What are VOCs?

VOC stands for "Volatile Organic Compounds" which are sometimes referred to as "Off-gasses." Some of the most common sources of VOCs are paints, varnishes, cleaners and solvents. They release gasses not only during curing, but sometimes long after and sometimes without any odor. Concentrations inside the home can be up to five times higher than outdoors. VOCs affect the indoor air quality of a home and can have a negative impact on the health of its occupants. The EPA considers indoor air quality amongst the top five leading health risks in the US.

Click here to read more from the EPA website.

So, you can understand why Earth Advantage awards points toward certification based on the use of low VOC materials.

Don't be afraid to ask the builder of any home you're considering to provide the information on VOCs of the products they use.

Mark Mecklem - Miranda Homes

Follow Us On Twitter

Yes... We will be "Tweeting." You can expect regular updates on specific homes as we build them. You'll find us at Twitter under the user name MirandaHomes. (Click the button below)

For those of you who aren't using Twitter yet, it's a great way to keep tabs on what we're doing. Don't worry though, we'll still be blogging.

Let us know what you're thinking or if there are specific topics you'd like to see us cover in our Blog.

Mark Mecklem - Miranda Homes

Have Your Cake Without Taking it from Someone Else

Many of you may have heard the term "FSC" when looking at houses. If you aren't sure what FSC means or why it's important, read on...

FSC is the acronym for "Forest Stewardship Council"; a global agency developed to ensure the sustainable growth and harvesting of forest products. They certify forest products for companies and land owners who can verify that they use practices that are consistent with FSC standards. Those standards cover not only the sustainability of the forest itself, but also the well being of the animals and people who work in, live in and depend on those forests. It encompasses the health, environmental, social and economic aspects of growing and harvesting forest products.

Click here to learn read more about the Forest Stewardship Council

The reason I bring this up is that we're installing some of the most beautiful hardwood flooring you'll ever see. It is FSC Tigerwood 3/4" solid wood tongue and groove. It is much harder, and more durable than oak and it has a contrast between light and dark that really comes out when finished. After installation the tigerwood can be sanded and finished with a natural vegetable oil and wax based finish or by using traditional floor finishes. Because it's a solid wood floor rather than a laminate it can be refinished several times if needed without worry of sanding through to a composite base.

FSC products are generally more expensive but builders who choose to use them recognize the benefits as people question the choices they make and how they affect others.

Mark Mecklem - Miranda Homes

What does it mean to be Earth Advantage® Certified?

Earth Advantage scores homes based on a worksheet that covers all aspects of construction. Builders earn points by choosing more sustainable construction methods and materials over less sustainable ones. The categories include interior air quality, environmental responsibility, energy efficiency and resource efficiency. The standards Earth Advantage has created target an energy usage of at least 15% less than a home built using the minimum building code. To be Earth Advantage Certified a home must score minimum of 90 points. That qualifies it for a Silver rating. To earn a Gold rating, a score of 120 points, and for a Platinum rating a total of 140 points must be earned. To see the points worksheet Click here.

What is the cost to build a Silver level home? What about Gold and Platinum.

Most builders should be able to attain a Silver level for about $3,800 in labor and materials. Much of it can be done for very little money by considering the Earth Advantage standards in the design process. Things like implementing a waste management plan, reducing house size and taking care to cover the construction site with erosion control materials are examples of low cost solutions.

At Miranda Homes we choose to build to a minimum of a Gold level certification. Reaching this level takes more planning and some better material choices. Some of how we reach a Gold level is by using Insulated Concrete Forms for our foundations and Spray Foam Insulation to seal the home against weather. We also use engineered steel studs, advanced framing systems, a home-run plumbing distribution system and an air management system to maximize energy usage and improve the quality of the interior air. We include a conditioned crawl space, rigid foam exterior insulation, a heat pump and run all heating ducts within conditioned space. The additional expense for these items and the other quality, energy efficient products we use comes to about $14,000 over a code built home.

Platinum level certification is the highest award Earth Advantage offers and Miranda Homes will build to this level based on customer requests. To reach Platinum level Miranda Homes includes all of the items used to reach Gold level certification as well as additional landscape planning. The location of the property and its proximity to shopping and public transit must also be considered. To reach this level adds approximately $18,000 in cost over a code built home.

At Miranda Homes we work hard to offset these extra costs through efficiencies in engineering, purchasing and processes.

