Arizona’s Builder for Smart, Green, Sustainable Living

Do you want: Little or NO Electric Bill?
                           Healthier, Cleaner Indoor Air?
                                  Safer Water, with Less Waste?
                                                    A Sustainable, Rewarding Lifestyle?

Then read on … You will be glad you did!

What is a Diamond Green Home?
It is a home that is conceived, designed and built as a fully integrated system, using technologies and materials that achieve exceptionally high levels of energy efficiency, while assuring indoor air quality, water quality and water conservation. The resulting home enables you to dramatically reduce your fossil fuel carbon footprint, conserve precious resources and do your part in making a substantial and ongoing reduction in your impact on the global environment. Simultaneously, you will have a healthier personal environment while conserving your own financial resources.
A Diamond Green Home is a smarter, safer, more sustainable, forward thinking investment with superior resale value.

Growing consensus.
There is broad and increasing local, national and international concern about accelerating energy costs, global warming, hazardous air quality, water pollution and water shortage. The public is catching up to the scientific community in their concern … and it’s growing because it is clear that none of us will escape the consequences of continuing to treat the environment as we have in the past. Attitudes are rapidly moving away from WASTE, and decisively toward products, practices, technologies and policies that help preserve, protect, and sustain our personal, community and global environments. With less than 5% of its population, the US now consumes over 25% of the world’s resources. This is absolutely NOT sustainable. Worse yet, huge populations yearn to live like us.

Despite the ebb and flow of world politics, the United States remains the beacon of lifestyle to which most people on this planet aspire. Isn’t it time for us to ALL pitch in and do our part to safeguard the environments which we all share and depend upon?  

What does a Diamond Green Home look like?
In a word – Beautiful! How do you want it to look?  Contrary to popular belief, a “green” home does not have to look different, strange or odd!  Your Diamond Green Home perfectly integrates aesthetics with the latest technology and materials for a healthy, ultra efficient home you’ll be proud to own and show to your family and friends.
And remember, this home will have little or no electric bill every month!

Layout: Choose from one of our many floor plans – with square footage ranging from modest to the high 8,000’s. Or you can work with our architect(s) and modify it to suit your lifestyle perfectly!  Don’t see one that suits you, or maybe you want a home on a grander scale? Our architects will work with you on a totally custom design!

Outside: Santa Fe, Tuscan, Contemporary, Post Modern or…?  Your architectural design choice will determine the physical appearance of your home. The fact that it is ultra efficient, built of non-toxic materials and saves resources does not. Even the solar technology, which can eliminate your utility bill, is often incorporated into the design to reduce or eliminate its visibility.

Inside: Again, that is up to you. The integrated technologies we use will create a cleaner, fresher, safer personal environment. Although you will be aware that it feels more quiet, solid and secure, it won’t look different just because it is a ‘green built’ home.

Included in our standard home:

·         Granite Countertops

·         Travertine Flooring

·         Stainless Steel Appliances

·         Alder Wood Cabinets

·         Moen and Kohler Faucets

     Of course, you may choose to vary your choices from our standard offerings.
  

Yes, Diamond Green Homes look fabulous, inside and out!

The Diamond Green Homes ‘Whole-Building, Full-Spectrum Approach:’

Our goal is to build homes that the vast majority of people will really love and relate to, while accomplishing the lion’s share of what the most environmentally passionate strive for. As a key element, we recommend your home be powered by solar energy, typically grid connected. As the cost of energy continues to rise, you will have an increasing advantage, because you will have little or no monthly energy bill.

This ‘Whole-Building, Full Spectrum Approach’ to a genuine green home fully addresses each of three critical areas, Energy Efficiency – Air Quality – Water Quality/Conservation.

In the ten sections that follow, our sustainable approach to each of these is explained:

1.     Wall Construction and Ceiling Insulation

2.     Overall Building Efficiency & Energy Conservation

3.     Solar Energy Creation

4.     Lighting Technologies 

5.     Solar Hot Water

6.     Water Quality

7.     Water Conservation

8.     Indoor Air Quality

9.     High Efficiency Appliances

10. The Building Site

Why is a Diamond Green Home the best choice for you and your family?

