What are points ?

Looks like a furnace to me. I see dual vents, must be gas. What's that have to do with points? O yea, points. I am reminded that the best points are those that the Flyers get in the playoffs, Brier just put one in the net! Go Flyers!! Sorry, I am multi tasking again. OOOOOPS, the Caps just scored to tie the game. Go Flyers!! Just like that, another Flyers goal! 3 goals in 3 minutes. Well, what do you want, a commentary on furnaces, or on the Flyers, huh? And now another Flyers goal, 3-1 Flyers. 4 goals in 4 minutes!! That's a little more exciting than furnaces. Apparently the multi tasking is working, it is good luck for the Flyers, so I guess you are stuck with my hockey commentary. Sorry, back to furnaces and points. And this time I mean points, as in the NAHB Green Build program.

The natural question, how do a gas furnace and points relate? Well, as we discussed before, points are not the end, they are simply the way the NAHB Green build program recognizes what we do to make give your house a less environmental impact. So we do not design or build for points, we design and build to make a house more efficiently use resources, both during construction and over the life cycle of the house. Then recognize what we did by awarding points. Comfort and economy in resources + points.

So what's a furnace? 4, 6, or 8 points. Your typical gas furnace has an efficiency rating somewhere in the low 80%'s. Upgraded furnaces are in the upper 80's. In fact, the minimum Energy Star gas furnace is an 88% or 89% efficient furnace. Which by the way, gets you 6 points toward your HAHB Green Build rating. See how that works? More efficient, you get points. Points you can brag about to your neighbor, but a gas furnace that puts money in your pocket every month. And there is always another step. How about a 94% efficient furnace? How about even more money in the home owner's pocket every month? Let's give that one real points, like 8. And even better, in an Energy Star certified home, that goes a long way toward qualifying the house for the optional higher rating that qualifies the home for the $2,000 federal tax credit. Just in case you don't know, there is a basic Energy Star program, basically for an 15% energy usage reduction. From there, there are more things to do to make the house more energy efficient; more insulation, more efficient heaters, tighter ductwork, which is where the additional $2,000 tax credit comes from.

I am trying to demonstrate the simplicity of the Green Build program. Do what is right, make the house more efficient, and next thing you know, you have 400 points, points you can brag about. It is just that easy. Forget about saving the planet, just design and build better houses.