DIY Network

A Look into the Future From "Blueprint for Home Building" episode DBHB-213

In this first segment of the final episode of the 200 series of Blueprint for Home Building, host Jeff Wilson takes a look at how sustainable design and how the EPA's energy star program can be beneficial to you. You will learn how to balance human need with what the environment can provide -- and to reduce how much harm we cause to the environment.

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Future Housing

Based on statistical research that the U.S. Census Bureau has been providing, they estimate that by the year 2010, three out of five families will have no children under 18 in their household. As a result, smaller homes are expected and due to the lack of land townhouses will continue to be in vogue. This is nothing new if you compare what's been happening in Europe for the past 15 years, which means with land coming at a premium there is a movement to move back to the cities.

Architecturally speaking, the home of the future is apt to adopt the philosophy of sustainable design. The idea is that you want to balance human needs with what the environment can provide and to reduce how much harm we cause to the environment. Sustainable design is really a system approach to the entire design of the house so that both the materials one uses and what's going to happen to those materials once the lifetime of the house finishes. All of these are considered at once during sustainable design. In summary, sustainable design suits human needs without harming the health and productivity of the environment.

In this final episode host Jeff Wilson discusses the innovative home of the future.

Townhouses could be even more in vogue in the future due to a shortage of land.

	The EnergyGuide label, which appears on all labels, will tell you how efficient that appliance is. Image source: www.energystar.gov
	Look for this Energy Star logo to be sure you're buying energy efficient appliances. Image source: www.energystar.gov

Note: To ensure an energy-efficient future for your home, you can follow the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "Energy Star" home guidelines. This program is all about fundamentally preventing pollution, and it does so via energy savings.

How Does the Energy Star Program Work?

There are "two" components to the annual cost of living in a house:

1. Annual operation cost.

2. Annual mortgage cost.

What home-energy ratings can help you do is to understand how much your projected cost is going to be for energy, and then you can look at it in the context of how much you're spending on annual cost.

But if you take the energy savings and apply toward your monthly mortgage payment, generally you can make cost-effective improvements to the home that not only save energy, but also improve your home's comfort, durability -- and the health and safety of your family.

As part of the program, the Energy Star rating system applies to individual items on the market as well. There are all kinds of equipment and products that are labeled by the EPA Energy Star program. Not every manufacturer (of windows, appliances, etc.) has earned the right to be able to display the Energy Star label. The product must qualify under the EPA guidelines.

Did You Know? -- Each American generates between three and four pounds of solid waste a day, which means that U.S. citizens generate the most garbage per capita in the world.

For more information on having your home rated, click here for Home IQ episode DHIQ-126.

In the next segment technological breakthroughs in plumbing and heating are discussed.

GUESTS :

Benjamin Clavan
Architect, AIA
E-mail: benjamic@earthink.net

Greg Allen
Site Supervisor
Hendolhurst Homes
955 Markman Park Rd.
Baden, PA 15005
Phone: 724-935-5658
Fax: 724-935-0884
E-mail: gcrbs@adelphia.net

John Holton
Senior Architect
Ibacos
Website: www.ibacos.com

Kirk Vigil
Regional Sales Mgr.
Wirsbo Co.
5925 148th St. W.
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Toll-free: 800-321-4739
Phone: 952-891-2000
Fax: 952-891-2008
Website: www.wirsbo.com

Duncan Prahl
R.A., Senior Building Scientist
IBACOS Website: www.ibacos.com

Bob Balzar
Director
Nevada Power Co.
6226 W. Sahara
E-mail: bbalzar@nevp.com

Gale Tedhams
Insulation Products Manager
Owens Corning
3000 Hasty Rd.
Toledo, OH 43615
Phone: 419-248-8978
E-mail: gale.tedhams@owenscorning.com

Al Sain
Homeowner
7117 Fairway Dr.
Butler, PA 16001
Phone: 724-865-3056
E-mail: alsain@zbzoom.net

Regina Zernay
CMTS, Inc.
Phone: 310-390-9558

John Gilmore
President
Elite Custom Audio and Video
5505 Moreno St.
#104
Montclair, CA 91763
Phone: 909-931-2835
E-mail: john@elitecustomaudiovideo.com
Website: www.elitecustomaudiovideo.com

Mills Pierre
Urban Planner
E-mail: mills@millspierre.com

Steve Soberoff
5510 Lincoln Blvd, Suite 100
Buena Vista, CA 90094
Phone: 310-448-4601
E-mail: Ssoboroff@playavista.com

Jerry Axelrod
1306 Kingsdale Ave.
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Phone: 310-370-8575
E-mail: sdgav@aol.com