New Residential Buildings

The Manual supports the construction of new green homes with diminished energy and environmental footprints and the greening of existing homes. This approach limits the impact of the built environment on the natural environment, while sensitivity to the location of building activities helps to prevent urban sprawl and preserves natural resources.

The Residential Buildings section includes strategies for new single-family homes. Many of the strategies also pertain to existing single-family homes and support energy-efficient and green home improvement projects that provide resiliency benefits. Whether building a new home or upgrading old systems, new and existing homeowners have the opportunity to select ENERGY STAR equipment, including high-efficiency water heaters, and HVAC equipment. Likewise, all homeowners can incorporate grid back-up capabilities (based on individualized risk factors and site opportunities) and consider storm preparation and planning for disruptive events.