20 “Green” Construction Techniques

20 ways to build your new home with “Green” construction Techniques under the NAHB Model GREEN HOME building guidelines

Timber Truss Housing Systems, Inc. has always employed many of the “Green Building Techniques” that are becoming so popular with today’s buying public and energy consci0us builders. Following are 20 simple ways to build green. This particular program and point system is based on NAHB’s Green Home program but almost all of the following building methods, if not all, will be recognized under any Green building program such as Earthcraft or LEED for Homes.

TrussMark Homes have used the modular sizing, framing layouts, detailed takeoffs, wall panels, roof and floor trusses, engineered lumber, energy corner options, raised heel options, covered entry options, overhang length options, prefinished product options, air infiltration barriers and water resistance barriers, ice flashings, FSC lumber options, and many more Green techniques. This is the very core of the design principles used in our homes and the way we have always designed them since we began providing home plans in 1975.

Below are listed many techniques that are not too radical or expensive to use in any new home project. Most of them are just common sense methods that are applied by any good builder to start with. These methods can be used in almost any home project. Remember new legislation just passed in Congress states that many loans have to be completed in 120 days after the permanent financing is fixed as stated in the following sentence., “Freddie Mac reminded lenders that an appraisal must be completed within 120 days of the permanent financing of the home for mortgages with settlement dates on or after Jan. 2, 2009. If the effective date of the appraisal is more than 120 days before the effective date of the permanent financing, then the seller must provide an appraisal update.”

Appraisal updates can easily cost over $1,000 depending on your home and the area you are in. But, why cost yourself more money when you can save money and get a better, faster erected and “Green-built” home that will continue to save you money in the future with it’s built-in energy saving building techniques?

An easy way to build your new home using green techniques AND time saving techniques is building with structural wood components such as wall panels, floor trusses and roof trusses. The easiest way to prevent having to pay for a new appraisal is to use these structural wood components to speed the construction of your new home.

• Use building dimensions and framing layouts to maximize the use of resources and minimize cutting. The buildings can be modularly sized with the sizes of materials in mind when deciding on various exterior dimensions. Sizing buildings at 24” modules will accomplish this task. 6 points

• Provide detailed framing plans and detailed material takeoffs. This will avoid wasting materials and help insure that the provided materials are used in an efficient manner. 7 points

• Use materials that require no additional finish resources to complete finish procedures at the building site. Examples of this would be using Atrium vinyl windows, Weather Shield Aluminum clad windows, and the new fiberglass Weather Shield windows that are not yet even listed on their web site product lines. The fiberglass will become a much better insulator than the wood and aluminum that is now being used. 4 points

• Use the panelized wall framing techniques. This method of construction reduces on-site waste and provides a quicker finish date on your home. This method can also use state of the art usage of two piece energy corners, tee posts, and engineered lumber for headers. We can also factory install air infiltration barriers such as TYVEK or DOW wrap to save time at the job site. 6 points

• Use pre-manufactured roof trusses and floor trusses. 3 points each

• Provide covered entries at exterior doors. 6 points

• Use properly sized overhangs for different directional exposures. 7 points

• Install perimeter drains for all basement footings that lead to a positive outfall or “daylight” outfall. 7 points

• Install gutters and downspouts to divert water 5′-0” away from foundation walls to prevent water intrusion in basement. 6 points

• Divert water from all sides of building by sloping the grade away from the structure. 7 points

• • Provide a water-resistance barrier (WRB and usually the same as an air infiltration barrier) or a drainage plane system behind the exterior finish system or the exterior siding. These can be factory installed at timber Truss to save time at the job site. 8 points

• Install ice and water shield flashing at roof edge conditions. 5 points

• Employ and show on the set of architectural plans details to show flashing installed around the perimeter of windows and doors, valleys in roof systems, deck/house attachment juncture, roof/wall junctures, chimneys, dormers. At roof junctures to other items such as dormers or chimneys, always show and use stepped flashing techniques. Use drip cap flashings above windows and doors and other wall penetrations. 9 points

• Use materials that are manufactured from renewable resources such as engineered lumber for headers, OSB and enhanced OSB roof and floor sheathings, and wood structural component chords. 3 points

• Use certified wood for wood based components such as wall panels and trusses that are from credible third-party certified sources such as FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). 4 points

• Use raised heel (stubbed) roof truss eave details to enhance building insulation performance of ceiling plane insulation. 2 points

• • Use advanced framing methods such as 2-piece energy corners, 2-piece energy tee-posts, and insulated headers. 6 points

• Use ENERGY STAR rated windows that are sized properly and glazed specifically for your local climate. These include Atrium, Weather Shield products or Silverline.  8 points

• Incorporate an air sealing package to your home to reduce air infiltration and air leakage into your home. You should use sill sealer at the sill plate and foundation juncture. Caulk the bottom of sill plates on your wall system before placing walls on sub-floor. Air seal all band joists or trusses between floors of your home. Caulk all electrical, plumbing, and duct penetrations between floors of the home. Air seal all attic hatches and knee-wall doors in Cape Cod style framing. Insulate and seal all window and door rough openings between framed opening and jambs/heads/sills of the windows and doors. Use air rated air tight electrical fixtures in recessed can lights. Use air ducted in to the inside of fireplace for combustion air supply in conjunction with glass doors to prevent conditioned air being used for the combustion process. 10 points

• Choose low or no VOC (volatile organic compounds in grams per liter) indoor paints for your indoor finishing. EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program suggests the following:
- Interior latex coatings that are flat with a limit of 100 grams /liter.
- Interior latex coatings that are non-flat with a limit of 150 grams /liter.
- Interior oil based paints with a limit of 380 grams/liter.
6 points

These are all easy and mostly traditional forms of building. If you want to learn more about roof trusses, floor trusses, wall panels, and other green building techniques, please visit out web site, www.timbertruss.com.