At the Fryeburg (Maine) Home Garden and Flower Show this weekend, I had the privilege of participating in a panel discussion on the current and future state of energy efficient and green homes. The panel and the seminar series was sponsored by Smart HomeOwner Magazine. One attendee asked about where the starting point is for new home construction if you’re at square one. One panel member answered with making sure you have a tight building envelope. After he had made his point, I was quick to insert that design and planning should come first. Choosing your site is critical, or if you have a site - then situating the structure on the site and developing the design, location, and orientation in parallel. Room locations, window sizes and types, roof overhangs, and landscape are just few of the factors to consider before you ever get to sealing the building envelope.
We then agreed as a panel that the first step in moving toward a “high-performance home” is reducing heating, cooling, electrical, and other building systems loads.
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