Getting Started with the Green Building Decision Kit

The DYO Green Building Decision Kit has 5 downloadable components

(DYO is an acronym for: Do Your Own)

Starting any residential or small commercial project* involves a multitude of decisions that will affect the ultimate outcome of that project. If you decide to include...

• green/sustainable products and technologies
• clean energy-solar systems
• healthy buildings with good indoor air quality
• mechanical ventilation
• heat pump heating & cooling systems
• heat pump water heaters & clothes dryers

...and more involves additional decisions to be made in the early stages of the design process.

If you wait until the project is finished to think about incorporating new features and technologies you may find that they are more expensive to install and possibly involve deconstructing your finished building or project as well.

The time-proven way to evaluate the products, technologies, and systems you could include in your project is to discuss all possible conventional and advanced options during the design phase. Based upon your budget and desired outcome you will likely need to determine which of the advanced products and technologies make the most sense for your project.

The DYO GBDKit is offered to help guide your discussions during your Design Charrettes toward including advanced technologies and products into your final design. Sometimes your budget will limit what options you can add so it is highly recommended that you enlist the help of a certified home energy rater in your early design process. The rater can evaluate and perform energy models of options that will be most beneficial for you based upon your needs. The rater can also help you obtain available rebates and incentives.

Based upon recent disasters and unpredictable weather patterns you may also want to consider making your building resilient (durable) for your climate zone. It is possible to make buildings resistant to fire, fortified against winds and flooding, and future ready with electric vehicle charging stations, solar energy systems, smart technologies, etcetera.

The following components are included in the DYO Green Building Decision Kit, should you decide to purchase one.

(If you are viewing this page using a desktop, laptop, or other larger screen device then you will see information on the left-side of your screen and images on the right. Mobile devices will likely see the images first and the text after the images.)

*The GBDKit also can be used to make a small commercial building green/sustainable as long as the heating, cooling, and ventilation equipment are residential in nature. The kit is not intended to work with commercial or industrial projects that incorporate boilers, chillers, roof top units, and other large scale equipment.

The DYO GBDKit is offered for educational and informational purposes only to help start discussions on a particular topic or idea. Any and all decisions made on any project or topic is the responsibility of the project owner or owners, or by the owner's authorized representative.