or active.
• Passive heating is what happens to your car on a hot summer day. (No mechanical equipment is needed for passive solar heating)
• Active heating systems require a mechanical collector to absorb and collect solar radiation.
• Solar energy produces no air or water pollution.

Photovoltaic Panels

• The GreenHouse also uses solar panels to generate electricity for the house.
• Photovoltaic energy is the conversion of sunlight into electricity.
• A photovoltaic cell, commonly called a solar cell or PV, is the technology used to convert solar energy directly into electrical power.
• A photovoltaic cell is a nonmechanical device usually made from silicon.

Cool Lighting
• Solar tubes capture and direct the sun's rays into a tube that reflects daylight down into the house. These can be found in the laundry and powder rooms of the GreenHouse.
• Solar tube lighting reduces the amount of electric lighting needed in the house.
• Fluorescent lighting is very energy efficient.
• Fluorescent lighting is relatively cool and therefore does not generate a lot of heat in the house.
• LED (Light-Emitting Diode) lighting is another cool type of light which uses even less energy. You will see mostly LED lighting throughout the GreenHouse

Geothermal Heating & Cooling

• Geothermal energy is heat from within the earth.
• oust below the Earth's surface, the temperature holds nearly constant between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
• For most areas, this means that soil temperatures are usually warmer than the air in winter and cooler than the air in summer.
• Geothermal heat pumps use the Earth's constant temperature to heat and cool homes and buildings.
• Geothermal heat pumps transfer heat from the ground into buildings in winter and reverse the process in the summer.

Green Roofs & Cisterns
• Green roofs that are made of plants and grasses help keep the house cool, which reduces the energy needed for air conditioning.
• Green roofs absorb rainwater and reduce storm water runoff.
• Cisterns are underground tanks which are made of concrete or recycled plastic are used to collect
rain water, which can then be used for irrigation.
• Using cisterns and rain gardens, which help filter the water, can greatly reduce storm water runoff which in turn helps keep our rivers, lakes, and oceans clean.

A Walkable Location
• According to the EPA, 17% of GreenHouse Gas Emissions (which are mostly C02) are generated by driving our cars.
• From the GreenHouse, it is a short walk to the downtown McLean with its grocery store, cleaners, bank, and a great pizza place!
• The Metro Bus stop, one block away, will take you to the West Falls Church Metro Station.
• From the Bus stop, it is only a 30-minute trip to the White House by bus and Metro!

The Final Product

The GreenHouse will be open October 10 through October 30.
Cool Facts…

Did you know?
• Energy efficiency is the quickest, cheapest and cleanest way to extend our world's energy supply.
• 124 million tons of construction debris is buried in landfills every year.
• In the United States, 33 million tons of wood from construction is buried in landfills.
• When this wood decomposes, it releases 5 million tons of carbon in the air, which is equivalent to 3,736,000 cars.
• If we improve energy efficiency by 30% over the next 20 years, it is equal to removing 132 power plants or 790 million less metric tons of CO2.
• Heating the average home produces about 15 tons of CO2 per year.
• In the US, 20% of greenhouse gas emissions come from home energy use.
• Driving one car for one year produces about 6 tons of CO2.

What You and Your Family Can Do…
• Change 5 lights to more energy efficient lights.
• Use Energy Star qualified appliances and products.
• Heat and cool your house smartly.
• Seal and insulate your home.
• Use green power or renewable energy.
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• Be green in your yard.
• Use water efficiently.

For more information, visit:   CO2 FreeLiving or CharityWorks GreenHouse