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GREEN PRACTICES IN NEW HOME DESIGN
TEMPLATE 1

2. In This Chapter Whole building design Passive design
Design issues and challenges
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3. Whole Building Design Objectives: Accessible Aesthetics Cost-Effective
Functional/Operational
Historic Preservation
Productive
Secure/Safe
Sustainable
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4. Design Factors Size Community impact and relationships Climate Sun
Lighting
Water
Material selection
Connection to nature
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5. Size Structure consumes in direct proportion to its size
While larger home may be energy efficient, it still consumes more energy, and thus has higher energy costs, than a smaller home
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6. Community Impact and Relationships
Green home or building must not be seen as an entity apart from the community and its sustainability goals in areas
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7. Climate Climate analysis: Historical weather data
Sun paths, patterns, and angles
Rainfall amounts
Wind direction and speeds
Mean daily temperatures
Dew points
Humidity levels
Severe weather patterns
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8. Sun
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9. Lighting
Maximizing daylighting (the use of natural light) through strategies such as east/west orientation of the home or building on the site and open floor plans
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10. Water
Minimize impact on hydrological cycles, conserve water, reduce runoff, and manage and collect storm water for use in landscape irrigation and bathroom facilities
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11. Material Selection
Reused, recycled-content, and locally sourced materials are important to meeting green design goals.
Designing with material reduction in mind is another strategy to reduce impact of home or building on environment.
See Case Study 2.1.
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12. Connection to Nature
Home or building should have a minimal impact on nature
Should not disrupt wildlife corridors and local ecology
Home owner or tenant should feel connected to nature
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13. Passive Design
Refers to use of no mechanical systems or appliances to achieve green goals
Daylighting
Solar heat gain management
Ventilation
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14. Focus on Daylighting Toplighting (skylights, clerestories)
Sidelighting (windows, curtain walls)
Shading devices (overhangs, awnings, trees)
Low-transmittance windows
See Figure 2.5 for daylighting design considerations
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15. Exercise
Focuses on design challenges that arise from issues discussed.
Read each challenge, solution, and take-away and answer the questions that follow.
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