Category: energy efficiency

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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At Clarum, the modern homes we build are both sleek and luxurious. We take great pride in our ability to weave together luxurious comfort with high levels of energy efficiency through passive-inspired design. During the building process, you can work with us to transform your home into a relaxing harbor that buffers you from the stress of the outside hustle and bustle. The Clarum team believes that comfort is an integral component of building a passive-inspired modern home. Our goal is to create luxurious havens that put people at ease and add to their wellbeing. We work closely with...


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Sustainability starts with a careful process A sustainable home is one that makes efficient use of resources and energy. It does not use up or destroy natural resources. This means that a home is only as environmentally-friendly as the materials used in its construction and the systems on which it runs. At Clarum Homes, our core purpose is to transform the way you live by creating greater comfort, greater health, and greater environmental sustainability. Where a home’s materials are sourced is important, as well as the manufacturing methods of the products. When the Clarum Homes team...


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In our last blog post, we discussed how LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification can bring your home to the next level. Between improved indoor air quality, greater energy efficiency, and even increased owner satisfaction, attaining this accreditation makes sense for eco-conscious consumers.     In part two of this LEED blog series, we’ll dive into what you should anticipate during the certification process and hear from the experts how to best navigate the process. The LEED certification process: What to expect While LEED certification involves...


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