Category: energy efficiency

How do you decide whether to build a high-performance home or a home built to code? We can help you figure it out. Building beyond code In California, CalGreen is the baseline building code that all new home construction must follow. In terms of energy efficiency, air quality, and sustainability, there is a lot of room for improved performance by building beyond this code. And, the cost difference is not very significant. In high-performance design and construction, everyone involved in the building process takes into account energy and water efficiency, resource efficient building design...


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A passive-certified home is one that employs a set of advanced building technologies to achieve extreme energy efficiency. Energy consumption is reduced by up to 90% compared to a conventionally-built home. A passive-inspired home incorporates many of the same building techniques and materials found in a passive-certified home, but without the rigor of certification and at a slightly lower price tag. Keep reading to understand the key differences between these two sustainable home options and choose which route is best for you. What is Passive-Certified? If you would like to part...


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Where high-performance houses are concerned, Clarum Homes believes the entire approach is important. This includes everything from design details, materials or installation methods. To ensure all these aspects work in concert to deliver a highly efficient home that lives up to the high-performance label, you’ll need a solid plan. Not to worry, we have some tips to help you plan the high-performance home build of your dreams.   Create a comprehensive budget Building a green, high-performance home will typically always cost more than the same home built to standard building codes....


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Building a green, high-performance home will typically always cost more than the same home built to standard building codes. The advantage is the long-term energy savings over the life of the home and the improved quality of life — which for many is priceless. Using California Code as a baseline of construction standards, these tables show the costs differences in initial construction costs, as well as the energy efficiency gains and ROI potential. Costs and return on investment People are often surprised to learn that a high-performance home only costs 5-10% more than a conventionally-built...


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The cost of energy is rising rapidly — and not just in dollars. Our environment is also paying the price: non-renewable energy consumption, carbon emissions, and pollution. In the U.S., 39% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings. We use energy — electricity, gas, and water — to keep our houses at a comfortable temperature, our showers hot, our lights on, and our gardens green, all of which generates carbon dioxide (CO2). Your carbon footprint is the sum of all emissions of CO2, which are induced by your activities in a given time frame. High-performance homes support...


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We're honored to be featured in Home Builder Digest as the second best custom home builder in San Jose. Of the fifteen builders represented, we are one of only two with expertise in passive home building. Check out the article to learn more: https://www.homebuilderdigest.com/the-best-custom-home-builders-in-san-jose/ At Clarum Homes, we can answer your all of your questions with the greatest confidence. Give us a call at 650.322.7069 today to learn more about our custom home building services.


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When an architect, designer, and builder set out with the intention of building a high-performance home, they often determine a sustainability goal based on an established certification program. These third-party certification programs define the parameters and expectations of the custom home’s ongoing energy savings. They include suggested materials, recommend efficiency engineering practices and can demand applied environmental quality controls. There are some popular and emerging high-performance home certification programs on the market today. Homeowners are increasingly familiar with...


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When you build a custom home to high-performance or passive home standards, one of the primary objectives is to lower the home’s heating and cooling costs. In traditional construction, heat loss through your walls, roof, and windows can drive up your heating bill. It might surprise you to learn that most heat loss is through the walls – about 35 percent! And, even though warm air rises, you're losing ten percent more heat through your walls than out your roof. The opposite holds true when temperatures outside are hot. A standard home will absorb heat through the walls at higher rates, even...


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From where you put your windows, to how you position your home on your lot, the right location is a significant consideration in high-efficiency homebuilding. To build a modern custom home at the highest end of energy conservation and comfort, a whole-house approach to design and systems function takes careful consideration and planning. Harnessing the sun, nature's most potent energy source, can be done in a way that is both incredibly cost-effective as well as aesthetically beautiful. By utilizing passive home building techniques, the sun becomes our ally in energy efficiency, environmental...


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At Clarum, we believe your home should be comfortable, beautiful, easy to maintain – and above all, create a healthy environment for you and your family. And it makes sense: the average American spends 90% of their time indoors. Because of this, it’s key to pay attention to the health and sustainability factors of materials and construction practices when building your modern home. Where a home’s materials are sourced from is important, as well as the manufacturing methods of the products. When our team at Clarum selects home building materials, we consider questions such as: are the materials...


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