Our Philosophy
HV North was started with the premise that everyone should be able to afford and build an energy and environmentally responsible home. There are other Green builders in the area, but the cost of their homes exceeds what most families can afford. We wanted to build Green homes for everyone.
We set out to build truly energy efficient homes that had the smallest impact on the environment, both inside and outside the home. It is common today for builders to offer Energy Star Certified Homes. 90% of these Energy Star Homes are rated Tier 1, or the lowest possible Energy Star Rating. Only the top 3% of the homes in the country are rated at Energy Star Tier 3, the highest possible rating. Tier 1 homes exceed the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), the minimum standard set by New York State, by about 15%. Tier 3 homes exceed the IECC by 50%. Our model home was rated Tier 3 and all of our subsequent homes will be built to meet the Tier 3 Standard. HV North is a proud partner in the Energy Star Program
The US Environmental Protection Agency developed the Energy Star New Home Standards to encourage energy conservation in new construction, but they didn't stop there. They went on to develop the Energy Star Advanced Lighting Package (ALP) and the Energy Star Indoor Air Package (IAP) to push the concept of energy conservation and indoor air quality further. The Energy Star ALP is a comprehensive package that looks to reduce energy consumption in the home through the use of energy efficient lighting. The regular Energy Star program requires the use of at least five Energy Star qualified appliances, light fixtures and fans. The Energy Star ALP requires at least 60% of the light fixtures and 100% of the ceiling fans are Energy Star qualified. At HV North we take this concept further but providing 100% of the light fixtures and ceiling fans as Energy Star qualified. Check out the Energy Star ALP here. HV North is the only builder in the area committed to the Energy Star Advanced Lighting Package.
The Energy Star IAP is a little known program focused on improving the indoor air quality in new homes. The primary focus to reduce the pollutants and mold in newly constructed homes. The requirements in the IAP constitute the industry's best practice for improving the quality of the air in our homes. At HV North we are committed to providing the best possible living environment for your family and are 100% committed to the Energy Star Indoor Air Package. Check out the Energy Star IAP here.
The U.S. Green Building Council is an independent third party committed to sustainable building practices. The USGBC first created the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for commercial buildings. The success of the commercial LEED program finally lead to the release in January 2008 of the final LEED for Home program. The LEED for Homes program is the foremost home certification system for designing sustainable homes, and the only program administered by a third party, the USGBC. This program describes the best building practices for building truly sustainable homes. All of the other programs for Green building are administered by industry groups and not third parties. Only the LEED for Homes program is independent of outside influances. HV North is a proud member of the USGBC and are committed to the principles of sustainable buildings. All of our homes are designed to not only meet the minimum level of certification for LEED for Homes, but in most case the Gold or Platinum level. You can read more about the LEED for Homes program by clicking here.
Our commitment to building sustainable green homes goes beyond the basics. We are not looking to Greenwash a typical house and pretend it was built with the industries best practices. Our homes are built with sustainability, energy conservation and environmental conservation as primary goals, not afterthoughts. If you like the idea of building a home with these principles in mind, call us today and setup an appointment to see what we can offer.
Energy and environmentally responsible homes, that's all we do.