Building Green

There is a general assumption that to be classified as “Green” you have to be “Energy Star” rated and if you are “Energy Star” then that automatically makes you “Green”. This is not always the case. 

For over 22 years, RLA Custom Homes has strived to be a “Green” builder. What “Green” means to us: Installing environmentally friendly items, such as CFL light bulbs, energy efficient appliances, low flow faucets and toilets and vinyl windows. Why are vinyl windows better? Aluminum windows allow for temperature transfer (example: when it’s 32 degrees outside, your window frame is cold to the touch from the inside…and warm when it is hot outside…which can cause window condensation) whereas vinyl windows do not allow for temperature transfer.

It also means practicing responsible building practices, such as job site trash containment, hiring subcontractors who properly dispose of their waste (who take their trash to a land fill as opposed to dumping their trash in a random field, leaving the mess for someone else to take care of), cleaning the home several times during construction (sweeping prior to carpet installation etc.), and responsible material ordering (cutting down on waste as well as helping with carbon emissions by reducing the number of trips by delivery trucks). These are just a few of the things we do here at RLA to help reduce our foot print on the environment.