But we don't do all of this for the certificate. We take these steps to give our customers homes that:

• Reduce carbon footprints - Our Platinum homes produce approximately 5.3 tons less carbon per year than the average home. (Click Here to see what a ton of carbon looks like)


• Reduce utility costs - Our Platinum homes reduce energy bills by an average of 50% over traditional homes.


• Increase the life of the home - All of our homes are estimated by The Office of Sustainable Development to last 100 years longer than a code built home.


• Bring a higher resale value - Earth Advantage homes are proven to shorten time on the market and bring higher prices. (Read a story HERE)
  


• Reduced waste in landfills - Our recycling program diverts 75% of construction waste to reuse. (approximately 7,500 pounds per home)

As you'll see from the points worksheet, there are many ways to reach the different Earth Advantage levels. Some are more expensive than others but some have a much higher payback in reduced utility costs and improved lifestyle benefits. Every builder of an Earth Advantage certified home has completed the points worksheet and most will be glad to share it with you.

To learn more about Earth Advantage and the certification process for new homes click here. For more information about how Miranda Homes reaches Gold and Platinum levels call us at 503-658-4818. We'll be glad to show you our points worksheets.

Mark Mecklem - Miranda Homes

“Built-In” versus “Bolt-On” Performance

You may have heard the saying, “You can’t un-ring a bell.” Sometimes you just can’t go back and change things.

When a fruit grower decides to grow organic fruit they change their whole way of doing things. There’s no way to make fruit organic after the fact. There’s no “Bolt-On” alternative to doing things right from the start.

When Toyota created the Prius they didn’t start with a Corolla and bolt on an electric motor. They started from scratch to build a whole new car. It has new wheels, a new transmission, a new computerized dashboard, and a new drive system. Every component was reconsidered with the whole vehicle in mind. The result is the most popular hybrid car on the market and the rest of the automotive industry has begun to follow.

The same is true when building homes. We can’t start thinking about energy efficiency, lifespan, health and comfort of a home after it’s built. There are certain essential components that just have to be built in. It starts with a clean slate and reconsideration of every component with the whole house in mind.

Solar panels can be bolted on and energy efficient appliances can be installed but after a furnace and duct work have been installed in the garage it’s not feasible to move them into conditioned space. An insulated foundation, without vents, that includes an earth slab and vapor barrier cannot be installed after the fact. Replacing traditional batting insulation with spray foam insulation would require gutting the inside perimeter of the house. There is simply no alternative to doing things right from the beginning.

We call it, “Built-In Performance” and we don’t build homes without it.

Mark Mecklem - Miranda Homes

Miranda Homes Announces Free Energy Performance Evaluation

Home Builder will team with Earth Advantage to give home buyers tools for comparison.

Miranda Homes has teamed with Earth Advantage to put together a unique offer for home buyers. For a limited time, prospective home buyers can receive a free Energy Performance Evaluation of their current home for comparison against other homes they are considering.

Similar to the MPG sticker in the window of a new car, an Energy Performance Evaluation gives home shoppers a way to compare homes they are considering against each other. Earth Advantage evaluates energy efficiency and carbon output of a home by taking into consideration insulation, windows, fixtures, design and several other factors. The evaluation takes a few hours and normally costs $500-700 to complete.

The offer from Miranda Homes provides the first ten responding Oregon residents with a free evaluation on their current home, as long as it is on the market or they have a mortgage pre-approval letter from a bank.

For more information about Earth Advantage visit their website at www.earthadvantage.com . To schedule a tour of one of Miranda’s homes and to take advantage of this offer please call Miranda Homes at 503-658-4818 and ask about the free Energy Performance Evaluation.

Mark Mecklem - Miranda Homes

The True Cost of Home Ownership

Today, more than ever, it’s vitally important to take all of a home’s costs into account when considering which one to buy.

Your mortgage broker can calculate your monthly payment quickly and easily. Property taxes and hazard insurance tend to go up over time, but generally not too drastically. There are some expenses however, that home buyers often underestimate; energy is one.

Energy costs have been increasing faster than incomes over the past few years. The newer methods for generating electricity, although “greener”, are not any less expensive. There doesn’t seem to be any near term relief in the cost of a unit of energy but if we can reduce how many units we use we can relieve the strain on the infrastructure and our own wallets. That’s where conservation comes into play.

By choosing a home that uses half, or less than half, of the energy a typical home uses, a family can regain control over the amount they spend on energy.

