Some Ideas to Consider …

  • Fairfield County Green Home Building Strategy #3 – Building Envelope & Air Quality

    Country Club Homes, Inc. is an environmentally aware Connecticut custom home builder continuing the family tradition of building high-quality, sustainable homes in Fairfield County, Connecticut for more than 50 years. In our ongoing series of posts on the subject of Fairfield County green home building strategies, we’ve covered the following two topics on the Blog:

    Fairfield County Green Home Building Strategy #1 – Passive Solar
    Fairfield County Green Home Building Strategy #2 – Energy Saving Materials & Systems

    The Green Home Building Strategy we will be discussing on the blog today covers the building envelope and indoor air quality. When we use the term building envelope, what do we mean? The building envelope is made up of the roof, floor and exterior walls that form a barrier between the indoor conditioned space and the outdoor unconditioned environment.

    According to writer Herb Kirchhoff at ehow.com, “A properly designed building envelope can substantially reduce heating costs in the cold seasons and cut cooling costs in hot seasons.” The insulating properties of the wall and window systems determine effectiveness. Low emissivity (Low-E) Argon gas filled windows are very effective insulators commonly used today. A building must also be airtight to be well-insulated. For more information about the building envelope, visit ‘Pushing the Envelope’.

    As new homes have become increasingly more airtight, the need for proper air supply and exhaust, and moisture control has become more significant. The reduction in air flow throughout the home allows for higher humidity, which if not regulated, may lead to mold growth.  The best way to prevent this is to prevent water from entering the conditioned space in the home with an air-tight, and moisture proof envelope system; and top-quality craftsmanship throughout the construction process.

    Interested in learning more about green home building strategies such as passive solar, or energy saving materials and systems? Click one of the links to an earlier post:  

    Fairfield County Green Home Building Strategy #1 – Passive Solar
    Fairfield County Green Home Building Strategy #2 – Energy Saving Materials & Systems

    If you are planning a custom new home or home remodeling work and are seeking green architectural design and construction services in the Fairfield County, Connecticut area, please contact us at 203-762-0550 or through the Country Club Homes, Inc. website. We welcome residential clients who are committed to incorporating these technologies into home design and construction.

    Image Source: Country Club Homes Portfolio

  • A Cool Basement Solution to Inspire Your Own Home Design

    Millions of homes across the country have basements, but few have a basement as functional as this indoor/outdoor design found in Washington State. These homeowners envisioned a space where its difficult to determine where the outside ends and where the inside begins. There are several details from this basement that you could use to inspire…

  • Think Outside the Box Shaped Room and Let in More Light

    In custom home design its important to think outside of the box. We suggest getting creative with room shapes and home layout instead of relying on box-shaped rooms. A simple shift away from the standard square room allows more light to pour into the room and helps create an airy feel. At Country Club Homes we understand…

  • May New England Home Style of the Month: Federal

    The Federal architectural style is truly American and represents the Federal era of 1780 to 1830 in the United States. This was a time of new beginnings and the birth of a nation. Hallmarks of the Federal style include symmetry, balance, and the lack of adornments. There are many classic Federal buildings still in use across the country…

  • Add Layers of Interest to a Large Space With Clever “Mini Rooms”

    One of the hottest trends in home remodeling is creating mini-rooms within larger spaces. There are a variety of reasons for wanting to add a mini-room including privacy, visual interest, and an innovative use of space. If you are interested in a mini-room consider adding it to your: Playroom – Playrooms are all about whimsy and fun and a great way to elevate…