GREEN HOME FACT #1

A “green” built home far exceeds the state building codes. Most people think when a construction project is built to state building codes they are getting the latest and greatest. State building codes actually represent the minimum building requirements a builder must adhere to. Think about that for a minute, people are spending 300K-1M or more on homes built to the minimum requirements. You wouldn’t buy any other product built to minimum standards and quality, but that is exactly what happens to the majority of home buyers. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense does it? A “green” builder will generally be more familiar with state building codes and how they are exceeding those codes and why. For example, Minnesota state building code requires that homes meet a HERS (Heat Energy Rating System) rating of 100% from a combination of insulation, building envelope tightness and energy usage. Energy Star Certification requires a HERS rating of 80%, which means your home is 20% more efficient than code. The last two “green” homes built by Amaris Company were in the range of HERS 46%, which is 54% more efficient than code and 34% more efficient than Energy Star. This is accomplished by higher insulation values, better products and a tighter building envelope. Not only does a home built with a lower HERS rating mean significantly lower energy bills forever, it means a more comfortable home that is not drafty in the winter or hot in the summer.