1. First, let’s discuss construction of the building envelope:  It is the starting point, or foundation for our extreme efficiency, comfort, safety and lasting value. Careful selection of materials and products for use in construction directly and indirectly affect the environmental and lifestyle impact areas to follow.

Diamond Green Homes builds a fully integrated system that incorporates solid fill ICF (insulating concrete forms) wall construction:

·        ICF’s offer you a quieter, more tranquil interior environment.

·        ICF’s promote a healthier interior environment by reducing air infiltration.

·        Homes constructed with ICF’s are designed for an extremely long life.

·        ICF walls conserve precious natural forest resources and their energy efficiency reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gases.

·        ICF’s promote sustainable, green building practices, and are an important component of a sustainable, green certified building.

·        The exceptionally high R-value, along with high thermal mass and reduced air infiltration, translates into significant energy savings and reduced operating expenses for homeowners.

Infrared Photography – Red and Orange shows Heat Loss. In Summer it’s Heat gain!
An ICF Construction Home is On the Left VS Stick Build on the Right.
Which Home would you prefer to heat and cool?

IT’S YOUR MONEY! As you continue to read about our sustainable homes, ask yourself this important question using an impending automobile purchase as an example:

Given the choice of two similar cars at nearly the same cost, would you select one that gets 11 miles per gallon or one that gets 100? PLUS, the one that gets 100 mpg is much safer and is built to last. When you are ready to sell, which one will have eager buyers?
Isn’t this auto example similar to homes, especially as energy costs continue to rise!

The result is a home with cast-in-place, concrete filled, steel reinforced walls.

Feel Free to contact us for documented stories and additional photographs of the above listed ICF benefits – protecting families and lives in real world situations!

Although ICF is our recommended wall system, we do offer a variety of other green

construction technologies for those who may prefer them.

Capping things off, our ceilings are sealed with a ‘state of the art’ 100% water borne insulation system which:

·         Minimizes air leakage by covering every inch of its surface.

·         Leaves no crack or crevice susceptible to air (or insect) infiltration.

·         Unlike past insulation materials, it does not shrink, sag or settle.

·         Contains no HCFCs, HFAs, HFCs or formaldehyde.

Healthier: The increasing incidence of mold and moisture intrusion – two major causes of building failure - has resulted in thousands of insurance claims and property damage cases now pending in the courts. The results are rising insurance premiums and damage exclusions. Our ceiling insulation is an essential protection element in moisture management because it minimizes airborne moisture transport that often contributes to mold and moisture problems.
A Diamond Green Home is also quieter, much quieter! Outside airborne sounds remain outside and inside noises are reduced.

FYI: Asthma rates have increased by 160% over the past 15 years (source:aerias.org) The 100% water borne insulation we use in our ceilings further reduces the number of indoor pollutants to help bring relief to allergy and asthma sufferers and help them (and everyone else) breathe easier.

2. This ultra-efficient wall and ceiling insulation system produces a continuous, seamless barrier for optimal air-tightness. It is extremely long lasting and eliminates the need for fiberglass or mineral insulation that loses thermal effectiveness over time. The stage is set for our homes to operate far more efficiently than conventionally insulated homes. This essential component of our ‘Whole Building, Full Spectrum” approach to green building contributes powerfully to energy conservation and the dramatic reduction of heating and cooling costs that will produce massive savings for the entire, long life of the home.

Controlling air leakage is critical to maintaining a healthy, sustainable structure. Insulation that fails to prevent air leakage fails to do its job!

Conventional insulation and wall construction leave gaps and seams where air can move through the building envelope.

FYI: Air leakage and thermal heat intrusion or loss causes all kind of problems. For example:

·         Air leakage Accounts for 99% of moisture movement in a structure, which can result in mold growth and adverse health effect for occupants.

·         Air leakage can account for as much as 40% of a structure’s energy loss.

·         90% of all building failures in the U.S. are related to moisture.

Doors and Windows:
As part of the building envelope, poor performing windows and doors have traditionally been a weak energy link in homes, often accounting for up to 40% of a home’s heat loss in winter and an even larger fraction of heat gain in the summer. Source: MN Dept of Commerce Energy Information.

