by Christine Cooney on April 12, 2011 in ENERGY STAR, Green Building, green house plans, House Plans
The latest issue of Green Builder magazine features more than 25 new green house plans from the leading architects and designers at The House Designers. The house plans are designed with innovative materials and systems that promote healthy living. All these designs feature timeless architectural styles and practical/flexible layouts to ensure years of comfortable living.
Green Builder Magazine Features America’s Greenest House Plans from The House Designers.
Each house plan contains technical detailing so you can build an energy-efficient home. You’ll find these homes are designed with SIPs and ICFs, optimal framing and spray-foamed attics to provide total home comfort and efficiency.
Fantasy renderings were designed for each of the top “editor’s choice” plans so you can see what the home might look like when completed with eco-friendly furnishings.
Green Builder choose these plans from a collection of over 40 winners in a green house plan competition offered exclusively by The House Designers, which features the only collection of ENERGY STAR approved house plans.
Functionality and form come together delightfully in this extremely energy efficient traditional home. With exterior materials comprised of recyclable steel and fiber cement board, durability and longevity combine with timeless elegance upon the frame of a traditional forest or farmhouse plan.
by Christine Cooney on September 27, 2010 in Green Building, Home Ideas, House Plans
When it comes to interior design, how you decorate your walls and floors can really make a difference when bringing your home’s style and décor together. Our house plans feature so many great interior photographs to help inspire the designer in all of us. You’ll find everything from gorgeous cabinetry, lighting fixtures, columns and millwork, faucets, flooring, wall coverings and colors to small accents to help inspire you.
Our most recent issue of Home Ideas focuses on flooring and features the latest green flooring options like radiant floor heating, handscraped hardwood, bamboo and cork. Remember your floor is a key design element so you’ll want to spend some time selecting the right materials, colors, patterns, textures and even shapes for each room.
Choosing a floor that you will love to live with is not just a matter of looks. The floor must suit your lifestyle. Do you have children or do you plan on having children down the road? Do you have pets? Are you concerned with slipping? How much time are you willing to commit to maintaining your floor? Are you concerned with indoor air quality, allergens and/or odors?
Learn about the latest green flooring options and get insightful information radiant floor heating, choosing the right flooring and FREE online design tools like Lumber Liquidators® Room Designer.
Sign up for our weekly Home Ideas e-newsletter featuring the latest products, tips and trends to help you build and design your dream home. Haven’t purchased your house plan yet, check out our weekly Dream Designs, featuring our editor’s favorite house designs.
by Christine Cooney on August 31, 2010 in Green Building, House Plans
When Brad Pitt founded the Make it Right foundation in 2007 to rebuild part of the flood-ruined Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans, he had the future in mind. His plan was to build safe, sustainable and affordable homes for working families.
The challenge to the architects he invited to contribute to the project was daunting. The designers and architects that were invited to contribute to this project were asked to base their work on traditional New Orleans typologies — the “shotgun” single family home, and the “duplex,” a multi-family home. They were asked to make the homes green, affordable, and durable enough to weather the storms to come. They were expected to design homes that would be built using materials inspired by Cradle to Cradle™ thinking and verified to be non-toxic and reusable. And finally, they were asked to design homes that were aesthetically advanced. They recently unveiled their first floating house design.
Our designers and architects are also on the forefront of the green building movement with their exclusive partnership with ENERGY STAR— to design green house plans that meet or exceed their rigorous guidelines. The concept behind the “Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR—” program was to make it easy for homeowners and builders to build a green and energy efficient home by working from an already approved house plan, rather than hope that their new home would be built correctly and efficiently enough to become ENERGY STAR— rated. Since it made perfect sense to both parties, an exclusive partnership and commitment to promote green building was formed 2 years ago.
Our architects and designers have been diligently creating new green home designs in all architectural styles and in a variety of sizes. While the average green home is 2,700 square feet and under, we have plenty of large, luxury homes that have been designed as efficiently as a home half its size.
