By Stacy Hunt
Customization is key
The features of the tool include:
- The ability to build a customized profile for your recommendations, including your building type, role (i.e. homeowner, general contractor), climate and building age.
- The ability to select a project type for customized recommendations
- Specific project recommendations, including estimated cost and payback calculations.
- Extensive information and resources for professionals.
- Home and system maintenance information for homeowners.
- A library of documents on specific technical topics (i.e. vapor retarders, combined heat and power).
- Extensive resource links for technical, code and other information.
- Suggestions for additional "earth friendly" or "green building" measures that can be taken to improve the responsibility and marketability of your rehabilitation project.
- A glossary of common terms.
In addition, the tool links to a rehab calculator provided by the Department of Energy, which allows the user to obtain more focused data for a gut rehab project. This Home Energy Saver was the first Internet-based tool for calculating energy use in residential buildings.
This tool, in addition to effective design, quality control, and marketing efforts within a remodeling or building company, can assist in addressing increased demand for energy saving and green building in new and existing homes.
Stacy Hunt is a Pittsburgh-based freelance writer and consultant on green building and energy efficiency. She is the former business manager of BuildIQ.
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