Every Diamond Green Home will be equipped with high performance windows and doors that are designed for extreme efficiency and guaranteed long life.

·         DGH windows meet Energy Star qualifications for all climactic zones of the U.S. and rate extremely well under the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council) rating system.

3. The technology to harness the sun’s unlimited energy exists today and it will power your Diamond Green Home. This clean, safe, renewable and affordable energy will save you money month after month, year after year. Expect your savings to grow as energy costs continue to rise.

Consider this: If energy costs continue to increase at 10% (only HALF the current rate of 100% in just the last 5 years) millions of existing wooden houses, and those now being built  will, in 10 years, have monthly energy payments that exceed the monthly house payment.

NOTE: The cumulative effect of the Diamond Green Home ‘Whole-Building, Full Spectrum Approach’ to total efficiency is so effective that your home will consume much less energy. This in turn, reduces the size and cost of solar installation requirements by 50% or more and therefore dramatically accelerates the home owners Return On Investment payback.

Unlimited renewability:
FYI: There is enough energy in the sunshine that falls on the earth in one hour to satisfy the energy needs of the entire planet for one year. There is a tremendous amount of information available on solar energy, but here is the bottom line.
TOTAL Global Non-Renewable Energy Resources (fossil fuels) are less than one half of one percent of the ANNUAL Renewable Energy Resources. Solar energy dwarfs all other sources. Without question, solar energy is the future and positive change is in motion.

4. High Efficiency Lighting Technology will be used in all Diamond Green Homes.
Energy star qualified CF (compact fluorescent) bulbs will be used extensively.
In other cases LED (light emitting diode) lighting will be used when appropriate and/or possible for the location.

·         CF bulbs use about 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs.

·         CF bulbs last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

·         CF bulbs generate 75% less heat than incandescent bulbs.

·         CF bulbs are now available from warm to cool light spectrum.

·         LED lighting consumes about 75% less energy than equivalent CF lighting.

·         LED bulbs have a life span of about 50,000 hours to retain 70% of their original output. (They tend to not burn out).

·         Many LED’s are dimmable.

·         LED bulbs generate almost no heat.

Diamond Green Homes will offer ‘Solar Tubes’ to further assure that we are building the most comfortable and energy efficient homes possible.

·         Gather light from outside and deliver it to areas of the home that do not normally have windows.

·         Deliver brighter/whiter natural light to rooms such as closets, laundry rooms and garages.

·         Do not use electricity and can be turned on and off just like any normal light.

·         Look and feel just like any can light around the house. 

NOTE: If every American home replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

What if most people replaced 80% of their incandescent bulbs?

FYI: Beginning in 2009 Ireland will ban those old technology, hot, inefficient, energy hog incandescent bulbs. Several other countries are set to follow.

 5. Diamond Green Homes include solar hot water heating, further reducing your reliance on fossil fuels.
It is not widely known that heating of water for various needs typically makes up 15% to 30% of a household energy bill. Our recommended method is usually tankless hot water delivery powered by the solar energy system.

6. To help assure water quality, every Diamond Green Home will be equipped with a premium, whole house water purification system that uses only natural purification technologies.
Are you concerned about what’s in YOUR water? You probably should be. Your health is significantly affected by the water you and your family drink and bathe in every day. Until recently, you may have taken its safety for granted. Unfortunately, it is not. Several governmental studies prove that hundreds of unregulated chemicals are present in some drinking water.
As the population has grown and the number of chemicals in use now exceeds 100,000, the water we drink has been inadvertently contaminated.
The National Cancer Institute estimates cancer risks for people who consume chlorinated water to be 93% higher than for people who do not. http://www.breastcancerfund.org/site/pp.asp?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=84502

Chlorinated water has also been linked to reproductive and developmental effects in children. http://multinationalmonitor.org/mm2000/00march/book.html

Some cities are switching to chloramines. These may be worse! http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2004/aug/science/rr_chloramine.html

Increasingly, abnormal fish displaying the traits of both male and female sexes have been found in rivers across the country. These abnormalities are being attributed to the presence of hormones and other pharmaceuticals, creating what is known as “toxic soup”. These same rivers provide drinking water for millions of Americans. Yes, that includes us in Arizona!

