Certified Greenbuilding

    • What is Greenbuilding
    • Benefits of Greenbuilding
    • Greenbuilding Programs & Guidelines

As a proud member of the National Association of Home Builders, The BuildGreen New Mexico Program and Build Green Council,, as well as bearing the earned Designation of Certified Green Professional (CGP), HR Johnson Homes is dedicated to the inherent principles of designing and building sustainable, energy efficient, and healthy indoor air quality homes to support environmental preservation, and to promote public awareness of the importance of Green Building. In order to accomplish the inherent principles of Green Building, HR Johnson Homes obtains a transparent level of certification issued by BuildGreen New Mexico, based on a strict adherence to Green Building guidelines, which indicates the home is designed and constructed to a high degree of energy, resource, and water efficiency with minimal environmental impact.

At the same time, the use of Green Building principles and guidelines to build a handcrafted custom dream home does not hinder or prevent the use of magnificent architectural styles and luxurious interior designs. Green Building is simply producing a more energy efficient high-performance home to advance environmental preservation and healthier indoor air quality which are supported by an abundance of available homebuilding products and services offered by HR Johnson Homes.

At HR Johnson Homes, the Whole House Approach is used as a Green Building guiding principle to construct the high-performance home by balancing the application of systems and materials relative to heat transfer, moisture movement, airflow and pressure, structural durability, and over all home sustainability to provide the complete blend of superior construction, healthy indoor air quality, environmental preservation, and luxurious living in an architectural masterpiece.

The GreenBuild New Mexico Certification Process is based on achievement of one of three ratings of Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Emerald for the custom home. The Bronze rating is the lowest level of certification with the least criteria and the Emerald rating has the highest level of certification with the most criteria. As an essential aspect of the ratings, the GreenBuild New Mexico Certification Process requires an independent Third-Party verification to test the required precise balance of the application of systems and materials relative to heat transfer, moisture movement, airflow, and pressure of the home in order to provide optimal indoor air quality and energy efficiency.

In essence, the mission and goal of HR Johnson Homes is our prevalent focus on building the highest quality custom dream homes with the option of selecting all or a few of the Green Building products and standards available on the market today. This goal of providing high-performance homes to our clients through innovative thinking, the application of building science and cutting edge technology, and the transparent Green Building certification process, coupled with a team approach to design, preparation, construction, and environmental preservation demonstrates that HR Johnson Homes is striving to be New Mexico’s premier Custom Home Green Builder.

WHAT IS GREEN BUILDING

Green Building is a sustainable design and construction practice that promotes the economic health and well-being of your family, the community, and the environment, and Green Building provides an opportunity to use our resources efficiently while creating healthier homes and buildings. Green Building provides cost savings through improved health and productivity, lower cost building operations, and resource efficiency, and at the same time Green Building moves us closer to a sustainable future and a more peaceful state of mind.

The built environment has a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health, and productivity.  
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates buildings account for:

72% of electricity consumption
39% of energy use
38% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
40% of raw materials use
30% of waste output (136 million tons annually), and
14% of potable water consumption.

BENEFITS OF GREEN BUILDING

Environmental benefits:	Economic benefits:	Health & community benefits:
Improve air and water quality Conserve natural resources Enhance knowledge of Natural Resource Conservation Reduce Construction Waste through recycling of materials	Reduce maintenance and operation costs Enhance asset value and profits Improve durability and sustainability Optimize life-cycle economic performance Increase long-term value of structure Green Building is becoming a popular living option Federal and State Tax incentives and rebates Utility incentives and rebates	Improve air, thermal, and acoustic environments Enhance occupant comfort and health Minimize strain on local infrastructure Contribute to overall quality of life and well-being

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GREEN BUILDING PROGRAMS AND GUIDELINES

The National Association of Home Builder’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines and the GreenBuild New Mexico program of the Home Builder’s Association of Central New Mexico are designed to move environmentally-friendly home building concepts further into the mainstream marketplace. The Build Green New Mexico program and the National Association of Home Builder’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines are voluntary programs with a purpose to encourage homebuilders to use technologies, products and practices that will:

Provide greater energy efficiency and reduce pollution
Provide healthier indoor air
38% of all carbon dioxide CO2 emissions
Reduce water usage
Preserve natural resources
Improve durability and reduce maintenance

The process of Green Building is to incorporate environmental considerations into every phase of the home building process. That means during the design, construction, and operation of a home, energy and water efficiency, lot development, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality, homeowner maintenance, and the home’s overall impact on the environment are all taken into account. The Build Green New Mexico program and the National Association of Home Builder’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines contain six primary sections:

Lot Preparation and Design.

The guidelines can be used to certify an individual home or an entire subdivision. Through planning and design, damage to natural features can be minimized and the home’s long-term performance enhanced.

Resource Efficiency.

Efficient design, material selection, and advanced framing techniques optimize the resources used. Less material is wasted, and materials that are used are selected and installed for durability.

Energy Efficiency.

Using a third-party testing system. The testing is used to ensure a well-sealed building envelope and optimized mechanical systems, and also accounts for energy-efficient appliances and lighting.

Water Efficiency and Conservation.

The climate of New Mexico calls for special measures to conserve water. Green homes reduce water use with low-flow fixtures, water-saving appliances, recycled rain water and grey water, and smart landscaping.

Indoor Environmental Quality

Green Builders reduce indoor pollutants by choosing materials that have a low or no volatile organic compound (VOC) content. Additionally, green homes use appliances, equipment and building techniques that guarantee fresh, filtered air in the home.