We built green. We built small (for our area anyway). We built into the side of a southern facing slope so we were able to finish the lower level. It gets solar gain and it is protected from the prevailing NW winds. We don't heat or cool downstairs at all, though we can. It maintains temps between 60 to 78 all year.

On the main level, we only have 3 windows to the north, lots more on the south, very few on the western side.

We did closed-cell insulation, geothermal heating and cooling, instant hot water heaters, we put all the duct work in conditioned space. We used casement windows which are not only tighter than double hung, but when open, they act like fins on the house and capture the prevailing breezes. As such, we used the a/c only about 5-6 days last summer. We also have an open staircase to the lower level so we get good convection in the summer.

As the geothermal is fueled by electricity, we put 5kw of solar panels on our southern facing roof. We did it with a 10/12 pitch for maximum solar gain in our area.

We put our deck on the SE corner of the house and half of it is covered like a porch so we get maximum use out of it. It is shielded from the NW winds, it is protected from the strongest western sun in the summer, and captures the early morning eastern sun when it is most comfortable.

Some of our choices were free...like positioning the house....some were very expensive, like closed cell insulation...some were subsidized like the geothermal and the PV panels. But all in all, we are happy. We are in zone 5 in the NE, and our total energy cost...every drop of energy we use for everything...is about half of our cable bill.

But we were not into environmental impact of the materials....other than durability. We were building our retirement home and wanted to minimize maintenance. So to the extent that our roof will last 50 years, our vinyl siding will never need painting, etc. we minimized the impact.

If you didn't, you should post on the renewable energy forum here too...

Where are you building? Most eastern MA towns have adopted the "Stretch Code" that increases the energy conservation requirements of the energy code for new homes above that of the basic statewide energy code. You can achieve that level of energy conservation with trade-offs between mechanical equipment and insulation that is entered into a free computer program. Your architect should be well versed in this process and also know how to reduce air infiltration.

These energy conservation measures are not always cost effective for the original owner unless they live in the house for a long time. The challenge is how to most effectively use limited resources for the time you tend to own the home.

Marvin Integrity windows are sold as a fiberglass clad wood window or an all-fiberglass window. I'm not sure why they would be more energy efficient than many other good windows but they are probably a good value and certainly last longer than typical all-vinyl windows. The features of these windows was originally very limited (mullion type, color, etc.) but I believe applied mullions are now available but the interior and exterior colors are still limited to 6. Window energy efficiency is mostly about the glass, type of operation, orientation and the overall area of glass. Design Pressure (DP) is an indication of tightness but derived from high wind testing. The trade-offs can be difficult.

So for insulation start with the energy code for your location and for air tightness I recommend avoiding plastic wraps and using a liquid applied membrane or Huber's Zip System sheathing possibly the insulated version. It is also a good idea to invest in a heat recovery ventilation system to supply fresh air to the house.

The most important thing to know about designing a building envelope is that it should be done as a whole instead of adding elements to it one at a time. That means, for instance, deciding now what the structure and types of exterior claddings and windows will be now and think about how they will be properly detailed as part of the envelope.

If you want to get ahead of your architect regarding building envelope design go to Joe Lstiburek's site but don't expect to find easy answers. Technical house design is about endless material and system choices and and how they fit together to achieve your goals. That's in addition to how the house looks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Joe Lstiburek's site

Thanks all! This is very helpful for finding some places to start.

MushCreek - I'm so far behind I had to google what ICF was! Sounds like your house will be very efficient. I will check out the green building site.

Annie - your house sounds so nice! My husband read a little about geothermal and is quite interested in it. I had only thought about finding the right lot, but I have been neglecting thinking about possible orientations of the structure to maximize the efficiency. Oddly, when we moved to our current house, the RE agent told us it was ideally located for energy efficiency, but the back of our house faces north.

Renovator - thanks for your input and for the resource. We are building in south eastern MA, but doesn't look like the towns we are considering have adopted the "Stretch Code".

Huber's Zip System is that bright green stuff? I have seen that on a lot of new builds around here (we are not in MA yet).

Thanks for the info on the windows. I also read your response about windows to akpick and found that informative as well.

Oh, I forgot to mention that we also have a wood stove which we use to heat the house (we're on a wooded lot, so wood is available, and wood is greenhouse gas neutral) and we have a heat recovery ventilator....

Here are the communities that have adopted the Stretch Code.

Here is a link that might be useful: Adoption of Stretch Code by Community

Renovator - Thanks, I found that map…we are south west of where the stretch code seems to be most popular. Is it something I should consider asking the architect to adhere to even if it's not required? (i.e. is it a good goal for overall efficiency?)

Is it typical to find a lot or an architect first? I have been looking at lots online but need to see them in person and need the snow to melt before I can see them.

Annie - My parents had a wood stove when I was a kid, but I can't imagine my DH ever chopping wood! :-)

Yeah, wood splitting day is my least favorite day of the year...but as DH tells me all the time, I sure love cozying up to that wood stove when it's cold outside!

