Going Green -- Sounds good
Posted by qualityconstruction on 2010-01-07 in Green, efficent, ennergy, green, home, insulation, renovation, smart, team, technoligy
As an ex-home builder, construction engineer and owner of 2 homes in Israel I have seen, designed and witnessed a verity of construction designs in both the US and Israel, many of which are less than energy efficient. This article will focus on residential homes in Israel as the focal point.
A standard Israeli home (120 Sq meters) will spend 2000 to 3000 NIS ($550-800) or more for a heating each month and approximately ½ this amount for cooling. Solid and concrete block walls are very heat pours thus most of the homes surfaces are inherently cold in winter and hot in summer due to the fast heat transfer of the materials used.
New homes can take on a comfortable warmer feel from the start if consideration is invested. Owners can benefit from simple framed cloth coverings on walls to new gypsum surfaces on both wall and ceiling with insulation inside a closed cell frame work which can easily be incorporated into the design. This solution adds value without a significant cost increase. These layers keep heat in or out of the home much longer saving thousands in the short term. Floors can benefit drastically with either cold joint separation on exterior connections (designed properly) or the use of alternate materials for the floor. By doing this the heat which is transferred through concrete surfaces are kept to a minimum.
In existing homes walls can be fitted with a 5 cm Gypsum layer which can lower costs significantly. Floors are almost always cold. Much time, consideration and expense will be spent to upgrade and heat this surface. Throw-rugs or carpeting are a simple solution but the low cool breezes are always present.
After upgrades or properly designed structures are designed and in place minimal outlays for independent room or central Air Conditioners / heaters / heat pumps can be considered due to the lower heat loss / gain. This can be considered due to insulating materials used during design keeping the cost for these systems to a minimum and making your home more energy efficient, thus Greener in Israel.
A standard Israeli home (120 Sq meters) will spend 2000 to 3000 NIS ($550-800) or more for a heating each month and approximately ½ this amount for cooling. Solid and concrete block walls are very heat pours thus most of the homes surfaces are inherently cold in winter and hot in summer due to the fast heat transfer of the materials used.
New homes can take on a comfortable warmer feel from the start if consideration is invested. Owners can benefit from simple framed cloth coverings on walls to new gypsum surfaces on both wall and ceiling with insulation inside a closed cell frame work which can easily be incorporated into the design. This solution adds value without a significant cost increase. These layers keep heat in or out of the home much longer saving thousands in the short term. Floors can benefit drastically with either cold joint separation on exterior connections (designed properly) or the use of alternate materials for the floor. By doing this the heat which is transferred through concrete surfaces are kept to a minimum.
In existing homes walls can be fitted with a 5 cm Gypsum layer which can lower costs significantly. Floors are almost always cold. Much time, consideration and expense will be spent to upgrade and heat this surface. Throw-rugs or carpeting are a simple solution but the low cool breezes are always present.
After upgrades or properly designed structures are designed and in place minimal outlays for independent room or central Air Conditioners / heaters / heat pumps can be considered due to the lower heat loss / gain. This can be considered due to insulating materials used during design keeping the cost for these systems to a minimum and making your home more energy efficient, thus Greener in Israel.
More can be read at:
www.qa-israel.com or
http://www.treehugger.com
