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