Design Sustainability is constantly becoming a bigger part of our design work as more and more effort is poured into taking the environment into consideration.  It transfers into saving energy at all levels from manufacturing, to construction, to the daily conditioning and maintenance of the home.  Saving the Earth by saving energy translates into saving money.

At the design level we bring the resources of scores of manufacturers and engineering firms into the process to provide our clients with the most up-to-date "sustainable" environmentally friendly structures as possible.  There are currently two leaders in this certification process that qualifies a building as 'more sustainable', or "green" as it is called.  Energy Star is part of the U.S. Government Department of Energy and directly qualifies complying projects with direct tax incentives for all types of building.  LEEDS or "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design," is another leading certification program that many Architects and Engineers have started to follow.  At this time we feel the Energy Star is the best developed program and the most residential-friendly system for our clients to understand.  We will monitor these programs as time goes by and will subscribe to the system that best fits our client's needs.

The techniques we employ to satisfy these demands include the best window, door, roofing, heating and air conditioning products as well as duct layout and sizing of equipment.  We also explore and consider alternative hot water sourcing and interior pressurization technology which helps eliminate unfiltered and unconditioned air seepage into the home.  Framing techniques to enhance the insulation envelop and increase weatherization from heat loss and heat gain are other aspects of the design process we are conscious of and that we use to encompass the practice of design sustainability.  We also use the finest in insulation and sealant products.  The list goes on and on but rest assured at Powers Design & Build, we are extremely environmentally conscious and working for you while preserving natural resources.