This is not meant as a criticism or condemnation of public water agencies. They do their best for you in this massive job. The point is that you cannot expect healthy water from public systems. To think otherwise is naive.

FYI: Each year, the US produces an estimated 38 billion non-biodegradable plastic water bottles. That’s 40 million a day. Less than 10% are recycled. Water quality is questionable http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/exesum.asp Bottle production emits carbon dioxide. They crowd landfills, end up everywhere, including lakes and rivers. They last ... does anyone even know how long? By the way, the US also uses 100 billion plastic bags each year. They last 1000 years. Less than 1% are recycled. Let’s do our part to recycle.

SUGGESTIONS: Purchase a reusable stainless steel water bottle for each family member and fill it at home with water you can trust … your own purified water. Safer water … without plastic bottle waste! Start a new habit of using re-usable bags.

7. Water Conservation: High performance, Low volume, Dual flush toilets will be standard in our homes and can save between 4,000 and 6,000 gallons of water per year. The bathroom is where most water is used in a home and is therefore where greatest savings can be achieved.  Toilets are typically the biggest water users in a home. Conservation is as simple as pushing one of two buttons. One removes liquids, saving a half gallon per flush, while the other delivers a full high-efficiency flush. 

Low flow shower heads are also standard installation in our homes. Water-saving aerators on shower heads and faucets can further reduce consumption by up to half. Shortening shower time in your household can save additional hundreds of gallons of water per week.

Note: Whenever suitable, a grey water system is incorporated to irrigate landscaping. This recycling technology saves additional thousands of gallons of water every year.

FYI: Some say that water will become the world’s next oil. Steadily diminishing supplies of water are appearing around the U.S. and all around the world. Again, wastefulness has been the past. Global warming and population trends also seem to be important factors. The U.S. currently uses 400 billion gallons of water per day. Huge amounts are wasted! http://www.aquacraft.com/Publications/resident.htm
Conservation and sensible, efficient use of water resources is responsible behavior.

8. Excellent Indoor Air Quality is absolutely essential and we take it seriously!
In sections 1 and 2 you learned that our homes are designed, built and insulated to be tightly sealed.  This is a key factor in thermal efficiency. It also prevents cooking smells, pet odors and other fumes from escaping. Each Diamond Green home will be equipped with an energy recovery ventilator that exchanges stale indoor air for an equal amount of fresher outdoor air. This energy efficient unit retains desirable heat and moisture from exchanged air in winter, but pre-conditions and dehumidifies incoming air in summer so your home is comfortable year round.

Each Diamond Green home will include a whole-house Air Filtration system up to 8 times more effective at removing airborne allergens than even the best HEPA room filters. A recent Harvard study of this unit shows 99+% removal of flu viruses. (This means they are up to 100 times more effective than the standard 1 inch filters used in most homes).

Diamond Green Home interiors are finished with Non Volatile Organic Compound adhesives, paints, natural plasters & carpet wherever possible. When not available for the application, we use Low VOC products. This further helps to create a safer indoor environment throughout your home.

Most of us have lived a lifetime primarily indoors, inhaling chemicals that are constantly out-gassing from carpet, adhesives, wall paint, bedroom furniture etc. Considering how much time we spend indoors, breathing fresh, clean air at home where we relax and sleep may be one of the Greatest Single Health Benefits available to protect and rejuvenate our immune system and those of our loved ones.  Our bodies respond well to genuine REST!

NOTE: Do you know that indoor Air Pollution is one of the top five environmental public health risks? The EPA states that indoor air pollutants can be 10 times or more higher than outdoor air. Without fresh air exchange, various contaminants tend to become increasingly concentrated. Maybe you have read about sick building syndrome.  

According to a recent report by the Environmental Working Group, American babies are now born with an average of 287 contaminants in their bloodstreams that are commonly found in our homes. Check out this site:  http://www.childrenshealthagency.org/

FYI: According to Columbia University, 95% of Cancer is caused by Diet and Environment.
The Diamond Green Home environment is designed to help protect you from many common toxic building materials that would otherwise typically contain known carcinogens that can suppress your immune system and may cause cancer.

