Green Building Overview
Gile Hill is one of the first LEED for Homes — registered communities in New Hampshire. Our homes will be environmentally superior to conventional construction in three major ways:
Gile Hill homes will operate much more efficiently, saving energy and water costs. The homes will be built both to LEED for Homes and Energy Star standards, and employ a range of strategies to reduce homeowner costs:
- Ultra High-Efficiency Integrated Heat and On-Demand Hot Water
- Rigorous Air Sealing Details and EnergyStar Ventilation Fans
- High Insulation Levels (R-21 Wall Insulation and R-49 Attic Insulation)
- Low-E Argon Windows (20% more efficient than EnergyStar requirements)
- Water Conserving Plumbing Fixtures
- Casement windows on two walls of the primary living areas and master bedroom to enhance passive cooling.
- EnergyStar Light Fixtures throughout the home
- EnergyStar Appliances
Third-party energy modeling for Gile Hill has projected that the homes will use approximately 40% less energy than conventional construction (Home Energy Rating System Index of 60).
Homes will employ healthier materials + ventilation to improve indoor air quality. The EPA has found that “for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.” Gile Hill homes will use the following products and strategies to optimize indoor air quality:
- Installation of Armstrong kitchen and bathroom cabinets certified by the Kitchen Manufacturers Association’s Environmental Stewardship Program and other green interior finishes.
- Very Low or Zero-VOC Paints and Coatings to minimize indoor toxins.
- Green Label certified carpets to ensure they are among the lowest emitting carpet, adhesive and cushion products on the market.
- Range hoods that vent odors and gas fumes out of the homes.
- Thorough post-construction cleaning to remove dust, followed by continuous ventilation for one week to flush the home before occupancy.
The environmental footprint of Gile Hill homes has been minimized by carefully sourcing materials, reusing or recycling construction waste + other strategies
Examples of this include:
- Nearly all of the naturally stained white pine wood siding for Gile Hill comes from trees harvested from the site at the start of construction that were milled and treated locally.
- The project will feature green flooring products including local Vermont slate, sustainable bamboo, and Green Label certified carpet.
- The stone used to build the Gile Hill roads and sub-foundations is being manufactured on-site by crushing the ledge removed during construction.
- The site’s stormwater will be treated using created wetlands populated by native plants as opposed to the use of conventional treatment and detention ponds.
Many of the green features will be independently verified during construction by independent environmental consulting firms VEIC and CSG as part of the LEED for Homes certification process. To read more about Gile Hill’s green certifications click here.
