Editor's note: Gwendolyn Bounds writes the "Around the house" column for The Wall Street Journal.
Recently, I found my home of the future. Or, what it might be if I started from scratch and had $4 million to spare.
This "New American Home" was showcased at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas earlier this year and boasted plenty of cosmetic perks — from a luxe roof deck and outdoor kitchen to a master bath with a spalike tub featuring changing colors and music. But it was the less glam stuff hidden behind the walls (and on the roof and in the basement) that I coveted most. The house's thermal shell was toasty: thick spray foam insulation under the roof deck, and exterior walls constructed with airtight insulated concrete. The hot-water system was tricked out with tankless water heaters and solar technology to let the sun heat the swimming pool, as well as provide electricity. And an internal home-automation system ran the TVs, stereo and security systems from one central interface — or an iPhone.
It's a far cry from the 1978 post-and-beam house I bought six years ago, with its power-guzzling old appliances, analog TV roof antenna, sagging pieces of fiberglass insulation and door frames leaking so much air in the winter that the dog's fur ruffled when she walked by. Back then, "energy efficiency" and "green" building were still environmentalists' lingo, and housing prices seemed likely to only go up.
Today, the median age of the American home is 36 years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and like millions of other homeowners, I'm in the midst of "future-proofing" my house so it doesn't become an edificial dinosaur amid fast-changing new building science and a hemorrhaging home-sales market. New regulations, such as California's recent move to reduce formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products such as those used in kitchen cabinets, are contributing to the urgency and sparking established manufacturers to transform product lines. Financial incentives are helping, too, from "green" homeowners insurance policies to expanded tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements in the new federal economic-stimulus package.
And these dwellings aren't just for the wealthy: The average new green home is 2,477 square feet and costs $296,600, according to a recent study by McGraw-Hill Cos. Spending a bit more on such upgrades can pay off in immediate energy savings and a higher resale price down the road. One-third of homebuyers say they are willing to pay a premium of $20,000 or more for a green home, according the study.
"Five or 10 years ago, people didn't wonder, 'What can we do to insulate or what sort of lighting to use to save energy?'" says Gary Drake, owner of Los Angeles-based Drake Contractors Inc. "It was more like, 'Why am I spending all this money on insulation?'"
Now, Drake estimates, a quarter of his remodeling clients request energy-efficient lighting and appliances as well as paints and cabinetry made with fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs), solvents that can cause environmental and health problems. He is currently remodeling his own home with low-energy LED lights and nontoxic denim insulation (exactly what's found in blue jeans). "I know when I go to sell it, these are all things I can say I did. And I'll know I can get top dollar for my house," he says.
Here are five remodeling "future-proofing" tips that experts recommend.
1. Beef up your home's insulation
Today, there are multiple forms of insulation, many promoted as "green," including soy-based foams, loose-fill cellulose (recycled newsprint) and denim. Go for the highest R-value (thermal resistance) — typically, the bigger the number, the better the insulation — you can afford and fit with proper installation. Pay particular attention to exterior walls, basements and attics.
Batt or blanket insulation is often cheapest; fiberglass is still widely used. The main drawback is that batts must be trimmed to fit around pipes and fixtures, leaving spaces susceptible to air leaks.
Loose-fill insulation made of fiberglass and cellulose can flow better around wires, pipes and other obstructions. Spray-in, expanding foam insulations do a particularly good job at this and don't settle or sag over time, though are often pricier because of the materials' high R-values. Many are urethane-based, but some now substitute petroleum content with soybean material. "Fill the cavity any time a wall is open," says Bruce Harley, author of "Insulate and Weatherize."
Resources:
- BioBased Insulation and Soy Therm: soybean-based spray urethane foams with low or no VOCs.
- air krete: a lightweight spray foam made from cement, air and water, containing no chlorofluorocarbons or formaldehyde.
- GreenFiber: a blow-in insulation made from 85% recycled-paper fiber.
- SafeTouch: fiberglass-free batts made from nonirritating polyester fibers.
