Maui Green Building

Green building in Maui makes just as much sense as anywhere else.

Incorporate the following design principles for a greener, safer and more efficient home that:

Maui Green Building

  • Provides a healthier and more comfortable environment
  • Improve long-term economic performance
  • Incorporates energy and water efficient technologies
  • Uses recycled content materials in their construction
  • Reduces construction and demolition waste
  • Brings higher resale value
  • Is landscaped for water and energy efficiency
  • Includes renewable energy technologies
  • Improves indoor air quality
  • Reduces environmental impact
  • And is easier to maintain & built to last

Maui Green Building from McKee Construction

Your brand new state-of-the-art green home can be sited, designed, constructed and operated to enhance you and your family’s well-being. You’ll also minimize negative impacts on the community and natural environment. High performance building materials can be utilized from the inside out for the best in ecologically sound performance. For more information on green building and LEED certification visit the U.S. Green Building Council https://www.usgbc.org/.

Schluter Ditra

Green Building Maui

The first thing that comes to mind while talking about “Green Building” is mainly the picture of a living space crowded with trees all around, or the one of a rooftop incorporated with a large quantity of solar panels. But there are many aspects to take in consideration while doing green construction, other than just trees everywhere.

Orientation

The orientation is one of the most important aspects of any new construction, there are certain parts of any structure that are always going to be more affected by the sun.
For example, any wall, window or volume facing west is gonna receive a higher solar impact during the day than any other portion of the project.

Crossed Ventilation

Crossed Building Ventilation Diagram

Crossed Building Ventilation Diagram

Wind has a natural flow to follow, it depends on the design of the project how well this is used.
Placing windows or openings strategically will let the wind follow its natural patter, cooling its way over from end to end.

Vegetation

Vegetation is, in fact, a big part of making your building “greener”. Nevertheless, if vegetation is not chosen carefully, it may turn out to be harmful. How so? Plants are used to a certain type of environment and climate. If you want to place some exotic water-sipping desert tree in a Maui garden its gonna do poorly. Play it safe. Local vegetation adapted to the climate and environment is always better. In this way, you work with nature, not against her.

Solar Energy

What is Solar Energy?

According to the NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Solar is the Latin word for sun—a powerful source of energy that can be used to heat, cool, and light our homes and businesses. That’s because more energy from the sun falls on the earth in one hour than is used by everyone in the world in one year. A variety of technologies convert sunlight to usable energy for buildings. The most commonly used solar technologies for homes and businesses are solar water heating, passive solar design for space heating and cooling, and solar photovoltaics for electricity.

Businesses and industry also use these technologies to diversify their energy sources, improve efficiency, and save money. Solar photovoltaic and concentrating solar power technologies are also being used by developers and utilities to produce electricity on a massive scale to power cities and small towns.

Solar Hot Water

The shallow water of a lake is usually warmer than the deep water. That’s because the sunlight can heat the lake bottom in the shallow areas, which in turn, heats the water. It’s nature’s way of solar water heating. The sun can be used in basically the same way to heat water used in buildings and swimming pools.

Most solar water heating systems for buildings have two main parts: a solar collector and a storage tank. The most common collector is called a flat-plate collector. Mounted on the roof, it consists of a thin, flat, rectangular box with a transparent cover that faces the sun. Small tubes run through the box and carry the fluid — either water or other fluid, such as an antifreeze solution — to be heated. The tubes are attached to an absorber plate, which is painted black to absorb the heat. As heat builds up in the collector, it heats the fluid passing through the tubes.

The storage tank then holds the hot liquid. It can be just a modified water heater, but it is usually larger and very well-insulated. Systems that use fluids other than water usually heat the water by passing it through a coil of tubing in the tank, which is full of hot fluid.

Solar Photovoltaic Technology

Solar cells, also called photovoltaic (PV) cells by scientists, convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV gets its name from the process of converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage), which is called the PV effect. The PV effect was discovered in 1954, when scientists at Bell Telephone discovered that silicon (an element found in sand) created an electric charge when exposed to sunlight.

Solar panels used to power homes and businesses are typically made from solar cells combined into modules that hold about 40 cells. A typical home will use about 10 to 20 solar panels to power the home.

Third-generation solar cells are being made from variety of new materials besides silicon, including solar inks using conventional printing press technologies, solar dyes, and conductive plastics. Some new solar cells use plastic lenses or mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto a very small piece of high efficiency PV material.

