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

  • Construction Prices Continue to Rise as the Demand for New Construction Expands

    While the real estate market is still somewhat mired in a recession, there are definite signs of life. Over the last 22 months, housing builds have slowly crept upward every month. This means that the materials and, more importantly, the skilled labor needed to build these homes has become increasingly less available. As with any…

  • Follow These Tips for Choosing the Right Light Bulbs for Your Home

    You have several light bulb options for your home. Home lighting can be highly customizable, and the perfect bulbs can help you save money over time. But choosing the right light bulbs can be a challenge. Do you know your options? Here are your choices: Incandescent: The standard in American homes for over 100 years. They…

  • Add a Bedroom Walkout to Your Master Suite

    While having a fabulous master bedroom can be luxurious all by itself, adding its own access to an outdoor retreat can enhance the space. We think that adding a doorway leading out to a private, fantastic view can add value and personality to a home. Having an escape directly connecting to the bedroom is unexpected…

  • Choose the Right Fireplace Material to Make a Statement in Your Home

    A fireplace is a must in most New England homes. It provides warmth in the winter, serves as a design focal point and can anchor a room. Choosing the right material for the fireplace in your home is essential to ensure it matches both the home’s architecture and your personal design style. There are many…