There is lots to learn about if you want to take ownership of a building project. OK – that’s an understatement. I started compiling a list of topics that I wanted to cover as a means of summarizing my thoughts on aspects of the design, the idea being to aid with the final selection of the myriad materials and products and design elements of the project. It’s rather extensive. And yes, Chris, I expect you to read through them all 
Here’s what I’ve got so far, in no particular order:
- Financial incentives and assistance for green building
- Passive solar design: cover guidelines for optimizing fenestration to thermal mass; overhangs; width of rooms; floor plan
- Lighting: daylighting, solar tubes, CFCs
- Integrated landscape design
- Thermal mass: depth of slab, width of masonry walls
- Masonry heaters: benefits, construction, sizing, sources, masons
- In-floor radiant heating: hydronic, electrial, cost/benefit, complementary to other heating systems, location within a passive solar building
- Geothermal heat pumps: cost/benefit, use in tandem with other systems, electrical requirements, grants
- Building envelope: wall systems, insulation, sealing
- Window selection: optimizing for solar gain vs reflection, ratings, suppliers
- Natural ventilation: why, how, vs A/C
- Roofing: materials, green roofs, flat vs angled, solar-ready
- Solar hot water and hot tubs: cost/benefit, grants, sizing, dumping excess to hot tubs
- Hot tubs: rationale and rationalization
- On demand hot water heater, point of source hot water supply
- Rain water collection
- Grey water collection
- Exterior finishes
- Permeable paving
- Energy conservation before all
- PV panels
- Wind turbines
- Interior finishes: priorities, options
- Countertops
- Cabinetry: low VOC, FSC, local manufacturers/suppliers, hinges
- Flooring: concrete, cork, bamboo, reclaimed hardwood, marmoleum
- Appliances: induction cooktops, EnergyStar, water & energy efficiency
- Bathrooms: toilets (low flush, dual flush, composting), bathtubs, roll-in showers and wet rooms, planning for grey water collection from baths/shower/sink and use in toilets, hydronic towel warmer
- Laundry room: location, clothes lines/clothes trees, appliances, detergent
- Paints and wall coverings
- Residential green guide summary
- Bibliography
March 27th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Marmoleum? Is that like a mausoleum for marmots? I’m not sure I want to walk on that.
March 27th, 2009 at 8:52 am
The only one I would add (off the top of my head) would be: designing to retrofit.
Lots of great stuff on the list, but it may not all be in the budget on the first pass, so we’ll want to be able to add pieces on later.
March 27th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
har har
March 27th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
yes, well, we’ll see
retrofit is super-important, but outside the scope of this project. after the new build is complete, i would like to do a V 2.0 with a review on retrofit.
January 8th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Sorry, couldn’t be me as I don’t sell turbines. Paintings, yes, power generation equipment, no.