Green Buildling Techniques

Green Mountain Timber Frames are Environmentally Sensitive and Energy Efficient

Timber frame home structures use at least ten percent less wood than stick-built (i.e., conventionally-framed) houses.

In building your Green Mountain home, we concentrate on using both environmentally-sound and energy-efficient construction materials and practices.

Only those building materials and components that promise more effective use of natural resources are employed in the construction of your Green Mountain home. Among these are:

• Reclaimed timber, or timbers harvested from a certified-sustainable forest
• Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) building materials
• Non-toxic glues, adhesives, sealants, paints and stains
• Natural wool or recycled "pop bottle" carpeting that is manufactured with yarn created from reclaimed polyester resins of soda bottles and ketchup containers

In addition, we incorporate building techniques designed to overcome the challenge of rising energy costs. We consider the path of the sun when situating your home on your property in order to incorporate passive solar principles for greater winter heating efficiency and to derive the greatest benefit of available shade for summer cooling.

We have participated in the development and construction of a "zero-energy" home (ZEH). A ZEH is connected to the electric power grid. However, it generates more power than it uses during off-peak hours by uniting renewable energy technology with energy-efficient construction. Over a year, a ZEH returns almost as much energy to the grid as it consumes, thus achieving "net zero" energy consumption.

The renewable energy technologies incorporated in ZEH construction may include:

• Ground source heat and air conditioning systems
• Tankless hot water heaters

For more information about green construction principles, click here.

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