Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011

Building a green home

Lindsay Milbourne

 

Tom Baker, President of Impressive Green Buildings and Impressive Concrete in Myrtle Beach says if a 2,000-square-foot home has a utility bill of more than $150 it's usually because of inefficient systems.

"The best money anybody can spend is conserving energy," says Baker. "You take a look at the windows, you take a look at the doors, you take a look at where the air is leaking in."

Baker says regardless of how old your home is, good insulation can help with energy efficiency.

"Since we live in South Carolina we have more heating issues so we're dissipating heat all the time," he says.

But Baker says there is a way to take advantage of the heat. By using the heat to make hot water using a geothermal system, homeowners can reduce their monthly utility bill by 30-70 percent. You can also save money buying the system upfront. The state of South Carolina offers a 30 percent tax credit if you convert to this type of alternative energy.

"If you upgrade the system and it costs you more and you get the tax credit, it could actually cost you less than if you do a repair job," says Baker.

He says the actual exterior structure of a home also has a big impact on energy efficiency. By using concrete technology a home is much easier to heat or cool.

"When you put insulation on the outside and inside you basically have a thermal mass in between the two that just slows down the heat that can get in and out of the house," Baker says.

Using concrete in and around the home helps keep it more stable. A concrete structure is also more durable than a standard wood one.

"A concrete house won't be catastrophically wiped out from a wind event from a tornado or even from a flood. It will still stand, he says.

Baker says the cost of utilities is expected to dramatically increase in the upcoming years, but with the help of Mother Nature, concrete home and geothermal system owners will still be saving money.

Lindsay Milbourne, weekend meteorologist/Living Green reporter for WBTW, is passionate about all things green, from eco-chic clothing to organic vegetables, ecotourism and sustainability. Contact her at lmilbourne@wbtw.com.