Green Building

  • As one of our many available environmentally sustainable building resources, Bost Homes provides you with access to FreeRain rainwater harvesting solutions, water conservation technology that will benefit your home and your bottom line for years to come. These proven water conservation systems are operated virtually maintenance-free.

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Our Dedication to Green Building

We understand the importance of building a home that is not only healthy for you and your family, but for the environment as well. Part of our sustainability commitment includes a 3rd party verified HERS score for every home.

A HERS score is an energy efficiency rating for a home that predicts energy usage in comparison to standard code built houses. Think of the HERS score as an MPG rating. Local regulations and building codes will require minimum construction specifications, and these minimum requirements are used to benchmark a HERS score of 100. Any home scored below 100 is more energy efficient than a standard built house, with a HERS score of 0 indicating that the home produces as much electricity as it consumes in a year — a Net Zero home.

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Bost Homes is committed to energy efficiency standards that contribute to a lower HERS score and lower power bill, and we consistently score far below the code-built reference home. However, energy efficiency is not the only goal of green building. Using a holistic approach to sustainable construction, we ensure that your home has a low impact on the outdoor environment while creating a safe and healthy indoor environment for your family. Peruse the list below of green building features that we can incorporate into your dream home.

Fortunately, the list of green features that can be incorporated into a home grows almost daily. We continually pursue the cutting edge of sustainable building techniques and are positioned to help you achieve any level of sustainability in your new home or remodel that you desire. If you have any questions about our building process, contact us anytime.

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Green Building Products & Techniques

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    Masonry Framing: Encasing a home in concrete block creates a stronger and tighter building envelope than traditional stick framing, thereby increasing energy efficiency. Thermal massing holds heat in longer in the winter and keeps the home cooler in the summer. Bost Homes pioneered this technique in our market. More on Masonry Framing

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    FreeRain® Rainwater Harvesting System: FreeRain rainwater harvesting system collects water for irrigation and toilet flushing. This process reduces water costs, lessens demand on municipal water supply, and reduces flooding, erosion and contamination of surface water through runoff. Bost Homes pioneered this technique in our market.

    Spray Foam Roof Deck: Open cell Spray Foam insulation minimizes air leakage, improves indoor air quality by lowering the amount of outdoor allergens that enter the home and creates conditioned space in the attic which lessens the load on the HVAC system.

    Fresh Air Intake: Continuously supplies fresh filtered air into the home and keeps the home pressurized to reduce infiltration of outdoor allergens.

    Solar Hot Water Heating: Uses the sun’s energy to supply a portion of the home’s hot water needs, saving on utility costs.

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    Concrete Roof Tile: Concrete roof tile is a permanent roof that will never need replacement which means less material in landfills. Water runoff from concrete tile does not contain many of the contaminants that can be found in asphalt shingles. Bost Homes pioneered this technique in our market.

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    Photovoltaic System: A photovoltaic system uses solar panels to continually charge a bank of batteries. The batteries act like a generator in the event of power loss, and when not in use sells power back to the power company, or with the use of inverters this energy can be used to power the house. Homes can be pre-wired for a

    Insulate Hot Water Pipes: Reduce heat loss and the time it takes to receive hot water at the faucet which helps conserve water.

    Low E-Windows: Low-E and argon filled windows reflect radiant energy in summer and retain heat in the winter.

    LED Lighting: LED downlights last 20 years and consume 85% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.

    Low Off-gassing Carpet: Low off-gassing carpeting reduces the amount of pollution in the air outside of the factory in which it is produced and in the home. High off-gassing carpet is linked to asthma and other allergies.

    Dual Flush Toilets: Dual flush toilets substantially cut the amount of water that is consumed by flushing.

    Sealed Crawlspace: Creates a tighter crawlspace with less moisture content. High moisture in a crawlspace can cause mold and decay of structural members.

    Geothermal Heating and Cooling: Utilizes the constant temperature of the earth to subsidize the amount of air conditioning and heating needed throughout the year. Greatly increases HVAC efficiency.

  • Energy Star Certification: Government program that acknowledges home has met certain energy efficient standards and provides for discounts from most power companies.

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    Recycled Building Materials: Many composite building materials like roofing and decking can be made from recycled plastics and woods.

    Foam Windows and Doors and Caulk Bottom Plate: These areas are notorious for air leakage. Extra attention to foam and caulk creates a tighter building envelope.

    No- or Low-VOC Paint: Sherwin Williams low VOC paints eliminate many of the harmful toxic emissions found in other paints.

    Hepa Filters: Hepa Filters remove 99.97% of airborne particles .3 micrometers which are considered the most penetrating, improving indoor air quality.

    Salvaged Beams and Reclaimed Bricks: Use of salvaged beams from tear-down projects prevents harvesting of additional trees for construction.

    Energy Management System: This system will regulate and cycle HVAC equipment and appliances to avoid peak energy demand periods, resulting in lower power bills.

    Native Trees, Shrubs and Plants: Native plantings are hardy and drought resistant requiring less maintenance costs and using less water. Also bringing plants from other areas uses additional resources to transport.

    Separate Irrigation Zones for Turf and Planting Beds: Prevents wasting water on plants or shrubs which may not need as much irrigating as lawn areas.

    Light Colored Exterior Walls and Roof: Absorbs less heat and keeps the home cooler in the summer.

    Passive Solar Design: Maximizes the suns warmth in the winter and minimizes it in the summer.

    All Ducts Located within Conditioned Space: Utilizing a sealed attic and crawlspace means all ducts are running through conditioned space which reduces heat loss or gain (depending on season) and lessens the load on HVAC equipment.

    High Efficiency HVAC Equipment: High Efficiency and correctly sized equipment uses less energy and provides a higher level of indoor comfort for the homeowner.

    Recycled Gypsum Wallboard: Recycled materials conserve virgin materials and keep used products out of the landfill.

    Natural Earth Clay Plaster: Natural Clay Plaster can be applied directly to walls as a substitute for painting and contains no toxic ingredients or solvents. Another benefit is the drywall does not have to be finished which greatly reduces the amount of dust generated during construction.

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    Subterranean Wine Cellar: A below ground wine cellar does not require any refrigeration or cooling equipment.

    Use of Renewable Wood Species: Wood used for framing, flooring, cabinets etc. can be verified to come from tree farms that practice sustainable harvesting.