Ted Clifton of Clifton Builders is proud of what he’s accomplished as a green builder but quick to point out that he’s only just begun. He relies on an ultra-tight building envelope, good insulation practices, and air sealing to make sure his houses keep conditioned air inside.
“We’ve been building for [energy efficiency] for years, and each house gets a bit better,” he says. “This house has a HERS rating of 41. So it’s partly building on what you’ve already learned and then adding a little bit better air sealing and spending a little more time choosing appliances with least amount of power—not just qualifying for Energy Star.”
Many builders think they know how to stay green when choosing appliances: buy Energy Star. But that’s not all there is to it, claims Clifton.
He cites the refrigerator as an example. “A 26 cubic foot fridge that is Energy Star uses $76 in electricity every year. Another fridge the same size but different design using French doors with the freezer on the bottom uses $50 a year.” While $26 doesn’t sound like much, multiply that by the number of other appliances and electronics used in a house and you can see its relevance. If you are considering PV; you want to power homes with the smallest system possible so everything that uses energy must be as efficient as possible.
“You need to go beyond the fridge,” adds Clifton. “Keep looking further—like at dishwashers. Go beyond Energy Star.”
And that goes for everything in the house. Clifton cites windows. “Window technology is moving so fast. You need to keep an eye on it and do your homework every time on every house.” Clifton stays well-read on green product advancements and uses building-related shows to stay educated. “I go to the Builders’ Show and get my card scanned so I can get updates from manufacturers,” he says
An interesting fact about this 2,966-square-foot house is that while it only uses about $970 year in total energy, only 18% of that is for HVAC versus 25% for cooking. “We haven’t figured out cooking yet.” He notes that induction, radiant energy (microwave), convection, and conduction—and all combinations of those types of cooking in a kitchen—still produce heat. “We need to figure out a better way to cook. They all use some form of energy, and once you’ve created heat from fossil fuel, it doesn’t turn from heat to anything else.”
“Smart people are figuring out how to do that kind of stuff,” he says. “I am taking stuff off the shelf that some smart guy has created and putting it in the home. I’m not a really smart guy; I’m just looking for the product and a better way and using stuff smartly.”
Clifton’s last piece of advice? Stay humble. “Don’t get too smug because there’s someone out there doing better than what you’re doing today. While building a tight house is very good, it isn’t where we are going; it’s just a start to where we are going. Net zero was great goal five years ago but consider where we are using energy—we use the same on transportation as housing. Is it possible to produce enough energy to power a house and car, too? Never be satisfied.”
Energy Features
• Foundation: Basement R-20 foam insulation and R-21 fiberglass batt in framed wall
• Wall Construction: Structural Insulated Panels
• Wall Insulation: R-25 SIPs
• Rim Joist Insulation: 2" spray foam + R38 fiberglass batt
• Roof Construction: Structural Insulated Panels (vaulted ceilings) and raised-heel trusses (flat ceilings)
• Ceiling Insulation: R-38 SIPs (vaulted ceilings); R-50 blown cellulose (flat ceiling)
• Windows: Low-e, gas-filled; U-0.29, SHGC 0.31
• HVAC: 15 EER, 4.4 COP ductless mini-split geothermal heat pump; Multizone radiant distribution; Whole-house mechanical ventilation
• Ducts: N/A
• Water Heating: Desuperheater + geothermal heat pump (2.97 EF); PEX manifold distribution
• Lighting: 50% ENERGY STAR fixtures; 50% compact fluorescent lamps; Advanced lighting controls
• Appliances: ENERGY STAR refrigerator, clothes washer, dishwasher
• On-Site Energy Generation: None
• Duct Leakage Test: N/A
• Blower Door Test: 850 cfm at 50 Pa; 1.8 ACH50
• HERS Index: 41
• Energy/Green Building Programs: SICBA Built Green, Energy Star, DOE Builders Challenge qualified house