Jan. 13, 2012, News-Press.com

 

Making a home, business or even an entire new community energy efficient doesn't have to cost more. It just has to be done in  a different way.

Jennifer Languell, owner of Trifecta Construction Solutions in Fort Myers, is educating builders and developers on better ways to make buildings green. She has also helped individual homeowners make their houses more efficient. "There is a misconception that all this green stuff costs more," Languell said.  "Simple things like where the AC handler is, windows, placement of hot water heater and design can raise efficiency without cost."

Languell said a lot of her mission is just raising awareness and educating both builders and customers. For example, Languell recommends building with Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS). Those are insulated concrete forms.

"SIPS are like Double Stuff Oreos," Languell explained.

While SIPS cost more than conventional building material, you don't need wall board or insulation and the money saved 
by eliminating that offsets the cost of SIPS.

"Everyone just assumes it costs more,"  Languell said. "We have to get away from the traditional sticks and bricks and 
concrete block."

Languell said another problem is that builders don't look at what is taken out when going green. They only look at what is 
going in. "When contractors bid it, they don't remove the things they don't need. They only add green expense," Languell said. "They need to see you don't need insulation, drywall. The panel may cost more than the concrete block, but you don't need the other things. We have done SIPS for 11 percent less than traditional construction.

"It's education," Languell continued. "With fiber cement, a house can flood and drain and it will never mold because fiber 
cement does not mold. There are tons of better materials out there. We just have to get over the fear factor of using them."

There are also lots of energy-efficient measures people can do with homes or businesses already constructed. Languell 
said customers can pick how much they have to spend and then do things little by little to make their home more efficient.

She gives the following advice for people who want to make some changes:

• $5 for a compact florescent bulb
• $50 for caulking and weather stripping
• $500 for insulation and radiant barrier
• $5,000 for a new air conditioner.

Languell said many people can't afford to spray in foam insulation, but a cheaper alternative is a radiant barrier, which is like an aluminum foil bubble wrap that can impact up to 20 percent of the cooling bill.

"A radiant barrier is extremely inexpensive to do," she said. "You just add it to under the roofline and it saves as much energy as using foam."

"You can make quick fixes," she said. "These things will pay you back in one summer. We are really trying to get people 
to focus on conservation. Change light bulbs and caulk is a simple savings. Go back to the basics, the fundamentals."

She also advocates the use of VOC (volatile organic compound) paint, which she said is now available at major chain stores and no longer has to be special ordered.