To be designated as ‘Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR®,’ a house plan must be reviewed and approved by an independent Home Energy Rater (also known as a HERS Rater) who verifies that the plan, if built, will result in a home that is at least 15 percent more energy efficient than the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC). Homes Plans that are ‘Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR®’ also must specify additional energy-saving construction features, such as properly installed insulation and right-sized heating and cooling equipment, that will typically make them 20–30% more efficient than plans for standard homes.
by Christine Cooney on June 17, 2010 in ENERGY STAR, Floor Plans, Green Building, green designs, green house plans, home building, Home Construction, Home Plans, House Plans
Every month we continue to add new house plans to our collection of over 5,000 best-selling stock house plans to meet the growing needs and styles of consumers looking to build their dream home. Some of the most popular home design features that consumers are looking for in their new house plan are green features like energy-efficiency and sustainable building products, a split level floor plan layout and lots of flexible and functional design spaces.
One of our newest house plans is the La Meilleure Vie House Plan, which is not only ENERGY STAR® approved, but designed with every amenity that you can think of, including a fireplace at lanai, luxurious master suite with garden tub and exercise room, open kitchen design with kitchen island, 12 ft. ceiling in the living room, covered front and rear porch, mud room, nursery room and much more.
The optional bonus plan features 934 sq. feet of family fun and entertainment with a game room, space for billiards and a media room to watch all your favorite movies.
Newest green house plan is designed with every amenity in mind.
by Christine Cooney on June 10, 2010 in Architecture, ENERGY STAR, Green Building, green designs, green house plans, home building, Home Construction, Home Plans, House Plans
America’s only collection of ENERGY STAR® approved house plans
The House Designers, the leading online source for residential blueprints and stock house plans, and ENERGY STAR® have put together the ONLY collection of ENERGY STAR® approved house plans to promote consumers and builders to build eco-friendly, energy efficient homes. This collection of exclusive green house plans includes all the necessary tools to build a green home including information on green building products and practices.
“We came up with the idea to implement the first-ever collection of THD/ENERGY STAR® Green Home Plans to encourage consumers and builders to build authentic eco-friendly and energy efficient by implementing sustainable building strategies early in the design phase,” said Tammy Crosby, COO of The House Designers. “This partnership has brought together companies like Danze, Wayne-Dalton and Lumber Liquidators to support our efforts with ENERGY STAR® in educating consumers how to build high-performance, sustainable new homes.
All plans in THD’s ENERGY STAR® Approved/Green House Plan collection qualify as “Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR®”, and include requirements for energy-efficient features and construction details typically found in ENERGY STAR® qualified homes – tight construction and duct systems, properly installed insulation, high performance windows, efficient heating and cooling equipment, ENERGY STAR® qualified lighting and appliances and more.
In today’s price-sensitive economy, THD also helps consumers and builders “go green” by taking advantage of savings and rebates on eco-friendly products offered by residential manufacturers dedicated to promoting sustainable residential construction by offering a money savings/green building section to easily find the latest green building products and rebates.
by Christine Cooney on June 3, 2010 in ENERGY STAR, Green Building, green designs, green house plans, home building, Home Construction, home designs, Home Plans
Last year I bought an ENERGY STAR® approved house plan from The House Designers and I have to tell you it was the best investment I’ve ever made. My builder was so impressed by how easy it was to build our home according to the ENERGY STAR® plans that they provided. It included all the necessary requirements like tight construction and duct systems, properly installed insulation, high performance windows, efficient heating and cooling equipment, ENERGY STAR® qualified lighting and appliances and much more. Last week all the inspections and field verifications were performed by a HERS rater and I am thrilled to report that our new home is not only officially ENERGY STAR® qualified but absolutely stunning.
by Christine Cooney on May 21, 2010 in Green Building, green designs, green house plans, home building, Home Construction, home designs, Home Ideas, Home Plans, House Plans
The demand for sustainable materials and the popularity of outdoor living areas such as decks has led to a growth in “green” decking materials. One of the most popular and affordable sustainable materials is composite decking, which blends wood fiber and recycled plastic to create a highly durable and beautiful product. Our latest issue of Home Ideas features the latest trends in deck designs and the top green decking products to build and design your outdoor retreat. You’ll learn about some of the hottest decking materials from leading companies like TimberTech®, TAMKO®, Weyerhaeuser® and Tiberon® as well as some new creations like TimberSIL® which is made from glass and BamDeck® which is made from a 100% bamboo.
by Christine Cooney on May 19, 2010 in Floor Plans, Green Building, green designs, green house plans, home building, home designs, Home Ideas, Home Plans, House Plans
Here are some great design ideas to make a small bathroom appear larger without sacrificing aesthetics, comfort and functionality.