NOTE: Do you want to learn more about creating a healthy personal environment? Our advisory board can provide you additional valuable information about how to maximize your opportunities to create a more vitalized lifestyle through the selection of less/non-toxic bedding, interior furnishings, household cleaners, better nutrition etc.  

9. Each Diamond Green Home will be equipped with Energy Star appliances.
This special class of High Efficiency appliances uses 10% to 50% less energy and water.
Those selected for use in our homes rank at the top and were chosen for their proven:

·         Quality & Beauty

·        Functionality

·         Energy efficiency

·         Water savings technology

FYI: If only one in ten homes in the US used Energy Star-qualified appliances, the positive change on the environment including CO2 reduction would be equivalent to 1.7 million acres of new trees!

10. A Cleaner, More Efficient Building Site:
Even the construction process itself is part of achieving a thoroughly integrated final result! Our commitment is to high quality sustainability.

The following are additional and important areas that are given careful attention with each Diamond Green Home:

·         Clearing and grading of the building site

·         Dust Suppression

·         Recycling of job site waste

·         Minimize C&D waste return

·         Overall cleanliness of the job site

The Diamond Green Homes, Ltd management team is passionate about the benefits of a healthy, environmentally conscious lifestyle.  We are constantly researching new technologies to identify those products and materials with a proven track record of producing a well built, healthy, energy efficient, money saving green home. Although it is not possible to totally eliminate the environmental impact of building projects, we strive for minimal initial and ongoing impact within the context of creating an ultra efficient, beautiful, healthy and comfortable living space.

What is LEED^®? The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

LEED for Homes is a rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes.

Diamond Green Homes:

·         Have lower operating costs and increased asset value.

·         Reduce waste sent to landfills.

·         Conserve energy and water and other natural resources.

·         Are healthier, safer and more comfortable for occupants.

·         Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

·         Have less exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins.

·         Qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities.

·         Demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

·         The net cost of owning a Diamond Green Home is comparable to that of a conventional home.

Caution: As we continue to study the green building community, we see builders who have good intentions but address only a limited number of critical issues. At best, a limited and/or piecemeal approach to Green building does not achieve desirable levels of energy efficiency, air quality, water quality, overall sustainability and resale value.
We have also seen far too much of what is called “Greenwashing” or “Glued on Green”.
As always, there are those who see a trend, make vague or cryptic claims about being green and try to ‘cash in’.  These exaggerated assertions range from small overstatements to outright lies.
At worst, you can be misled, deceived or just plain cheated.

We welcome your questions and will earn your trust!

Why Should You Build A Diamond Green Home?

·         Clean, renewable Solar Energy will save you thousands of dollars in utility bills,
year after year. There are also tax rebates available to you!

·         You and your family will benefit from cleaner, safer, healthier interior air quality.

·         Your water will be purified and like the air, will be much safer for you.

·         Thousands of gallons of water will be saved, each and every year.

·         Your CO₂ output will be reduced by tens of thousands of pounds per year!
 

·         This is the home that informed, conscientious people will want to own.

·         It’s smart, it’s easy and it’s a much wiser investment.

·         Superior Resale Value - given the choice between two homes that look the same, one that costs hundreds of dollars every month in energy bills and gets more expensive over time, while the other costs almost zero – which would you choose?

Beautiful, Energy Efficient, Safe and Healthy …
 Sustainable Balance for Families and the Planet

·        Call now to schedule a time to visit about the possibilities for your new home. We also do group presentations. Learn more about the many Financial, Health and Environmental benefits of Green, Sustainable Homes.

Contact:

Sean Stam: Certified Green Builder - Sales
sean@diamondgreenhomes.com * Cell: 480-203-7785

Rocklin Duffy: Consultant - Marketing
rock@diamondgreenhomes.com * Cell: 480-262-8212

©Rock Duffy Consulting, LLC 2007 – 2008 All Rights Reserved – www.rockduffy.com