When Ken Harvey Homes was founded, the team pledged to build homes they would be proud to call their own. From quality craftsmanship to exemplary client service, each home-building project is designed to meet the team’s high standards. This attention to every detail includes applying eco-friendliness and sustainability to each project, ensuring that carbon footprints are minimized while offering homeowners peace of mind. Ken Harvey Homes partners with the best subcontractors and vendors in the area, enabling new builds to create homes favorable to their environment and to the buyer’s budget.
What is Green Building? Green building is not new, but it has certainly taken center stage in home construction in the last few years. Both builders and designers are now tasked with minimizing the environmental impact of homes and amenities while providing a healthier living space for residents. This ranges from choice of materials to energy efficiency to tapping into local climate patterns to reach success.
Sustainable Materials are the foundation of eco-friendly homes. In North Carolina, this means creative ways to use less lumber while building. Bamboo is becoming more desirable as it grows quickly and does not require replanting. Concrete has recently taken a back seat as hempcrete (biocomposite material) becomes more popular. In addition to building with eco-friendly materials, lifespan matters. By building a sturdier structure, the need for future renovations or repairs is reduced. Inside, designers are using repurposed products such as reclaimed wood or recycled steel to create unique spaces.
Energy-efficient appliances are now standard in new construction but there are other ways to lower the cost of running a home. Proper sealing at entry points, double-paned windows, and quality, expandable insulation helps homes stay snug year-round. This reduces the cost of heating or cooling and, in conjunction, reduces the use of fossil fuels.
A Nod to Nature: Homes in the south can easily tap into solar energy thanks to long days and extended summers. Solar energy reduces reliance on electricity and can be harnessed in many ways. Homeowners typically install solar conversion atop homes, whether with the more common solar panels or via solar shingles that mimic the look of a traditional roof. Innovative window coverings can be programmed to open and close based on the position of the sun, allowing warmth and natural light to pour into desired rooms at specific times.
Smart Technology is also quite common in today’s homes and its positive impact rises with each new invention. Smart Technology first appeared in the form of LED lighting. Shortly after, programmable thermostats became standard in many new homes. Today, many appliances have the ability to “talk” to each other or follow set schedules, reducing spikes in energy usage. With this technology, even showers can be programmed to a specific temperature and time to maximize efficiency.
Healthy Homes start with quality air. As homes have become more energy-efficient through improvements in insulation, air quality inside has become more important. This starts with using environmentally friendly paint or natural fiber carpets and extends to ventilation systems that circulate fresh air while filtering out pollutants.
Outside, water conservation has risen in popularity with affordable options for rainwater collection. Rain barrels are a common site in many new communities, used to gather liquid sunshine to hydrate flower beds or vegetable gardens. As builders install landscaping, it is with an understanding of the local climate. In central North Carolina, that means opting for native plants which will require less water and maintenance. Low-flow faucets are often installed as they reduce water usage in a way that is barely noticeable.
Ken Harvey Homes pays close attention to trends in eco-friendly and sustainable building as the team knows that today’s homebuyers require such methods. It is a fascinating topic as innovations seem to pop up frequently with creative solutions to reduce carbon footprints in new communities.
Reach out to Ken Harvey Homes today to hear more about how our floorplans are designed with both the consumer and the environment in mind.