One of the simplest ways to make a small bathroom appear larger is to choose light colors for the décor and the appropriate style and size for your sink design. If you want to add some bright, bold colors to your small bathroom, use accent colors in your border or decorative accessories like mirror frames and bathroom hardware.
Choosing light colors for your bathroom flooring will aid in making your bathroom appear more open and roomier. Some of the more popular colors for bathroom floors are tans, light grays and light blues. By incorporating light colors on your walls and floors, you will have created the basis for a light colored décor that will give your small bathroom design the appearance of a much larger space. Read the entire article in the latest issue of Home Ideas featuring dazzling and eco-friendly new products from top companies like Linkasink®, Newport Brass Company®,Danze®, Delta®, Toto® GRAFF®, and many more.
Linkasink's® new line of patterned bronze sinks, which are made from 100% recycled materials make a stunning addition to any bath design.
by Christine Cooney on April 16, 2010 in ENERGY STAR, Green Building, green designs, green house plans, home building, Home Plans, House Plans
With Earth Day April 22, now is the perfect month to think about building your dream green home. We have taken the stress out of wondering if your house plan will meet the high level of green standards once it’s built by offering you our exclusive ENERGY STAR® approved house plans. And we mean EXCLUSIVE, because we are the ONLY online house plan company selling ENERGY STAR® approved house plans.
We also provide you with an in-depth Green Building Guide that will help you choose the right green products for your home. You’ll find everything you need to know about he latest green trends and products, from HVAC to flooring to painting and of course ENERGY STAR® appliances.
This week’s issue of Dream Designs, features some of our best selling ENERGY STAR® house plans. If you have any questions at all while browsing through our green house plans, please give a call to 866-214-2242 and our customer service staff would be happy to answer any questions.
by Christine Cooney on November 16, 2009 in Green Building, green designs, green house plans, home building, home designs
The editorial staff of The House Designers has spent several months working with their architects, designers and builders to find out what green building products they would recommend to consumers looking to build their dream home. Here is our list of Top 10 Green Home Building Products for 2009 based on performance, innovation and design:
1. GE Hybrid Water Heater
The new GE® Hybrid Water Heater is the first water heater to be ENERGY STAR® rated and the first to be listed on the U.S. Department of Energy‘s website. This new energy efficient heat pump electric water heater can reduce energy expenses up to 62%, saving as much as $320 annually on energy bills.
2. ALNO Kitchen Cabinet
The ALNOCLASS kitchen cabinet collection lowers the carbon footprint, while delivering high style and cutting-edge technology. The door fronts are constructed of 100 percent sustainable oak from FSC-certified forests and its matte lacquer finish is free of VOCs. Those looking to spice it up a bit can add a mobile multifunctional niche unit that keeps your most important kitchen utensils within arm’s reach. The best part is that the glass cover, which is used to conceal the components when not in use, can be outfitted with your choice of colored LED light fittings.
3. Benjamin Moore’s Green Promise® products
Benjamin Moore continues to grow its portfolio of Green Promise® products, which includes Aura, high–performance low–VOC paint; Natura Zero-VOC interior paint, which is considered one of the greenest and safest paints available in the residential market. The Green Promise® designation is Benjamin Moore’s assurance that its environmentally friendly coatings meet and exceed the strictest industry standards, while also delivering the premium levels of performance and color you would expect from Benjamin Moore. But how did they get to be so green? The reason is the combination of both the base paint and the colorant. In addition to Aura and Natura, the Green Promise line also includes Aura Bath & Spa, Waterborne Ceiling Paint and ben.
4. Brizo faucets and showers
Brizo®, the luxury brand of Delta Faucet Company (DFC), brings eco-friendly elegance into the home with a line of products that are both environmentally responsible and aesthetically pleasing. Showcased at the 2009 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, the new Brizo green platform includes a range of water-efficient products with luxurious and sustainable design. Many Brizo lavatory faucets, such as the Vesi® Channel and Vesi Curve design, flow at 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm) at 60 pounds per square inch (psi), saving approximately 30% of water. In the kitchen you’ll find many product lines featuring its new SmartTouch technology, which allows the user to turn the water on and off with just a tap anywhere on the spout or handle. The faucet’s hands-free functionality allows users to easily wash hands, dishes or food without ever touching the faucet. With this new technology, homeowners are able to conserve water and energy by activating water only when needed, saving an average of 0.3 gallons of water per minute.
