Green Building

From the beginning, Lauten Construction has implemented sustainable building practices. Remodeling is "green" building, since it leverages the embodied energy of existing infrastructure. As the green scene has developed, we often see that a Home Owner’s goals and lifestyle have significant impact on how “green” a home truly becomes. The design and construction of the house is a starting point, and from there habits and choices dictate the way we utilize power and materials to preserve and protect the environment.

Lauten Construction explores the following areas when we refer to green building and encourage our clients to think about how they will actually use these resources in their homes:

• Lifestyle choices
• Energy efficiency
• Indoor air quality
• Life cycle costs of buildings
• Materials derived from sustainable sources

When we remodel, taking built structures from the past and upgrading them for current and future needs, we are being mindful of existing resources and adapting them for use in new ways. That is resource efficiency.

The design phase of a building project is the key time to make good decisions related to sustainability. Key elements affecting resource efficiency are; the size of a building, structural components, solar orientation, siting and location. These are the kinds of things we will talk about to make your project as sustainable as possible.

We have recently started doing before and after energy audits on our remodeling projects. Give us a call to discuss the exciting possibilities of this new tool for measuring the effectiveness of your home improvements.

We recently completed (and now live in) a LEED certified new home in Purcellville, which has a classic Craftsman design. (LINK TO) This new home incorporates many energy efficient and healthy home technologies, and is available for tours, by appointment.  Living in it provides us with continuous information on operating a very comfortable house, which is an efficient machine for healthy living.