For more information visit the NREL Web Page:

https://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_solar.html


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LED Lighting

What is an LED?

A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device (LED chip) that emits visible light when an electric current passes through it – essentially it converts eletricity into light. When one or more LED’s are combined with an electrical driver and placed in a housing unit, you have a complete LED system.

What are the benefits of LED Lighting?

Long-lasting – LED bulbs last up to 10 times longer than compact fluorescents, and far longer than typical incandescents.

Durability – since LEDs do not have a filament, they are not damaged under circumstances when a regular incandescent bulb would be broken. Because they are solid, LED bulbs hold up well to jarring, bumping, shock and vibration. Additionally, they have excellent cold weather performance.

Cool– LED light bulbs do not cause heat build-up; LEDs produce 3.4 btu’s/hour, compared to 85 for incandescent bulbs. Because common incandescent light bulbs get hot, they contribute to heat build-up in a room. LED light bulbs prevent this heat build-up, thereby helping to reduce air conditioning costs in the home.

Mercury-free – no mercury is used in the manufacturing of LED light bulbs.

Efficient– LED light bulbs use only 2-17 watts of electricity (1/3rd to 1/30th of Incandescent or CFL). LED light bulbs used in fixtures inside the home save electricity, remain cool and save money on replacement costs since LED light bulbs last so long. Small LED flashlight bulbs will extend battery life 10 to 15 times longer than with incandescent bulbs.

Cost-effective – although LED light bulbs are initially expensive, the cost is recovered over time and in battery savings.

Choose LED lighting and save — money, energy, and the environment.

Information According to the Solid State Lighting INC.

https://www.etiled.us/LED-Lighting-101.aspx

American Clay Maui & McKee Construction

McKee Construction is pleased to offer you environmentally safe and beautiful American Clay wall covering products. American Clay is a New Mexico company. Directly from them:

American Clay

American Clay Green Building Plaster

“American Clay Earth Plasters are a natural, environmentally friendly way to finish any interior. Non-toxic and made in the USA, these plasters are an alternative to cement, acrylic and lime plasters, offering superior color, richness, texture and depth not found with other finishes. See what our different styles have to offer: Loma bestows a charming, rustic feel with matte colors and organic surfaces; Porcelina’s smooth surface and complex colors mimic the highly polished, opulent marble of the Old World; Marittimo’s soft colors and speckled sheen shimmer like the ocean; and Enjarre offers a rugged, earthen look in a single-coat plaster. From all points of the globe to all design projects, we’ve got you covered.”

American Clay plasters can contribute to the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) credits, under the LEED-NC rating system, version 2.2. Up to 10 LEED credits may be contributed according to American Clay. So for an environmentally responsible nontoxic and beautiful wall covering solution ask us about the wonderful plaster from American Clay!

Applying American Clay-Basic Overview 

Overview of the 4 application methods for American Clay Natural Earth Plaster. Natural Clays, Recycled & reclaimed Aggregates, Natural Dyes & Pigments

Smartstrand Carpet

What is Smartstrand?

According to their website “SmartStrand is the ONLY carpet with built-in stain and soil resistance that will NEVER wear or wash off.”

Why Is SmartStrand Environmentally Smart?

According to their website “SmartStrand carpet is made with DuPont Sorona renewably sourced polymer, which is made in part from actual corn—the same kind you grow in your garden. It also uses less energy to produce. It marks the first time that a luxuriously soft carpet offers durability and stain protection, while also making less of an environmental impact. From field to floor, SmartStrand carpet is the perfect solution to life’s unpredictable moments and environmental concerns.”

Enviromental facts about the Smarstrand Carpets

  • 37% of Sorona is made from renewable resources instead of more limited petroleum ingredients
  • The production of Sorona® polymer requires 30 percent less energy than the production of an equal amount of nylon
  • Production of seven square yards of 40-ounce SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona carpet saves enough energy to equal one gallon of gasoline
  • Production of SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona emits 63% less greenhouse gas *
  • All environmental claims are certified in writing *
  • As compared to production of nylon 6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SUXiJZLMc8

Source: https://www.mohawkflooring.com/flooring-products/carpet/smartstrand.aspx/

Tyvek House Wrap

Insulated Concrete (ICF) Form Blocks

Fox Blocks

Mikey Block ICF

Mikey Block

Eterna Building System

Eterna Building System

Rastra ICF Blocks

Rastra ICF Blocks

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