Read more…
by Christine Cooney on November 9, 2009 in Green Building, home building, Home Plans
Calling all home builders, THD would like you to share your home building experience and photo album with us on Facebook. By sharing your experiences with others, you can inspire them to build their dream home. We joined the popular social-networking site to stay in touch with our consumers, showcase our newest house plans and keep them updated on the newest and hottest products and trends, particularly when it comes to building green. Come visit us on Facebook….we’d love to hear from you!
by Christine Cooney on September 6, 2009 in Green Building, green house plans, Home Ideas, Home Plans, House Plans
With winter around the corner and increase in the cost of home heating this year, many homeowners are turning to supplementary heating products like fireplaces, stoves and inserts to help take the burn out of high heating costs.
You should definitely start planning early to prepare for winter. You should purchase your new heating product (stove/fireplace/insert) now so you won’t run the risk of facing shortages or delays in installation. Take advantage of the next couple of months to research, purchase and install new products.
First, you need to decide whether you want to heat with a fireplace, stove or insert (when building a new home you can mix and match depending on the size, style and space). Then you need to choose the fuel – wood, gas or pellets – that best suits your home and heating needs. Then you need understand the importance of efficiency ratings. Most hearth products are EPA-certified and are efficiency rated with a score between zero and 100, where higher scores indicate a better job of converting fuel into heat for your home. To learn about heating options visit our HVAC articles section, browse our collection of green home plans and read our latest issue of Home Ideas.
Most homes feature several fireplaces to efficiently warm their home.
by Tammy on September 1, 2009 in Green Building, home building, Home Plans, House Plans
The process of building a new home can be intimidating to most people, which is why The House Designers now offers visitors a step-by-step home building guide that outlines the whole building process. From choosing your home plan all the way to the finishing stages, be prepared and informed before you even break ground. Our product articles also help you with each of the building phases giving objective information on all the different products you will be faced with. Articles like Selecting The Right Windows explains in laymen terms the different types of windows available for your new home so you can tell your builder exactly what you want. Also, learn how you can build green during each phase, particularly when it comes to heating and cooling, windows and doors and water efficiency.
Designing your interior is one of the most exciting parts of the home building process.
by Christine Cooney on August 5, 2009 in Green Building, green house plans, Home Plans
Green building means designing, sitting and constructing a home as well as improving the way that homes use energy, water, and materials to provide a healthy living environment. Our architects and designers make it their priority to embrace sustainable building practices and the use of eco-friendly products and materials whenever possible, which is why all their green home plans have been awarded the “Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR®.” Our designers have taken into consideration all structural aspects, including insulation, window placement for natural lighting, air circulation, and the use of energy efficient appliances and lighting.
Building a green home begins with ENERGY STAR® blue because the first thing you should consider when you begin building your new home is energy-efficiency. By purchasing one of our exclusive ENERGY STAR house plans, we’ve done the work for you. If you and your builder follow the guidelines and designs of these plans you will assure yourself a home that saves money on utility bills, provides better indoor air quality, a comfortable living space and helps protect the environment.
To find out more about the type of features to look for in an ENERGY STAR qualified home you can read What Makes A Home Green and visit are green building articles section.
by Christine Cooney on July 31, 2009 in Floor Plans, Green Building, green designs, Home Ideas, Home Plans, House Plans
Interest in building an energy-draining dream home that comes with high costs and wasteful space is fast becoming a thing of the past. Today’s homeowners are very savvy about energy-efficiency and economics. The economy has swiftly changed us from excessive pampering to practical living. Helping to make that road easier are architects and designers, builders and manufacturers, who support green building through their products and services.
Here are some common questions people ask when deciding whether or not to purchase or build a green home:
Q: How much is it going to cost to heat and cool a green home?
A: Residential cooling and heating alone make up 20% of the United States ‘ yearly energy use. Throw in household lighting, appliances and other electronic equipment, and homes are clearly a major source of energy consumption. Green homes use 40% less energy than comparable standard homes.
Q: But what does a “Green” home look like?
A: Your new dream home is likely to be smaller but designed to look bigger with the right floor plan, window locations and interior design accents. Flexible spaces make it easier to do more with less space.
Q: Is it true that there are several tax breaks available and even a special energy-efficiency mortgage for building a green home?
That’s correct. If you build an energy-efficient home you may qualify for a higher mortgage and get a tax break. You can read this entire article on Why Build Green in our latest issue of Home Ideas, along with a Green Home Checklist and our exclusive collection of green house plans.
