February 14, 2008

PATH Offers Guide to Building Green

Details provided for five principles key to effective green building

Orlando, Fla.- With all of the clamor for greener homebuilding, the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) is offering builders and remodelers a roadmap with its PATH Guide to Green Building, unveiled today at the 2008 International Builders' Show.

PATH has long advocated innovative technologies to improve the energy efficiency, durability, health, and comfort of America's housing. In the Guide to Green Building, PATH pulls together the essential principles of quality green practices in a comprehensive, easy-to-follow plan.

The guide outlines five green principles that, with homeowner education, comprise the key to effective green building. The principles are:

• Resource and Waste Management -Durable building materials and construction assemblies that withstand the elements and minimize waste.
• Energy Efficient System Integration -Take a whole-systems approach to building design to properly orient and insulate your structures, size HVAC and specify lighting systems to reduce overall demand and improve comfort and durability.
• Resource Efficient Plumbing -This bundle of plumbing innovations will save you time and materials, and save the owner water and energy!
• Good Indoor Air Quality -Combine thoughtful materials selection with proper ventilation to provide clients healthy interior environments.
• Low-Impact Development -Manage the jobsite to reduce erosion and site disturbance during construction and long after your job is finished, preserve habitat, and leave a natural landscape.

To implement these principles, builders need only follow the PATH Tech Sets, groups of bundled technologies and building practices that transform principles such as "good indoor air quality" into clear and achievable goals. To download the Guide, and learn how PATH's Tech Sets can help you follow these principles to high quality green building, visit PATH online at www.pathnet.org.

Content updated on 7/20/2009