What is Green Building?

Core Principles

Core Principles are the baseline guides for building a green rated home. A home that is energy-efficient, will protect the health and safety of the homeowners, is an asset to its community, and is BETTER for the natural environment. This is a goal that Fortunate Foundations takes seriously. At a minimum, this requires meeting all current international building and energy codes, but we also go above and beyond by adopting best practices stipulated by Austin Energy. This is what makes a Fortunate Home.

Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency aims to use the modern technologies of today and make room for those of tomorrow. In this area, points are awarded for installing efficient systems like heat pump heating systems and water systems (used on all Fortunate Foundation homes), Energy Star rated appliances and fixtures, energy consumption monitoring systems, EV vehicle hookups, and photovoltaic arrays.

A standard practice on every Fortunate Foundations home is the installation of a solar array; Solar Panels on every home! That, coupled with energy modeling and efficient systems, ensures our solar arrays at minimum will reduce energy costs of a home by 50%, but often offset 100% energy consumption.

Site Evaluations

Site Evaluations take into account the location of the home in the overall neighborhood and how it integrates with the surrounding community. This is important because a home doesn’t exist in a vacuum, but is part of a larger neighborhood and community. A home should provide a social benefit and be designed with resiliency in mind.Areas of consideration for Site include urban density, nearby community resources, walkability, rainwater runoff management, wildfire mitigation, exterior lighting and light pollution, and outdoor living space planning. Fortunate Foundations goes above and beyond AEGB stipulations by incorporating local plants in the landscaping for local urban pollinators and wildlife.

Water Efficiency

Water Efficiency is a valuable resource and is treated as such in every Fortunate Home. Water systems are designed with efficiency and reduction of unnecessary waste in mind. Comfort and performance is maintained by selecting appropriate plumbing fixtures, efficient water heaters, and smart irrigation systems.

Areas for consideration in this area is water heater type, efficient faucets and shower heads, irrigation systems, and rainwater collection.

Materials & Resources

This rating takes into account the types of materials used in the construction process, and what becomes of the waste produced during the construction process. The goal is to utilize materials that are natural, and use less chemicals like formaldehyde and VOC in the composition. Fortunate Foundations uses materials that are durable so it does not end up in the landfill in a few years. In addition, all our construction waste is sent to collection and sorting companies with a recycling rate of 85%, which also reduces landfilling.

When we buy a home our practice is not to demolish it and send it to the landfill, but to remove it and sell it to refurbishing companies that upcycle the home giving it a new life.. Areas considered here are: waste management, floor durability, upcycling of pre-existing structures, recycled materials, framing, and pest control.

Indoor Environmental Quality

Indoor Environmental Quality metrics aim to improve the lives of homeowners by taking into account different elements that create a more comfortable and cleaner interior atmosphere. This is achieved by installing systems that provide fresh air intake, remove humidity, vent exhausts directly to the outside, and are architecturally designed to perform well. Areas measured here are- mechanical and natural ventilation, improved air quality, cabinet materials and glues, and universal design.