Green energy efficient construction has "come of age" in the United States. J & T Mountain Construction is at the forefront of this effort by investing the time and energy to become Earthcraft Certified and "Green Building" conscious. Do you have to build to these standards? The answer is partially, whether you intend to or not. The State of Georgia has increasingly added sections to its building code that support this effort on a statewide basis (ex: low E rated windows and higher minimum insulation R-Values.)

Key areas to consider are:

1.   Products Made with Salvaged, Recycled, or Agricultural Waste Content
2.   Products That Conserve Natural Resources
3.   Products That Avoid Toxic or Other Emissions
4.   Products That Save Energy or Water
5.   Products That Contribute to a Safe, Healthy Built Environment

The thought provoking question is whether it is cost efficient to invest more at the front end and gain it back over time plus an eventual return on your investment. Studies have shown that there are many things that can be done that add little additional cost to the construction of a house and the payback is almost immediate (less than two years.) Other larger cost items like very high efficiency 90% plus furnaces and foam sprayed insulation for your walls and roof takes longer to see a financial benefit (multiple years.) Is it worth it? We believe the answer is yes within the constraints of your home building budget.

What we mean to say is that if we show you 50 items that can improve energy efficiency or are created from "green materials" in your design you may only select 20 for actual inclusion. This is not a bad choice, it is simply budget reality. What we strive to do is to show you the choices with the associated costs and let you make up your mind. The plain fact is that improved energy efficiency over time always means savings. We feel very safe predicting that energy costs are not going to go down in the future. Your decisions today can have a much larger impact if energy costs continue to rise!

We encourage you to go to the nonprofit Southface website and see what the Earthcraft Certification and on-going training means to a builder.

In addition we think reviewing BuildingGreen.com can add valuable insight to your planning.

We would like to provide you with a brief list of items that current customers of J & T Mountain Construction have used in their projects:

• Quality Low E Argon filled insulated windows
• Radiant floor heating systems
• Icynene foam Insulation
• Extensive caulking package
• Insulated vapor barrier under slabs
• Very low VOC paints and adhesives
• Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)
• Energy Star appliances
• Bamboo floor
• Natural fiber carpets
• Engineered lumber
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs
• Water saving toilets and valves
• Tankless Water heaters
• Rainwater harvest systems