How green home building makes a positive impact

Your home can lead the way in environmental responsibility and stewardship – beautifully

There’s no way to avoid the topic on everyone’s minds: climate change. In our current social and political environment, what to do about climate change can feel overwhelming. But the old adage remains the same, change begins at home. Or in Clarum’s case, with the home. For 23 years its been our mission to lead the way in building modern homes minimizing how construction impacts the environment. The result: beautiful and comfortable dwellings, respectful of the earth and its inhabitants.

The EPA recommends adopting green building strategies, particularly in the design and construction phase. Choosing a high-efficiency or passive home supports the health of our environment by consuming less energy, conserving non-renewable resources, and reducing your ecological footprint. Consider these positive benefits to green home construction:

Reduced environmental toxins

In the US, buildings are responsible for nearly half of US CO2 emissions – more than the transportation sector. This makes buildings the largest contributor to climate change.

Both the energy consumption of buildings and the materials they are built with are releasing toxins. These toxins also create unhealthy indoor air. In fact, the average new home’s air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoor levels. Clarum’s holistic approach to sustainable building substantially reduces a home’s overall environmental pollutant level.

• Low VOC paints reduce the occurrence of dangerous fumes indoors and out.
• Formaldehyde is a leading cause of indoor air pollution. It is found in the plywood, particle board and pressed wood used to make commonly purchased furniture, cabinets, shelving and countertops. Clarum uses only formaldehyde-free cabinets and other fixtures.
• We continuously review and monitor toxicity ratings on all building materials.

Energy conservation equals lower consumption

In our High Performance Home Building Guide we lay out the consumption and associated costs of the average single family home as compared to a passively built home over a 30 year mortgage period.

Aside from saving homeowners considerable money on electric bills alone, passive homes can reduce your energy consumption up to 90% through a combination of conservation systems.

• Solar-power systems produce electricity and heat from the sun to reduce your carbon footprint, including a Solar Thermal Hot Water System capable of offsetting up to 80% of energy needs to heat water.
• Drought tolerant landscaping conserves water and respects the natural environment.
• Water-conserving plumbing systems and fixtures reduce unnecessary consumption.
• A Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) provides continuous fresh air, exhausts stale air, and recovers 90% of heat from exhausted air.
• A highly insulated and airtight building envelope, including high-performance windows and doors substantially improves your home’s efficiency.
• Thoughtful design takes into consideration window orientation and natural lot shading to minimize your need for energy assisted cooling.

Renewable and sustainable resources

On average, constructing a new single-family home generates between 6,960 to 12,064 lbs. of landfill waste.

At Clarum, we believe there is more to building a high-efficiency home then just the numbers on your utility bill. Ecologically-friendly building materials and how they are manufactured are carefully considered. Priority is placed on products maximizing durability and longevity while minimizing environmental impact. This includes our thoughtful approach to planning how your new home will embrace the surrounding property.

• Priority is placed on recycled and reclaimed materials including decking and carpeting.
• Sustainably harvested and reclaimed flooring is used throughout.
• Engineered lumber maximizes timber function and reduces waste.
• Materials harvested and manufactured in a fully sustainable pipeline respect the environment of origin including indigenous plants, animals and communities.

The positive environmental benefits of green building include reducing waste, conserving energy and improving air and water quality. Plus, you’d be surprised to learn building a high-performance home really doesn’t cost much more than a conventional one. You’ll feel just as good about those drastically lower utility bills as you will about your dramatically lighter footprint on the planet.

Call us at 650.322.7069 to learn more about building your dream home with Clarum.