Another thing for energy efficiency ... get as close to a cube as you can - minimal wall space for the amount of floor space.

Saltbox, center hall colonial, or American Four square design instead of a sprawling ranch.

Is it typical to find a lot or an architect first?

Find the lot first, and then build a house that suits the lot. Of course if you have some idea of what you want the house to look like, then you also want to look at lots that would be good for that type of house. For example, if you want a house with a walkout basement, then you want to see if you can find one with a south facing slope to be able to take advantage of passive heating.

I second house orientation, and a square design. our building inspector was impressed with the energy efficient ratings on our marvin integrity windows, so they are worth getting a price quote. Just make sure you try to compare apples to apples when window shopping. Look at window materials and construction before looking at the price quote. In my situation for the same materials marvin was cheaper than anderson. Consider concrete floors and hydronic heating. The thermal mass works in your favor for heating or cooling. Our concrete was ground to show the stones in it, which is so pretty and durable that it eliminated the need for carpet or tile.

Neonweb, I'd love to see a pic of your concrete floor....sounds interesting...is it like terrazzo?

We put peastone in our concrete, but you can put anything you like in it. Its durable as you can get, easy to clean, and looks good too!

You can call your local utility company. They provide a service to build a green house and they will also tell you if you can get any refunds. Where I live with geothermal you get about 20-30% back. I had gone thro' my utilities company as well. It is usually free. (it is actually added on to our utilities bill) .

The company which I contacted was Conservation Services group (csgrp.com)

Good Luck.

Thanks, neonweb...very nice finish and colors!

How efficient do you want to be? I think the advice will differ if you're looking to achieve Net Zero or PassiveHaus standards vs the current stretch code. I'd suggest that in the northeast it's probably a poor decision to shoot for less than the stretch code requirements for insulation and ACH numbers. Going for the level of perfection that PassiveHaus demands stretches all but the most generous budgets. We opted for an intermediate level in suburban Boston; rigorous sealing of all air exchange we could find; insulation to ~R30 in the walls R60 in the ceilings with a wrap of rigid foam on the entire exterior to prevent conduction through the framing plus blown in cellulose and some spray foam depending no the area; reasonably high efficiency heating and cooling; solar panels that supply about 30% of our needs; decent, but not outrageous windows (a mix of Marvin Ultimate and Integrity), energy recovery air exchanger, etc. Our utility bills are about half of what they were in a similar size house built 14 years ago, but more importantly the house is extremely comfortable in both summer and winter. The house is built to last--plenty of 2-300 year old houses up and down our street, and I'm quite sure the upgrades for energy efficiency were quite worthwhile.

Great replies so far! Its mostly about the building envelope. I would go for what the "stretch" is trying to reach and that's probably the 2012 IECC. This can be a very cost-effective level of thermal envelope and if your builder and designers know what they are doing, addresses healthy indoor air quality with Ashrae 62.2.

hire an energy rater who has experience & colleagues

in trades. the rater can give you specific to your plan

& location information based on your best upgrade options.

get a team together of like minded trades.

there is lots of info out there, having someone who understands

all phases of efficiency, how to detail it to your project, and who does independent testing & verification...it a good deal for the homeowner. use this link to find a rater near you. make sure he/she is experienced in new construction.

http://www.resnet.us/

information every homeowner should have would include...

build tight, ventilate right.

building science's info on building a perfect wall for

all climates.

size the hvac system with a load calc with detailed

inputs. design the duct system.

don't accept rule of thumb sizing, invest in

the man J calcs.

inspections & verification from an independent that

works for the homeowner is a good investment into

the efficiency & performance of the home.

and remember, efficiency costs are always upfront, benefits are long term.

roi's & payback info is good stuff to have/know, but

comfort everyday is the side benefit of a successful

build.

best of luck.

Great thoughts from energy rater. Not all builders or designers are comfortable building to the 2012 IECC or the level of efficiency that we should all be achieving. Hiring a third party energy rater should be done at the beginning of the design process and usually their services include quality assurance throughout construction. Usually an EnergyStar certification is the basis for this type of work.

Other names to use when searching for this type of service include home performance contractors/professionals, New home certifications, and some insulation contractors offer these services too although that begins to fall outside of the 3rd party model.

We pride ourselves on "TCO" or Total Cost of Ownership which means we build efficient homes. You've been given a lot of really good advice here. I don't build in your climate but would suggest you research Spray Foam & GeoThermal. I also have a love hate with windows. They are great to look out and provide natural light but even the best are bad insulators so I recommend limiting them in non-essential areas. I love windows...just don't need them in places like a master closet or pantry in most designs. The other thing I would recommend is you explaining to your framer and every trade that you are going to complete a blow door test and want to measure a 2 or below. You want the home tight enough that you need to bring in outside air mechanically. Good luck!