Herlong Architects

One of the best ways to add value to a home is by making it more energy efficient. It not only improves the home’s resale value, but makes it more cost effective for the homeowners who spend less on utility costs.

But making a home energy efficient goes beyond installing Energy Star appliances, low-flow toilets and compact fluorescent light bulbs. It starts with design of the home and knowledge about the best techniques for maximizing efficiency.

This article from EcoHome magazine outlines the five most common errors builders make when it comes to constructing an energy-efficient house: wasted resources; poorly selected and installed insulation; improper drainage for water management; not building to allow for fresh air and intentional ventilation; and HVAC ducts installed in unconditioned spaces, particularly the attic.

As a full-service custom design firm, we work closely with builders and can help oversee the entire process to ensure the most energy-efficient methods are being used. Our staff is knowledgeable on green building techniques and designs each home with that in mind. We spend time talking with clients about how to design what we like to call a “high-performance home” and how we can make it work within their budget.

Our clients don’t have the time to fully research the many green building practices and techniques – that’s why they hire us. They don’t want to spend time focusing on why it makes more sense to put the HVAC ducts between the floors rather than in the attic, which is the hottest place in the house in the summer – and the coldest in the winter months.

The homeowners simply want a house that is cool in the summer, warm in the winter and doesn’t come with a high electric bill. They rely on us to figure out the best way to make that happen.

Whether it’s cleaning products, office supplies or food containers, just about everything comes in a green option. But when we’re designing and building houses, just how green can you be?

When we talk with clients about designing an environmentally friendly home, we focus on creating a high-performance structure, particularly on the Charleston coast where houses need to be designed to withstand hurricane-force winds and the potential window-rattling earthquake.

And with the air conditioning cranked up in July and August, you want a home that is energy efficient, ultimately costing less to cool in the summer and heat in the winter.

Making decisions to build a green home start long before selecting bamboo floors or dual-flush toilets. It means starting at the drawing board. Even a large home can be built efficiently if you take the time and effort to focus on the planning process.

Consider how the sun hits the home and design extended overhangs to create more shade. Spend more time on the placement of the mechanical systems, ensuring the unit is running at maximum efficiency.

Is the building envelope durable from the frame to the siding? Starting the green process at the beginning gives the house a cohesiveness that allows all systems – from the HVAC to the plumbing – to function together.

We work closely with clients, discussing the design and the budget and how to achieve a green home. It’s often those little things that turn a vision on a blueprint into a high-performance house.

And being green doesn’t always mean you have to make expensive choices. Yes, solar panels to heat your water are pricey, but you can make an equally important impact by putting 15-cent water flow restrictors on your shower heads. If you don’t have an endless budget, start with less expensive items and work your way up.

By putting some thought into green building before the hammer hits the first nail, you can achieve a high-performance house.

Herlong & Associates just celebrated two milestones: entering our second decade of business and obtaining our first EarthCraft certified green house. 

Over the years, people are drawn to our homes for the design, and how beautifully the house takes advantage of the views and the sun orientation.  But as a company we are known for designing beautiful custom homes not necessarily ‘green’ homes. We know that our homes are extremely energy efficient, as we design a tight building envelope, we use high performing low-e double glazed windows, and spray insulation. We take care installing the windows and doors so that they are flashed properly, and do not have any air leakage around the edges. We install multiple mechanical systems, one for each separate zone in the house and specify energy efficient 15 seer dual speed HVAC units. But we did not have a test case to prove that our typical house was in fact a ‘green’ house. High performance yes, but actually certified, no.

The Silverman’s new home on Daniel Island changed all that.  At just under 4,300 square feet, the Silvermans wanted to build a sensible but comfortable home, one that would fit the Earthcraft model. The mechanical system used was no different than one we would typically place in a house. They did not limit their selections based on the newest green hype (concrete countertops, bamboo or cork floors); they chose what they liked and what suited their needs. In fact, we did not add any green products just to make the house ‘green’. What we did do is follow the model we have set in place for each home we design – create a high performance, healthy and comfortable home that reduces energy bills and protects the environment, all part of the EarthCraft guidelines. We accomplished this by obtaining the EarthCraft certification for the house and creating a special place for a special client.  

In the end all we can say is, ‘Welcome home Silvermans, welcome home’.

EarthCraft home designed by Herlong & Associates