What Exactly is a High-Performance Home?

High Performance in a Home…What Does It Mean?

At present, there is no universal definition of a “high-performing home” in the construction industry. However, there is some consensus in the way that it is used.

According to the New Home Stakeholders Group (Colorado), high performance means setting a higher bar for “comfort, durability, indoor air quality, and lower energy use.” Meanwhile, the Appraisal Institute (a global association of real estate appraisers) says the term suggests energy efficiency, sustainability, and the use of environmentally friendly products.

Our definition at Clarum runs along the same lines as these two organizations. When we build High-performing homes, we incorporate the following principles:

• Lighter environmental impact (smaller carbon footprint, eco-friendly materials, longevity of construction, reducing waste, recycling)
• A better experience for the homeowner (greater comfort, healthy indoor air)
• Smaller bills, greater value (extreme energy efficiency; quality of design, materials, construction)

• Consumes fewer resources at construction and throughout their life
• More durable, having considered the environment that they face on a daily basis

It’s not just the products we use. It’s our whole approach.

It’s easy to dig up a plethora of building products labeled “sustainable” or “green.” Some of these products are great and are truly sustainable; unfortunately, others are snake oil.And, be warned: there are some builders that will incorporate some of these “green” products within a home that is not high performance.

Where high-performance houses are concerned, we believe the entire approach is important: this includes everything from the design details to the choice of materials and the installation methods. All of these aspects must work in concert to deliver a highly efficient home that lives up to the label: high performance.

Clarum Homes is committed to high-performing homes

This is what we do at Clarum, each and every time.

“We have a commitment to high-performance houses, and we have a commitment to the environment. Since 1999, we have been dedicated to building sustainable communities.”

For example, take our Enviro-Home™ houses in the Vista Montaña community – the nation’s largest zero-energy community and built in 2003. This development of 177 single-family
homes, 80 townhouses, and 132 apartments opened in August 2003 and incorporated solar electric, tankless on-demand water heaters, and high-efficiency furnaces. Each building features a foam-wrapped building envelope, radiant roof barrier, and energy-efficient windows. We put care and attention into every detail, from the HVAC to the sink faucets to the landscaping. All of the energy-efficient features worked together to create over $20,000 of added value, at no added cost to the buyers.

We put this same level of attention and detail into every new custom home we build.

In short, while there’s no standardized definition for high-performance home, at Clarum there are standards you can count on. When you walk into one of our high-performing homes, it’ll feel airy and well-lit, and be fresh and cozy throughout. It’s not only more comfortable – it’s healthier to live in. With extreme energy efficiency, it also costs a lot less to operate… and it’s worth a lot more.

To learn more about our high-performance homes, call Clarum at 650.322.7069.