Myth #1 Sustainable Homes = Ugly

Busted! Myth #1 about sustainable homes, anyway. Honestly, aren't we over that yet? That "sustainable" means "ugly"? Just scroll through the Rise website and feast your eyes on the delightful, well-planned, well-considered, sustainable homes. They range from adorable and modern tiny houses to net-zero luxury homes. Of course, "ugly" as an aesthetic judgment is pretty subjective. Still, deployed as a blanket statement about a whole category of houses, ignorance about what "sustainable home" means in terms of style remains sorely in need of education.

So, consider Myth #1 about sustainable homes, that "they're ugly," now debunked. Let's move on to five other myths about sustainable homes.

Myth #3 Sustainability is Expensive

Building a more sustainable home can require more expensive building materials, fancy smart technology, and complicated systems than a conventional building. That can be true, but the point is to think long-term. Sustainable homes are planned and designed to save the homeowner money over time. This is because materials won't have to be replaced as often or require maintenance. Plus, the savings on energy and water bills can provide significant paybacks over time.

In other words, a sustainably designed home offers better value when life-cycle costs are taken into consideration. For instance, upgrading to energy-efficient windows might cost more upfront, but the reduced load heating and air conditioning will help offset that cost over time. Also, in many areas, rebates and incentives are provided by utilities, nonprofit organizations, or cities or municipalities to encourage homeowners to install low-flow fixtures, LED lights, solar arrays, and other sustainable materials and systems.

Passive Design Solutions has also addressed myths regarding building Passive homes. They mention that it can be expensive to build a Passive House, but it doesn't have to be. They refer to recent research that it can range from 5 - 45% to upgrade to a new Passive House. Their experience in designing and constructing Passive Houses has lowered this premium almost entirely - to between zero and five percent. And they still achieve the same fantastic energy performance! They end their piece with, "When you add your energy bill to your mortgage costs, a passive house can cost the same or less than a code-built home. The bottom line is: if you can afford to build a new house, you can afford a Passive House."

Myth #4 Sustainable Homes are Too Air Tight

Traditional homes exhibit severe problems with heat loss. Cold drafts can account for 40 to 50 percent of all heat loss in conventional new homes. Air also leaks through the building assemblies, moving moisture into walls, which causes mold. Conversely, some 20th century "green" homes were, yes, too airtight. While well-intentioned to provide homeowners with a super-insulated house, many builders and architects in the late 20th century designed and built homes so tight, little airflow existed.

Traditional builders have argued that houses need to breathe, and they worry about over insulating and the risks of a building being too airtight. Today's sustainable or high-performance homes are super-insulated. They have an HRV or ERV ventilation system that provides continuous fresh air—combining an airtight building skin with an efficient ventilation system results in much healthier indoor air quality.

There you have it. Six myths about sustainable homes debunked. Now, there's no excuse not to incorporate sustainability into your home remodel or new home design. Far beyond being simply sustainable, the movement toward energy efficiency and health-conscious materials and practices in homebuilding speaks to a change in consciousness - more profound respect for the environment and realization of cost savings. The movement continues to innovate and grow at a relentless pace. 

Are you still holding onto some myths of your own about sustainable design? Would you mind sharing them with us? We'll look into them. We will continue to do our best to separate the "ugly" falsehoods from the "sustainable" truths.