How do you determine which houses are efficient and which aren’t?

Just like the MPG sticker in the window of a new car there’s a scoring system for homes that gives consumers a way to compare. It’s called an Energy Performance Score or EPS. It was developed by Energy Trust of Oregon. You can learn more about it HERE.

Energy Trust of Oregon can arrange to provide an EPS on any home, old or new, but most builders should be able to provide you one for any home you’re considering buying.

Just as you wouldn’t consider purchasing a new car without knowing what its fuel mileage is, you should consider a home’s EPS before you make your final decision.

Mark Mecklem - Miranda Homes

Turns Out that Size Really Does Matter.....

When it comes to house size, statistics say that, for most people, smaller is better. As the glut of homes over 2,500 square feet languish on the market buyers are flocking to smaller, more efficient homes, just like the people who used to drive Hummers are looking at smaller more efficient vehicles. People’s thinking is shifting from square footage to carbon footprints. Pride of ownership is shifting from excess to efficiency.

As the status symbols of the last 10 years are changing they are opening the doors for advancements in technology as they relate to sustainable building. Alternative energy sources are being introduced, insulation is getting better, foundations are improving and off gassing from paints and adhesives are being reduced, just to name a few.

Miranda Homes’ goal is to be at the forefront of these technological advances while keeping an eye on attainability. “Green” homes with price tags that are 30% higher than other homes cannot become main stream because most people can’t afford them. At Miranda Homes we applaud and encourage all builders who raise the expectations of their customers by providing durable, comfortable, sustainable, efficient homes that are low maintenance and long lasting at prices that they can afford.


Mark Mecklem - Miranda Homes
Attainably Sustainable.

The Importance of a Clean Furnace

You may have never considered what a furnace can go through before you ever live in a house. It is commonly used by subcontractors to help dry out the inside of the home and to speed up the process of sheet rock mud, tape and texture. The problem is that during construction there is a substantial amount of dust and debris in the air. Sheet rock dust is especially fine and stays airborne easily. When the furnace is running it sucks all of that matter into return vents, through the furnace and out through the ducts. Unfortunately, it leaves dust behind that the homeowner has to deal with for a very long time.

The furnace should never be used until the home is completed. All registers also need to be sealed with a durable material to keep construction debris and dust out. The furnace itself should be sealed in plastic to keep it clean as well. The best way to tell if you're looking at a furnace that wasn't subjected to construction debris is to pull a couple of the register vents out and look inside. The ducts should be clean and free of sheet rock scraps or other debris. You should also pull the filter out of the furnace and look inside for dust.

Using the furnace during construction may seem like an unimportant shortcut but it can have a long lasting negative impact on interior air quality for the homeowners.

Mark Mecklem - Miranda Homes

Electricity Versus Gas

There are really only two common options for energy in today's homes; natural gas and electricity. Several factors contributed to our decision to standardize on electric appliances as opposed to gas. Arguments exist supporting both fuel types as being more environmentally friendly, however we believe the future will increasingly favor electricity as a means of tapping renewable sources. Even now, gas is almost entirely fossil-based. Electricity, on the other hand, already has several renewable technologies employed.

This is why homes that are "off grid" are largely electric. The technology exists for on-site generation of electricity in sufficient quantities to make it possible for a home’s production to exceed its consumption. Similar technology for natural gas is decades away. As the requirements approaching "net zero" or "zero carbon" homes are implemented over the next 20 years, we think homes will be forced to utilize electric fuel from renewable sources at ever increasing rates. This part of the country already has abundant, cheap, relatively clean electrical power generation. Building our homes with this in mind will put our customers in a better position to take advantage of future technological advances.

Electricity is universally consumed and unmatched in its capacity to fulfill all the energy demands of the house: heating, cooling, lights, cooking, and electronics - whereas, a home with a gas furnace will still need to have electricity to run the blower. Being entirely electric improves efficiency because we deal with fewer utility companies and our customers will have the convenience of fewer bills each month. Additionally we can eliminate the minimum meter rental charge that gas companies apply to each home whether or not any gas is used in a month. This charge is typically around $13 per month for an average household. Selecting the 100% renewable energy option through Portland General Electric will add $9 to the average household electricity bill.

Some customers may insist that they prefer gas appliances, and it will be simple to accommodate them – at an environmental cost. But to set a standard for a high performing home, all electric is simply better.

Loren Hanson - Miranda Homes