Some Ideas to Consider …

  • Fairfield County Green Home Building Strategy #2 – Energy Saving Materials & Systems

    Country Club Homes Custom Home Builder Remodeler Fairfield County New Canaan Connecticut green building-As an award-winning Connecticut custom home building company, Country Club Homes, Inc. is continuing the fifty-seven year old family tradition of building high-quality homes that are carefully designed to meet the needs of homeowners in Fairfield County. With our current economic climate of ever-increasing energy costs, we now face as great a need as ever for homes that utilize green principles.

    In our three part series of posts on the subject of Fairfield County green home building strategies, we cover two other topics on the Blog in posts #1 and #3 of the series:

    Fairfield County Green Home Building Strategy #1 – Passive Solar
    Fairfield County Green Home Building Strategy #3 – Building Envelope & Air Quality

    In today’s post, we will discuss the following two subjects: environmentally-friendly home building materials; and heating and cooling systems that improve energy efficiency, referencing an excellent BHG.com article.

    Environmentally-friendly Home Building Materials — Using environmentally-friendly home building materials is a foundational green building principle. Examples of some of the products include:

    • Recycled products such as rubber and polymer roofing that imitates slate to reduce weight and maintenance; and durable blended recycled glass and concrete countertops, backsplashes, shower surrounds, walls, and floors.
    • Lumber materials including fast-growing bamboo for beautiful, durable flooring; and non-toxic exterior grade lumber.
    • Coatings such as low air-polluting volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
    • Other home products including a wide variety of insulation types, Low-E windows which insulate and maintain interior temperatures while blocking ultraviolet light, and effective exhaust  fans to remove “stale air” will be covered in our next post in the series: Fairfield County Green Home Building Strategy #3 – Building Envelope & Air Quality.

    Heating and Cooling Systems That Improve Energy-Efficiency – Another major strategic approach to saving resources and protecting the environment is utilizing air and water heating and cooling systems that improve energy efficiency and ultimately lower the cost of running Connecticut homes. Example systems are:

    • Gas furnaces with efficiency ratings in the upper 90% range with variable speed air-handlers
    • Programmable thermostats
    • On-demand tankless water heaters
    • Solar home power systems utilizing photovoltaic panels, and much more!

    Country Club Homes, Inc. is committed to green building – designing environmentally sensitive custom new homes and home remodeling projects that incorporate energy efficient home building materials; and heating and cooling systems.

    If you are planning a custom new home, or home remodeling work, and are seeking Fairfield County architectural design and construction services that incorporate green design, please contact Country Club Homes, Inc. website by telephone at 203-762-0550.

    Image Source: Country Club Homes Portfolio

  • Small Details Can Make All the Difference in a Universal Design

    Universal design is the process of creating a home that works for all residents, regardless of ability or age. Many universal design homes are created specifically for homeowners that are in wheelchairs or have other physical needs, but universal design goes beyond adding ramps and making sure doorways are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair….

  • A House Full of Secrets: Designing a Home With Hidden Passages for Convenience and Privacy

    If you love a good mystery you know that secret passageways are the epitome of suspense and intrigue. What is behind that door and through that hidden passage? Secret passageways can be built into your home to boost privacy and convenience. Our favorite passageway ideas include the: Bookshelf doorway. It may look like a wall full of…

  • Driftwood Architecture is a Gorgeous Way to Bring the Outdoors Into Your Home

    One of the most wonderful things about coastal living, aside from the stunning views, is the vast array of design ideas you can draw upon from the sea.  While common design features like ship motifs and seashells have to walk a fine line to avoid moving from tasteful to kitschy, one oceanic design element is…

  • Consider the Practical Beauty of Cedar Roofs

    Best known for their undeniable beauty, cedar roofs offer a host of other benefits to homeowners. They are incredibly durable, environmentally friendly, and stand up to even the worst weather conditions. If you’re considering installing a cedar roof as part of your construction project take the time to understand the material before you begin. Cedar roofs…